MASSIVE ELECTRICAL SHORT

[GLDEATHER]

I'm the owner of a 2000 National Seaview. The only electrical power I have is to the chassis, the micowave and the outlets. Nothing else any where. No enterior lights, power jacks, slides, generator, etc. Not even when pluged into shore power. Fuses and breakers all look good. Does anyone have any idea, as to where else to look?

[GLDEATHER]

I'm the owner of a 2000 National Seaview. The only electrical power I have is to the chassis, the micowave and the outlets. Nothing else any where. No enterior lights, power jacks, slides, generator, etc. Not even when pluged into shore power. Fuses and breakers all look good. Does anyone have any idea, as to where else to look?

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

First based on what you've said you don't have a massive electrical short. You have something either disconnected, a fuse blown, or a switch not turned on.

I assume you've checked the coach batteries. You indicated the microwave and outlets are working. This means you have 115 Volts AC. All the other items, lights, jacks, slides, etc. operate from the 12-volt coach battery/s. The generator starter also uses the coach battery/s. Usually there are two 6-volt batteries connected in series. Sometimes you might have 2 12-volt batteries connected in parallel. Make sure your master switch is not turned off and/or that it's not a bad switch. This master switch should engage a solenoid in the battery control center. Also be aware there are usually more than one place that has fuses on a motorhome.

If checking the above things I mentioned don't help then come back here and let us know what more you might have found.

[chasfm11]

It sure sounds like you have house battery issues.

First, it sounds like you are not familiar with which electrical items run on which type of power. It would be a good idea to start figuring that out because you might have multiple problems. Typically, the 12volt house batteries power the interior lights. On mine, they also power the slide. The jacks on mine, however, are powered off of the chassis batteries. Our generator is powered from the house batteries. When you are on shore power, you should have a converter that changes the 120V A/C to 12v DC but that might be part of your problem - no working converter. The most important reason for understanding the various sources is safety. If you make a mistake and touch a live 12volt circuit, you may feel it. If you make that same mistake around 120V A/C it could kill you. It is very easy to touch something that you weren't supposed to when troubleshooting if you don't understand the various power sources and how they are fed.

2nd, fuses can sometimes "look good" but are not. In such a problem as you are having, I'm use a volt meter to make sure that power was going to the fuses and then being delivered across them. It is simply a matter of grounding one lead on the meter and then probing both sides of the fuse.

If you are not good with a voltmeter, I'd recommend finding someone who is and can help you. You might spend a lot of time trying to figure things out if meter operation isn't familiar to you.

[Roger Kneeland]

Gldeather,

I doubt that you have a "massive short" ...that would be exciting! Is there any chance that your converter died and your aux ( house) batteries are flat ...hence no dc anywhere?

You should be able to find a terminal on the converter where you can check for an output. Have you checked voltage at the battery (ies). Maybe the input connections at the 12v fuse input panel are loose (doubtful).

There arent many places for problems between the converter and the fuse panel. you probably do have a aux battery disconnect relay/switch between the coach systems and the batteries.

Sorry, just kind of casting around ...one of those "boy I wish I were there to help" kind of deals.

Let us know what you find,

Roger

[GaryKD]

Hi GLDEATHER,
Welcome to iRV2. Bob gave some good pointers. If you are not comfortable with checking everything he mentioned, start by:
0. Remove the power cord from shore power.
1. find the coach batteries
2. are all the connections tight (no wiggle)
3. If the batteries have vent caps, remove the caps and check to see if the batteries have water. The water should be visible and over the plates in each cell.
4. Check the voltage. You'll need a meter to do this. Fully charged should read 12.6 volts DC. Anything under 11.7 volts DC consider them discharged.

If the batteries are discharged, the next step is to determine why. Plug the coach into shore power and take another battery measurement. If the batteries read the same low reading, your charger is not working. Check you 110V AC breaker panel and see if the breaker, for the charger, is tripped.

If the batteries charged, then it's like what Bob posted. There is a fuse somewhere between the batteries and the fues distribution panel that has blown.

[LVJ58]

Could it be the battery disconnect switch is open?

[RV Wizard]

GLDEATHER, welcome to iRV2.com. We are glad to have you join us here and we look forward to helping you get acquainted with the systems of your coach. Let us know where you are at in diagnosing the problem. Good luck and enjoy the website.

[speed racer]

Your house battrys are disconnected. Could be a bad connection or a bad ground a battry disconnect switch or a bad battery with an oped in the plates.

[jerseyjim]

Might sound stupid....but check your GFIs'.

[NYMoose "Lenny"]

Do you ever hear your converter come on? I would check batteries for the simple, but sounds more in this direction of the converter. Once found check the input, then check voltage output. If you don't feel comfortable doing this get a friend. If you dont have a multi meter, buy one.

[LVJ58]

So GLDEATHER, can you give us an update on resolving your problem?

[tropical36]

Sounds like the Coach batteries are off, for whatever reason or maybe dead because the converter hasn't been charging them for a very long time.
My present coach requires that the coach batteries be turned on, regardless. My old coach didn't care as long as the converter was on, so it obviously supplied 12v to the coach, independently of the batteries. Both ways, have some benefits I guess, if you really think about it.