Can't Connect to Shore Power

[djdobbins1]

I recently purchased a 2004 40' MDTS Alpine coach and am trying to get some shore power to it at my house. I bought a Gamco adapter to allow the coach 50 amp cable to plug into a normal 110 volt outlet in my garage. I am still not getting shore power to the coach. The coach has an automatic transfer switch. Is there something else I need to do to get connected to shore power at my house? How do I know when I am connected to shore power? I don't have a 220 volt outlet at the house.

Dan 425 777-0148

[Algoma]

Are you sure you have power to the adapter. Chances are that as soon as you connected it to the coach you tripped the circuit breaker or GFCI. Check that everything on the coach is turned off before making the connection. I frequently do what you are trying to do just to charge the batteries and never had a problem. By the way all houses have 240 volts, used for A/C, dryers and stoves, but if you are not an electrician I wouldn't mess with that. You can search IRV2 for endless discussions on that topic.

[Gorlininc]

Hi. All MH are wired for 110v. Enen though you can plug in 50 amp which is 220v. It puts 110v on each leg on your breaker box. You should have no 220v breakers.
When you plug into 110v 20amp plug in your home. You are putting 110v on both legs in your breaker box. I have a electric monitor in my diplomat. It controls the 50 Amp and 30 amp. I have to manually switch it to 20 amps. It automatically turns off all high usage power users. Dryer, hot water heater, and both AC units. It will charge my batteries and lights. I can power the fridge.
So your MH may not be allowing these items to work. Your inverter should be working if it is on.
As they say above. Make sure you are getting power to your MH and not blowing the house circuit breaker. I hope this helps.

[sdennislee]

What ever you do don't give up on the 110 and try to plug in to the receptacle used for the the wife's dryer or the garage welding machine. Connecting to 220/240 circuits not set up to be RV specific will destroy the wiring in your MoHo

[v8dave]

If you find the house breaker has tripped you might check to see if you have the electric hot water turned on. The switch is in the hot water compartment. Open the water heater access door--a louvered metal plate on the outside of the coach--look inside and notice the small on-off switch. That switch is for the electric element in the hot water tank. Turn it off when using the low amperage electrical connection at your home. You will still be able to get hot water from propane. The propane hot water on-off switch is in the kitchen on my coach.

Another thing you should set is the incoming power available to the Inverter. In the picture below, the top panel (black) is the Inverter control panel in my Alpine Coach. On the right side is power share. Pushing the power share button (the "Power Share" label) will cycle the selections above the button. You should have something similar in your coach. Select 15 Amp or 20 Amp for your at home connection. Choose which to use by the checking the label on the circuit breaker in your house's breaker panel for the plug you are using.

[bcbowers]

FWIW ... I connect my coach to my house outlet using a 100' extension cable for the purpose of just getting the residential refrigerator going in preparation for a trip. I NEVER change anything on the Power Share setting which remains on 50 amp. The batteries charge and the frig gets cold without a problem.

Also, the monitor panel may appear "dead" with no lights. This situation can be an anomally in which the panel "Xanbus" connection needs to be reset. You can accomplish that by removiing the panel (4 - screws), disconnecting the RJ12 telephone type cable, wait 30 - seconds, and reconnect the cable. The status should now appear on the panel. Replace the panel. This is a Xantrex Technical Support procedure - NOT MINE but it's worked twice for me and once for my brother-in-laws coach.

I would try your outlets inside the coach to make sure you're missing power. If you are then go to the transfer switch. You'll need a voltmeter to test the legs of the cable leading towards the Inverter / Charger. Hope this helps.

[Gorlininc]

Hi Bcbowers

I guess they all are set up differently. When my generator is on the GEN lights up and all appliances can be used.
When 50 amp power my 50 AMP light lights up and all appliances can be used.
When 30 Amp power is used my 30 AMP light lights up and all appliances are lit. However when an AC is on it automatically shuts off the other AC light and hot water. It changes appliances available depending on what is being used.
At 20 AMP I have to select it. All heavy usages appliances are not available for use age.
That's how mine works. It's always making sure I don't draw too much power.

[djdobbins1]

Thanks for the trouble shooting tips. I have verified 158 volts AC on the output side of the auto transfer switch, coach main 50 amp CBs are not tripped, electric water heater and other appliances are turned off. So, I have AC voltage through the auto transfer switch, but still no AC beyond that. Also tried unplugging the RJ19 plug from the back of the monitor panel and setting the power share to 15 or 20 amps, but still not getting AC in to coach. Still stumped.

[KIX]

Originally Posted by djdobbins1

Thanks for the trouble shooting tips. I have verified 158 volts AC on the output side of the auto transfer switch, coach main 50 amp CBs are not tripped, electric water heater and other appliances are turned off. So, I have AC voltage through the auto transfer switch, but still no AC beyond that. Also tried unplugging the RJ19 plug from the back of the monitor panel and setting the power share to 15 or 20 amps, but still not getting AC in to coach. Still stumped.

WHOA!!! That voltage is WAY too high. 132v is considered the upper limit. Stop trying until you get that voltage straightened out.

[palehorse89]

What vac do you have in your garage or your house? Check a outlet..... 158 is not good....

[Frutza]

Well thats another problem, If you have a surge protector and it is seeing 158 volts, it will shut power off to the coach, can you post a picture of your control panels or displays?

[SteveS]

DJDobbins - Sounds to me like you are measuring peak AC values rather than RMS values. 158 V peak is equivalent to 111 VAC (rms).

[Dr4Film]

Another area to check is your inverter to make sure that the circuit breakers on the inverter have not been tripped?

The inverter will not pass 120 VAC through it properly with the CB's tripped.

Dr4Film ----- Richard