Community Forums

Cajun Jeff · 04-29-2017, 08:11 PM

I have 2002 Safari Sahara DP. Left home yesterday all systems go. Got to campground plugged in. AC working fine, all 12V systems working. Nothing on 110 working. Checked Gfi nothing there.

Looks like the house battery is not charging either.

Advise please.

Skip426 · 04-29-2017, 08:17 PM

If your coach is 50 amp , the first thing I'd check is that both legs of shore power are good at the post .

Ray,IN · 04-29-2017, 08:21 PM

Your MH has 120V shore power or the AC would not be working. GFCI receptacles do wear out over time, and they fail completely.
One GFCI close to the breaker panel can trip or fail causing everything downstream to lose power on that circuit. I had this happen right after we bought our MH, I eventually found a tripped GFCI "hidden" in the small cabinet made to house the coffeemaker. I reset that one and everything else on that side of the MH regained power.
Another GFCI that can make you hunt is the outside receptacle.

gemert · 04-29-2017, 09:24 PM

Functionally, 115 comes in through the transfer switch, to the main junction box (main breaker) then branches off to the AC units with breakers usually in the main panel, and the inverter through a breaker. I would check the inverter breaker first since the ACs are working. In the inverter there are usually three functions. One is to convert 115AC to 12VDC to charge your batteries and run all your 12VDC circuits while camping. The second function is to route 115VAC to your coach. The third is to invert 12VDC to 115VAC for some accessories inside the coach when shore or genny power is not available. It sounds to me like there is an issue with your inverter whether it's a breaker or something worse. Your 12 volt systems are only working until the batteries run down which again points to the inverter/charger. There is also a reset button on some inverters. Sometimes a very small push button. Try that. If that doesn't work unplug the coach, remove the ground from the inverter itself for a couple minutes. Hook it back up and try it again. I hope this helps. I am not an expert but have had inverter problems before and had to learn the hard way. Good luck.

Dutch Star Don · 04-29-2017, 09:36 PM

If you have an Inverter, you may have tripped the breaker on the inverter. On a coach with an inverter, all of the 110 power goes through the inverter first and then onto the outlets and other 110 devices. The only items not going through the inverter, are the A/C units.

Cajun Jeff · 04-30-2017, 05:52 AM

Inverter makes perfect sense. We are in a bad storm, wind and rain. Will get out and try to reset it as soon as it lets up. Thanks for your help.

Cajun Jeff · 04-30-2017, 07:07 AM

Inverter makes perfect sense. We are in a bad storm, wind and rain. Will get out and try to reset it as soon as it lets up. Thanks for your help.

Cajun Jeff · 04-30-2017, 12:45 PM

I think it is the inverter. Got the coach home. How can I test the inverter? Again thanks for the help.

Cajun Jeff · 04-30-2017, 03:18 PM

What do you guys think of this inverter? This is the one that I think has died.

xantrex 81202212

Frutza · 04-30-2017, 03:38 PM

Not sure about that number, but, when my Xantrex was failing I was able to disconnect all power, 110 & 12v let it sit then reconnect, like a hard reboot. But it only bought about another year before I had to replace it. There was a front panel that was remove able and the connections were in there and could be checked with a meter, if you feel comfortable with that

Kiawah · 04-30-2017, 04:00 PM

I'm not sure how or why some are steering you to an inverter problem. When you are plugged in to shorepower, the inverter is not even working (or shouldn't be).

You don't mention whether you are a 50 amp coach or 30 amp coach, it will matter slightly in to what you check. You need to troubleshoot your problem with a voltmeter.

First unplug from the shorepower, and check to make sure everything is good there.
- If 30 amp service, Positive leg to neutral 120vac, positive leg to ground 120vac, neutral to ground 0vac.
- If 50 amp service, Leg A to neutral 120vac, Leg B to neutral 120vac, Leg A to Leg B 240 vac, Leg A to ground 120vac, Leg B to ground 120vac, neutral to ground 0vac.

If that all checks out, then move to your circuit breaker box, and pull the cover off your box.
- If you are a 30amp wired coach, check the positive leg output on the main 30amp breaker, pos to neutral in the box 120vac, pos to ground in the box 120vac, neutral to ground 0vac.
- If you are a 50amp coach, your main will be a dual 50amp breaker, measure the breaker output. Leg A (black) to neutral (white) 120vac, Leg B (red) to neutral (white) 120vac, Leg A to Leg B 240 vac, Leg A to ground (bare copper or green) 120vac, Leg B to ground 120vac, neutral to ground 0vac.

Assuming that checks out okay, now measure the output of each of the individual breakers, to see if they have 120vac.

You said you didn't have 120vac, but then you said your AC was working.
-If you are 30amp box and IF that was true, then you'd have to have 120vac in your circuit breaker box, and you have a problem with an individual circuit to whatever socket you didn't have power at. You'd need to trouble shoot that individual line.
-If you are 50amp box and IF it was true your AC works, then it could be that one of the power legs (like leg A) had power, but leg B didn't have power. If you are 50amp, then every other physical breaker is on a different leg. For isntance, starting at the main breaker the first row of physical breaker would be on leg A, the next row of physical breaker would be on leg B, the third row of breaker on leg A, etc.

Check your voltages, and tell me what you have found.

Not jumping ahead, but since your AC had power, and both your converter and GFCI did NOT have power, I'm suspecting you have a 50amp coach and you are missing one of the legs. None of the breakers that are plugged into that leg have power. But let's see what your voltage checks show.

Boyd R · 04-30-2017, 04:07 PM

I had trouble dropping 110 in my coach this winter. After much trouble shooting, Entegra told me the power comes in the coach and to the 50 amp breaker in my breaker box. From there to the inverter, then back up to feed all the 110 breakers.

The trouble on mine wound up being a faulty end on the communication cable that goes from the inverter, to the remote (control panel inside).
So yes, a faulty inverter can effect the 110 inside, even when plugged into good shore power.

nothermark · 04-30-2017, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

If you have an Inverter, you may have tripped the breaker on the inverter. On a coach with an inverter, all of the 110 power goes through the inverter first and then onto the outlets and other 110 devices. The only items not going through the inverter, are the A/C units.

A/C, hot water. and whole house inverter. There may be some circuits not on the Inverter that are also live. May as in some do and some don't. It's also worth noting that with a 50 A feed usually on A/C on each leg so both A/C's working = all shore power working. One A/C = one leg not working. Handy when trying to troubleshoot.

Cajun Jeff · 04-30-2017, 05:11 PM

Just a bit more info. My coach is 50 amp. Tomorrow I will get the meter out and check the numbers. I can say that I plugged in at home and still have the same problem. That just tells me that the problem was not at the pole in the CG. My monitor in the coach usually has a light that states tha status of the battery bank. There are no lights now. I'm going to go check the communication wire on the front of the inverter. I wish I could add pics for you to see.

Thanks for all your advise.

How can I tell if the inverter is dead?