Controller question, 2007 Cherokee 27q

[Plowjockey]

Hi,

I have a forest river 2007, cherokee 27q.
I've been trying to figure out why my micro wave isn't working (no power is going to it). I traced back power to the controller and found the wires coming out the converter controller are puzzling. The black wire does not have any power and the white wire is hot. The white wire is going back to the neutral bar (and is hot) and black wire going to the braker. Can anyone help as to what I should do? I was told that those wires coming out of converter controller are factory installed.

[Skip426]

Ok ; your converter is for 12 volt operation and your microwave needs 120 volts ( shore power ) to operate .

Only if your RV has an inverter and a large battery bank will you be able to use the microwave without shore power.


Are you on shore power ?
Can you post pictures of what you're seeing ?

[Zulu Kono]

Is your trailer plugged into shore power,
and is your microwave plugged into an outlet?

[Tomahawk]

Plug in one of the outlet testers (3 lights and outputs a code, $10 at HD). Make sure the polarity isn't reversed. Start at shore power post where you connect the Trailer (need an adapter). Then an outlet in the trailer. I'd guess most things aren't smart enough to detect reversed polarity on alternating current. The GFI might be (haven't tried and don't understand it well enough to know) and the microwave might be. Could also be that a GFI to the microwave is tripped. I would disconnect from shore power until I understood what was going on. Having the neutral bar hot sounds dangerous.

[Kipkeller]

That’s wrong. The white wire should not be hot.
Check what you are plugged into.
Something is miswired.

[Persistent]

I have a forest river 2007, cherokee 27q.
I've been trying to figure out why my micro wave isn't working (no power is going to it). I traced back power to the controller and

I assume "controller" is a breaker and fuse panel. It may have an integrated converter/charger.

found the wires coming out the converter controller are puzzling. The black wire does not have any power and the white wire is hot. The white wire is going back to the neutral bar (and is hot) and black wire going to the braker.

White wire to ground must be zero or close to zero volts.
Black wire to ground if it is working must be 120 volts. Zero volts means no power out of breaker.

It is highly unlikely there is 120 volts on the neutral bus. No other 120 volt appliances would work either. If it is truly at 120 volts to ground, there is probably a loose, burned, or corroded wire to the bus from shore power.

Troubleshooting:

Switch circuit breaker "off" and then back "on". Sometimes they don't appear to be tripped when they are actually tripped. This is easy to do so do it first.

A GFI outlet may be tripped. Any GFI outlet may be the cause, but it is usually one near the non-functioning appliance. It could be on the other side of the wall.

Push the "test" button on the outlet. If it was working, it will "click" and then stop working. Next, push the "reset" button. Outlet should then start working again.

GFI will not trip or reset unless there is 120 volts to its input terminals.

There is probably a 120 volt outlet behind the microwave. The plug may have fallen out or it may be a GFI outlet that has tripped.

Can anyone help as to what I should do? I was told that those wires coming out of converter controller are factory installed.

They are most often factory installed.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[dustyone]

I would start at the beginning. Where you plug your camper in for 110 power. The pedestal. This may help.

[Skip426]

OP has not been onsite since he started this thread .

We need more info from him to confirm he's giving the correct names for the components he's been checking and voltage info from his testing in order to help him further .

Pictures would be a huge help.

[Plowjockey]

Thank you all for your interest in this issue.
I'm connected to shore 30 amp.
All 110v plugs, refrigerator, water heater works well.
Black wire (not hot) going to circuit breaker from converter (in pictures) is producing no current to appliance.
As you see in the pictures white wire (hot) going to neutral buss bar.
I haven't start switching thing in the circuit breaker area until I contacted you folks. Especially what to do with the 3 wire coming out of converter.
I'm done with my Sunday commitments and will be more responsive with future conversations.

[twinboat]

The black wire in your picture is coming FROM a circuit breaker to power the converter. The 120 volt input is converted to 12 volt output for lights, pumps, fridge.....
It does not power the microwave.

Power to the black wires on the bottom of the breakers comes from the breakers they are connected to, with the exception of the 30 amp breaker.

All Of the screw connections should be hot ( have power ) from the hot bus bar behind the breakers.

[Tomahawk]

In the picture, it looks like the wire coming out of the wire nut is broken. Check that, it could our microwave problem. Seems like someone did a repair, it is unlikely that wire nut was there to extend the branch wire coming out of the breaker 4 inches when it left the factory.

[dustyone]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

In the picture, it looks like the wire coming out of the wire nut is broken. Check that, it could our microwave problem. Seems like someone did a repair, it is unlikely that wire nut was there to extend the branch wire coming out of the breaker 4 inches when it left the factory.

He has a good eye. He maybe right.

[CharlesinGA]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk

In the picture, it looks like the wire coming out of the wire nut is broken. Check that, it could our microwave problem. Seems like someone did a repair, it is unlikely that wire nut was there to extend the branch wire coming out of the breaker 4 inches when it left the factory.

What that is.... is a double tap. Wire goes from the wire nut to the breaker and another black wire is also under that screw on the breaker. Its possible that they used a ferrule to put two wires together and call it one under the screw, Winnebago does this. Then what they did was leave a pigtail from that double tap and the installer just wire nuts the circuit to it.

This is commonly done on low draw items such as putting the fridge and the converter on one breaker using the ferrule/double tap.

What we need to know is what breaker is labeled as being the MW.

Op is chasing something that isn't a problem. MW circuit is simple, runs from the breaker to the MW receptacle. 99% of the time that is all that is on the circuit. Pull the MW out and measure for voltage at the receptacle. If none, go back and measure for voltage from the neutral bar to each breaker terminal screw. If they are all hot, go back to the receptacle and remove it and open it up (after you kill the shore power). They are a punch down wire pinch type of connection and they don't always work well.

Charles

[dustyone]

This could have been the problem