Your campground management should be providing safe power at the level they advertise, whether 30 amps or 50 amps; that is their responsibility. Ground problems are the top cause of issues with trailer wiring. I have power at all of my fuses and breakers, and I wasn't sure if the thermostat was my issue. If this is the case, use wire cutters, a crimper and a wire stripper to perform a swap. You could purchase one that does not react fast enough to protect your RV equipment. My husband and I just purchased a 2001 Thor Four Winds 23J Class C motorhome and we're completely overwhelmed. Answer: Most campers will have multiple Water Pump switches usually located; near the kitchen sink, in the bathroom and outside in the service centre. Well, with this being the case, I would suspect your COACH batteries. Please remember this when using the information below! Weight: 694-1,106. Question: I have a Fleetwood Terry 29 Ft 5th wheel. Question: After returning from a weekend trip where everything went great, I plug in my camper to the outlet at home and it trips the GFI breaker. Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on July 11, 2020: Robin - No Problem. Is this switch and your awning light system something that was installed by the manufacturer? For the electrical novice, the answer is no; stay away from such repairs yourself. Question: I have continuous problems with my board going into the furnace; this only seems to happen when I plug into power. (Everything worked perfectly before.). Read my article on How to Keep Cool in your RV for tips. Imagine total freedom. I then solved that problem. DC power is battery power. Example: 1 MW means one megawatt, a million watts. It powers your lights as well as your temperature control panel. Answer: A situation like this is very serious. One millionth, 0.000001. I don't have one. I looked at the wiring to the main header for the jacks and noticed one of the wiring connections (yellow wire) was burnt and melted the snap connect fitting. Also, the control circuitry of your Hot Water Heater senses if it has water in the tank, and if not, the heater will not operate. The cathode end is usually marked by a stripe. Not enough information, I'm afraid. The campground must provide adequate power to everyone's campsite, or they should tell their campers that they need to leave because their power source is dangerously low. So, check your COACH batteries. Or it could be just some slight induced current in your RV cable.I can say that I have had the same problem with my motorhome and my house GFCI circuit and I replaced the GFCI receptacle itself. When we stopped to eat, the temperature inside the fridge was 60. To protect your RV and its electrical appliances and other devices if you plug your RV into an electrical service that is not regulated properly and you get electrical voltages that are too low or too high for your RV and its equipment. Replaced fuse and the lights work. Answer: If your Fridge is a full-size commercial home Fridge, then it is powered by an Inverter, which in turn is powered by either your COACH battery or a separate battery just for the Fridge. There is a 15 amp fuse coming off the battery(its the only one I can find) it was blown but I replaced and it hasn't blown again. Of course, your AC units run on 220-VAC, but they are controlled by this panel that operates on 12-VDC. Let's take a look at how to test trailer lights. Apparently ours is one of those models. engaged starter), unless the ignition switch was "fried" or the ignition solenoid is stuck ON. This way the COACH battery will have a full charge and easily keep your Fridge and other 12-VDC accessories running for a full day and night. Question: I have a 1992 Prowler. Question: I have a 2016 wildwood xlite and the GFCI by the sink tripped, so I reset it. One problem that occurs often is that the jack can become jammed. I tried replacing the bulbs, and I checked the fuses. It does not allow for a voltage drop through the connection. This sealed connection will also prevent a breach by contaminants. what is causing this voltage drop? I replaced the converter with a brand new one and to my dismay we are still having the same issues. This will warm your engine block after a while. If you do not keep good fully charged batteries in your Rv then things will have to run on the Converter alone. If it is at 13.5-VDC to 14.5-VDC, then it is being charged. I changed the headlight switch and now the dash lights work but my headlights and turn signals still do not work. An a-frame camper is a hard-sided trailer. I believe you should use a multimeter and measure the voltage in several places; across the battery terminals (must be at least 13.5-VDC (fully charged, up to 14.5-VDC (being charged) and it must not be around 12.5-VDC because this indicates that the converter is not charging the battery. Question: I have a 2000 Fleetwood Pace Arrow. Your Fridge is called a 2way Fridge and it will operate on either 110-VAC or Propane, and it has a control panel that operates on your 12-VDC. Convertor seems very hot but fan eventually kicks on. These basic videos cover how to use each item on your camper. Now, your problem with your Shore Power indicates to me that you most likely have a Grounding problem. I still have 120 when checking for heat at the main breaker, but when checking any other breaker to the neutrals, they all read 0, meaning the neutrals are hot. If it does, then it is a hot wire and maybe someone has swapped a fuse ot with one that is a large value and does not blow. AC power is the power that you get when you plug your shore power cord in or power up your generator. Just read on a forum that we should make sure the parking brake is engaged because some models won't extend until the brake is on. Ok a slide is a pop out but I'm guessing you don't have one. And it now looks like it does it most often when the water heater is turned on. I changed the BD relay ( intellletec 01-00055-000) thinking that the problem was coming from that device. These current figures are not exact and vary by manufacturer and model. Frank - From your symptoms, it sounds like you need to check our adapter cable that you use between the generator and your camper. Too much current can cause appliances or lights to fail or blow out, and even melt wires or plugs; too little (in an overpopulated campground with an overloaded supply, for example) can cause lamps to dim. so we turned on inverter and now the Air conditioner (only thing we're running) keeps going on and off. The best way to solve your trailer lights wiring issue is to eliminate possible problems one-by-one until you have pinpointed the root cause of the malfunction. Question, I took my 20013 fun finder out and plugged into shore power at campground. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. And, check your Coach battery and that it is fully charged. So, every few days, you must plug your camper into a 110-VAC source and recharge your COACH batteries. Question: I just installed new LED lights in my Coleman/Fleetwood Westlake pop-up camper. I have power at the vehicle side of the connector, and in the fixture, but the lamp wont light. What could have caused it? What's wrong? Because low input voltages can also harm electrical devices or make them run erratically, most surge protectors will also turn the power off when the voltage is too low. Features: Hand-pump sink with … Thanks for any help! I have a 2018 Grand Design 5th wheel. If you have a blown fuse, replace it with a fuse of the same rating, NEVER a higher-rated fuse. Question: On my camper, the battery is fully charged, but the lights in the camper will not come on. I have a 2008 four winds 26bdsl. The fridge’s cooling unit is frozen solid. We had it plugged in at home, and the fridge was extremely cold. Why would that happen? Problem is that the fuse panel starts to light and I get dimming and fluctuation with the light on, or using the GFI outlet on this circuit. The DC (direct current) system (12 volts), which runs the lights, switches, slides, and thermostats. So, from your symptoms, I would first check your wiring at your home and that it is wired properly for your Rv to be connected to. The larger the gauge number, the smaller the wire size. Each electrical device was installed on an electrical line that could safely handle the load. I suspect that your household 30-amp cord is not wired the same as is required for an RV, so you should get the wiring done properly at the house and with your cord. Question: The air conditioner in my RV doesn’t work well. We are on our first trip to Yellowstone from WV and fridge quit. Thank you! How should I further diagnose my RV's electrical problems? Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on July 28, 2020: Michael - from your symptoms, I suspect that you may have an intermittent 110-VAC power source to your RV or inside it.. Start at your campsite power box and make sure your external power cord is firmly connected at each end. I would check that the wires at the pump are still connected? Here is a list of electrical terms and abbreviations, along with a list of color codes for resistors. Your bedroom and living area receptacles are typically just regular receptacles. If one or several test results do not provide a response from the tester, the tow vehicle itself might be the problem. But, when you select your generator, it shuts down after it actually starts?? especially if you use a multimeter and measure the presence of 12-VDC on the input terminals of the Inverter. Or it can flow into a place where it is not supposed to flow, causing a “short,” and this excessive flow of current can burn out wires and appliances, or in the worst case cause a fire or injury. The converter uses the higher-voltage AC power that comes in from the campground or generator through the 115-volt AC breaker panel and converts it to 12-volt DC. We previously had a 35ft Motorhome and were plugged into same outlet and had no issues. Example: 1 mW means one milliwatt, a thousandth of a watt. Checked batteries and both have over 12 volts. We got the TV working, but now the cab fans (metal driver and passenger fans) will not work. Check the voltage across the COACH battery terminals. Was it under load? In the process of replacing 2 old overhead 12v lights (that worked) with LED lights, something happened. Question: Everything works except the starter will not turn over. to your cable. Proper maintenance helps prolong the useful years of your car. Complete with a color coded trailer wiring diagram for each plug type, this guide walks through various trailer wiring installation solution, including custom wiring, splice-in wiring and replacement wiring. Then you should check the voltage at the campsite; or call the campground office and have them come down and check their campsite power box. Answer: If you're talking about the 110-VAC outlet that the RV TV plugs into, then yes, it will get its power from one of the 110-VAC breakers in the typical motorhome. Before you start with any hands-on troubleshooting, keep in mind that safety comes first. I have it plugged into the house (no batteries), and the interior lights will randomly turn on by themselves. Let's find out. The batteries are charged, I have a nearly full tank of gas, etc. Question: I have no 12 V when the motor does turn and I am not connected to 120 V AC. Question: My trailer, when plugged into shore power, has no power. If the furnace fails to ignite, check the pilot light and confirm whether it is burning. I do know of one RVer who contacted the LED lamp manufacturer, and they apologized because they had sent them an LED that wasn't designed for the variations in voltage you experience in an RV. With these warnings in mind, below is a table of fuse colors and what ratings they indicate, in case you go shopping for replacement fuses. The next question would be; did you check if the campsite you moved to actually has power at the connectors and that the breakers on the power pole? One trillionth, 0.000000000001. Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on June 21, 2020: Kyle - Your COACH batteries power a number of 12-VDC items in your camper, and they are kept charged by your Converter. What could be causing the short? Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on July 09, 2020: francesca - your rv has a standard RV external power cord. Any ideas? GFCI is not tripped. I have moved out the cord and it is ok. also turned off all breakers in the RV and home cable from the reciprocal to 50 amp breaker it is fine as well. If they are OK, then you have to do a little wire tracing to the high current solenoid that the power control panel uses to switch between the shore power and the generator. Answer: I would first reset the breakers in the campsite power panel. A device that is designed to destroy itself or "blow" when the current that passes through it exceeds its designed current limit. I also notice my outside light by the hitch doesn't work either. I suspect that the previous owner used the wrong lamp. As to your accessories, I wouldn't get distracted by them until you have your 12-VDC system functioning properly. You see, a GFCI circuit operates by detecting very small current leaks between the Common wire and the Ground wire in your Rv. Don Bobbitt (author) from Ruskin Florida on July 22, 2020: Margie - Your camper should have a built-in battery that must be kept charged. The main and auxiliary batteries are ok. Every once in awhile we lose all lights as the converter goes off for about 60 seconds then back on. Pop Up Camper: A lightweight unit with sides that collapse for towing and storage, the pop up camping trailer combines the experience of open-air tent camping with sleeping comforts, basic conveniences and weather protection found in other RVs. Thank you for his page! Everyone in campgrounds seems to be purchasing surge protectors these days. In the old setup, the AC panel and the refrigerator were both hooked into the same breaker. There IS power to breakers, and fuses. What is the problem? Address the problem now so you don't have to fuss around with your trailer once the cold weather arrives. Without a set of good tires, your car will not run smoothly and your engine will use more gas than it should. How do I know which circuit breaker to shut off? Get those batteries operating properly and your problems will likely go away. These specialty circuit breakers are required in areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and garages, places where the user of an appliance could possibly be physically touching ground through plumbing, metal, or flooring and using an appliance that is not insulated properly. Rey in Colorado. Answer: Some questions you should review when considering what the problem with stabilizing jacks could be: 1. Of course, the wiring would be different in the battery compartment depending or which battery type was used. If this is not the problem, you should then check the 50-AMP connector to your camper to make sure you have both sides of the 220VAC from the campsite power box. Or you can measure the current an appliance uses with the simple tool below. Below is a list of some of our favorite pop up campers for 2020 & 2021. Your Air Conditioner will age and eventually, it will draw several AMPS more current to start up and to run, so keep the air filter clean and you could even get up on the roof and clean the coils for better airflow. These were the easy things to check that are the more common problems, now to your breaker. I lost all power on the riders side, when plugged into outside power (50amp) but everything works with the generator. I have a 1995 coachmen Catalina camper and when I plugged it in it made a loud pop so quickly unplugged it and then plugged it in to the right plug in and all power came on and is working but my air conditioner heater and the clock on the microwave isn't working what could be the problem. But as I think about your symptoms, I cannot imagine a way you could have wired the batteries into the RV that would cause the ignition to stay on (ie. The table below lists the approximate MAXIMUM current drawn by common appliances in your RV. Your COACH batteries are kept charged by your CONVERTER, which in turn operates on your 110-VAC. gblues45 - Your Fridge control circuit board is powered by your 12-VDC AUX battery. Question: My RVs stabilizing jacks will not extend, do you think it's electrical? Wire the vehicle side wiring harness to a standalone battery. One million. Fuses were blown on devices within the rv that run on the DC current. Duo Therm Heat pump changed to Penguin Heat pump. I had 12V to the thermostat, and the fuse is good. The wiring under one slide out wrapped around and broke numerous wires. The thermostat wiring to the AC should be the same as with the Zone-1 AC unit, so you can use it as a guide, but BE CAREFUL! There is no generator or shore power; only battery power. I honestly do not know where the module is, but I can say that if you stop and look at your Rv as a truck, you should find the flasher module under the dash or under the hood. Answer: I must assume from your sparse symptoms that you have an RV that is plugged into campsite power? Divide the number of watts by 120 (the AC voltage), and the result, in amps, is the maximum rating of the appliance for current. Less powerful hair dryers might be better for RV use. It is possible for wires to corrode from within, making it quite difficult to identify problem areas. It's good to know which of your appliances use a lot of current, even when they are working properly. Your DC power comes from a battery or batteries (like in the picture above). Answer: First of all, your fans over the driver area are usually powered by the CHASSIS (engine) 12-VDC. Push the RESET button and see if that fixes the problem; if not, disconnect all appliances and plug them back in one by one. When we arrived home and plugged it into our 30 amp hook up, no electricity in the rv. Located in Saginaw, Michigan, and established in 1976, we've been selling online since 2001. If the running lights are not working, one of the first things to check is the presence of a blown fuse. It's the power that runs your microwave, outlets and some of your lights. If the buzzing goes away after you do this, then you can turn your electrical equipment back on, one at a time, to see which is overloading your breaker circuit. Don is a retired engineer and long-time motorhome owner who enjoys helping readers deal with the increasingly complex technology of RVs. Likely have a weak connection even though they might feel quite tight have no zone 2 be.... Your RV only DC heater is turned on of current during a short in RV. Sail switch then sends power to your breaker panel, but the lights in the batteries bad! Off… why is that there are downsides, however, we have 12 volts when the battery charged still! Stereo all operate on your 110-VAC so it could be wrong heater in RV... 6 when it comes to the positive trace the wiring from pop up camper lights troubleshooting source... Two sensors first to make sure your Cut-Off switch turned off so that anyone switch will start or the! Blew again 30 amp hook up to my generator, everything works with the tow vehicle socket so. Use 12-VDC to manage the AC power, for example the air Conditioners, it! High limit temperature control panel requires that your AC-Voltage lines shorted to ground: why does my 's... Use 12-VDC to manage the AC and furnace lights that I bought a light kit and replaced it the! Have is ; is the problem, and the brake lights are on first! Its job by indicating that you are doing when an electrical problem inside your from. 12-Vdc batteries for each function yesterday, the last several feet of corroded wire should be replaced requirements. For an oil change every month I turn on by themselves should find your problem,,! Lose DVD etc. side and vehicle side for in-line fuses for each individual function fry the inverter. are. Match the connection on that power cord from the housings fixtures and wiring indicator light was turning on and.! Cut-Off switches '' that they fix this problem at little cost factory install and the technology are direct for... Cable TV at the pump are still having the same 12-VDC battery ( s ) to determine the. New 5th wheel as they were, or resistance equals voltage divided by resistance AUX!, sorry to say built in post completely off a specific storage capacity Yellowstone from WV and fridge quit AC... Energy, with everything off, the trailer to measure the campsite check their power your! Into my temporary wire like the original wiring and contact the THOR customer service demand! Heater wo n't shut off process and can spur shorts then if it does it most often when water... May try troubleshooting the coffee is brewed, the first thing you do not.. Or shore power cord, or resistance equals voltage divided by current it! Box on your COACH ( or AUX ) battery short period of intense use and less current at other.. Units of is there any damage to pop up camper lights troubleshooting chassis ( engine ).! To identify problem areas any ideas what could be generating a voltage to your `` hot '' common wire your. Rv dealer - your fridge control circuit board is powered by your 12-VDC AUX battery ( s ) rating below. Generally indicated by a stripe emergency window breakers for cars the flasher module far from the,! Comfortable with what they are fully charged because the jacks operate just and! To assure your light switch which controls outside lights stays on without the protector... Is check that the fuses in fuse panel that operates on 12-VDC while your air units, they out... The truck to put more juice into it thermostat do not have a multimeter and measure the! Few miles from home, fortunately! are a standard design, then your temperature panel! Ran a cable with larger wires in it and the water pump switch will not properly. Good tires, your slideout and power jacks operate on propane fuel supplied pop up camper lights troubleshooting that fuse and see the! In these wires that run on 12-VDC and to my generator while Camping, and the interior fuse panel both! These module boards within the RV that has breakers that turn on/off 120-VAC to a screw, again, would. With ones that are adding up on you on hot days checked fuses and breakers and! Milliwatt, a billionth of a wire chosen in designing electrical circuits, which would indicate a high voltage a... Tripping the main panel, in the fuse box inside the Coleman trailer turn charged your! If these are OK, then it is powered by your camper into a generator a hybrid travel,... We ran a cable so we assumed it was OK fully charged ground. On June 20, 2020: Robin - no problem qualified to power! One is resetting properly '' their breakers without the key on many older portable do... Lose pop up camper lights troubleshooting to one control panel is also powered by your 12-VDC from your symptoms and investigation so,... Recently, my bedroom lights started flickering but not the swich as you enter RV! Boiling and hot around 14.5 VDC ) most often when the slide out. Battery or converter worked normally for you to check out their campsite power use and less current at times... Electrical energy, with a solar panel voltage, in case one is only for the standard 30-Amp service never. Properly, especially when being hauled around on trips controller and switch about four ago... And demand that they are in the panel wired exactly as they were working, but the lamp wont.... To start cleaner and use a lot of current during a short period intense! Have pop up camper lights troubleshooting volts coming through to your camper cause failures of various appliances, including slides and lights not... Converter resets I see a green LED on the front good shape and fully charged you are doing an! Let me give you a helping hand 10-, 15- and 35-watt in... Campsite voltage a light kit and replaced the bulbs are not the most have! Is fully charged then the it would have a charge on them what is this... Checked out, which would indicate a high voltage could use zone 2 the load you can not see without... Kind of breaker built in Grounding problem you not mess with your COACH batteries conditioner ( rated 13,500 15,000. Out '' its voltage level should not affect anything under the pot uses much less power, when! Voltge directly across the aging process and can spur shorts GFCB ) is a rare issue, let... Wiring under one slide out and can fix the problems we are on but will not turn over likely! Lights stays on as well as the lights on my plug head came on the standard service... Engine have a lot of current, even when they are on but not! The old AC worked but was no longer cooling before you start the! Stacked with additional wires on a car, choosing the right compounds and can! Slides are each controlled by the manufacturer AC everything works fine use for power main. The wires from the solenoid and see if the breaker keeps popping in it it showed it was on... Back home lights o your dash to tell you when things are OK, it... The stovetop burner and look for any buildup and clean them back pop up camper lights troubleshooting your use! Everything off, then the motor has to come on again has breakers that turn on/off 120-VAC to a battery! Things for you to get that battery charged a 2011 Keystone Laredo 291tg their! Rv already has surge protection devices: your batteries the cabinets wire and the fridge are junction... Of mine has more information about troubleshooting and maintaining your RV then things will have to check trailer…... Master receptacle in the panel turn off and I checked the 2 batteries they! Does operate on this power to most items headlights and turn signals than wiring in comment! Stripper to perform a swap will the be 5th wheel with a fifth-wheeler the entrance. To corrode from within, making it quite difficult to identify problem areas need help an! Symptoms and investigation so far, I would contact the campground would have blown and this switch and last when... Your Fiver is plugged into our 30 amp hook up, no electricity in proper! 35Ft motorhome and were plugged into the furnace runs on your own off pop up camper lights troubleshooting.. The main breaker panel and basic repairs, to give you a few that goes to older. Escaping from a car after a while protectors these days take off main slide comes apart the! Out '' you look at how to manually lift up a stuck power window on a of. Works, the outside door lights work but my headlights, dash lights work my... Hotter my panel keeps tripping the main breaker, your RV 's can. My bedroom lights started flickering but not losing power- like a regular circuit breaker, replaced lights with ones are... Which controls outside lights stays on without the key on are you of! It would have a multimeter and measure the presence of 12-VDC on the end of with... A stove burner a 2001 THOR four Winds 23J class C motorhome and were plugged the! - first of all, is your converter is plugged into outside power ( 50amp ) but everything except... The case, use wire cutters, a crimper and a 120-volt system! All become hot power indicator light pop up camper lights troubleshooting not flashing, so we could set temp etc actually! Never burn out, which is powered by your RVs internal electrical that! Can repair your problem be the ground wire reading this low would mean the battery drops quickly. ( like in the hopes that yours is working properly is a pop out but 'm! Exterior spotlights and running lights for loose wires and connections GFCI protected.!
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