Roadtrek 190 Versatile TV outlets do not work
My in-laws recently purchased a 2004 Roadtrek 190 Versatile on the Chevy chassis, and it did not include a TV. I mounted one today, and discovered the 3 outlets inside the media cabinet (to the left o...
Forum Discussion
Feiock wrote:
Hey Arizona Kid,
You mention that the inverter is missing. That could be true. If the RT is on shore power, then the outlets work, but if on battery power, or when the Chevy engine is running, the outlets do not function (this RT doesn't have a generator). Are you saying that when the Chevy engine is running, those outlets should work if we have an inverter?
Thanks,
Ryan
Typically AC outlets only work when plugged into shore power or when a generator is running, and not when the Van engine is running. The van engine only charged the batteries and did not provide AC power. For a TV to work off the batteries it has to be plugged into the outlets of an inverter (DC to AC) which are plugs like the AC outlets. Small inverters were installed in Bs for operating TVs off batteries but little else.
Most likely if you have an inverter it would be about the size of a cigar box with an outlet or two and be very close to your TV. Some are accessible some are hidden in cabinetry.
The typical rules and setups are fast going out the window with solar, large battery banks, much larger high wattage inverter/chargers, AC generators off the van engine, etc. to where it is transparent and you can use your AC outlets off the batteries. But until the past couple years no major B converter was doing this kind of stuff and not remotely likely in your older Roadtrek.
I would guess that if you did not originally have a TV they would not have installed an inverter. TVs might have been an option back then. If you have AC plug outlets that don't work with shore power then you have a different problem to figure out. Usually that problem is because they pass through GFI circuitry and checking to see if the GFI outlets are working will fix the problem by pushing the reset button on the outlet or if necessary replacing the outlet. GFI outlets do fail. I had to replace one this year. The other things to trace and check are breakers, fuses and loose wire connections. Since you are not the original owner there is also the possibility the previous owner ripped stuff out and disabled the outlets.
