Inverter only runs when when generator runs or shore power.

Mike:

We really need to know how old the motor-home is. What year is listed on your paperwork from purchase?

If it is brand new you have warranty and the dealer should find and correct the problem. It may be simply a missing ground or other connection.

What I worry about now is that the salesman dumped a used motor-home with existing problems on you. They spot a new customer to RVing who has the money, but no experience and take advantage of them.

I would get back to the dealer to find the problem. It might be you just need to be shown how to use the systems in the motor-home again. I hope that is the case.

MrWizard wrote:

start at the HOUSE fuse panel and check fuses and trace wiring, back towards the batteries

Will do, thanks for the information.

Do you have a circuit breaker or fuse near the house batteries? A generator or shore power will power your converter and distribute 12v for the lights, pump, etc.. When not powered by gen or shore power, you should have 12V (at least) to the 12V distribution center if the battery circuit is whole.

NO.. its not
but it sounds like the house battery disconnect is working (12v to the generator starter is removed when you operate the switch)
somehow the batteries are NOT feeding any power to the DC distribution center
(the box with the 12v fuses)
could be a bad master fuse, could be a disconnected wire

start at the HOUSE fuse panel and check fuses and trace wiring, back towards the batteries

MrWizard wrote:


there should be battery disconnect switches,
could be a rocker switch, has too be held down or up for just a moment
to cause a "relay" aka battery disconnect to be operated

sometimes its a single push button membrane switch with a little led light next to it
one push ON, next push OFF

Yes I was given a walk-thru, but he showed me the inverter worked, I didn't realize all those things ran off the batteries. So I didn't check with shore power off.

I have those two switches one of them kills the power to the coach (the ignition up front) and the other kills the power to the house part. If i turn off the house switch it turns the generator off. The only way I can everything with both switches off is to run on shore power.

Does this sound like what is supposed to happen with the switches??

And your right, I never spent the night in one before I bought this one. Didn't realize I had to...

not a must do, but experience is really nice to have , helps you to understand the problem

weren't you given a walk through, and shown how things worked ?
wasn't all this working when you drove it away ?

near the front of the RV,maybe by the door,maybe over the drivers seat, maybe in the cabinets near the entrance door

there should be battery disconnect switches,
could be a rocker switch, has too be held down or up for just a moment
to cause a "relay" aka battery disconnect to be operated

sometimes its a single push button membrane switch with a little led light next to it
one push ON, next push OFF

sometimes an owner will put a MANUAL disconnect safety on the NEGATIVE battery cable of the battery bank

MrWizard wrote:
your battery is charging
NO water pump etc.. ?
then the battery disconnect is in use or has failed

OR there is a major wire disconnected near the batteries

possible bad fuse in the DC power center

Would the shore power go around the fuse in the DC power center ?

MNtundraRet wrote:
The OP owns a Four Winds Infinity per his profile.

The ceiling lights are all 12v lights. Do they work when not plugged in or generator working? There is a switch on each light fixture.

It sounds like you have never been in a RV before buying this one.

The ceiling lights do not work unless shore power is connected or on generator. No matter if the coach is running or it's parked. Also makes no difference what position any of the electrical switches are in that turn off the coach.

And your right, I never spent the night in one before I bought this one. Didn't realize I had to...

your battery is charging
NO water pump etc.. ?
then the battery disconnect is in use or has failed

OR there is a major wire disconnected near the batteries

possible bad fuse in the DC power center

MrWizard wrote:
Make model year of RV
Someone with the same or model can provide a little info on std equipment

Your batteries are disconnected
Or
That is a stand alone inverter and the tv/DVD is not plugged into it

What is voltage at batteries with nothing running, no engine, no generator, no shore power
And voltage at batteries with shore power connected

12.6 with nothing hooked up, and 13.7 with shore power hooked up.