Power outlets not working on battery power

They are for 120 volts and not 12 volts. When the trailer is plugged in then you can use the trailer plugs.

You can add an inverter to use battery power.
Probably need more battery and a method to recharge such as solar panels.
Small 150 to 300 watts is fairly easy for small stuff. For high draw items you need closer to 2000 watts and increases the cost substantially.

Cdaddy wrote:
Our 2016 heartland trailer plug outlets do not work when I'm on battery power only shore power. Is there anything I can do to change this?

If you are not plugged in to shore power, the 120vac outlets will not work unless you install an inverter, which "inverts" 12vdc to 120vac

As stated, you need an inverter if not connected to 120v shore power. Inverters can be as small as 100 watts or up to several thousand watts. To run power hogs like a microwave or coffee maker, you need a large battery bank (4+ batteries) and large gauge cables to run from the batteries to the inverter. If you just want to run a small tv, you may get by with one battery and a small wattage inverter. Then you also need a way to charge the batteries (a generator or solar panels).

Another alternative would be to carry a portable generator.

4aSong wrote:
Another alternative would be to carry a portable generator.

Which is a much better alternative for most people since it gives you more flexibility to run high current devices......like microwave and A/C.

This is a typical 30A RV Power Distribution Block Diagram. Please note how everything is connected either to the 120VAC Distribution Panel or the 12VDC Power Distribution Panel. This is the 'HEART' of your RV unit...


Google Image

This shows how the 120VAC and 12VDC Electrical Power is made available for your on-board appliances, power outlets, and systems... The RV Concept is to run your installed appliances and systems when you are on Shore Power or Generator or just running the few required items when just running off the battery. The typical battery is small in size and is not a large enough source to run all of your installed appliance so only just the necessary items are made available to you..

As stated above if you want more items to run in your trailer when off-grid somewhere you will need to run a larger generator or add more batteries to run a large POWER INVERTER...

My current battery which is now almost consumed and needs replacements has been at 255AH Capacity since around 2009 and this small inscrease only allows us to run our Home entertainment items and just a few additional small wattage 120VAC items. We get to light up our off-grid area outside and have just a few additional low wattage items we like to have along with us and then around 8AM the next morning we run out 2KW Generator with the trailer shore power cable plugged into it to run the on-board converter/charger unit to recharge our 50% depleted 255Ah Battery bank backup to its 90% charge state so we can do all of this all over again for the next day/night off the batteries. This takes three hours of generator run times for us each morning. Of course some places do not allow the use of the portable generator so when this happen I have to remove my batteries and take them down the road somewhere where I can run my portable generator on the side of the road somewhere using my portable 40AMP smart mode charger. This takes more than three hours of run time to recharge my batteries... The rule of thumb is to have at least 17A to 20A of available 12VDC Smart Mode Charging Power for each battery you are having to charge.

Been doing this routine since 2009 and it is second nature now for using my OFF-ROAD trailer off-grid without shore power.

Roy Ken

We were camped at Marble Canyon on the Colorado River one late spring day and a couple pulled in in a nice used tent trailer. It was obviously their maiden voyage. After they set up he was crawling around under and inside the trailer.
It was a HOT day approaching 100 and no hook1ups at the Campground.
I went over to visit and he told there was something wrong with the electrical because when he plugged in his two household fans they did not work.
I explained the facts of 12 volt life to him and he was visibly shaken.
Soon after, we heard some loud discussion between the couple as they were breaking camp.
She was in the air conditioned car while he got everything else ready.
Short uncomfortable introduction to camping.

Jesseannie

Most people don't camp unless they are plugged in. Most people that camp while not plugged in don't plan on using the power outlets, microwave, A/C, etc. (120V power). If you plan on camping without being plugged in and still have 120V power plan on spending a few bills with Grover Cleveland's picture on them.

Roy, I am not trying to argue with you but why did you choose a diagram that shows 120vac running to a 12vdc/propane refrigerator? Also why not have the ATS instead of an optional surge protector. Most times you see the SP on just the shore line.