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12 Volt Electrical issue?

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
To All:

I am a new Motorhome owner. This is an older unit. Originally all components worked properly. Now I do not have power to the control panel to view how full the water and waste tanks are. I am not able to run the water pump and the furnace will not run. I do have interior lights,Refrigerator and A/C when plugged in to the generator or garage. Where should I start to look for the problem at? I have check the fuses.

Thanks

Kevin
22 REPLIES 22

Bordercollie
Explorer
Explorer
There are some books at RV supply stores that explain basics of RV electrical and other systems and may include troubleshooting and maintenance information. Fleetwood might be able to provide generic electrical wiring diagrams but these are not specific to your MH. Old rigs like, yours have often been repaired/modified by amateur DIY types. If you have friends that understand automotive electrical systems, they may be able to help you, otherwise find a good RV repair service and pay their rates to get your RV working properly. some automotive electrical shops are experienced with RV systems too.

maillemaker
Explorer
Explorer
If your lights work on shore power but other 12V things don't, then you've got a 12V power distribution problem. It's either fuses or something wrong with the converter.

Steve
1990 Winnebago Warrior. "She may not look like much but she's got it where it counts!"

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
tenbear wrote:
Have you checked for a fuse or circuit breaker in the wire from the battery to the converter?


That is the next item to check. I went out of state today. Hopefully on Friday or the weekend I will be able to check for this.

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
maillemaker wrote:
Yes, the interior lights work when plugged into the shoreline. They do not work when not hooked up to the shoreline.

Lights do not work with the battery. I tested the battery it was bad. I know have a new battery in and still no lights when the shoreline is not hooked up.


So...it sounds like your converter is working because your 12VDC items are working when you are plugged into shore power.

But it is strange that they do not work when on battery power with the new battery.

My guess here is that the converter is bad and is not switching between shore power and battery power.

Steve


"I'm assuming that all your other 12VDC items work when plugged into shore power also - furnace, water pump, TV, etc."

No, these items don't work when plugged in with the shoreline. What is interesting is. When I was replacing fuses with new ones. All the these items are on the same bank section of the fuse box.

tenbear
Explorer
Explorer
Have you checked for a fuse or circuit breaker in the wire from the battery to the converter?
Class C, 2004/5 Four Winds Dutchman Express 28A, Chevy chassis
2010 Subaru Impreza Sedan
Camped in 45 states, 7 Provinces and 1 Territory

maillemaker
Explorer
Explorer
Yes, the interior lights work when plugged into the shoreline. They do not work when not hooked up to the shoreline.

Lights do not work with the battery. I tested the battery it was bad. I know have a new battery in and still no lights when the shoreline is not hooked up.


So...it sounds like your converter is working because your 12VDC items are working when you are plugged into shore power. I'm assuming that all your other 12VDC items work when plugged into shore power also - furnace, water pump, TV, etc.

But it is strange that they do not work when on battery power with the new battery.

My guess here is that the converter is bad and is not switching between shore power and battery power.

Steve
1990 Winnebago Warrior. "She may not look like much but she's got it where it counts!"

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
The fuse box / convertor is a Progressive Dynamics.

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
tenbear wrote:
Harvey51 wrote:
I am not able to run the water pump and the furnace will not run. I do have interior lights,

Lights work means 12 V system is working. That rules out batteries and converter problems. It just leaves fuses, doesn't it? Best to use a meter, ground the black lead and use the red to see if there is Voltage on the outgoing side of each fuse.

Do your lights dim when you try to run the water pump or the furnace?


No the lights do not dim. We currently wired the water pump directly to a battery so we can have water.

We have not gotten the furnace to work.

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
maillemaker wrote:
Almost everything in the RV coach runs on 12VDC. Your lights and water pump run on 12 V. Your furnace runs on 12VDC.

This is true whether you are plugged into shore power (110VAC) or not.

Your refrigerator probably is able of running on 110VAC or propane, but on propane will probably require 12VDC. Your refrigerator might also run on 12VDC. Some are two-way (propane/110), some are three-way (propane/110/12)."

We can operate the refrigerator from the shore line and from the propane. I have had no issues with the refrigerator.

Your microwave and air conditioning run only on 110VAC.

"So. To see if your shore power is hooked up right, the first thing I do is try to run either the AC or the microwave. If those things work, you've got 110VAC."

The A/C and Microwave works when the shoreline is plugged in.

"Next try your 12VDC accessories while you are plugged into shore power. This takes the battery out of the picture. If your internal lights work, you've got 12VDC at least there. So I would suspect fuses first since clearly your converter is working."

Yes, the interior lights work when plugged into the shoreline. They do not work when not hooked up to the shoreline.

"If you find that on shore power all your 12VDC accessories work, but on battery only the lights work, it may be that your battery has enough power to power the lights but not other higher-load accessories."

Lights do not work with the battery. I tested the battery it was bad. I know have a new battery in and still no lights when the shoreline is not hooked up.

Your furnace has a "sail switch" in it. Before the burner turns on the fan will come on and air will start blowing through the furnace. If this does not happen with enough force to activate the sail switch, the burner will not turn on and the furnace will shut down. This is to prevent the burner from overheating/catching fire if there is not enough air blowing through it to cool it off.

Steve

tenbear
Explorer
Explorer
Harvey51 wrote:
I am not able to run the water pump and the furnace will not run. I do have interior lights,

Lights work means 12 V system is working. That rules out batteries and converter problems. It just leaves fuses, doesn't it? Best to use a meter, ground the black lead and use the red to see if there is Voltage on the outgoing side of each fuse.

Do your lights dim when you try to run the water pump or the furnace?
Class C, 2004/5 Four Winds Dutchman Express 28A, Chevy chassis
2010 Subaru Impreza Sedan
Camped in 45 states, 7 Provinces and 1 Territory

Harvey51
Explorer
Explorer
I am not able to run the water pump and the furnace will not run. I do have interior lights,

Lights work means 12 V system is working. That rules out batteries and converter problems. It just leaves fuses, doesn't it? Best to use a meter, ground the black lead and use the red to see if there is Voltage on the outgoing side of each fuse.
2004 E350 Adventurer (Canadian) 20 footer - Alberta, Canada
No TV + 100W solar = no generator needed

maillemaker
Explorer
Explorer
Almost everything in the RV coach runs on 12VDC. Your lights and water pump run on 12 V. Your furnace runs on 12VDC.

This is true whether you are plugged into shore power (110VAC) or not.

Your refrigerator probably is able of running on 110VAC or propane, but on propane will probably require 12VDC. Your refrigerator might also run on 12VDC. Some are two-way (propane/110), some are three-way (propane/110/12).

Your microwave and air conditioning run only on 110VAC.

So. To see if your shore power is hooked up right, the first thing I do is try to run either the AC or the microwave. If those things work, you've got 110VAC.

Next try your 12VDC accessories while you are plugged into shore power. This takes the battery out of the picture. If your internal lights work, you've got 12VDC at least there. So I would suspect fuses first since clearly your converter is working.

If you find that on shore power all your 12VDC accessories work, but on battery only the lights work, it may be that your battery has enough power to power the lights but not other higher-load accessories.

Your furnace has a "sail switch" in it. Before the burner turns on the fan will come on and air will start blowing through the furnace. If this does not happen with enough force to activate the sail switch, the burner will not turn on and the furnace will shut down. This is to prevent the burner from overheating/catching fire if there is not enough air blowing through it to cool it off.

Steve
1990 Winnebago Warrior. "She may not look like much but she's got it where it counts!"

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
Also, does it matter that the generator does not work. The starter is out of it. Thanks Kevin.

Off-Road_Racer_
Explorer
Explorer
I would like to Thank everyone that has responded so far. I just returned from another race. I will sit down and go through all these replies. I did see a few questions. The one I can answer quickly is...

My motorhome is a 1988 Fleetwod Jamboree.