Electrical Dilemma

[_Sea_Of_No_Care]

Hello Everyone, I am looking for some help with a problem that I am experiencing with the MH and its electrical system.

Problem: I have no power to any of the electrical plug outlets, I have no TV, and I have no microwave. I also cannot turn on the inverter on the panel nor can I turn on the charger on the panel. The panel shows that the batteries are not charging and that is the case as they are not. The display panel at the EMS is displaying a weird code: Remote Ver 1.20 connecting. This problem exists while hooked up to shore power or while running the genset. Everything else works as it should.

What I've checked so far: Of course I have checked for a tripped GFI plug its ok, I checked for a tripped breaker in the bedrm breaker panel and checked with a volt meter to make sure breakers are getting power to them, everything ok. I checked for bad fuse in the fuse panel, all are ok. I checked for a trip breaker on the genset, everything seems ok. I opened the transfer switch box in the shore cord compartment and checked for power coming in and power going out with a meter while hooked to shore power everything seems ok. All disconnect switches ok. I also did a hard reset by unhooking the house battery cables and then hooking back up, didn't solve problem. So as of right now I have a trickle charger hooked to the house batteries with extension cord from shore power outlet to keep my house batteries up and I'm sitting in a campground in El Paso right outside Camping World waiting for my tuesday appt to come. I thought I would come to the group to see if anyone had any suggestions or idea as to what might be my problem? I would hate to have overlooked something simple before taking it in for repair.

Thanks in advance for anyone's suggestions or ideas. I will for sure let everyone know what the problem is once it gets diagnosed and corrected. Hope you all have a great day and safe travels!!

Dave

[YC_1]

Good news. At least you know your transfer switch was working correctly and the area you were tweaking when things came alive. There are schematics for your EMS system online and they also have trouble shooting guides. With the schematics there are block diagrams showing the voltage path. Sorting through good and bad advice is much easier if you have exact information on your system. It could be your "computer" EMS system just got lost and needed a reset by disconnecting the breakers or fuse panel connectors.

In any case, you need the factory information to make life much easier next time. Post your inverter and panel numbers if you cannot find the information yourself.

[enblethen]

Front receptacles could be controlled by relay. They are not hot when ignition switch is on or in accessory in some rigs.

[rollingslow]

I had a problem with the front overhead plugs tv would'nt come on next day worked never did no why. Maybe you can get lucky like i did

[enblethen]

Thanks for the update!
Did you make yourself some notes for future in the event it fails again?

[_Sea_Of_No_Care]

OK everyone, here is the deal, I decided to go back and retrace my steps that I had done to track down the potential problem. I am currently hooked to shore power. So I checked to see if the inverter trip breakers were tripped and they were not. I went to the transfer switch box in the shore cord compartment and again checked for power coming into and out of the transfer switch and I have it. So I went to the next spot the power goes to, the bedrm breaker box. I manually tripped each individual breaker and reset and checked for power and tightened grounds. I went to fuse panel in closet and manually pressed and wiggled all fuses and the six plugs checking for anything that may have worked its way loose while traveling and presto the microwave came on, the plug outlets became hot and the tv got its power. I went to the ems display and the code was gone and the batteries were charging and the inverter works as well. All is back to normal. So I attribute it to a loose fuse or plug in the closet area that worked its way loose. I have wiggled all the fuses and plugs trying to get it to fail but everything works as it should. Must have been a fuse or plug that just came loose on our travels. I must have just looked for blown fuses and not actually pushed each one checking for a loose one. Same with the plugs. So at this point Camping World in El Paso is out of luck, I am cancelling my tuesday appt tomorrow. I will play the wait and see game for it to happen again for right now.
I really want to thank everyone for their ideas and suggestions and I hope this problem and solution helps anyone else in the future who might encounter this problem.

Thanks again everyone. Have a great day and safe travels!!
Dave

[Bikeboy57]

Is your transfer box and the EMS one unit? If not, do you have power coming out of EMS unit?

Sounds like you are pretty good troubleshooter. Check to see is you have power into your inverter.

if so, do you have power out of the inverter? the inverter has it's own internal transfer switch

You are doing the right thing. Just keep using your volt meter till you find the device where you have power in but no power out.

[DSDP_Don]

Your Magnum inverter has two circuit breakers in the side of the box and will be facing you when you look at the inverter. If these are tripped, you'll have no power, except to your A/C units.

If they are tripped, reset them. If your panel is still giving you a weird code or weird characters, go back the inverter and there is a telephone line looking connection. Disconnect for 20 seconds and reconnect.

Everything in your coach runs through your inverter except a couple of outlets and the A/C units. If the A/C works, you have an inverter issue. If your A/C doesn't work, you have a power issue.

Then you need to see if you can power up with the generator. If it works, you have a power cord or transfer switch issue.

[enblethen]

OP:
did you find make and model of the EMS?

[gemert]

Inverter? On mine power comes in through main breaker in bedroom then to the inverter.

[YC_1]

Do check your battery voltage to see if it is extremely low. As suggested a trickle charger may not get it up to speed.

If the batteries are over 12 volts I would find the Inverter/Charger and with a flashlight look on all sides. There may be a reset button on one side you simply cannot see easily. I'm not talking about the common buttons that trip the AC voltage. When mine tripped I think I had to shut the battery banks off, reset the button, and things have been fine for years now.

Without the inverter/charger functioning correctly you may not get voltage through the internal relays. With low battery voltage the EMS might just act strange.

While looking closely at the device see if there is a phone like connection. If so, remove and reseat it a couple of times.

[wa8yxm]

The EMS display indicates a lack of communications with the EMS unit... This supports the fuse mentioned above as a possible cause.. The alternate cause needs a much fatter wallet to fix.

I would also check your batteries,, Measure the voltage at the battery using a volt meter, if below 12.5 hook up an external smart charger,, 30 amps or bigger, let them charge a while,,, Then make sure the batteries are CONNECTED.
Look or a switch.. may be just inside the door (Stair well) or may be elsewhere.

USE/Store (you want USE, see notes)
AUX you want it ON
Connect/Disconnect (Connect)

NOTE: IF it says USE/STORE and is a light weight toggle, with a switch above it that lights up a digital display (Volt meter) this is likely an Intelletec system

You should hear a CLUNK when the switch is pressed either USE or STORE,, Mine the STORE worked (Disconnected) the USE... Not so clunky.. I fixed it, advise if you need the prodcedure, very easy.

[lanerd]

Look on the side of your inverter. You will find two or three push button circuit breakers. One is probably tripped.

Hope this helps

Ron

[CA_Traveler]

Yes a lot of AC related equipment uses 12V for control. Perhaps his trickle charger is inadequate and the batteries aren't fully charged. But none of that explains to me why his charger isn't working.

[bullydogs1]

In my coach, the charger is the first thing that comes on and prevents other items from the EMS coming on...When I plugged in 30 amps once when the batteries were low, the charger came on first before anything and once the amps went down from the charger, then everything else came on....