120 not working on some outlets

[acramer]

I have a 1995 Newmar Country Star with 22000 miles.. I am the original owner. My 120 plug for my refrig was not working so I used an extension code to plug it into my outlet outside near the frig. Everything worked ok. So I couldnt find why the plug inside the frig vent wasnt working. So I thought maybe the plug was bad. So I replaced the plug. The plug had 2 power lines connected to it. Now a lot of my 120 plugs wont work including the plug outside I used to initially make the frig work on 120. I have checked the circuit breaker both times when I only had the frig plug not working and then again when most plugs wernt working. Are then any other circuit breakers or fuses for the 120 circuit? Anybody know what might be wrong now? thanks...

[doxiemom11]

We had a whole leg dead once. It was the circuit breaker in the power box we were plugged in to. It was full of ants. Removed the circuit breaker. Sprayed inside the box, let it dry, then installed a new circuit breaker. All was good after that.

[wa8yxm]

I might add on Some RVs... Well here's the story

Friend came over to my Rig.. Neighbor says only half his outlets are workign.. Think you can help.. (I grabbed a test meter and headed over)

As we walked I ask him about his INVERTER Do you have one "What's an inverter" was more or less the answer

Sure enough he had one. One breaker tripped.. a quick RESET fixed it.

[bighatnohorse]

I had that problem it it was a loose wire tie connector.
Very hard to find.
Finding it will require a VOM and good troubleshooting skills.

[D_E_Bishop]

Okey, have you figured out what was wrong and fixed it?

[BFL13]

wnjj wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
Make sure the replacement is the kind that both receptacles are live. There is a household kind that looks the same but one receptacle is only live when you use a wall switch and the other is always live you can plug things into it.

You might have one of those and the downstream receptacles are dead from being on the one that needs a switch.

Do replacements come split? I’ve always had to break the little metal connecting tabs between the top and bottom to split them.

Not sure, been a while. ? I was only suggesting this as an outside possibility. This explains about your tab to break:

http://www.electrical101.com/split-receptacles.html

[wnjj]

BFL13 wrote:
Make sure the replacement is the kind that both receptacles are live. There is a household kind that looks the same but one receptacle is only live when you use a wall switch and the other is always live you can plug things into it.

You might have one of those and the downstream receptacles are dead from being on the one that needs a switch.

Do replacements come split? I’ve always had to break the little metal connecting tabs between the top and bottom to split them.

[BFL13]

Make sure the replacement is the kind that both receptacles are live. There is a household kind that looks the same but one receptacle is only live when you use a wall switch and the other is always live you can plug things into it.

You might have one of those and the downstream receptacles are dead from being on the one that needs a switch.

[wa8yxm]

An RV can have several circuits. but two things you need to understand

1: Many times the circuits are

Breaker---Outlet 1---2-3-4
or Breaker --_GFCI--2-3-4

BUT the FRIDGE (outlet .. If it is a DUPLEX. is different

One side is Shore/Generator power ONLY
The other side is INVERTER for the ice maker

So it is really two SINGLE outlets in one box. You hook 'em together. bad things happen.

[1492]

Moved from Forum Posting Help and Support

[D_E_Bishop]

It is normal for a microwave to operate when a circuit breaker or a GFCI has tripped and the outlets on that circuit are out. Microwave ovens are normally on a separate breaker as per the Natl. Elect. Code.

As others have stated, it seems as though the whole leg is dead, indicating that either a CB or GFCI has tripped. If you have a meter, check the GFCI near the kitchen or without a meter, plug in some 120 volt appliance, table lamp from the house or a hair dryer. If there isn't any power out, I will bet it is the GFCI.

Just a little nomenclature hint, a plug is on the end of a power cord of an appliance. It plugs into the outlet. The wires inside the walls or under cabinets are usually in a cable form called Romex. You had the power cord "plugged" into an outlet that didn't work. You replaced the "outlet" and connected the wires in the "romex" to the new "outlet".

After you trip and reset all the CBs, You need to remove the dead GFCI in the circuit and see if the line side(input) is hot. If it is then you should replace the GFCI. If it isn't it's either the CB or the romex that is bad.

It's really hard to trouble shoot over the net and this is the best I can do.

[RobWNY]

Considering that the breakers themselves are 24 years old, check those as well. They don't last forever.

[Reisender]

Do you have an inverter? If so there may be a breaker on it serving some plugs.

[acramer]

Maybe Im not connecting wires on the new plug for refrig right... As I said i have 2 power cords connected. So what i did is use a new house hold plug and put the power cords white wire to top where it said white wire and then i took the black wire and put it on the other side on top. I then took the other power wire and did the same thing keeping both white wires on the same side and also the black wires on the opposite side.. I wrapped the copper ground over the other and attached it to the green screw on the plug.

[acramer]

Just checked and there are 6 outlets in the living area including kitchen with refrig and microwave. One outlet with a gfci. The gfci is not flipped. Strange thing is the microwave outlet in cupboard next to frig is OK as all the 2 outlets in the back area including bathroom and bedroom. One of those is a Gfci outlet. All 5 are not working in living area except as I said the microwave outlet in cupboard next to frig.

[RoyB]

Be sure to check your GFCI OUTLETS that have the push buttons in the center that may have tripped on you...



This is usually what needs reset when just a few 120VAC outlets are not working. These type of outlets are usually close to where water may have be present like in the bath room or kitchen sink areas.... etc...

A lot of time additional outlets down stream from one of these will off as well...

Roy Ken