new converter no power

[kmreyno]

I have a 2008 5th wheel, all power went out while connected to shore power electrician determined it to be converter bought a new converter and a new battery. Now the lights work, the fridge comes on but switches to gas, the microwave only lights comes on does not run. When we plugged in a space heater to check outlets smoke started coming from breaker box but no breakers tripped. Where is the battery switch located?

[S_Davis]

Sounds to me like 240v was applied to the RV some how, this burned up the converter. Electrician figures out the converter is bad and replaces it but never tries to figure out why the converter went bad.

[CA_Traveler]

OP, It this a 30A or 50A rig and what are you plugged into? Find someone with a voltmeter that understands RV plugs and check what you are plugged into.

Unfortunately if you are plugged into 240V with a 30A RV or 30/50 adapter your new converter will be toast. But that is only the beginning of your problems.

[Dave_H_M]

I read your OP a couple of times but still have the same question.

Did this issue occur just as you plugged the elec into the socket or has all been well for a while and then everything went south?

i would call the service man something besides and electrician. he demonstrated that he knew nothing about the RV and then went off without checking his work. :h

Getting the camp owner/manager there asap to check out the plug in is an excellent suggestion.

[rockhillmanor]

You state you have lights and nothing else. The lights run off the 12volt side of the rv. You don't have to be plugged into shore power for those to work.

[ksg5000]

Start with the basics. If you at a campground have the campground manager come over and test the campground electric box your plugged into - if that's wired incorrectly then the campground is responsible for any damage to your rig.

Your likely going to need your electrician back at any rate - not sure why he left before testing the system - lousy service in my book.

[Joe417]

If you had smoke coming from the breaker box when testing the 120 volt outlets, you have a wiring issue in the breaker box. Loose connection due to heating or melted wiring. Possibly a damage circuit breaker.

The symptoms you've described, converter, microwave, circuit breaker box, and fridge AC side, all bad sounds like you may have had 220v on the power cord or a large power surge during a thunder storm can also cause these issues. Anything that was connected to AC power may be damaged.

The breaker box will need to be check. Hopefully the fridge issue will only be a fuse or AC heating element. The microwave will probably need to be replaced. You've already replaced the converter. Anything that uses AC power that was plugged in and turned on may have an issue.

Hope there's not too many more items damage.

[wa8yxm]

Error #1 :When we plugged a space heater in"

Do not do that. When you get an electrician in have him install one special 15/20 amp type outlet. contrasting color to your existing outlets (IE Brown) and wire it up with 12 ga to a 15 or 20 amp breaker dedicated just to it. THIS is your heater outlet.

As others have said, You have a 120 volt issue. Very likely a screw loose. Many rvers have a few screws loose.. Mostly in the power distribution panel (Breaker Box) Though phrased to be funny. I'm serious.

[newman_fulltime]

sounds like yet another 220 plug into fried everything

[ScottG]

If it has indeed been subjected to 220V, it has fried pretty much everything, including that new converter, that is plugged in.
If the electrician did it, he needs to pay for the damage.

[rockhillmanor]

I have a 2008 5th wheel, all power went out while connected to shore power electrician determined it to be converter bought a new converter and a new battery. Now the lights work, the fridge comes on but switches to gas, the microwave only lights comes on does not run. When

we plugged in a space heater to check outlets

smoke started coming from breaker box

but no breakers tripped.

Where is the battery switch located?

Sounds like you are plugged into 220. Shut everything down and get that darn electrician back out ASAP.

Only sadly many electricians don't understand that RV's do NOT use 220.

MAKE SURE you instruct any electrician that comes out that your RV is not to be plugged into 220.

If I were you I would call a RV Mobile Repair guy instead of an electrician. If that other guy knew what he was doing you wouldn't have a fried RV now.

And I just have to ask. WHY did you use a 'space heater' to check the outlets???

electric tester 2 bucks a lowes or home depot.

***>And btw on those breakers that you said didn't trip?
Go back in there asap and shut each breaker off and then back on again. They will look not tripped but really are and you can get some serious arcing if you don't reset them.

Good luck i hope that there is no damage to your RV. Let us know what they find out was the cause. :C

[ScottG]

Agreed, it isn't battery.
Sounds suspiciously like someone connected 220V to it. Was any work recently done to where your plugging in?

[pianotuna]

Smoke = get the electrician back pronto.

[BFL13]

You have a shore power problem (120v), not a converter or battery problem (12v).