Power problems

[Sean_Boburk]

Not my RV...helping a lady.

Gal has a 5th wheel...she had a retired electrician wire in a 50 amp jack for it at her house. She "said" that it worked for awhile, and does not now. Also said that he wired something wrong at first and "popped" the power. NO idea if that means it popped the house breaker, or popped a breaker in the RV.

Checked for power at the plug that hooks to the RV power jack. The two L shaped sockets have 120 volts to the non L shaped socket, and have 120 volts to the contact on the side of the plug. I did NOT check L shaped socket to L shaped socket. If I do...these should read a relative zero volts correct? 240 volts would be wrong, correct?

[pianotuna]

As Mex has limited speed here is a link:

https://www.amazon.com/Hyuduo-Adjustable-Monitoring-Protection-SZC23-NO-AL-CH/dp/B07PT5SC9M/ref=sr_1...

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Take ac look at alarms on AMAZON

HYUDUO

Under and over voltage alarm with Auto Power SHUTOFF

63 amp capacity

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Many 120vac devices have TWO fuses. EXAMPLE

One slow blow for power

One clear glass fuse for controls.

I see televisions are reasonably priced on the BestBuy USA AP.

[mchero]

A couple years ago I had an over voltage on the AC side of my 93 Pace Arrow Diesel.
Lost both the microwave and cable set top box.
Found that both had MOV's that where cooked! Bought two for a couple bucks each. Was able to get both microwave AND cable box back to life!

https://images.app.goo.gl/D1f7Dy3RakYqyE669

[Sean_Boburk]

Looks like her.micriwave was also a casualty of this... I'll need to figure that out later...

[Sean_Boburk]

CA Traveler wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Well done Sean.

X2

Have the batteries load tested, many places it's free - hoping to sell batteries.

A good battery shop can load test and replace as needed.

Thanks.

I plan on letting the battery sit on the converter for a day or two, then retesting the voltage on it. If it never gets up to 12.5ish vdc (testing with the converter off of course), its bad/needs replacing (I am relatively certain it will need to be replaced). Right now her RV is on shore power and set up at her house for guests. So it is not a pressing matter for now. If it does get up to 12.5ish VDC, I will look into having it load tested before we go camping.

[CA_Traveler]

pianotuna wrote:
Well done Sean.

X2

Have the batteries load tested, many places it's free - hoping to sell batteries.

A good battery shop can load test and replace as needed.

[pianotuna]

Well done Sean.

[Sean_Boburk]

The power converter was a 65 amp three stage converter. I was surprised about the 65 amp rating with how big the RV is. Fifth wheel with two slides, two AC units, two TVs, etc. Anyhow, they had a converter on amazon that was the same model and series, but was 75 amps (it was the exact same physical size). It arrived today, I plugged it in and saw 13.6 volt output (old one was zero). Unplugged it and wired it in, mounted it, and all seems well with the RV now.

The only fatality that I can figure out from the shore power jack being wired wrong is one of the TVs does not work. 115vac at the outlet, but does not come on. Smaller LED TV...not sure if they have fuses inside, but it would probably be too cheap to replace the whole TV to make it worth disassembling and trying to figure out if it can be fixed.

She had the battery on a charger for 9 or 10 hours set at 10 amps. It read 11.8 volts when I got there...so going to need a battery eventually.

Thanks again,

Sean

[pianotuna]

Sean,

Keep us posted!

[Sean_Boburk]

Just a quick update. Had to remove a false panel to get to it, but I found the converter in one of the basement compartments. 120VAC in, 0VDC out, fuses good. Battery at 4.X volts (probably going to need a new battery). New converter on order, should arrive tomorrow (monday). I will post back when there is more to update.

Thanks to everyone for their input. I was unaware that some ceiling lights in RVs could be 120VAC. When I saw the light worked, and a 120VAC plug worked, it seemed that at least part of the RV had AC and part DC power. Now I know the DC was totally dead...and it just had AC. I am guessing the electrician fried the converter (or it went bad about the same time), and it worked "for a couple months afterward" because the battery had a charge on it...once it discharged, it no longer worked.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Check the output from the converter. I hope the electrician has insurance. This is likely to be expensive.

[fj12ryder]

time2roll wrote:

fj12ryder wrote:

Sean Boburk wrote:
The RV end of the power cord Bobbo...two L shaped sockets.

She has a 30 amp plug to the camper, and a 50 amp plug to the pedestal? Have you checked the voltage at the RV end?

The picture shows two 50 amp connectors. No 30 amp.

Yeah, I finally got that through my thick skull, and I knew it anyway. Total brain fart.

[wa8yxm]

If it was wired wrong and "popped something" then you need to check out all the usual suspects

Since he "Fixed" it.. well it may be hard to detect what he did wrong.

CONVERTER (or inverter/charger if it has one) this is supect #1 SOME of these do not mind 240 volts Most models tend to "Smoke" if you do that.

The joke is electronics runs on magic smoke. you let the smoke out they stop working.

Fridge: The 120 volt heat element and possibly the control board

Water heaters: same as fridge

Air conditioners. Motors and control board

Televison, Radio Sat receiver and MIcrowave more or less round out the list.

NOW: save for the last line.. All this stuff often needs good 12 volts as well so if the converter is toast.. It may not be providing proper power to the rest of it.

Easy way to test converter

Turn it off (You can just flip the main breaker inside the RV or if you know which one the branch) Now turn on lights and/or vent fan. these are 12 volt devices and can run on battery. Lights may be a touch dim or fan run slow. Dont worry about that... Wait a few mintues (one will do) and turn breaker back on. Within seconds (like 5 or less) lights should brighten and fan increase speed. IF THEY DO NOT converter most likely toast.

As for the rest of it... Well That's beyond my ability to tell you now to test it.