Forum Discussion

Pops_R's avatar
Pops_R
Explorer
Dec 31, 2014

Shore Power

When connected to shore power it should run everything on the MH correct? In my case (and we are in extreme cold weather in Colorado Springs at present) the furnace will only work when connected to the house dual 6 volt batteries that came with the new MH. If I use the disconnect switch inside the MH to just use the shore power then the furnace will not work or any interior lights yet the TV, Microwave, and electrical plus do have power.

The house batteries just continually loose power and will only last for about 2-3 hours and I need to start the engine to bring them back up and maintain the heat using the furnace.

If left alone the dual 6 volt house batteries just drain down till the Xantrex PRO Inverter gives the low voltage error code, so to avoid that requires the MH engine to be turned on every hour or two for a few minutes to bring the batteries back up to keep the MH warm and its underbelly heated for the holding tanks.

During the day time I can shut off the furnace and only turn it on as needed and use the electric fireplace heater to maintain a comfort zone inside the MH

I have to assume those original house batteries are just weak damaged and unable to hold the charge but also have to wonder about the 1800 Watt inverter that is said to be able to run everything in the MH and keep the house batteries charged up.

Any insight from anyone out there on this situation?

2015 Thor Challenger
  • azrving's avatar
    azrving
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2014
    I cant answer all of your questions but I would say that the inverter is not responsible for charging any batteries. It draws from the battery to convert to 120 v ac. Did you mean CONverter? Is your converter circuit breaker on?

    You may want to be careful using the fireplace only as its not forcing warm air into the holding tank area.

    I was in the Denver area during the November cold spell. I was burning 30 pounds of propane a day and using a 1500 watt electric heater. I also used fiberboard to build a surround of my holding tank area and had another 1500 watt electric heater under there.

    Never again.
  • j-d's avatar
    j-d
    Explorer II
    Dec 31, 2014
    Your coach **probably** has a "Converter/Charger" for your 12VDC needs. That's Interior Lighting, Refrigerator, Water Heater and Furnace. The type of C/C I'm familiar with:

    1. Powers the above and more with 12VDC House Battery power when there is NO 120VAC available.

    2. When 120VAC IS available, the C/C takes on the above, relieving the House Battery of those loads. Therefore, Furnace should run and be able to run indefinitely, not limited by state of House Battery Charge.

    3. When 120VAC IS available, the C/C ALSO recharges your House Battery.

    Sounds to me like your C/C is not working. Either not connected, breaker or other fuses/switches off, or defective.

    New Coach? Do you have the documentation that came with it? Should be info on the C/C. Post its Make/Model here and somebody can provide more detailed help.

    New Member? Welcome Aboard and stay with us for a Happy 2015 and Beyond!
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2014
    Need to know if you're dealing with a '99 Southwind, or 2012 Newmar, or whatever. OK you have 12 volt power from the batteries. Does any 120 volt accessory work. If so, which ones? Or is the critter make believing it's boondocking?
  • enblethen's avatar
    enblethen
    Nomad
    Dec 31, 2014
    Your shore power is not getting to either the converter or your inverter/charger depending on what you have.
    Look at the inverter and get make and model, then post it.
    Look around the 120 volt power distribution panel for information on converter.
    Turn off all 120 volt circuit breakers in the rig applying light pressure toward off. Then turn main circuit breaker on, then each of the branch breakers one at a time. You could have simply a trip breaker.
  • sch911's avatar
    sch911
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2014
    Pops R wrote:
    When connected to shore power it should run everything on the MH correct? In my case (and we are in extreme cold weather in Colorado Springs at present) the furnace will only work when connected to the house dual 6 volt batteries that came with the new MH. If I use the disconnect switch inside the MH to just use the shore power then the furnace will not work or any interior lights yet the TV, Microwave, and electrical plus do have power.


    If I'm reading this correctly it sounds like you're using the battery disconnect switch while connected to shore power and expecting everything to operate??? Correct me if I'm wrong.

    That switch is only for storage of the rig. Should never be used for normal use. It literally disconnects the batteries from the Converter/Charger, or Inverter/Charger depending on your setup. No way to charge them when they're disconnected....
  • Pops_R's avatar
    Pops_R
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2014
    I have only disconnected the batteries in an attempt to see if anything changes by someones suggestion. That is when I found out only the TV,Microwave and electrical plugs have power with straight shore power and the furnace does not. I am normally having the house batteries connected and experiencing the dual 6 volt battery drain every couple hours when the furnace is on as it needs to be in this cold weather.

    This 2015 Thor Challenger has the Xantrex PRO XM 1800 inverter and a Furrion F50-ATS 50 amp125/250V Automatic Transfer Switch
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Dec 31, 2014
    Your converter is not on. Or if on, no 12v is getting distributed.

    Just connect/clamp any simple 10 amp or better battery charger to the house batteries and plug it in to your 120v. That will get you by.

    Now you can take your time to solve the converter problem.
  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Dec 31, 2014
    Leave the battery disconnect turned on.
    I had a problem this past year of a failing battery. The symptoms were that the 12 volt lights would dim slowly until the converter would turn on. When it kicked on you could hear the cooling fan run and the lights would get bright for a few minutes. All of this while connected to shore power. This tells me the 12 volt lights, furnace and other items do actually run off the battery but the battery is charged through the shore power.

    I would turn off as much of the 12 volt draw as you can to see if the shore power can get the batteries up to full charge.
  • WyoTraveler's avatar
    WyoTraveler
    Explorer
    Dec 31, 2014
    Don't know what RV you have but my furnace is 12 volts DC and runs off my battery bank. If I shut off my battery disconnect for storage nothing on 12 volts runs and batteries don't charge.

    Does your RV have a 110 volt AC furnace? Guess it is possible but never heard of any unless they are on specific RVs. :h
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Dec 31, 2014
    Hi Pops,

    Verify there is charging during shore power connections.

    Measure the voltage of the battery bank.

    Plug in the Shore power.

    Measure again.

    If the voltage does not increase, then the charger part of the electrical system is not working.

    As a temporary measure use a battery charger, while trouble shooting what is wrong with the system.

    It might be as simple as a tripped breaker.

    Since the inverter side of the unit is still working, I'd be tempted to add a stand alone converter if there has been a partial failure of the Xantrex.

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