Phantom Voltage - Page 2

CNacc · 10-02-2018, 09:59 AM

Ok... I see 2 red wires from the battery switch heading from the batteries toward the rear of the camper. In the power panel I also see 2 read wires connected to the feed part of the 12 fuse panel
So what I will have to do is to disconnect both ends of these Erie’s and ring them out with a meter to see if any of them head to maybe the inverter,
I was a industrial electrician 45 years ago and either my brain has started shutting down or I’m just getting to old to rip things apart troubleshooting . But either way, I will not give up and all the input I’m receiving are helping me concentrate

CNacc · 10-02-2018, 10:19 AM

I have the same inverter as yours in the same location. I don’t have anything behind my electrical panel other than a empty receptacle female

CNacc · 10-02-2018, 10:26 AM

My refrigerator is a whirlpool type that only runs on ac.
I will take some pictures of everything and post later.

Duckogram · 10-02-2018, 04:35 PM

Yup, its a whirlpool. FR used this in it’s higher end “residential” models. About 18 cubic ft as I recall.

cavie · 10-02-2018, 06:41 PM

Most converters are not hidden behind any panels. Most are combined with the 120 volt breaker panel. Some are behind it. Should be a 16 x16 or so vented cover. since it has a fan for ventilation. Bottom line is you do have one. but you shouldn't have to dismantle your trailer to find it.

CNacc · 10-02-2018, 08:34 PM

Behind my circuit breaker panel is a empty receptical that was marked Converter on the circuit breaker. There is no vent or converter there

rsdata · 10-02-2018, 08:46 PM

if you hook slightly discharged 12v batteries up again, then the converter will begin to recharge them and the built-in cooling fan (on the converter) will begin to run... maybe you will hear it and find it that way... they do make some noise when running

MR.M · 10-02-2018, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavie

Most converters are not hidden behind any panels. Most are combined with the 120 volt breaker panel. Some are behind it. Should be a 16 x16 or so vented cover. since it has a fan for ventilation. Bottom line is you do have one. but you shouldn't have to dismantle your trailer to find it.

That's not true . in 5th wheels there normally behind a panel in the front storage . these are mostly deck mount units . same with some other types of tt's

Scrapper · 10-02-2018, 09:04 PM

A question for the OP. Does your 5er have the grandfather clock? I found a pic of a 2008 Cedar Creek Daydreamer 40QSD and it looks like the panel is at the bottom of the clock. I'm going to agree with what wmtire else said that the converter is under the bedroom stairs. Also, some inverters contain the converter to charge your batteries and supply 12vdc power to the other things. If you can find the inverter then check it for fuses on either the front or back. If it is a charger/inverter the reverse polarity fuses will be on it and maybe a couple of others. In any case there will be fuses on the inverter. If you can supply us with the model number of the inverter and breaker panel it will help.

https://www.northtrailrv.com/invento...knumber/8438-2

https://www.northtrailrv.com/invento...8438-2#image-2

CNacc · 10-02-2018, 09:59 PM

Yes mine has the grandfather clock and at the very bottom is the circuit breaker panel. I removed that complete panel and behind it is a space that would have been able to hold a inverter and it was prewirered for one but there isn’t one and there is n venting in that area to provide air circulation

cavie · 10-02-2018, 10:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR.M

That's not true . in 5th wheels there normally behind a panel in the front storage . these are mostly deck mount units . same with some other types of tt's

I guess I don't have a normal 5er. Mine is on the floor under the pantry next to the furnace. It has a 16" x 16" cover on it with a door. Electric panel and converter are all in one. By code, it is not supped to require tools to access. But we all know what kind of rules the RV world goes by.

babock · 10-03-2018, 12:48 AM

Measure the DC voltage and start flipping off breakers. When you see voltage drop, you found the breaker feeding the converter. Then, hopefully, you can trace the wire off that breaker to the converter.

Quote:

Originally Posted by rsdata

if you hook slightly discharged 12v batteries up again, then the converter will begin to recharge them and the built-in cooling fan (on the converter) will begin to run... maybe you will hear it and find it that way... they do make some noise when running

This too!!!

Scrapper · 10-03-2018, 11:56 AM

Another place you might look for the converter/inverter is on the ceiling of the front storage.

Duckogram · 10-03-2018, 12:24 PM

The OP knows which breaker shuts the “phantom” voltage off. He also knows the diff tween a converter and an inverter. He has an inverter just like the one I posted the pic of and he knows where it is. The question is: WHERE IS THE CONVERTER?

For the OP: I’m sitting under an overpass on US98 near Hattisburg and I may have had an epiphany. What if the dealer was correct and you don’t have a converter? Maybe you just have a battery charger. I would check in/near the battery compartment looking for a 120v wire going to a box...

TheWolfPaq82 · 10-03-2018, 12:28 PM

When I open the door to my breaker panel...I see breakers. If I remove the entire "Cover" for the breaker panel...right next to it is the converter.

babock · 10-03-2018, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duckogram

What if the dealer was correct and you don’t have a converter? Maybe you just have a battery charger.

A converter is basically just a battery charger.

NMWildcat · 10-03-2018, 12:53 PM

I missed something. I understand wanting to know exactly where your converter is, but what problems is the 'phantom voltage' causing you?

CNacc · 10-03-2018, 01:14 PM

I took out the main power panel and followed the 15 amp breaker wire that went towards the front of my 5 and took the panels off where the steps were and the Water pump and the central vacuum was and under all that was the 2 inverter in a area with hardly any ventilation. I took some pictures to show everyone and now my question is where are these heavy battery type wires going from the inverter ? I would think that they should be feeding the 4 batteries for charging but 2 are going to the rear of the camper . How do I post the pictures?

CNacc · 10-03-2018, 01:21 PM

I posted some pictures at the end of my album showing the location of the inverter... anyone have a very small child who is mechanically incline that is not claustrophobic... Hahahaha

CNacc · 10-03-2018, 01:58 PM

When I bought this camper brand new at a dealership in Florida the dealership manager said the camper had a inverter for the refrigerator but it doesn’t have a converter for charging the batteries..
I would disconnect the batteries but I found out that only 2 of the 4 six volt batteries were actually being disconnected. So this lead me to try and understand the camper electrical system and in doing so I found what I called a phantom dc Voltage that was between 13.5 and 14.5 vdc but it was intermittent and I found this out because it was powering my propane gas alarm and when the voltage dropped below 8 vdc the alarm would sound. So remembering that the dealership said no inverter and my batteries were taken out of the camper and I was only hooked up to shore power what is generating this dc Voltage. Well now I know.
I now have other questions like why do I have 2 inverters and I’m trying to see how the output from the inverter is connected to the batteries.

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