364TS - Kitchen TV while driving

[thebenz]

This is probably something simple but can someone get me pointed in the right direction to get the main kitchen TV turned on while driving?

I noticed that if I turn on the PROwatt SW it will power the refrigerator from the batteries without needing to turn on on the generator. Is there a similar way to get the TV turned on as well?

On a related note, is it ok to run the refrigerator on the PROwatt SW through the batteries while driving it will that drain things too much?

[ChrisMSNT]

From my limited experience, the fridge is plugged into the PROwatt and thus it converts it from 12V. The TV is not plugged into the PROwatt and thus will not operate without being on shore power or gen. There's nothing stopping you from extending power up to the TV from the PROwatt though.

[cjd10]

The alternator is a high output alternator designed to keep the batteries charged while running the refridgerator off the inverter while driving.
Don't know the exact specs off the top of my head so I can't tell you if running the refridgerator and the TV would be too much draw on the batteries to keep them charged. I only have the 1000 watt inverter in my MH but I believe the newer ones have a 2000 watt and possibly more than just the 2 batteries like mine.

[chrisbailey13]

1st, you would have to run the generator or connect the TV to the power inverter that is likely located under the entry steps near the House Batteries. It is possible if you can figure out where the TV's outlet power is run.

2nd option would be to get a small power inverter that you can connect to a 12v source that could power the TV alone.

[thebenz]

This 2015 365 has 4 house batteries by the passenger door and a 2000watt inverter.

I think something else may be going on though. I fired up the generator and the TV didn't turn on then either.

It's plugged into a GFCI switch. I checked the GFCI circuit breaker and it isn't popped. Is there a GFCI reset switch somewhere possibly?

I didn't have anything else I could plug into that outlet to test if it is even working.

[chrisbailey13]

Is the TV plugged directly into an outlet, or is there a black box that it is plugged into?


My forward TV has a relay (black box with an outlet and 2 12v wires plugged into it) that prevents the TV from working when the ignition is on.

If yours has that you can simply remove the 12v wires plugged into the relay and the TV will come on. (FOR MAINTENANCE PURPOSES)

[thebenz]

It's plugged directly into an outlet installed behind it. No black box.

[toolman_57]

I modified my 364 to provide power from the inverter to the outlet at the top of the entry steps (below the sink). We just finished our first trip and my passengers were using it to watch dvds from the stereo on the TV. The pro-watt inverter is located in the compartment behind the front water heater--you'll need to remove the plastic guard (four screws) to get to it.

The pro-watt inverter is connected to a pro-watt switch. The switch also has house power coming from the generator/house power line. There's a junction box mounted next to the pro-watt switch that has the input power line coming from the generator/house power to the pro-watt switch and the output power line coming from the pro-watt switch to the refrigerator outlet.

I ran an outdoor romex cable into the junction box and connected it to the refrigerator line. They use a plastic plug to run the refrigerator wire into the juncion box and I broke it off the wire and replaced it with a standard juncion box wire clamp once I fed the second power line. I fed this wire through one of the current holes in the fiberglass box and ran it along one of the wire bundles (with zip ties) to the battery compartment behind the entry steps. There's a hole (with black silicone sealant) leading to the bottom of the sink cabinet above the battery box. I fed the wire under the sink to through this hole. I pulled out the oulet on the cabinet by the entry steps and removed the current feed wire (covering them with wire nuts)--these should be fed into a junction box for safe keeping (should be). If you feed enough wire from the battery box into the cabinet you can get to the wire from under the sink and point it towards the outlet hole in the cabinet. I attached this to the outlet, replaced the outlet in the cabinet and now have inverter/house power close to the TV. It works the same way as the refrigerator--without shore or generator power, you need to turn on the inverter to get power at the outlet.

Couple of notes--we placed some of the web matting (shelf liner material) on top of the counter and use one of the outlets to charge our tablets, etc. I mounted a four connector power strip behind the TV and have my TV/Dish receiver (DVR) and infrared transmitter plugged in to that. When we're on the road I plug the power strip into the cabinet outlet. I also know that the GFI circuit in the inverter works--I walked in and out of the rain and brushed up against the plug and tripped the GFI circuit. This requires a "trip" outside to reach in the compartment and push the reset button on the inverter--it's between the outlets on the inverter.

There you have it--please remember to disconnect all power and make sure your inverter is switched off before you try such a thing. If you want to only use the outlet when the inverter is on, you could simply attach a plug to the romex cable and plug it into the extera outlet on the inverter--it would be much less work. The outlet would only be "hot" when the inverter is switched on. I also considered adding a second outlet to the cabinet--but you get the idea.

Hope this helps.

[thebenz]

Well, that confirms my suspicion that the ProWatt is powerful enough to power them both. I wish they would have wired it this way by default. I hope there isn't a good reason they didn't...

Anyways, thank you for your nice long "guide". I'm going to try and identify some of the parts you've pointed out and see if I can have some luck getting this going.

Has no one else accomplished this?

[Vince and Charlette]

Toolman 57. I just have to ask: your third sentence says, "behind the front water heater". (I have a 2015 Georgetown.) what front water heater? I only have one in the back. If there are two, please tell me where the front one is!

[thebenz]

Vince, each of the bathrooms has their own hot water heater. The first is by the passenger door. The second is at the far back of the passenger side.

[Vince and Charlette]

Wow. That's interesting. I took the cover off the panel on the passenger side just aft of the outside monitor and saw the second furnace. Do you have two furnaces also? If so, where did they locate them? On my 364, the other is at the left rear of the coach.

[thebenz]

My 364 was manufactured in January of 2015 and both hot water heaters are on the passenger side.

[Vince and Charlette]

One last question: where is the second furnace?

[chrisbailey13]

on the outside of the coach is a vent that should look like this.



Those are the furnace vents and you should have one of these for each furnace (two holes each) the furnace is usually located right behind these vents.

[toolman_57]

I'll try post some pictures of my modification over the weekend. Yes--the 364 has two water heaters.

[thebenz]

I ran an extension cord to the invertor and it powers the tv and refrigerator just fine. I'm not seeing a clean path to get power permantely run between the two though. Looking forward to your help.

[Vince and Charlette]

As chrisbailey13 noted, there are two furnaces. The image he posted is one of two look-alike furnace vents. One is at the left rear of the coach and the other is on the right side just aft of the entry door and outside monitor. Since there now appear to be two owners who believe there is more than one water heater, could anyone post a photo. (We seem to all agree there is one at the right rear of the coach, but if there is another, please provide photo.) I have a 2015 364TS and for the life of me can't find a second water heater. But, as my DW can attest, I've been wrong a whole bunch of times!

[thebenz]

Two water heaters is one of the big features of the 364. It has two bathrooms, two hot water heaters, two water pumps, two black tanks and two grey tanks.

I took a picture and circled my hot water heaters but I can't upload it from my phone. I'll add it shortly.

[thebenz]

Here's where the two water heaters are located. Image attached.