Power problem with RV

[Sandberg5]

I have a 2017 Sandpiper SAQB 5th wheel. Stays plugged in. Arrived to it friday night to find it had no power except the TV outlets worked (tv's worked as well) and the outdoor kitchen microwave worked and outdoor fridge plug (and fridge worked). Nothing else works. No breakers were tripped, no fuses (even in the converter) were blown. Battery is dead as well (assuming this is from when I lost power things started pulling off battery). Things I have done up to this point - checks voltage to plug in, plug itself, outlet on RV where cord plugs into, voltage to 50 amp main breaker in camper (was good), and voltage coming out of all breakers (all read 120). In other words I have verified proper voltage all the way through the breakers - yet I have no power. I do not have a surge protector. My fear is a surge may have gotten me. Anyone else experience this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Locomo14]

GFI tripped?

[Sandberg5]

The GFI's I checked dont have power so I cant tell if they are tripped or not. Would a GFI being tripped affect power to everything else (ie - ac units, microwave inside, etc)?

[Bluepill]

Originally Posted by Locomo14

GFI tripped?

Yup, suspect #1. Often 1 GFI outlet somewhere inside the trailer is wired daisy-chain to most of the other outlets.

[Sandberg5]

Would a tripped GFI prevent the AC's from working?

[Flybob]

If you lost power for a while, you may have drained battery depending on how long it was without power. If power then returned, your converter could have tried to charge a dead battery and blew the reverse protection fuses. Check the high current fuses ( orange or brown) or the inline fuse between your battery and converter. If they are blown and battery is dead you will have no 12V

[Locomo14]

Also if battery is dead no 12 volt power to thermostat that controls the AC's.

[Sandberg5]

Ok. Didnt think about that as far as AC/s go. But shouldn't I still have power to things that are running off the independent breakers ....like the interior microwave that is on its own breaker (not 12v). Also the interior fridge (its a full residential fridge has its own independent breaker - does not run on 12v). Neither work. Not saying a GFI isnt tripped somewhere but just dont understand how that would prevent the microwave and fridge from working.

appreciate your responses.

[Locomo14]

Since you have a res fridge you also have an inverter. Thus you should have more than 1 battery.
Check the inverter, if there is a reset on it or maybe circuit breakers on the inverter itself.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Sandberg5

Ok. Didnt think about that as far as AC/s go. But shouldn't I still have power to things that are running off the independent breakers ....like the interior microwave that is on its own breaker (not 12v). Also the interior fridge (its a full residential fridge has its own independent breaker - does not run on 12v). Neither work. Not saying a GFI isnt tripped somewhere but just dont understand how that would prevent the microwave and fridge from working.

appreciate your responses.

Usually the microwave is on it's own circuit and not daisy chained off of a GFCI. This is an interesting scenario.

Master GFCI outlets with resets are most times located near sinks in the bathroom and kitchen. You may also find them in basement pass thru's storage.

Since a 50 amp RV has two incoming legs of 120 volt AC, as you will notice in the pic below, there are two sides being fed by the 50 amp main, can you perhaps look at your RV's distribution panel and see if all the things that aren't working are maybe on one side.

[Iwannacamp]

You can get enough voltage to read on a contact or breaker, but not carry a load sometimes. If you haven't tried it already. Turn off main and turn all breakers off and on. I tripped breaker looks to be on most of the time.

As mentioned check your d/c fuses as well. Most newer trailers the fuse panel lights up when a fuse is bad.


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[Mr Havercamp]

Broken wire?

On our Rockwood they had over tightened the lugs on all the breakers and the ground/neutral bars to the point that it stripped out the heads and smashed the copper conductors flat. Once they're smashed flat they'll break rather easily.

When I was installing an EMS, a couple of them snapped off just from moving them slightly. It would of just been a matter of time bouncing down the road. That is where I would start looking, the AC distribution side of the converter. They also use the push lock connections on the devices. You could have one of those that released somewhere on a device thats ahead of other devices on the circuit.

[WolfWhistle]

Did everyone catch that the OUTSIDE microwave and fridge work, but not the inside M and F, should I assume?

Just an tip and observation, but many people see all these AC plugs are labled "protected by GFCI" don't realize that there is usually only one "master" GFCI that is the GFCI, typically in the bathroom, while all the others are just plain 'ole plugs.

If a pure AC appliance isn't working, I would shot the 120VAC problem first. I was also thinking that one side L1 or L2 is down and the other up, or good, whether that is a bad breaker or broken wire. A pure AC device like the indoor microwave not working would have nothing to do with fuses or battery. But, if converter isn't powered up and batteries flat, the first thing after getting 12 VAC to the converter is to get the batteries recharged, IMHO.

Excellent reply and advice wmtire!
WW

[Top B]

Of the gfi will not reset and doesn't click (internally tripping) there is no power to it.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Sandberg5

Would a tripped GFI prevent the AC's from working?

NO, they are each on a separate circuit without a GFI.

The GFI outlet and all outlets downstream from it are affected by the GFI being tripped. The GFI won't have power either if it is tripped, have you tried resetting it?

[muddyrode]

interesting power problem please let us know what you find

[5picker]

Originally Posted by Sandberg5

I have a 2017 Sandpiper SAQB 5th wheel. Stays plugged in. Arrived to it friday night to find it had no power except the TV outlets worked (tv's worked as well) and the outdoor kitchen microwave worked and outdoor fridge plug (and fridge worked). Nothing else works. No breakers were tripped, no fuses (even in the converter) were blown. Battery is dead as well (assuming this is from when I lost power things started pulling off battery). Things I have done up to this point - checks voltage to plug in, plug itself, outlet on RV where cord plugs into, voltage to 50 amp main breaker in camper (was good), and voltage coming out of all breakers (all read 120). In other words I have verified proper voltage all the way through the breakers - yet I have no power. I do not have a surge protector. My fear is a surge may have gotten me. Anyone else experience this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

If you have verified voltage all the way to your inside load center to where the individual circuit wiring connects to the breakers, that leaves these things...

The connection at the breaker where the wire goes under the breaker connection screw or a broken connection at the neutral/ground buss. (as Havercamp pointed out could be broken like his was)

The wires themselves. (possibly a rodent chewed a wire(s) off somewhere inside you camper)

A loose connection where the wiring attaches to the receptacle(s) These connections are mickey mouse and just push into slots on the back of the outlet.

A tripped (or bad) GFCI that feeds other outlets.

[VinceU]

Here's an idea- is your bus fitted with an inverter bus? It may be separated from another bus only by a dark line on the breaker index. Included are refrigerator one microwave select outlets. Normally it's powered by pass through A/C then switches to battery generated from batteries. Sounds like your missing power supplies.