Total power failure 2001 wildcat 5th wheel

warthog · 02-14-2013, 11:27 AM

Monday morning I woke up cold and in the dark with no power to anything. It's hooked up to a 30amp 110v and I'm reading full voltage at breakers. also the battery was dry and the 12 volt system failed too. checked gfci and it is tripped and wont reset. no 110v outlets have power. took the converter to have it bench tested and it tested good. He told me that the 110v system should work without the 12v system, I replaced gfci at the bathroom sink but it won't reset either. I only see one gfci outlet, I'm starting to think that there is a 110v short somewhere, but not sure. have been staying in rv since september with no problems, untill now. right now I just want to focus on the 110v system and will get a new battery when 110v is up and running. any ideas ?

TURBS · 02-14-2013, 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warthog

Monday morning I woke up cold and in the dark with no power to anything. It's hooked up to a 30amp 110v and I'm reading full voltage at breakers. also the battery was dry and the 12 volt system failed too. checked gfci and it is tripped and wont reset. no 110v outlets have power. took the converter to have it bench tested and it tested good. He told me that the 110v system should work without the 12v system, I replaced gfci at the bathroom sink but it won't reset either. I only see one gfci outlet, I'm starting to think that there is a 110v short somewhere, but not sure. have been staying in rv since september with no problems, untill now. right now I just want to focus on the 110v system and will get a new battery when 110v is up and running. any ideas ?

Should be more than one gfci outtlet.

One in kitchen
One in bathroom

What do you mean your battery was dry?

Your furnace is 12 volt so if battery and converter are good it should work.
Unless there's an issue with the furnace.

Is the fridge and hw heater working?

Lights?

warthog · 02-14-2013, 11:52 AM

I had to add at least 20 ounces of water to each hole in battery, so here is what I did last night so I could stay in my own bed and off of friends couches. ran a cord into rv and hooked a 12v charger to the battery terminials at the fuse panel so I could run lights and charge battery, so just now I removed the charger and checked voltage at the battery and have 13 volts and the battery seems to be taking a charge. but as for the 110v system I only find one gfci outlet at the lav sink and it won't reset. but I do have voltage to it in one white wire, as far as another gfci I don't see one with the test and reset buttons. thanks for the help.

warthog · 02-14-2013, 11:54 AM

fridge and heater come on but drain the battery.

TURBS · 02-14-2013, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warthog

fridge and heater come on but drain the battery.

1) converter is no good
2) there's no power to the converter

In the files section upper left hand corner of web page next to user cp you can acquire the trouble shooting guide for the converter you most likely have.
"Wfco"

I've seen on a friends wildwood a gfci outlet above and left of kitchen sink on the bottom of the cupboard.

The love to daisy chain one outlet to another starting with a gfci outlet.

Turbs

Tailwind · 02-14-2013, 12:42 PM

Sounds like you have a break in your shore power line. One way to test is to make an extension cord with the male plug on both ends (watch polarity!). Then with regular shore cord DISCONNECTED, plug in newly made cord to a 20 amp shore outlet and the outside outlet on your rig. If it provides power to other outlets, then problem is shore cord related. If not, then probably panel.

Tailwind · 02-14-2013, 12:47 PM

Note: if GFCI is tripled on outside outlet, try a nonprotected outlet inside.

**Herk7769** · 02-14-2013, 12:48 PM

If you have 110 volts at the breakers, your shore power is OK.

The converter is fed off a single 110 VAC circuit breaker. (I assume that THAT is the one that is tripped and won't reset.

If the converter is "stuck" in bulk mode, it will fry your battery dry. Once the battery is dry, the converter will self destruct.

You will most likely need to replace your converter and battery. DO NOT do just one. BOTH will need to be replaced at the same time.

Oh, hooking up a battery charger to a boiled dry battery is a bad idea.

TURBS · 02-14-2013, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mathsub

Sounds like you have a break in your shore power line. One way to test is to make an extension cord with the male plug on both ends (watch polarity!). Then with regular shore cord DISCONNECTED, plug in newly made cord to a 20 amp shore outlet and the outside outlet on your rig. If it provides power to other outlets, then problem is shore cord related. If not, then probably panel.

He stated he had full power at breakers.
I took it to mean all breakers inside camper.
But he could have meant at the power pedestal outside.

I guess he needs to clarify.

To the op.
Did you try resetting all the breakers in the camper at the distribution panel?

Turbs

Tailwind · 02-14-2013, 12:53 PM

Ok, I agree, if he meant inside, shore line is good.

extremebike · 02-14-2013, 01:06 PM

I had a problem at a park and my power would not come back up. I found I had to trip the main breaker in the camper so the surge protector could reset. Apparently they don't auto reset. After that the 110 volts was fine.

The fried battery issue is another problem. Good Luck.

warthog · 02-14-2013, 01:09 PM

allright I have removed the converter and am testing the 110v side of things, here is what I have,
1. all breakers are off and still show 110v comming out of one breaker, plus I have a black wire that was spliced into the black wire comming out of 15 amp breaker, I took wire nut off and tested it and It is hot at 110v with all breakers off. don't know where its comming from, going to go areound aand see if anything is hot. ok I believe I have a hot ground short, any more ideas.?

**Herk7769** · 02-14-2013, 01:13 PM

Some photos might also help us help you.

Here is the manual for my WFCO and it has some troubleshooting guides that might also help.

warthog · 02-14-2013, 01:19 PM

yes breakers inside rv show 110v with breakers on, with all breaker off still have a 15 amp breaker with power plus a black wire that was spliced that is still hot 110v

TURBS · 02-14-2013, 01:26 PM

hmmmm have you owned since new or is this a "fix" from previous owner ?

warthog · 02-14-2013, 01:36 PM

only had it for 6 months now, so previous owner must have "fixed" it. weird huh? why would my recepticals read 110v with breakers off.? there must be a short somewhere, but why did it take 5 months to show up. ? Im at a loss, I really don't need any more problems at this stage in my life, I have that covered on my own. anyone want to buy a 5th wheel?

**Herk7769** · 02-14-2013, 01:46 PM

The "fix" may be simple if we can figure out what is going on.

Are you sure all breakers are off when you test for voltage at the outlets?
Could he have hot wired the outlets to the MAIN?

warthog · 02-14-2013, 02:03 PM

ok I just opened up the junction box under the fuse panel/breaker box area, it does not look good, melted wires, thats where the short is for sure. I'll get back and update, thanks for the help guys.

**Herk7769** · 02-14-2013, 02:06 PM

Good luck and let us know how it goes. I kow it is the last thing on your mind right now, but please take a few photos (at least of the damage!).

TURBS · 02-14-2013, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by warthog

ok I just opened up the junction box under the fuse panel/breaker box area, it does not look good, melted wires, thats where the short is for sure. I'll get back and update, thanks for the help guys.

Glad you found somewhat of a cause.

TAKE PICS!

Let us know how u make out with it.

Turbs

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