Electric isn't working??

dnm1987 · 05-14-2011, 03:14 PM

I am a first time camper owner and when we had it delivered they made a mistake and we didn't get a walk thru so I am really confused.

I plugged it in today to my house to make sure everything works and none of the outlets will work or the A/C or Fan in the bathroom. I have had 3 guys go through the camper and the fuse box trying to find the problem and they can't find anything wrong. Any ideas??

The lights will work but I think that is just running off the battery.

It is a 2012 Mini Lite 1809s if that helps

**bikendan** · 05-14-2011, 03:18 PM

it would help if you told us what RV you had, brand and model.

kenandterry · 05-14-2011, 03:38 PM

Just some basics to review.......

100% sure there is electricity at end of plug going into camper?

Are all breakers "ON" in the electrical panel? Some may appear on, but to be sure, set them all "OFF" then back to "ON".

All fuses are firmly seated and tested "GOOD"?

Electrical outlets work off 110 volt electricity. A/C is the same. Microwave, if equipped, electricity. The fan in the bathroom may run off 12 volt battery, as do the lights typically. To verify what works off battery, turn off the battery control switch to check on their operation.

Assuming it's a brand new unit...........why no demo? Call them back an demand one.

LadyWindrider · 05-14-2011, 03:44 PM

First thing, how did you plug it in to your house? Are you on a GFI circuit, 15 amp, on the house, using an adapter for the camper 30 amp? Are you sure the outlet you are using for the house is working? If you are using an adapter, you will NOT NOT NOT, be able to run the microwave and the Air conditioner in the camper. YOU WILL NOT!!!!. Don't even try them.

Also besides what kind of camper, what are you towing it with? Since it was delivered, what kind of hitch and who set it up?

jackhartjr · 05-14-2011, 04:06 PM

Not trying to be argumentative here...IF and I said IF you are plugged in to the house with a fairly heavy cord, the air conditioner might work.
Windrider, we will be camping in Tanglewood next weekend, I saw they rebuilt the campground.
Jack

Matthews1 · 05-14-2011, 04:17 PM

If you are plugging in anything over 15 amps in to a gfi it will trip and you cant use that plug because it will just trip

jackhartjr · 05-14-2011, 04:24 PM

Folks, again, I am not trying to be argumentative here...when we honeymooned at Long Key State Park in the Keys four years ago, (Wonderful park by the way) the electric box was on the wrong side of the camper, they have a shared box for two campers on one pole, we happened to be on the right side of it looking from the front of the camper to the rear. That meant the 30 amp cord would not reach. There was a 20 amp plug in, we had a heavy extention cord and plugged it up. As long as we were just using lights the AC did not trip but once or twice. When we made our coffee we turned the AC off. We only used the propane side of the water heater. Had a most wonderful honeymoon!
Jack
PS...we bought a 2nd 30 amp cord for those time it happened again...and it has not happened since!LOL

dnm1987 · 05-14-2011, 04:26 PM

I am using an adapter that came with the camper to plug it in. I have the camper cord going into a brand new 10 gauge Rigid extension cord that is working. I have switched all the breakers to "OFF" and back to "ON" and taken out each fuse and put it back in.

We didn't get a demo because we had it delivered half way and when they set up the delivery driver the guy was only a driver and didn't know anything about it. I would have had to wait possibly another month if I wanted a driver that would do a walk through and the dealership kept saying most of their units don't get walk thru's and they are very simple to use. - Really regretting that now!!!

I am going to pull it with a 2005 Chevy Trailblazer. We brought it home with a 2500HD Diesel truck.

jimh · 05-14-2011, 05:16 PM

do u have 30 amp service or 50 amp? do u have an electric hot water heater?
i would unplug the trailer from the house and pull the cover on the breaker box. then i would check and see if all the supply wires have the screws tightened on them. this includes the neutral and the ground wire. there have been cases where they left the factory loose.
if u have an electric hot water heater, turn off the switch on it before u plug the trailer back in.

if u can do this part without u or someone else accidentally getting into it, leave the cover off the breaker box and do a voltage check. check the voltage where the wire is attached at the main and ground. also check the voltage between the ground (white) and neutral (bare). if all of these are 0, ur not getting voltage to the trailer. if u have voltage between ground and neutral...possibly house outlet wired wrong. this will especially be true if u get no voltage between main breaker (wire side) and either ground or neutral.
another possibility, try a different adapter. u may have a bad adapter.

**bikendan** · 05-14-2011, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnm1987

I would have had to wait possibly another month if I wanted a driver that would do a walk through and the dealership kept saying most of their units don't get walk thru's and they are very simple to use. - Really regretting that now!!!

what's the name of that dealership, so i and others can avoid them?
never have i heard a dealership say such a thing!

Emptypockets · 05-14-2011, 05:29 PM

Are you sure the outlet you are plugged into has power. If you don't have a volt meter to check for power plug a fan into that outlet to make sure it is powered.
We also have a Rockwood Mini Lite 1809S.

dnm1987 · 05-14-2011, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimh

do u have 30 amp service or 50 amp? do u have an electric hot water heater?
i would unplug the trailer from the house and pull the cover on the breaker box. then i would check and see if all the supply wires have the screws tightened on them. this includes the neutral and the ground wire. there have been cases where they left the factory loose.
if u have an electric hot water heater, turn off the switch on it before u plug the trailer back in.

if u can do this part without u or someone else accidentally getting into it, leave the cover off the breaker box and do a voltage check. check the voltage where the wire is attached at the main and ground. also check the voltage between the ground (white) and neutral (bare). if all of these are 0, ur not getting voltage to the trailer. if u have voltage between ground and neutral...possibly house outlet wired wrong. this will especially be true if u get no voltage between main breaker (wire side) and either ground or neutral.
another possibility, try a different adapter. u may have a bad adapter.

I will have my boyfried try this when he gets home. We use the outlet on the house all the time so I don't think the outlet on the house is the problem.

jimh · 05-14-2011, 06:44 PM

i'd probably try the adapter first; that may be ur problem. it doesn't hurt to have a spare adapter around.
if u have an elec hot water heater, make sure the switch is off. i turn mine off at the breaker (that way i can make a quick check without going outside). when u pull the cover off for the hot water heater (outside trailer) u should be able to see the switch in there. if u apply electric power to the hw heater without water in it, the heating element won't last long; maybe a couple minutes. i learned the hard way, mine was purchased at a travel trailer show. at some point the outside switch had been turned on. needless
to say, the elec part didn't work until i replaced it. there may be a switch inside that is lighted when u turn it on; this is for the gas only.
actually, u want to make sure the water heater is full before u put either gas or elec on it.

dnm1987 · 05-14-2011, 06:57 PM

I saw that there was a switch in the outside compartment - actually because when I tried to hook my hose up to the water connection and turned it on all the water poured right back out because there wasn't a plug in the hot water drain.

SO the outside switch is for electric and the inside is for gas?? Correct? If I am plugged in and want to have hot water I have to go outside and turn it on everytime??

jimh · 05-14-2011, 07:35 PM

the outside switch mounted to the water heater is for the elec. i turn mine on after i have hooked up the water at the camp ground and turn it off when i leave (even when traveling between campgrounds...a habit).
the switch inside has a red light on or next to it.

on an elec/gas water heater, the plug is usually an anode rod. on mine, i have to pull the anode rod to drain the tank.
you may want to look at one of the post on winterizing to see what u may have left to undo.
after i apply water to the trailer, i pull the lever on the relief valve at the top of the hot water heater to make sure it really is full before the electricity goes on. check out the link below.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...html#post86646

dnm1987 · 05-14-2011, 07:46 PM

thank you so much for all the advice!!

dnm1987 · 05-14-2011, 08:22 PM

Wana RV in Indiana. They were fantastic when I ordered it and through that process and I had to deal with a different guy once it came in and thats where it went downhill.

jimh · 05-14-2011, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dnm1987

SO the outside switch is for electric and the inside is for gas?? Correct? If I am plugged in and want to have hot water I have to go outside and turn it on everytime??

that is correct. it's a good idea to keep the outside switch cut off unless u r hooked up to water.
when u get things hooked up, if ur water heater doesn't work on electricity, the element may be burnt out. if i remember correctly, they are abt $15 and u will need a socket to pull it. if u go to a lumber yard or hdw store, they will know what size wrench (socket) u will need. i would pull the element and take it with me. hopefully, sense the shore power didn't work, u may be ok. just make sure that switch is off (near where the water came out). if u aren't sure which position is off (don't know if it is labeled or not), go to the breaker box and find the breaker (hopefully, they labeled the breakers) and shut it off. keep it off until ur water heater is full.

dnm1987 · 05-15-2011, 08:23 AM

ok thanks, as far as i know the water heater hasn't been on yet. so hopefully my heater is still good

dnm1987 · 05-15-2011, 02:10 PM

Thank you everyone for the help! I bought a new adapter today and that was the problem. I now have working electric.

The new problem however is that I have no water pressure to the bathroom sink - the shower and the kitchen sink work great. any ideas??

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