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Topic: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach (Read 855 times) previous topic - next topic

How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Last night at 11:00pm ( i 'm surprised it wasn't raining ) I was awoken by the sound of our generator kicking on. We are at a nice RV park with good 30 amp service. I ran up to shut the gen off, as I didn't want to disturb my neighbors, and my display showed that no electric was coming into the coach, and I was on " low battery". I went out to check the breaker on the pedestal, which seemed ok. I checked the breakers at the foot of the bed. They were ok. I allowed the generator to run, at the risk of upsetting my neighbors, for fear of damaging my batteries.
MY QUESTION IS: I must admit that I had NO IDEA of how to proceed. I thought that, if there was power at the pedestal, how do I troubleshoot the problem ? I thought it might be the transfer switch. I am not real strong with electrical issues. This morning, I flipped the breaker on and off, and all seems to be ok at this time. I want to be prepared if this happens again. I couldn't even post this until this morning, due to wifi issues. Thanks for any instruction.
Glenn and Amy Beinfest
2001 36' U320
#5812
2014 Honda CRV

No Whining on the YACHT

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #1 –
If we have a big load in the coach and low voltage from the pedestal, sometimes the transfer switch shuts off for a while. When the power comes back on, it makes a momentary clunk so I can always tell the power is back. Perhaps the RV park had low or no voltage for a short time. Strange that the transfer switch would work with the generator running though.

Did you have your AC running? What kind of voltage at the pedestal? Is the connector warm where it plugs into the coach. How do the connectors look? Any sign of oxidation? Might try unplugging and cleaning the contacts at both ends.

Our transfer switch is under the bed. Couple of screws remove the cover. Easy to tell which position the points are in. With everything unplugged, you can sand the points. I can post a photo of what it looks like if you like.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #2 –
If (big IF) you are safe working around 240 VAC and have a voltmeter, troubleshooting is pretty simple.

A common failure is the 30 to 50 adapter.  So that is a good place to start.  CAREFULLY check for 120 VDC between the two outer straights (the two hots) and the center straight (neutral).

Next is the ATS.  Check for power IN and power OUT.  On either 30 or 50 amp (with 30 male to 50 female adapter) from the neutral to either hot (so, white to either black or red) should read 120 VAC. 

If you have a surge protector, that is another place to check for power IN and OUT.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #3 –
Something to ALWAYS check before plugging in:
1993 U-240 "La Villa Grande"..CAT 3116 w/ Pacbrake PRXB...Allison 3060 6-speed..
Previous: 1983 Airstream 310 turbo diesel, 1979 Airstream 280 turbo diesel
                                      Build # 4297
                                      PNW natives
                      Home base:  'Cactus Hug' (Ajo, Arizona)
                        DW Judy & Chet the wonder dog
                        Full-Timers 'Sailing the asphalt sea'

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #4 –
Thanks for the help. I will check these things out.
Glenn and Amy Beinfest
2001 36' U320
#5812
2014 Honda CRV

No Whining on the YACHT

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #5 –
Glenn,

You might ask the office at the RV park if the power occasionally goes down for a while. This winter, our power has gone out many times but the UPS keeps the Macs, modems and displays going without a hitch. I learned the hard way when we had a severe power surge.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart –
Glenn,

You might ask the office at the RV park if the power occasionally goes down for a while. This winter, our power has gone out many times but the UPS keeps the Macs, modems and displays going without a hitch. I learned the hard way when we had a severe power surge.

Pierce

As I was reading I was thinking the same think.  The power to the area was down and in the morning it was back up.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #7 –
If you have one of the little cheap voltage meters throw it away and invest in a descent one.  Not likely a problem would happen at a power pedestal but never say never. I saw the results of a maintenance man that died getting in the main service with one of the cheap voltage meters trying to figure out what the problem was.  Meter blew up and the arc caused the complete service to blow up.  After I saw that I threw out all of the small cheap meters we had at the house and shop and bough good name brand ones.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #8 –
Another reason, among others, to have a auto gen start system. 

Adding in the Hughes autoformer  and a progressive unit would seem to cover things  as well as can be done. 

Integrating a temp profile into the a/c and gen start would seem to cover all bases.

This kind of tech was wished for 30 years ago. 

Everyone was curious when I put small solar panels on new Foretravels in 1986 at my store.

Look where we are now.  Fantastic times
"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #9 –
If you had power when you headed to bed, low battery as early as 11PM indicates some problem with your batteries and/or charger invertor (perhaps in addition to a different problem).

One possibility is you had no incoming power much earlier in the day/evening, and  the invertor was powering the coach drawing the batteries down. 

If staying in same place again tonight, check power and batteries before retiring for the evening.
Dan - Full timing since 2009
2003 U320 40' Tag 2 slide
 

Re: How to Troubleshoot Power to Coach

Reply #10 –
See reply #9, your house battery bank should last for days, especially with led lights and only occasional furnace usuage.
Old Phart Phred, EIEIO
89 GV ored 36' #3405 300 hp cat 3208 ATAAC side radiator, mountain tamer exhaust brake