Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

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Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

November 16, 2014, 01:44:07 pm

Got in last night, plugged into shore power, all was well, microwave, TV & electrical outlets all good, plugged in computer, phone, nothing. Then noticed the microwave & TV were out.....threw all the switches under the bed skirt, (2 fuse boxes) and nothing. Re-set the red button on the bathroom socket, nothing. It doesn't click though like it's blown. Are there any other outlets with a red re-set button or what else can I try? At least I can make coffee and get the computer & stuff charged up in the bed room but it's not optimal.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #1 – November 16, 2014, 01:57:12 pm

If you have an inverter, check the two breakers on the unit itself. Actually, just turn the breakers both off and back on.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #2 – November 16, 2014, 02:05:12 pm

Thanks Brett, the red & green buttons are stationary (won't budge) on the inverter, so am not sure how to turn them off & on again. I threw the inverter power switch on (it normally stays in the off position) then off again, got nothing. AC volts at 120, DC volts at 14.0.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #3 – November 16, 2014, 02:17:14 pm

There may be another GFCI (red button) outlet above the microwave in the upper cabinet. It is for the microwave but also controls several other outlets. If you have one like my 1993, my bet is that it has tripped.

Let us know the outcome of your search.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #4 – November 16, 2014, 02:25:21 pm

If the plugs in the bedroom work it looks like power through the roll over relay in the inverter is working and sending power to the secondary power panel for distribution to the coach wall plugs.
So one of those circuits would be power to the GFI in the bathroom which would pass power to the plugs in the front of the coach.
Try to trip and then reset that bathroom GFI.
You may have to push the reset button in pretty far to reset.
JD

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #5 – November 16, 2014, 02:33:23 pm

Kent, no GFI over microwave...John, I tried to get the black & red buttons to budge, no go, they are stuck in there tight. Used a spoon...no go. Thanks guys...anymore outlets around? Why would the black & red be so firmly stuck? Can't get either to budge.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #6 – November 16, 2014, 02:40:42 pm

The later coach's have be GFI in the bath area near sink, take a look.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #7 – November 16, 2014, 02:44:33 pm

Sounds like you may need a new GFI.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #8 – November 16, 2014, 02:53:18 pm

My mistake, just checked again (with a fork!) & the red button does recede into the outlet, the black one is stuck solid.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #9 – November 16, 2014, 02:53:37 pm

If your GFI outlet is not tripped, press the test button and if notbing happens then there is no power to that outlet, that would point to the inverter not passing the AC.

Roland

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #10 – November 22, 2014, 10:06:35 am

Quote from: jor – November 22, 2014, 09:56:38 am

Well, thanks to PamelaMikeBarryCindy, I've crawled all over our coaches and never noticed that reset button!
jor

Yes thanks to all of you, I still can't find the problem with my electrical outlets in the forward part of the coach (only ones that work are the two under the bed) so next week I'll go back over & check this....by service bay, do you mean the one where the water faucets/hook ups are? That socket doesn't work either, I imagine all of these are connected. Have tried everything else including tripping the two 35'ers in the generator case. Is the panel easy to pry off? Just had all my batteries load tested at FOT so that's not the issue.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #11 – November 22, 2014, 10:17:35 am

Miz D,

The little breaker that is pictured is in the bay where you hook up your electric, sewer, water. (to old timers your service bay) It has nothing to do with your 120VAC system. It handles 12VDC loads like the small fuse panel on the foot of the bed. If you have print #B-2126 (it should be in your black 3 ring binder) it shows it on the top right corner of the print.

Pamela & Mike

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #12 – November 22, 2014, 10:32:24 am

Sorry. Did you start with GFI?

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #13 – November 22, 2014, 11:12:57 am

Yes GFI in the bathroom was the 1st thing I checked, also both panel boxes under the bed, generator case switches....I think the GFI needs replacing, it doesn't feel normal, both red & black buttons not tripping when tested. Not gonna be over there til next week & will get a new GFI on the way. Thanks everyone.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #14 – November 22, 2014, 11:21:20 am

That's your problem I would bet

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #15 – November 22, 2014, 12:19:58 pm

Quote from: Miz Dani – November 22, 2014, 11:12:57 am

Yes GFI in the bathroom was the 1st thing I checked, also both panel boxes under the bed, generator case switches....I think the GFI needs replacing, it doesn't feel normal, both red & black buttons not tripping when tested.

That is an indication that the GFI is not getting 12OVAC. If it is broken and it has 12P VAC it will trip and will be unresettable. Easy to check with a voltmeter, just a couple screws and you can pull it out and measure the voltage at the terminals in the rear. A real witch to get it back in though, like stuffing 5# of crap in a 2# container. I had the same thing happen a while back, wasn't the GFI but can't remember what it was.

Roland

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #16 – November 22, 2014, 01:29:16 pm

Dani,

Do you have the electrical schematics for your coach?

Are the outlets that work fed from the secondary breaker box (the one with the inverter-powered circuits) or are they off the primary (just shore powered)?

Not sure if yours is anything like our '03, but in ours, there's a secondary transfer switch that has inputs of inverter and shore power. Perhaps yours has failed either in the inverter position (in which case if your inverter is working, when you unplug from shore and turn the inverter on you should get power) or in some intermediary position where it's not passing anything.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #17 – November 22, 2014, 03:25:44 pm

Michelle, thanks, I do have the diagrams that James T gave me in Nac, suppose they're on that, they're in the coach & I'll get back over there next week & get some help, in the meantime, the GFI in the bathroom is not tripping as it should so I'll pick one of those up on the way. Think maybe it's down to that outlet. And the items that don't work are the one that are located in the second box to the right of the first one under the bed: TV, microwave, & all outlets in the forward of the coach.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #18 – November 22, 2014, 03:59:08 pm

Quote from: Miz Dani – November 22, 2014, 03:25:44 pm

in the meantime, the GFI in the bathroom is not tripping as it should so I'll pick one of those up on the way. Think maybe it's down to that outlet. And the items that don't work are the one that are located in the second box to the right of the first one under the bed: TV, microwave, & all outlets in the forward of the coach.

Dani,

The microwave should be on a different circuit (all by itself) than the other items. If the GCFI is bad, then usually just the items on that (GCFI) circuit will not be powered. So the if it's the GCFI, the microwave should still work.

If I understand correctly, all things powered by the main box are working and all things powered by the second box are not.

If that's correct, it sounds like your second box is not receiving any power. It is likely fed by a transfer switch located nearby, with inputs being your main box and your inverter (look for a box in the foot of the bed with 2 big wires coming in and one going out to the second breaker box). If you have a means of checking the output voltage of the transfer switch, both running off shore power and unplugging and running off the inverter, that may help you figure more out.

Now, the shore power feed for this transfer switch will be from one leg of your 50 amp power. Here's where you'll want to make sure you don't have a situation like 1 leg of the power being down. To verify, look at the schematics and see what else in the main box is powered from the same leg as the aux box. If those things are working, then look more closely at the transfer switch. If they are also not working, then look at that leg of your 50 amp.

Here's our diagram of the overall scheme, which may be similar to yours. I've circled the transfer switch I'm talking about

The selected media item is not currently available.

Here is what the circuits look like in our 2003; I've highlighted for our coach which items are on Leg 2 of the 50 AMP to show you how to decipher the drawing for your coach (on the right side of this picture, see where the circles are below Leg 2

The selected media item is not currently available.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #19 – November 22, 2014, 04:20:08 pm

Michelle, thanks so much for this, am going to get back over there next week & see exactly what the situation is, I can't remember now what's in the 1st box but seems like all the lights, etc. which all work, but the outlets & microwave & TV are 'out' up front, the only outlets that work are the 2 under the bed. Everything else is out as far as sockets/outlets. Thank goodness I had those or I'd have had no way for anything to be charged up (no phone, no computer, no coffee pot) while "camped out" for 4 days during my recent little adventure! Am going to call a friend over there for help with this. Sure appreciate the feedback.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #20 – November 22, 2014, 04:27:22 pm

Quote from: Miz Dani – November 22, 2014, 04:20:08 pm

Michelle, thanks so much for this, am going to get back over there next week & see exactly what the situation is,

Am going to call a friend over there for help with this. Sure appreciate the feedback.

Dani,

When all this is over, you will have learned a bunch about your coach's 120 V system

That's how most of us have learned about our coaches - OJT/solving actual problems.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #21 – November 22, 2014, 05:31:21 pm

Yeh, between the batteries, fuel pump, hydraulics & electrical stuff (all in the past 10 days!) I'd say my OJT is cranked up on "high".....but it sure is fun (after the fact!) learning about all the systems on the old girl....

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #22 – November 22, 2014, 08:05:53 pm

Miz Dani -

Michelle has held my hand on numerous occasions.

Do you own a Volt Meter? I did not know how to use one until we suffered a similar situation about a year ago and learned how to use it by watching Utube. It turned out one of our transfer switches, the one under the bed, needed to be replaced. It is now one of my best friends. You can use the volt meter to determin if voltage is running through cables/wires, how many volts are in the wires, if your circuit is interrupted and a bunch of other stuff. You can follow the power from your pedestal connection all the way to your outlets. It's not always easy or fun but doable.

Of-course - if you know this stuff I apologize for my comments.

As Michelle said, you are going to learn alot about your 120VAC and unfortunately OJT seems to be the way most of us learn how our coach's systems work.

Hang in there and continue to ask you questions. Take photos and share here. Many wise and knowledgeable folks here and are willing to assist you in your adventure.

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #23 – November 22, 2014, 08:30:47 pm

Miz D,

Another thought if you find out that your problem is the transfer switch has burnt the relay up or just the contacts they can be replaced. If your coach still has the ATS 100 here is what you are looking for. If you aren't electrical minded this info may help your electrician and save you a $.

Replacing a Transfer Relay

Here is info on just the contacts if it is just them, these fit our '97 ATS 100, yours may be different so check part compatibility.

http://www.electricalcontactkits.com/contact_kits.asp?Eck=FN75BE42&Ref=furnas

Pamela & Mike

Re: Making coffee in the bedroom! (forward electrical sockets, micro & TV all dead)

Reply #24 – November 22, 2014, 08:38:30 pm

Roland ---- Maybe it was a broken wire, or at least a loose one, from cramming that two pound container with five pounds of wire and stuff !! Have a great day ---- Fritz

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