Microwave dead on shore.

Topic: Microwave dead on shore. (Read 546 times) previous topic - next topic

Microwave dead on shore.

November 01, 2023, 08:35:52 pm

2006 Nimbus. I can run my microwave on generator power but not shore power. This happened one time before but I suspected one of the legs on shore power was bad. Any ideas?

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #1 – November 01, 2023, 08:46:51 pm

Anything else not working on shore power? Need to tske a meter and start checking from the shore pole on down the line to find where you are loosing it

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #2 – November 01, 2023, 08:50:11 pm

It's strange that it works on generator power but not shore.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #3 – November 01, 2023, 08:54:51 pm

Bad leg on your shore power cord or not getting good contact on one leg in the transfer switch. I'd start at the transfer switch with a multimeter and work my way back to the pedestal

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #4 – November 01, 2023, 08:57:45 pm

Definitely going to do this tomorrow morning. I know it's got to be something simple. Just need to find it. @Elliott there is a loose wire or connection somewhere.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #5 – November 01, 2023, 10:08:41 pm

Quote from: Elliott – November 01, 2023, 08:54:51 pm

Bad leg on your shore power cord or not getting good contact on one leg in the transfer switch. I'd start at the transfer switch with a multimeter and work my way back to the pedestal

I would start at the pedestal , problem might not be in your coach. Reason working on generator is the generator is supplying power on both legs. The leg that is supplying power from shore power to the microwave is not getting to the microwave

Let's vote on where problem is
Pedestal
Power cord
Cord reel (If coach has this)
twist Receptacle or plug at coach (if coach has this)
Transfer switch on shore power side.

My vote is pedestal

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #6 – November 01, 2023, 10:13:48 pm

Xfer switch

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #7 – November 01, 2023, 11:07:52 pm

Jack I really think it's going to be the reel. It's happened twice now and worked perfectly several times in between. Tomorrow I'm going to try and locate where the reel connects to the mail panel and check for loose connections. Also the ground fault in the bathroom is dead. Actually several plugs on the starboard side are out.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #8 – November 02, 2023, 12:03:54 am

Pedestal
Power cord plug
Cord reel contacts
In that order

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #9 – November 02, 2023, 10:49:52 am

Quote from: EddieNel – November 01, 2023, 11:07:52 pm

Jack I really think it's going to be the reel. It's happened twice now and worked perfectly several times in between. Tomorrow I'm going to try and locate where the reel connects to the mail panel and check for loose connections. Also the ground fault in the bathroom is dead. Actually several plugs on the starboard side are out.

Can I change my vote since I was not paying full attention? I will agree with cord reel. Odds of two different power poles losing the same leg is way up there. The one thing I like about my IH is the power cord is hard wired into the coach, no bushing to ever have to mess with. The system pulls in or out the power cord and coils it up. After the IH, FOT switched back to a regular cord reel. I am guessing that the IH cord "reel" is too expensive and when with the cheaper cord reels.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #10 – November 02, 2023, 12:14:40 pm

Lol Jack!!! Pedestal is good. Just checked the wires on the real and they are tight. Next I've got to remove the reel and see how it works or what's not connected. I'm assuming it's rings that make contact as it spins?

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #11 – November 02, 2023, 01:04:05 pm

As Elliott said check at the transfer switch and see if both legs have power there, as it is easy to
do.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #12 – November 02, 2023, 03:51:58 pm

Ok the surge guard is good. 124 volts on both legs.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #13 – November 02, 2023, 03:59:37 pm

Is the surge guard ahead of the transfer switch? if so it will be the problem.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #14 – November 02, 2023, 04:40:45 pm

I thought the surge guard was the transfer switch

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #15 – November 02, 2023, 04:44:28 pm

I have 120 volts to the first breaker box and only 60 to the second.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #16 – November 02, 2023, 04:45:21 pm

Is this the transfer switch?

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #17 – November 02, 2023, 04:51:03 pm

Quote from: craneman – November 02, 2023, 03:59:37 pm

Is the surge guard ahead of the transfer switch? if so it will be the problem.

The second photo appears to be a transfer switch, so likely a SurgeGuard-branded transfer switch.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #18 – November 02, 2023, 04:53:40 pm

Quote from: EddieNel – November 02, 2023, 04:44:28 pm

I have 120 volts to the first breaker box and only 60 to the second.

You probably found your problem. Try swapping the breaker that feeds the subpanel with a known good one if you can.

My guess is just a bad connection somewhere between the two boxes though

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #19 – November 02, 2023, 04:57:15 pm

Quote from: EddieNel – November 02, 2023, 04:44:28 pm

I have 120 volts to the first breaker box and only 60 to the second.

Larger panel is the main - input is from main transfer switch (shown as "Switching Relay #1" in the attached schematic).

Smaller panel is inverter one. Input is either shore power from main panel or inverter power from inverter.

60 volts AC would potentially indicate a poor connection somewhere. Voltage is a difference/relative measurement of potential, so either connection to hot or connection to neutral could be poor.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #20 – November 02, 2023, 05:30:49 pm

Been on the phone. Looking like problem is in the charger/inverter. When we killed the 30A power to charger/inverter, the microwave started working. We then turned the inverter off while having the 30A breaker to it on, the microwave worked.

I was thinking the inverter has transfer switch in it. Just looked at drawing and it is showing a separate transfer switch for just inverter.

There is another 30A breaker in main panel but it was lot labeled. I am now guessing that is going to the transfer switch on inverter output.

Going to need to get Eddie to find that and check that out,

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #21 – November 02, 2023, 06:35:09 pm

Quote from: turbojack – November 02, 2023, 05:30:49 pm

Been on the phone. Looking like problem is in the charger/inverter. When we killed the 30A power to charger/inverter, the microwave started working. We then turned the inverter off while having the 30A breaker to it on, the microwave worked.

I was thinking the inverter has transfer switch in it. Just looked at drawing and it is showing a separate transfer switch for just inverter.

There could be one. That drawing I posted is for a 2003, which had a Maverick transfer switch as OEM. I don't know if Eddie actually has a SurgeGuard branded one, and if so, if it has its own transfer switch. I thought the '06s used the same system, but now I'm wondering if maybe not.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #22 – November 02, 2023, 06:37:43 pm

Fixed!!! So far at least. Spoke with a tech at MOT and finally got everything to work. The shore side contact switch had 120 volts going in and coming out which is strange because it didn't work in the coach. After killing the shore power the tech had me manually cycle the contact switch in and out several times. When I turned on the shore power I got full power to all the outlets and the microwave. He said those contacts get ashy and also will burr when you turn on shore power and it has a load. He suggested turning everything off before plugging into shore then turn on a/c's etc.

I'm guessing it's an amp thing and not just a voltage issue. When I get home I'll take some memory clothe and buff that contacter.

I'll update if anything changes for future reference.

Also huge thank you to @turbojack and everyone for your help.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #23 – November 02, 2023, 06:39:27 pm

Quote from: Michelle – November 02, 2023, 06:35:09 pm

There could be one. That drawing I posted is for a 2003, which had a Maverick transfer switch as OEM. I don't know if Eddie actually has a SurgeGuard branded one, and if so, if it has its own transfer switch. I thought the '06s used the same system, but now I'm wondering if maybe not.

Thank you Michelle it's the SurgeGuard. That diagram you posted is very close to my coach.

Re: Microwave dead on shore.

Reply #24 – November 02, 2023, 08:43:44 pm

In thinking about this for people in the future what should be the first thing they check. As I have thought about this over a large Margarita I have come up with first question that should have been ask.

First question we should have asked is "Do Both/All AC's work?" If they both/all work we then know that the coach has both phases into the coach so pedestal, plug, cord reel and main transfer switch work. We then would be more directed to the inverter Transfer switch instead of the main power to the coach.

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