Electrical woes!

Jim-n-Ash · 08-06-2015, 12:58 PM

DH is in the trailer, on the phone with the dealer as I type. We brought the trailer home on Monday, had dinner in her - using the microwave - that night, and have before-dinner drinks in her the last two nights as well. We're in Tucson, so we were using the air co, and everything worked.

We took our circuit tester with us when we did the PDI, and everything was just fine then, but now the 'fridge will not work except on gas. When we checked the circuits, the one that serves the 'fridge wouldn't stay on, but now it will, but the 'fridge is still not working except on gas - and now the air conditioning won't work either, and neither will the microwave.

The lights work; the stereo works, and this morning, at least, the awning worked. I left DH flipping switches at the dealer's instructions, so maybe all is well now, but .... We are supposed to go camping with friends on the 12th or 13th, through the weekend, and it's dry camping, so everything will be on gas anyhow, but early next month we're off on a trip that will involve many KOAs, and we need our electrics!

We also (ahem) need the sewer hose and the pots and pans we left in the trade-in. Duuh!

Luckily, we can pick them up when we go back to get the over-the-stove cutting board we ordered, which is in. Maybe we'll even be able to get the 'fridge working on AC before the first trip, so we're not using propane on the way.

Other than that, we love the trailer - 2016 White Hawk 23MRB. It's roomy and comfortable and ever so much easier than the pop-up!

**JFlightRisk** · 08-06-2015, 01:03 PM

What you're describing that does work, is all 12 volt. What's not working is all 110 volt. Must be a problem with that part of the electrics, or power into the TT.

wags999 · 08-06-2015, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

What you're describing that does work, is all 12 volt. What's not working is all 110 volt. Must be a problem with that part of the electrics, or power into the TT.

I assume your plugged in at home? Have you checked the circuit breaker where your plugged into? It may as simple as your on a 20 amp circuit and just overloaded it and tripped the breaker.

Good Luck...

3'senough · 08-06-2015, 01:13 PM

Did you check the circuit at the house? Running AC and micro is an overload to any 20A plug. If you have a dedicated 30A RV outlet then if you run the AC, Micro and electric hot water I would see that tripping the breaker.

Agree that everything mentioned as working is 12V run. I am sure the dealer will run through a breaker check list with you.

Jim-n-Ash · 08-06-2015, 01:14 PM

The dealer's repair guy concluded that it's the GCFI that's wonky, and it needs replaced. We don't know how long it'll take, or when they can do it, but they'll call us back in a little while. He reassured us that the 'fridge is not using very much propane. (I am more or less paranoid about running out of battery and/or propane.)

We're still figuring out the storage configuration, and DH has decided that the new trailer's so nice we need a couple of things new 'cause the old ones, while still serviceable, are too ratty-looking. :-)

Jim-n-Ash · 08-06-2015, 01:15 PM

We do have a 30 amp/120 volt outlet - had it specially installed for the trailer. Can't remember if the air co and the microwave were on at the same time, but yeah, we should remember not to do that! We are not hooked up to water right now, though, so at least that's not in the mix.

bedrck46 · 08-06-2015, 01:19 PM

Unless you have a gen you will have to run the Fridge on propane when traveling

mike837go · 08-06-2015, 01:24 PM

Take it from a boondocker: be much more worried of running out of battery than propane.

1) While your 110VAC system is out, you can plug the trailer into the tow and idle the engine for 1/2 to 2 hours to keep the battery topped up. Or just hook up a regular battery charger to the battery and unplug the trailer's 110 cord until repairs are made.

2) 30 pounds of propane is a whole lot of fuel! Equivalent to around 7 gallons of gasoline. And you've got 2 of 'em. You can run the fridge for a couple of weeks on what's sitting on your trailer's tongue. Check the changeover valve once per day and refill the empty when the valve show's red. I'd put money on the trailer will be fixed before you use 1 can of gas.

Follow Douglas Adam's advice, "Don't Panic"

wags999 · 08-06-2015, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim-n-Ash

The dealer's repair guy concluded that it's the GCFI that's wonky, and it needs replaced. We don't know how long it'll take, or when they can do it, but they'll call us back in a little while. He reassured us that the 'fridge is not using very much propane. (I am more or less paranoid about running out of battery and/or propane.)

We're still figuring out the storage configuration, and DH has decided that the new trailer's so nice we need a couple of things new 'cause the old ones, while still serviceable, are too ratty-looking. :-)

To change a GCFi is about a 10 minute job... propane for a frig will last a long long time. Two items that will use propane are furnace and hot water heater, other items will last a very long time.

Jagiven · 08-06-2015, 02:41 PM

when I started reading the thread I though the GFI might have tripped. GFIs are know to do this, and the frig is a sub circuit that runs through the bathroom GFI. Hit the test button and reset it. If it will not reset then the GFI is bad or it is sensing a hazard.

as for the propane for the frig, do not worry about it. We go a whole season (~40 nights) on a single 20 pound tank and we run on propane going to and from all campouts, and sometimes even at camp.

3'senough · 08-06-2015, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim-n-Ash

The dealer's repair guy concluded that it's the GCFI that's wonky, and it needs replaced. We don't know how long it'll take, or when they can do it, but they'll call us back in a little while. He reassured us that the 'fridge is not using very much propane. (I am more or less paranoid about running out of battery and/or propane.)

We're still figuring out the storage configuration, and DH has decided that the new trailer's so nice we need a couple of things new 'cause the old ones, while still serviceable, are too ratty-looking. :-)

If no 120V is working, why is the GFCI to blame? Sure they can be bad and that would affect outlets and the Fridge possibly if tied into that circuit. How that is affecting the whole 120V system has me puzzled. I would be more inclined to think that there is an issue from the service to the panel which could be a loose wire, breaker or bad power cord.

Did you try another outlet with an adapter and use only minimal 120V systems like the converter, fridge and outlets?

Propane will last, but you need to charge your batteries and the converter must be working to have a weekend long outing on one 12V battery without serious conservation.

DHH57 · 08-07-2015, 03:09 PM

Not sure either but it may be a GFI hooked power cord.

29BHS ECO · 08-11-2015, 07:22 PM

I would believe that the house outlet failed, probably tripped the breaker. A bad GFCI would not take out all 120v outlets only the ones downstream. I also have a problem believing that the fridge is downstream of the GFCI or any place on that circuit due to the importance of the fridge Larry

Jim-n-Ash · 08-11-2015, 07:55 PM

They tried resetting the original GFCI, as apparently one needs to use a screwdriver rather than a finger, 'cause it has to go in pretty far to reset. That didn't work. They replaced the GFCI, and that didn't help. They replaced the breaker, and that didn't help, either. So now they think they need to trace back all the wires and see what's shorting - a dead short, they call it. But as we will not be plugged in on our first trip, we'll wait till we get back to take it in for its diagnostic, and in the meantime see if anything else needs fixed at the same time.

This dealership is really cooperative and good. They're not looking to lay blame anywhere, just to find the problem and fix it. :-) As for battery, well, we have a solar thingie, and we can always plug into the truck if we need to. This trip, we won't be that far from civilization.

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