Help, no power to TV, microwave or sockets.

[Mel41]

Hi everyone, we have just purchased a 2017 Jayco Seneca and are on our first trip away. We are connected to the sites electrical supply. I plugged in my hairdryer and the power went out on our TV’s, microwave and sockets and cannot find anywhere to return the supply. We cannot see any curcuit breakers that are off? Any ideas anyone?

[oldmanAZ]

Tripped circuit breakers need to be PUSHED to the OFF position then back to the ON position. You'll feel something like spring tension on a tripped circuit breaker as you push it to the off position.

Also check the breaker on the campground supply to see if it tripped.

[gpd2111]

If the hair dryer was plugged in near a sink also check to see if the gfci outlet is tripped. It will have a test and a reset button on it. You'll need to press the reset

[Mel41]

We cannot find a gcfi outlet that has tripped, it wasn’t near a sink though, we cannot find a tripped circuit breaker anywhere. The 3 circuit breakers which show microwave, TV and main (we assume main sockets) have NOT tripped. We have tried turning them on and off though without any success. We’ve tried turning the mains off.

[Robbbyr]

Do any of the 120-volt outlets work in the unit? If not, there is some sort of issue with the power supply either at the campground's power post, your transfer switch, or the distribution panel. Other members have reported loose connections in the panel.

If it is just the TV and microwave circuits it may be an issue with the inverter not "passing through" power as it should when you are on shore power or the generator. Or a potential problem with the wiring associated with the inverter-fed circuits.

If you start and run the generator, does that change anything?

[Mel41]

Everything else is working.....refrigerator, SOME of the sockets, lights, water heater, air con except for the TV’s, microwave and bedroom sockets. It doesn’t work with the generator either.

[Mel41]

Does anyone know where the inverter is located?

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by Mel41

Does anyone know where the inverter is located?

It does sound like it may be the inverter, they usually do have a push button type circuit breaker on them. They are usually located in the compartment closest to the coach batteries as they are wired direct to the inverter and they keep the wires short. Here is a picture showing the inverter circled in red on my 2018.5 37RB.

[Mel41]

Thank you so much for your replies. So frustrating, can’t find the inverter anywhere!!

[Rustynuts]

Originally Posted by Mel41

Thank you so much for your replies. So frustrating, can’t find the inverter anywhere!!

I did some searching online and found this was said about a 2017 Seneca...

“The inverter is mounted upside down on the top side of one of your exterior bins right next to the battery compartment”

Hopefully that helps or somebody that has a 17 reads this. It might help to tell us what floor plan you have.

[Robbbyr]

On my 2014 TS the inverter is located on the ceiling of the compartment just behind my coach battery compartment. You can't see it unless you lean over and look up. As Rustynuts said, it is generally located close to the batteries to shorten the wire runs since the 12-volt power draw (when the inverter is in use) can be substantial.

I believe your issue is related to your inverter or its circuits. On my unit I have 2 circuit breaker panels, one for just my inverter-supplied circuits, and then my "main" panel for everything else. My main panel has a breaker that feeds 120-volt power to the inverter, then out of the inverter it goes to my secondary breaker panel which feeds my microwave and TVs. My inverter has a transfer switch inside of it that normally allows power from the main panel, supplied by the power cord (campground) or the generator, to pass through it and supply those designated circuits. When not plugged in or running generator and I turn on my inverter at my control panel, the inverter then starts making AC power sending it only to its supplied circuits. In my case only the TVs and microwave, but I believe newer Senecas have a bedroom outlet included.

So I suspect something is amiss either feeding your inverter, the inverter itself not allowing "regular" power to pass through, or the wiring downstream of the inverter. I hope an owner with a similar model year Seneca can tell us some troubleshooting tips, I believe my inverter is different than yours. Mine is a Xantrex, at some point Jayco used a different product.

[Daniel3359]

make sure that you flip the breakers up at the power source where you plugged in at the site.

[Mel41]

We have a 2017 36fk. We cannot see the inverter anywhere near the battery compartment or in the locker next to it? (Am I correct in thinking it is a unit that about 12” x 6” in size so shouldn’t be difficult to miss?) It’s driving us insane searching for it! It was suggested on another google site it could be under the bed but not there either!!

[Mel41]

If it was the plug in breakers wouldn’t that cause there to be no power anywhere? We still have air con, refrigerator, lights etc?

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mel41

We have a 2017 36fk. We cannot see the inverter anywhere near the battery compartment or in the locker next to it? (Am I correct in thinking it is a unit that about 12” x 6” in size so shouldn’t be difficult to miss?) It’s driving us insane searching for it! It was suggested on another google site it could be under the bed but not there either!!

My Xantrex is much larger than your dimensions, but it certainly could be smaller in a newer Seneca such as yours. One way to possibly find it is to look for very large wires connected to your house batteries and follow them. On my unit they did run a black one and a red one, they are at least 1/2" in diameter.

[ALJO]

Start by the pedestal and check the power from there step by step. With 50 amp you have 2 legs of 120 volt.

[Mel41]

UPDATE: WE FOUND IT!! Rang Jayco and thy couldn’t tell us where it was!!
So for future reference Seneca 2017 36FK....The dealership where we bought it suggested we unscrewed the back panel in the locker next to the battery compartment and there it was!! Yes it had tripped and just needed resetting.
Thank you everyone for all your help!!

[Bigbeartroop122]

Glad you got it fixed.

[oldmanAZ]

Thanks for letting us know! Some day your info will help someone else.

[Robbbyr]

Yea!