No power

[MDC's First]

I recently brought my RV out of storage for 6 months. I pugged it in to a verified 50 amp power source and have no ac power. The inverter is giving a low voltage input error code. Checked voltage in circuit panel and have a very low reading (13.7-14 volts). All was working fine when I put it in storage. Anyone have a suggestion? Thanks

[Mopar_Earl]

14 volts on the AC side?? Sure you weren't reading the DC side? Do you have power to the main breaker terminals? Do you have gen prep, if so your transfer switch could be bad. I'd check for power in and out of the transfer switch. Do you have 240v on the 50A outlet you're plugging into? 240v across the hots and 120v each hot to neutral? Very important you have 120v on each leg to neutral. No neutral, no 120v in the RV.


Earl

[Screwby]

I agree that was most likely your 12v system you were reading. That was the voltage your converter was sending to the camper for the batteries. I’ll bet you’ve got a breaker/fuse problem. Test the shore power and start from there leading into the camper. Shore power, to converter, to breaker panel looking along the way for loose wires, fuses, or other problems.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Mopar_Earl

No neutral, no 120v in the RV.

Earl

But then there would be no output on the converter either.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

But then there would be no output on the converter either.

Good point, so the converter is getting power or it wouldn’t be sending voltage to the DC side

[Mopar_Earl]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

But then there would be no output on the converter either.

True but he didn't say if he had output from the converter. He hasn't confirmed he was actually reading battery power. Also did he have his truck plugged in and running showing charging voltage if he was reading battery power? Does he have a solar system making charging voltage if he was reading battery power? Too many variables to assume anything.


Earl

[MDC's First]

Thanks everyone! No transfer switch. I am positive I was on AC side and not DC. Was not hooked to vehicle. Al this said I am not familiar with how the system works. Ie inverter, converter, fuse location on inverter, will a blown inverter fuse cause AC problems. I just can't think of a single thing or reason that cannot simply plug into the same service I've been plugged in to. Reading 122v on both legs. It was plugged into a 40A service for about a month prior to storage but didn't run a/c because it was winter

[MDC's First]

How does power run? Does it come from source to breaker panel to inverter then back to panel? Maybe Jayco can provide a schematic but I really think this is a simple fix. I.e. fuse, etc

[Screwby]

From source to converter, then from converter to batteries and panel. Panel has two sides, the AC side and the DC side. The AC side is fed from the converter that’s plugged into shore power, the DC side is fed from the batteries which the converter is charging if it’s on shore power. You can also feed the AC side with an inverter but that’s another discussion.

So if you test your source (shore power) and find good voltage then your next stop is the converter. Your converter will take power and “convert” it to 12v DC power and charge your batteries as well as send 120v to your breakers in the panel to run all your outlets and 120v appliances (fridge, microwave etc.). It’s possible your converter is damaged and only charging DC side but not sending voltage to the AC side. It’s possible your main 30 or 50 amp breaker in the panel is damaged or a wire came loose behind it and it’s not allowing power to the rest of the system. That happened to me on my large camper, easy fix to what was a seemed a huge problem.

#1 test the source if good continue
#2 test the converter
See what the voltage is at the battery (on the terminals while unplugged, it
should be around 12.6 or better)
Now plug in the camper and see what the voltage at battery terminals are,
should go up to what you were seeing before, 13v or better as it’s sending charge in

[Screwby]

If the batteries seem to be getting charge and all the 12v stuff in the camper is working like lights and radio then the DC system is likely ok. Now go to the panel while plugged in and flip all your breakers on and off a few times to reset them. Is anything better, if not then go unplug the camper and prepare to take your panel loose and look behind it or in it for a loose connection or wire. Check the main breaker and be sure it’s all good. Work your way down and make sure nothing is loose or shorted across itself. If all looks good (wires connected and tight) and breakers seem reset well then you’ve likely got a converter issue.

[RetiredOne]

Can't rule out that a critter got in and was doing some munching on some wires either..

[GHen]

13.7-14 volts is exactly what your converter should be showing on the 12volt side if it’s getting shore power (or from Truck or solar). Something is trying to charge the batteries....

I bet if you unplug the shore power, that 13.7 - 14 volts will drop to 12.7 or so. Then plug shore power back in, should go back up to that 14volts. That would mean you are getting 110v power to the converter (where your fuses are). Don’t worry about the inverter yet, is yours mounted in a storage area?

As stated above, flip all of the 110v breakers off and on again then see if the microwave will work, check tv also and even see if the fridge runs on AC power. It should be something very simple.

But we all know stuff quits working in these rv’s.

As others have said, keep following the power and see where is stops. First at the pedestal, then at the end of your power cord before you plug it into the rv, then it goes to the converter.

[MDC's First]

Thank you for this info, Screwby! I've rechecked shore power and circuit panel. Good power throughout. Batteries are not charging and all but dead. Won't even power up lights. So now I'm suspecting converter? Where is it located? Is there a fuse I should be looking for? Thanks again

[MDC's First]

Also, will this prevent all the 120v systems to be inop? No fridge, no a/c etc

[Vicr]

At some point you are going to have to hire an electrician or an RV tech to come troubleshoot your system and educate you on how it all works. It will be worth the money spent. It's extremely difficult to armchair trouble shoot over the internet.

[MDC's First]

Couldn't agree more, but before I go that route I was hoping someone on this site could lend some FREE expert advice! Lol

[JimD]

I recommend only trying to troubleshoot one thing at a time. You have a 120 volt system and a 12 volt system so start by getting the 120 volt system working first and then worry about everything else.

REMEMBER - 120 volts can be lethal so take all precautions!!!!

On 50 amp service, 240 volts is basically split into two feeds for your coach. One leg will feed 1/2 the outlets and the other will feed the remaining outlets. This, I would assume, is so you can run 2 ac units at the same time without tasking a single circuit.

If you connect a 50 amp to 30 amp (or 20 amp) adapter to your power cord, you are connecting both legs together and all outlets are fed at the same time. This may or may not help in tracing the 120 volt circuits.

You mentioned no transfer switch so that tells me you have no generator. In this case, each leg of the 240 coming in will feed a separate circuit breaker. For safety reasons it would not be going anywhere else first as if there was any sort of short a fire could result as nothing would protect the wiring.

OK, first thing to check is for the 120 or 240 volts at the main breakers. The breakers probable are 25 amp each. If you are plugged into 50 amp service while testing, you should read 240 volts from one breaker to the other. I am guessing that you will read this.

If indeed you read 240 volts from breaker to breaker but yet none of your outlets work, you have an open "common" wire. To be able to get 120 volts to be there, you need one leg of the 240 plus a common. If the common line is open, all outlets would be dead which is what it sounds like is happening in your case.

You can measure each leg at the outlet to see 120 volts from each "hot" line to the common. If it is good there, check it the same way inside your coach. You may have to hunt for the common wire as it is not fed to a breaker. All common connections should be tied together.

If there is no connection to common, my best guess is either a bad connection where the power cord connects to all commons or a bad power cord plug end. Somewhere in the power cord the common wire could be broken so I just picked the head as this is the most logical, unless you have a big slice in your cord.

I am not an RV wiring expert but was an electronic field tech with 45 years of troubleshooting in my system that still itches to get out. Also, my son is an electrician and I helped him wire my other son's 50 amp service for his RV. This is where I found out that the legs are split to different areas of the RV.

Good luck and BE CAREFUL!

[MDC's First]

Thank you! I have 240v to the circuit panel. 110v to each circuit forward and aft. I do not have power to fridge, a/c units, or anything that requires a/c current. The batteries are not charging. The converter fans are not running. I dont know why it would be but could the converter be bad and would that prevent the 110v circuitry not to work? Thank you

[Mopar_Earl]

Do you have 120 on both poles of the main breaker? Is the 120v getting to the buss bars?
The converter/charger has nothing to do with 120v power. It only uses 120v to make regulated filtered 12v.

Check your GFCI's. Normally in the kitchen or bathroom or both. Either tripped will kill power to the RV fridge, outside outlets and any outlets on the GFCI circuit. AC units shouldn't be on those though.

You reading for voltage from the hot to neutral and not to ground? Must have a neutral to get 120v.


Earl

[MDC's First]

Thank you. I am getting 120v to each leg and 110v to each breaker. Haven't checked GFCI. I know batteries are not charging which leads me to suspect converter. But it would seem A/C units would still work. I'll check to be sure common at source is good. But would I still have 240v in unit if not?