No AC power to coach...

Ramzfan · 05-02-2014, 02:33 PM

I have a problem with No AC power to my coach. I checked the power cord and the transfer switch. There's power in and power out but nothing inside the coach. There has to be another fuse or switch in between the transfer switch and the circuit breakers. Anyone have any suggestions?

BFlinn181 · 05-02-2014, 02:43 PM

You said "power in and power out." Power out of what? Did you measure current in Circuit breaker panel? That should be the next place electricity flows after transfer switch. Does the RV have power on generator? Reset the 2 breakers at the top of the power panel.

al2ride · 05-02-2014, 02:45 PM

Check the fuses in your converter.

TonyDi · 05-02-2014, 03:30 PM

Check your GFI plugs.

Steve N Sal · 05-02-2014, 03:41 PM

Do you have a Main Breaker in your panel in the coach? If so be sure it is in the "ON" position.

tomsm · 05-02-2014, 04:25 PM

Are you the original owner? If not, the previous owner may have installed a surge protector between the xfer switch and the breaker panel. If you haven't already done this, unplug from power, raise the bed, and take out the 6 or so screws that hold down a thin wood panel above the area that contains the breaker box. That's about the only area where someone could add a surge protector that wouldn't be obvious...

Ramzfan · 05-03-2014, 08:23 AM

One question that I have is: Where does the power go after it leaves the transfer switch...? Does it go directly into the inverter? Or does it go to the switch that I have back by the engine that allows you to shut off all power to the coach? If I knew the path of the power before it reaches the breaker panel, it would really help.

Skip426 · 05-03-2014, 08:28 AM

From the transfer switch " normal " RV wiring would go to a circuit panel , similar to a house , only smaller. That panel has a main, and all the sub circuit breakers . Have you found that yet?

The wiring from the transfer switch to the breaker panel should be continuous, no joints or splices.
Mine runs up the bedroom wall , from the transfer switch, across the roof and down to the top of the circuit panel.
The power shut off by the engine should only be for the 12volt power in the coach.

Skip426 · 05-03-2014, 08:42 AM

Tom's question about a surge protector has some merit, as the unit I installed had instructions for locating the protector between the transfer switch and the breaker panel , so it protected from surges from both the shore power and the gen set.
AND if it is like mine and the park power is miss wired it will not allow power to the coach.
Is this park your in the first place you've had the problem?
Will everything work if you run the gen set?

mel s · 05-03-2014, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ramzfan

I have a problem with No AC power to my coach. I checked the power cord and the transfer switch. There's power in and power out but nothing inside the coach. There has to be another fuse or switch in between the transfer switch and the circuit breakers. Anyone have any suggestions?

Ramzfan
On my coach most of the incoming AC shore power passes through the inverter/charger before it goes to the circuit breaker panel in the coach...
(the power to the 2 roof airs, the washer/dryer receptacle and the 2 bedside receptacles are the only exceptions).

There are 2 pop-out circuit breakers on my inverter/charger.
If one, (or both), of those breakers is/are tripped most of my coach doesn't get any 120VAC power.....(those breakers are easily reset by pushing the popped out button in).
Hopefully the cure for your problem is it is that simple.

However if those breakers are not tripped and you get no 120VAC anywhere in your coach I would suspect a failed "transfer switch".

Good luck.

Mel
'96 Safari, Heart Freedom 20 inverter/charger

tomsm · 05-03-2014, 03:24 PM

Ramzfan - Since we have the same floorplan, same engine, and are only 2 years apart I'm guessing that our wiring will be the same. IF they are the same, the wiring will go from the xfer switch directly to the circuit breakers.

There are 2 50A breakers in the box. The 2 hot leads from shore power feed these 2 breakers and these 2 breakers power the 2 power legs in the breaker box. There will be a 30A breaker in the box that feeds AC power to the inverter/charger. There is a separate breaker sub-panel that is powered by the inverter. If AC is coming to the inverter from the main breaker panel, the inverter simply passes it through to it's sub-panel. If the inverter is in stand-by and the AC input goes away, the inverter powers the sub-panel by "inverting" 12V battery power into 120V AC.

I installed a surge protector outboard of the xfer switch to protect against bad shore power. Some owners install the protector inboard of the xfer switch (between the xfer switch & the breakers) to protect against bad shore power and also bad gennie power.

I don't have the switch you referred to in the engine compartment, but I'm 99% certain that switch only turns off the chassis batteries to prevent battery drain in storage. I remember that Winnie added that switch a year or two after mine was built.

If don't see any boxes other than the xfer switch and inverter out in the power bay, you need to raise the bed and take off the panel above the breaker and sub-panel. You should see the main 50A power wiring coming up through the floor and going directly into the main breaker box. Of course you need to disconnect from shore power, gennie not running, and turn off the inverter before you poke around in that area behind the breaker boxes. There should be nothing "hot" outside the breaker boxes, but don't bet your life on it...

Incidentally, a breaker can be tripped and not be obvious. Try cycling both those 50A breakers in the main panel just to be sure.

Ramzfan · 05-03-2014, 08:48 PM

Thanks Tom, I'll try checking under the bed. I have no power and no batteries right now. Everything is dead. Can't even run the generator. I have cycled all of the breakers and they all seem good. When I checked the transfer switch wiring, I had power coming in and power going out. I believe it has to be between there and the circuit breakers.

Ramzfan · 05-04-2014, 11:12 AM

Thanks to everyone. I finally found the culprit...a bad circuit breaker. I will be replacing it today. (if I can find one locally) It seemed to be working perfectly but when I checked it with a multimeter, it gives the same reading when on that it gives when off. Now, I just have to hope that my batteries will charge up again. Thank you all!

Skip426 · 05-04-2014, 03:32 PM

Thanks for posting, that your fixed, and what you found.