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Old 01-18-2020, 07:15 AM   #1
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No shore power without battery switch on

I have a 2019 International Signature, with 50 amp. Unless my battery switch is on, the shore power does not function in the Airstream. My main concern is that if that switch fails, I have nothing, no power available to the trailer. Does anyone have a solution for this?
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Old 01-18-2020, 07:27 AM   #2
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What if your battery was dead?
You you have any aftermarket components installed?
Do you have AC input plugs. One on the front and one on the side?
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Old 01-18-2020, 07:33 AM   #3
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I did not think that Airstream installed transfer switches on 50 amp trailers, thus only one shorepower inlet connection??? But if they do, it could certainly be that.

I am also not familiar with the newer trailer inverter hookup, but turn your inverter off and see if the behavior is the same. The USE-Store switch should have nothing to do with shorepower; that switch disconnects the battery from the DC bus, but maybe it is also disconnecting the battery from the inverter and all you are seeing is inverter power at your outlets.

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Old 01-18-2020, 07:34 AM   #4
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Thanks for replying. The battery is not dead and I do not have any after market components installed. Purchased it new 2019 international signature. I can only get short power with that Battery switch on. My concern is if that switch fails I have absolutely nothing.
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Old 01-18-2020, 08:14 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AussiePhil View Post
Thanks for replying. The battery is not dead and I do not have any after market components installed. Purchased it new 2019 international signature. I can only get short power with that Battery switch on. My concern is if that switch fails I have absolutely nothing.
As Isbrodsky stated the “Use/Store” switch is in the 12 volt circuit and should not affect the shore power...... UNLESS.....there is a 12 volt controlled “NO” (Normally Open) relay in the system. This could be in the from of a transfer switch between two shore power input. So do you have a second sore power input on the front of your trailer? Commonly installed on units as a Generator plug.
Or as Isbrodsky stated, what type inverter do you have. If it is wired as a pass through system it WILL NOT allow AC current to “flow through” it if it does not have DC Power.
This is the way the Victron Multiplus works. The inverter has a internal 12 volt relay that must have DC power in order for the relay to close and allow 120 volt AC power to pass through.
It’s probably a simple work around or bad part already.
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Old 01-18-2020, 08:21 AM   #6
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Also if it is a relay and your batteries ever do go dead. It will be the same problem wether the “Use/Storge” switch is on our not.
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Old 01-18-2020, 08:52 AM   #7
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When you say "shore power does not function" can you clarify? DC circuits? AC circuits? Both? --Frank
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Old 01-18-2020, 09:01 AM   #8
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“Quick Hijack” Not your system but mine. May help people understand or completely confuse everyone...

Inverters with “Pass-Through” AC power

My Victron Multiplus inverter has AC Pass through that runs through a 12 volt controlled relay. If the inverter does not have 12 volt power you do not have 120 volt pass through.
Since the MultiPlus cal so functions as the battery charger for the system this creates a unique issue if your batteries are dead.
If the batteries in the system are Dead (i.e. voltage to low to close the relay) you can not get 120 volt power to the charger in the system, therefore your batteries will stay dead and the problem with the 120 volt power will persist.
To solve this problem you have to provide a “jump start” to the system by providing a 12 volt current to the system to close the relay. Once the relay is closed 120 volt AC current with power the charger. Once the charger kicks in the system with charge the batteries and function as normal.
Anyway maybe this will help someone out.
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Old 01-18-2020, 09:07 AM   #9
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I just looked at the 2019 manual and schematics. Same old stuff, no pass-through inverter but there is refernce to a transfer switch on the inverter. Only one AC inlet on a 50a trailer. I would still like to see the OP make sure the inverter is off and check voltage at AC outlets.
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Old 01-18-2020, 09:31 AM   #10
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AussiePhil.....My 2007 25' FB connects power inside the trailer as soon as the power is connected to the connector on the outside of the trailer. As your trailer is new and under warranty I would discuss the situation with your Airstream dealer or Airstream Corp to find out how it is suppose to work.
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Old 01-18-2020, 10:03 AM   #11
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Warranty

Quote:
Originally Posted by AussiePhil View Post
I have a 2019 International Signature, with 50 amp. Unless my battery switch is on, the shore power does not function in the Airstream. My main concern is that if that switch fails, I have nothing, no power available to the trailer. Does anyone have a solution for this?
Your training is under warranty for isn’t it 2 or three years? Call service at your dealership
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Old 01-18-2020, 10:23 AM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AussiePhil View Post
Thanks for replying. The battery is not dead and I do not have any after market components installed. Purchased it new 2019 international signature. I can only get short power with that Battery switch on. My concern is if that switch fails I have absolutely nothing.
How do you know the battery is not dead ?

" I can only get short power with that Battery switch on. "
The batteries could be dead , and with the switch on , the shore power 120vac runs through the converter for both charging the battery & suppling 12dc for a DC devices --- so the trailer does not drain battery for DC devices when there is shore power .
? when you unplug shore power - do any DC devices work , like lights ?
That would be with battery switch on .

Also do you know the difference between AC - Alternating Current & DC - Direct current ?
No switches in older trailers like mine 85 , but if the shore power cord is plugged in - everything works both AC & DC - AC runs microwave , fridge ,
air-conditioning , 120vac outlets .
If not plugged in to shore power , only DC devices work - lights , furnace , fridge [ depends again on model , at least uses 12dc & uses propane for cooling .
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Old 01-18-2020, 10:39 AM   #13
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When we took our 2018 Flying Cloud 28' on it's first outing we woke up in the middle of the night shivering, as the furnace had shut off. Some quick diagnosis revealed that all electricity was off, despite there being power at the pedestal outside and through our Progressive Industries surge protector.


Checked the fused and breakers, finally found that the USE/STORE switch had tripped. Once reset we got AC power into the trailer and the battery started being charged again. This happened two more times the next morning - symptoms then being flickering lights when the water pump ran - all due to low DC voltage as the USE/STORE switch turned itself off.


Took it to the dealer upon return from out trip. The Service Manager said that in 2018 Airstream wired the solenoid connected to the USE/STORE switch to shut off battery power as well as AC power. He said the tech rewired it to be like pre-2018 Airstreams and I should have no more problems. After two years so far so good, though a couple of times the 15amp breaker for the converter has tripped and battery voltage has slowly dropped for that reason.
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Old 01-18-2020, 11:39 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AussiePhil View Post
I have a 2019 International Signature, with 50 amp. Unless my battery switch is on, the shore power does not function in the Airstream. My main concern is that if that switch fails, I have nothing, no power available to the trailer. Does anyone have a solution for this?
What does your owner's manual say?

Buy a new backup switch, so if your OEM switch fails you can swap it out for the new one.

Then pray for the best!

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Old 01-18-2020, 12:09 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AussiePhil View Post
I have a 2019 International Signature, with 50 amp. Unless my battery switch is on, the shore power does not function in the Airstream. My main concern is that if that switch fails, I have nothing, no power available to the trailer. Does anyone have a solution for this?
What position is your inverter switch set to?
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Old 01-18-2020, 12:13 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Baby Zeppelin View Post
When we took our 2018 Flying Cloud 28' on it's first outing we woke up in the middle of the night shivering, as the furnace had shut off. Some quick diagnosis revealed that all electricity was off, despite there being power at the pedestal outside and through our Progressive Industries surge protector.


Checked the fused and breakers, finally found that the USE/STORE switch had tripped. Once reset we got AC power into the trailer and the battery started being charged again. This happened two more times the next morning - symptoms then being flickering lights when the water pump ran - all due to low DC voltage as the USE/STORE switch turned itself off.


Took it to the dealer upon return from out trip. The Service Manager said that in 2018 Airstream wired the solenoid connected to the USE/STORE switch to shut off battery power as well as AC power. He said the tech rewired it to be like pre-2018 Airstreams and I should have no more problems. After two years so far so good, though a couple of times the 15amp breaker for the converter has tripped and battery voltage has slowly dropped for that reason.
I am having trouble seeing how AS used the USE-STORE switch solenoid to cut off AC power since it is only in the DC circuit, unless they installed another relay to switch the AC power. The 2019 manual has schematics and it does not show anything like that. I cannot imagine why they would even want that. However, that is not to say that they could not have done it. We all know they have done some strange things in different years. But, the 2019 manual specifically says that if you are plugged in to external power and the switch is in On or Off, the batteries will continue to be charged from the charger.
Larry
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Old 01-18-2020, 12:43 PM   #17
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Can’t figure out why Airstream would use the Use/Store switch to cut off the 12V feed from the inverter when plugged into shore power. In pre 2018 models you can use the Use/Store switch to control wether you want the inverter to charge the battery bank or not when plugged into shore power. In my case, I don’t want the OEM inverter charging the battery bank, so when on shore power the Use/Store is put in Store mode and the battery bank is maintained by the solar controller, and the trailer’s 12V circuit is fed by the inverter.
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Old 01-18-2020, 01:09 PM   #18
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I think you mean converter/charger. I am also puzzled why the 2019 manual indicates that "converter" will always charge the battery when plugged in to SP, regardless of the switch position. Maybe they developed enough confidence in the new charger that they believe you always want the batteries charging or floating. That would be fine for a high-end system.
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Old 01-18-2020, 01:52 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lsbrodsky View Post
I think you mean converter/charger. I am also puzzled why the 2019 manual indicates that "converter" will always charge the battery when plugged in to SP, regardless of the switch position. Maybe they developed enough confidence in the new charger that they believe you always want the batteries charging or floating. That would be fine for a high-end system.
Larry
FWIW...our '03 Classic has always worked that way,(store mode) and it came with the 'burner' Parallax 7300 converter.
I did install an isolation switch when we got the BB Lithium Batt's.

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Old 01-18-2020, 02:43 PM   #20
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Disconnect power, Pull the fuse / circuit breaker box out from the cabinet, in the back top of the electrical box you will find 2 12V fuses, replace them and that may take care of many issues, I believe their 5v each.
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