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Old 05-29-2015, 01:04 PM   #1
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AC v/s DC Power

This is a 1967 Safari.
Interior lights work with the 12v batteries.
When plugged in the house outlet, the AC works fine, but if I disconnect the batteries, the lights or outlets do not work.
The converter is new.
The breakers box is original but I make sure that the breakers are in the on position.
The 40 amps fuses by the batteries are good.
Can someone give me any suggestions?
Many thanks,
Rupert
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Old 05-29-2015, 01:16 PM   #2
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What outlets are you talking about? The 120 VAC outlets, or the 12 VDC outlets?

The 120 VAC outlets have nothing to do with having the batteries connected or not. If they do not work while plugged in, then chances are the converter will not work either, especially if it's a type that plugs into a 120 VAC outlet (instead of being hard wired in).

While plugged into shore power, do any of the 120 VAC outlets work? A simple test is to plug a regular house lamp into each outlet and see if it works (if you do not have any test equipment like a voltmeter). I'm thinking that your basic problem is no power to the outlets and to the converter. Check all the breakers by turning them off and back on. A tripped breaker may look like it's still in the on position, but it's really not.

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Old 05-29-2015, 03:36 PM   #3
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Sounds like a bad converter... What brand is it? Are you running the a.c. while trying other things? Maybe your drawing too much amperage from the ac to support the other functions, I would think it would trip a breaker first due to overload.
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Old 05-29-2015, 10:11 PM   #4
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Check to see if you have 120 volt AC power to the converter. Then measure the output voltage at the converter and see if it is the same at the batteries.


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Old 05-31-2015, 10:15 PM   #5
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Thanks Chris:

I try the breakers as you suggested.
Also the house lamp in the outlets. My outdoor outlet where I was shore powered was tripped.
I don't know which of all these took care of of the problem, but now I have power on the 120 outlets.
At the risk of sounding ignorant, I am assuming therefore that the inside lights in the trailer work only from the batteries even when you are shored powered???
At that time the converter is charging the batteries from the shore power. Is this correct???
Should I hear the fan in the converter running as I am shore powered when interior lights are on in the trailer???
How do I know that my converter is in good working order??? What is a good test??
Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions.
Rupert
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