lights?

[ibskot]

Help please!...I have a/c and outlets but my exterior flood/porch lights and my interior lights don't work. I flipped the breakers but to know avail. Any idea?

[SteveSueMac]

When you say you flipped the breakers, did you turn them all the way off first and then turn them back on?

[Alumaholic]

Originally Posted by ibskot

Help please!...I have a/c and outlets but my exterior flood/porch lights and my interior lights don't work. I flipped the breakers but to know avail. Any idea?

Your outlets are 120 volt AC.
Your flood/porch lights and interior lights are 12 volt DC.
Please tell us what year and model Airstream or Argosy we are dealing with, and our answers will skyrocket in accuracy and relevance.
Why not put this information in your Avatar? Is it a 1976 Argosy 27?

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by ibskot

Help please!...I have a/c and outlets but my exterior flood/porch lights and my interior lights don't work. I flipped the breakers but to know avail. Any idea?

OK--you do understand that your interior and exterior lights run on 12 V DC, while your AC outlets run on shore power, 120 V AC.

You need to trace your 12 V system. Got voltage at the coach battery? Connections tight? 12 V fuses/breakers OK? Some Airstreams have a switch that disconnects the battery while in storage. If you have one, that needs to be in the right position for the 12 V system to work.
.

[ibskot]

Originally Posted by Alumaholic

Your outlets are 120 volt AC.
Your flood/porch lights and interior lights are 12 volt DC.
Please tell us what year and model Airstream or Argosy we are dealing with, and our answers will skyrocket in accuracy and relevance.
Why not put this information in your Avatar? Is it a 1976 Argosy 27?

78 argosy 30.

I tried modifying my avatar the last time and it kicked me out. I try it again.

[ibskot]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

When you say you flipped the breakers, did you turn them all the way off first and then turn them back on?

If I understand you correctly then yes.

[dwightdi]

You need to buy a cheap multimeter and start looking where voltage is present and not present, starting where you plugged in the trailer. You could have a bad input cable or anything after that. After you find out where you are lacking voltage you need to disconnect the power and trace back the problem with the continuity setting.

[Alumaholic]

Your Argosy has two electrical systems. Your 120 volt AC system (providing “house power” to all your duplex outlets and your air conditioner) is energized when you plug into “shore power.”

Your 12 volt DC system is powered by your 12 volt battery.
The two systems meet at the converter/charger that plugs into a 120 volt AC outlet.
The converter/charger “converts” 120 volt AC to 12 volts DC and it charges your 12 volt battery. (When it is working)

Your Argosy came with a Univolt. There is no such thing as a good, 40-year old Univolt.

If your battery is dead and if the Univolt is not converting and charging, your lights will not work even if you are plugged into shore power.

Please replace it immediately with an Iota DLS-55 or a Progressive Dynamics converter-charger with Charge Wizard.
Only then can you seriously troubleshoot your 12 volt electrical system.
It's the first thing I do when I buy a new, old Airstream. It was even the first thing I did on our 2007 Classic 30.
P.S. Take no reassurance from a "humming" Univolt. That doesn’t mean it is working.
Hope this helps.

[TG Twinkie]

I agree with dwightdi. A new converter is in order.
You may also have blown fuses and/or bad fuse holders.
A new fuse block along with the new converter will probably solve the issues you are faced with.
Plenty of help here for the DYIer.

[ibskot]

Thanks so much.

Does this look like what I need? Is this a simple swap?


Iota DLS-55 12 volt 55 amp regulated battery charger

[Alumaholic]

That's a good one!

[ibskot]

So if I got that one and I install a 55 amp service at the shore power site, what else do I need to have 55 amps available in the camper? New breaker box? I have raw land and I am making a driveway. When I get electric brought to the property, I should just just have a 55 amp female mounted. I will be in the camper for a year or so.

Thanks!

[TG Twinkie]

NO!
The 55 amp is on the 12 volt side of life as they say.
You will need a 30 amp circuit for your coach. Which is just one circuit breaker in the panel where the power pole is.
Depending on future needs, the power panel on the pole should be at least 100 amps and perhaps larger.
The power panel will have a main breaker rated at the capacity mentioned above.
Then there will be space in the panel for numerous circuit breakers. One of which will be a 30 amp "single pole" circuit breaker to provide the 120 volt power to the outlet for your coach. The outlet for the coach will be a specific outlet designed for RV/TRAVEL TRAILER SERVICE ONLY!!!!
Your coach does NOT require a 240 volt service. It requires 120 volts @ 30 amps. Make certain that the electrician knows this,

[ibskot]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

NO!
The 55 amp is on the 12 volt side of life as they say.
You will need a 30 amp circuit for your coach. Which is just one circuit breaker in the panel where the power pole is.
Depending on future needs, the power panel on the pole should be at least 100 amps and perhaps larger.
The power panel will have a main breaker rated at the capacity mentioned above.
Then there will be space in the panel for numerous circuit breakers. One of which will be a 30 amp "single pole" circuit breaker to provide the 120 volt power to the outlet for your coach. The outlet for the coach will be a specific outlet designed for RV/TRAVEL TRAILER SERVICE ONLY!!!!
Your coach does NOT require a 240 volt service. It requires 120 volts @ 30 amps. Make certain that the electrician knows this,

Thanks for the info... Why does the link I supplied say 55 amp? Is that an application for something else?

Ya'll are lots of help.

[TG Twinkie]

The 55 amp rating is for the 12 volt side of the converter.
The converter is a device that changes the 120 volt AC ( alternating current) to 12 volts DC ( direct current). The DC is powering the majority of the devices in your coach. Lights, furnace, ceiling fans, oven exhaust fan etc.
The converter charges the battery(s) in the coach along with powering the devices when plugged in to AC power.
A fully loaded converter rated at 55 amps on the DC side will require about 5.25 amps on the AC side when the losses thru the converter are counted.
The reason the coach has a 30 amp service is to provide power to the converter (5.25 amps); the Air Conditioner (12 to 15 amps); along with the 120 volt outlets in the coach; the electric heating element in the refer (200 watts or more). And perhaps an electric element in the water heater.
Thus the reason for the 30 amp/ 120 volt service at the power pole.