Is there a switch somewhere or is it all broken?

[deepsea]

I just purchased a 73 Sovereign and have it hooked up at an RV site. I don't know much, so if I say something silly please bear with me. The person I bought it from said the fridge and a/c worked. Well I have it plugged into 110 and the only thing that works are the outlets. No lights, no fridge, no a/c.

Maybe this is ridiculous, but is there an ON switch somewhere? I saw something in the forums about switching between 110 and 220. Do I need to do that? How?

I've been looking all over and the only switch I can find is the on/off one behind the refrigerator (it's the original one) and that seems to do nothing. I've also tried switching the a/c from off to cool at the thermostat and that does nothing. I'm hoping there is some master control somewhere that I've missed and that it's not all broken!

[higgy116]

I am sure there must be a breaker panel somewhere, mine is in the back of the cabinet in the bathroom and it sounds like maybe not all of your breakers are turned on or maybe they are tripped? good place to start anyway.

[adonh]

Welcome to the world of Airstream's. You have come to the right place. If you are connected to a 30 amp outlet at the RV park with the power cord from your trailer make sure the switch in the RV park outlet box is turned on. The switch is usually just above or to the side of where the power cord is plugged in. If the AC still does not turn on find the breaker box in your Airstream. If you have a center bath model it could be located inside your closet. If a rear bath model check around and you will find it. Make sure the breakers are all on and not tripped. If you reset a breaker and it trips then there is a problem some where that needs to be resolved.

Your fridge on AC power will take some time to get cool. The freezer will be cold to the touch in an hour or so.

Follow up with your progress.

Don 1976 31' Sovereign

[memgrove2000]

Welcome Deapsea,
The fridge is a "two way" meaning that it can operate on LP gas or electric (110 ac). In our 72 31 foot sov. there is a switch that you have to access from the outside compartment behind the fridge. Look for the gas line to cross the bottom of the cabinet, there is a gas shut off (must be in the "off" position) directly behind that shut off there is an electric "off/on" switch. This must be "on". These switches can not both be "on" at the same time BUT both CAN be "off" at the same time.

The old Refers take a while to get cold. the freezer will get cold first then the chill will eventually work into the lower compartment.

If you have an outlet tester it may be wise to test the fridge outlet in the compartment behind the fridge. a light or a fan that you can plug in will work too if you KNOW that they work in a good outlet.

Good luck and keep us posted to what you find maybe we can get this figured out.

[deepsea]

Thank you so much for all the responses guys. And so quick too!

I will check all of those things. I think the RV parks stuff is switched on because all of the outlets work, no?

I guess there isn't a master control switch then? I wonder if there was because theres that control panel up front with the clock and switches. There's a spot for a power light to come on and mine is out.

The outlet for the fridge... Does it the fridge need to be pulled out to get to that? I'm not seeing it in the part that accessed from the outside panel.

The first think I did was change all my fuses in the box in the closet and that's when the outlets started working. I'll double check there as well and let you know what I find on all these things.

Thanks again so much.

[memgrove2000]

Our unit is a little older... but the fridge plugs into an outlet in the access door area from the outside door. (just like the one in a house) Ours may be different. I was trying to see if there was 110 ac running to the fridge.

ours is a "rear bath" model it has a 12 volt dc panel on the curb side closet on the floor (under the back of the bath tub). The 110 ac box is on the Street side cabnet next to the toilet. (this is a breaker box not fuse panel) Ours has 2 breakers one for the Air cond and one for the rest of the trailer. (each 15 amp I think)

The light on the controll panel in ours has never worked either. (the list has always been too big to worry about it)

If the trailer was here at the house I would run out and snap some pics for you.

[funkill]

You say you changed the fuses - but what about the breakers? My 73 (rear bath model) has a breaker box (located along the wall inside the bathroom TP closet) and a fuse panel that was part of the Univolt (located on under the side/bedroom gaucho/bed and accessed from the outside compartment door).

Do you have a univolt coverter/charger? Actually, that probably doesn't have anything to do with it - at least the A/C. I don't think the A/C should not go through the coverter anyway - but don't know about the refer.

Oh, I think that power light on the control panel (the one in the center) will only light if the OEM Univolt is working.

Is the refer OEM or has it been replaced with a typical home/apartment style that only runs off AC power only?

Laura - hopefully you'll get this figured out soon!

[garry]

Most of the things that are not working must have 12VDC to their control boards including the refrigerator to work on gas. All interior lights work off the 12VDC.

Do you have a battery installed? Is there a battery cut off switch? and is the converter working?

My 1st bet is a battery cut off switch that has been added somewhere around the battery. The univolt is bad about boiling batteries so most owners add a battery cut off switch.

[Cantrell]

Originally Posted by deepsea

Maybe this is ridiculous, but is there an ON switch somewhere? I saw something in the forums about switching between 110 and 220. Do I need to do that? How?

It is worth mentioning that nothing on these trailers runs on 220. You will have much larger problems than no AC or fridge if you connect it to that voltage.
Good luck in finding the problem.

[deepsea]

Originally Posted by funkill

You say you changed the fuses - but what about the breakers? My 73 (rear bath model) has a breaker box (located along the wall inside the bathroom TP closet) and a fuse panel that was part of the Univolt (located on under the side/bedroom gaucho/bed and accessed from the outside compartment door).

Do you have a univolt coverter/charger? Actually, that probably doesn't have anything to do with it - at least the A/C. I don't think the A/C should not go through the coverter anyway - but don't know about the refer.

Oh, I think that power light on the control panel (the one in the center) will only light if the OEM Univolt is working.

Is the refer OEM or has it been replaced with a typical home/apartment style that only runs off AC power only?

Laura - hopefully you'll get this figured out soon!

Here are some photos. I think mine is the same as yours - 73 rear bath.

Behind the refer (it's the original one):


Fuses in closet:


Breakers in TP closet. There are only 2. One of them controls the outlets for sure. Dont know about the other one.

[deepsea]

Originally Posted by garry

Most of the things that are not working must have 12VDC to their control boards including the refrigerator to work on gas. All interior lights work off the 12VDC.

Do you have a battery installed? Is there a battery cut off switch? and is the converter working?

My 1st bet is a battery cut off switch that has been added somewhere around the battery. The univolt is bad about boiling batteries so most owners add a battery cut off switch.

Hmmm. Interesting. I just put in a new battery as well but no, i don't think the converter is working. Don't see a kill switch.

[garry]

I don't see a cutoff switch in the Univolt picture so you need to check close to the battery.

As I said in my earlier post you must have 12VDC for the lights, control board in AC and frig. That may not be the problem but it is worth checking at the battery.

[garry]

There is a large fuse on the left side in the Univolt picture that would kill all 12V can't tell from the picture if it is OK or not.

Do you have any way to test for 12V ???

[Chuck]

The univolt would hum if it was working. (it doesn't know the words. ba-dump bump! )

If that is the original fridge, it doesn't have a control board, and does NOT need 12v to run.
I don't recall seeing a 110v outlet in my fridge access compartment, but I hardly ever look in there. (My fridge is a replacement...don't need to light it from the back). It could be hard-wired to an outlet above. I see what looks like it could be romex in the pic; see where that goes.

The circuit breaker panel: one of those circuits is dedicated to the air conditioner; the other circuit is for everything else in the trailer. The outlet box mounted next to it...don't have that. doesn't look "factory", so its anyone's guess what that is all about.
You'll definitely need a volt-meter to probe around and find where the faults are.
Its not unheard of for a 30year old air conditioner to be "dead". or a 30 year old fridge, either. but if all the 12v lights are out, there's something "up" w/ the univolt. Mine is hard wired to the 110v circuit panel. no "plug" or outlet.

[mimiandrews]

Here are some photos. I think mine is the same as yours - 73 rear bath.

Behind the refer (it's the original


Referring to the photo you posted of the access panel behind the fridge...

Follow the white wire in the middle of your photo upwards, and you should find a household-type 120 volt AC outlet in the outer wall of the trailer. The white wire should be plugged into that and the other end attaches to the fridge. That's the 120-volt power for the fridge.

Carefully check to see that you have power to that outlet with a voltmeter or plug in an ordinary light that's known to be working.

[deepsea]

Just a follow up...

It's possible that my a/c was just shot. I was hoping not, because the guy I purchased this from promised that everything worked and as it turns out nothing works. There was power there tho, and in the battery. The univolt also seems to be working, rechecked all fuses.

Yesterday I easily installed a new a/c and everything is cool and comfortable now. Apparently I got completely scammed when I bought this one. Paid a good condition price, got a shell that needs to be redone, but at least I'm not sweating anymore!