Airstream Chat Room Airstream Links Campground & Product Reviews Airstream Classifieds Airstream Articles Blogs Photo Gallery Forum Listings Portal - Home Page

Go Back   Airstream Forums > Airstream Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums > Electrical - Systems, Generators, Batteries & Solar > Lights - Interior & Exterior




Find out what's going on and meet up with other Airstreamers in your area through our Clubs & Groups Directory.

Quick Links
- Forum Listings
- Register - it's FREE!
- View Member's Map
- Airstream Articles
- "Live" Chat Room
- View Classifieds
- Post a Classified
- Airstream @ eBay
- Upcoming Rallies
   - Add A Rally
- Rally Discussions
- Repair Discussions
- Search Forums
- Member List
- AIR # Directory
- Member Search
- Profile Photos
- Airstream Photo
- Airstream Links
- Fun & Games
- WBCCI Websites
- WBCCI Unit Forums
- Courtesy Parking
- Campgrounds
- Support & FAQs
- Community Policies
- Helpers Needed




Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 10-03-2009, 01:05 AM   #1
1 Rivet Member
Profile:  1979 31' Excella 500
battle mountain , Nevada
Posts: 9

Power surging from shore power in my Excella 500?

I just brought my 79' Excella 500 home from the storage lot where I've kept it most of the year, in order to get her checked out for our upcoming trip later this month. I have discovered a new problem which I didn't have before with the AS: Upon plugging into our shore power ( using a heavy duty extension cord as I always do) the power " surges " inside the trailer . I only turned on the overhead lights, resulting in a " surge which dimmed way down momentarily, then back to normal. The normal period being several seconds, them, dim, and back to normal. My house's power is unaffected when it was plugged in, also.

Anyone evperience this before? I replaced my power converter last year with a WFCO 55 amp. All was working fine the last time I plugged her "in", in the spring. I dont believe its the converter, but Im no electrician, either!

Thanks for the help!
NVDeputy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2009, 05:52 AM   #2
Rivet Master

 
Lumatic's Avatar

Profile:  1971 25' Tradewind
Currently Looking...
Estancia , New Mexico
Posts: 2,466
Images: 3

Does this happen regularly, or was this an isolated incident. My first guess is a battery problem.
__________________
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain- WoZ
Lumatic is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2009, 08:42 AM   #3
Rivet Master

 
HowieE's Avatar

Profile:  1991 34' Excella
Princeton , New Jersey
Posts: 1,845
Images: 11

Sounds like your unit is kicking in and out. Try and get close to the converter and see if you can detect the fan coming on and off as this happens. The fan will be on when the converter is charging. Or put a volt meter across the output terminals and watch the voltage as this happens.

I had to replace my daughter's WF converter 2 years ago and it looks like I am about to change it again.

When she first plugs the trailer in the lights dim as the battery goes down. What I have to do is disconnect one of the hot legs off the converter and reconnect it and the converter starts up and puts out 13.7 volts.

I talked to WF tech. support last week and mentioned I had had to replace the converter every 2 years and he suggested I install a better quality converter, not a WF, using the knock out in the rear of the WF and just use the old unit as a electrical panel.

In short Chinese electronics are not built to last.
__________________
WBCCI 12156 AIR 3144 WDC unit

1997 6.5 Diesel Chevy 2500 See my pages mysite.verizon.net/vze54tx9/
and mysite.verizon.net/vze54tx9/kayak/

1991 34 ft. Excello +110,000 miles, new laminated flooring, new upholstery, new 3200 lbs axles
HowieE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-03-2009, 10:00 AM   #4
Well-Preserved

 
overlander63's Avatar

Profile:  1974 31' Sovereign
. , .
Posts: 14,532

I remember having a similar problem with a WFCO converter. It wasn't as rapid as your problem, it would take 3+ months being used, then shut off. I unplugged the trailer from 120 volts, waited about 5 minutes, then plugged it back in, and it worked again. Try unplugging, waiting a few, then reconnecting. If that fixes your problem, you've got a converter telling you goodbye.
__________________
Terry

(No Longer at Inland RV)
overlander63 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-09-2009, 12:52 PM   #5
1 Rivet Member
Profile:  1979 31' Excella 500
battle mountain , Nevada
Posts: 9

Thanks for the response. Well, I dont know what I did, ( I know I disconnected it at least once while checking out the 3-way fridge ) but it now is working "fine"...Im always skeptical when something " fixes" itself.
But, I have plugged into shore power at my home and its beenabout 5 days now, and when I go try the lights again, there is no surging. And I haven't really done anything. My output across the WFCO terminal =13.7 consistent volts also.

Now I'd like to figure out why the electric isnt working in my Dometic RM-100 refrigerator... always fun
NVDeputy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Batteries Shore Power willyd Batteries, Univolts, Converters & Inverters 9 10-28-2008 01:02 AM
Using shore power w/o batteries 1989 Excella 1000 GAPeach Batteries, Univolts, Converters & Inverters 4 12-29-2007 10:58 PM
Shore Power Again The Flintstones Batteries, Univolts, Converters & Inverters 13 10-09-2007 08:18 PM
Shore power and battery power problems jfremstad Electrical - Systems, Generators, Batteries & Solar 5 05-03-2007 09:23 AM
Power w/o batt. just shore... crazylev On The Road... 8 11-12-2004 05:14 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.0.1

All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:28 PM.

Other Social Knowledge forum communities:
Cooking Forum - Sailing Forum - Early Retirement - Airstream Trailer - Aquarium Forum - Royal Forum - Book Forum - Volkswagen Touareg Forum - Jeep Wrangler Forum - Whitewater Kayaking & Rafting Forum - Fiberglass RV Forum - RV Forum - Truck Conversion - U2 Music Forum
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2009, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.0

Airstream is a registered trademark of Airstream Inc. All rights reserved. Airstream trademark used under license to Social Knowledge LLC.

eXTReMe Tracker

Other recommended RV/Travel Trailer sites:
Airstream Classifieds - Airstream Central - Airstream Photos - Fiberglass RV Forum - iRV2 RV Forum

© copyright 2002-2009 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.