07' 25ft FB Safari Bedroom 110 Outlets dead

[mgm]

So... I think I'm pretty handy with my trailer and when still in need of answers I can usually find an answer on the forums, but I haven't had much luck just yet on this issue. Please don't feel the need to hold back insults either if this is an easy fix I have overlooked. I m not too smart with electrical stuff so fair warning.

My issue is that I currently don't have any power to my 110V outlets in my bedroom. All other outlets work fine. I don't believe those outlets are GFCI protected, so tripping the breaker and pressing the test button won't help and hasn't ( I tried it anyway out of frustration )

I have flipped all the other breakers off momentarily and then switched back to on and still no power?

Not sure when this problem started but I did change out my stock converter last summer to a Power Dynamics 4655. I did the install myself and it has been working just fine. So I don't believe the issue is there.

Any advice is appreciated

[sgschwend]

How about, measuring the outlet with a AC volt meter or similar device. I have one of those cubes you plug into an outlet and three lights show how things are going.

When looking at the outlet you will see the tall blade on the left with the ground pointing down. That is the neutral lead, which is used to return the current that comes from the hot lead, which is the shorter blade.

The meter should read 110 volts from the hot lead to the neutral or ground. GFCI will likely trip when you measure the hot to the ground.

With no apparent 110V you are looking for an issue with the neutral and hot lead. The ground lead is really a safety, if you are old enough you would likely remember homes in the 50's and 60's that had only 2 wire electricity.

If you find voltage between the hot and ground, but not the hot and neutral then you have a problem with the neutral. Otherwise you have an issue with the hot lead.

Other tests:
Disconnect the shore power, make sure the inverter if you have one is off. Plug in a lamp and momentarily turn it on to drain any stray power (assuming you have an inverter). Then measure the resistance from the neutral to the ground. It should read zero ohms.

You can bring your shore power cord into the trailer, then measure the resistance from the shore power cord to the outlet. You should be able to detect all three (hot, neutral and ground).

I am in the process of replacing my outlets. I have done three thus far. I don't know if you have the same type. Mine are not the same as house outlets. The wire connections are made inside the outlet with a plastic snap on back cover. AS could then not use electrical box which saved on the depth of the hardware.

Each wire is pressed into a metal slot that nicks the wire; resulting in a mechanical weak point. One of my three replaced outlets did have a broken wire inside. Depending if the broken side was nearer the circuit breaker would determine if that outlet would stop functioning or the very next outlet feed down stream from the circuit breaker to not function.

I mentioned this point because if this is also your issue the broken wire might very well be in the outlet closer to the circuit breaker.

[lewster]

Sorry to be a nit-pick, but if your meter is reading only 110VAC, YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!! The standard voltage in the US is now 120VAC and in many places is steadily rising to 125VAC.

The output of a pure sine wave Magnum inverter is set at 120VAC, and I have seen many RV parks with voltages between 120VAC and 125VAC. Never 110VAC!

Your bedroom outlets are series wired along with the converter circuit in the breaker box. Airstream uses a wire nut in their breaker boxes to join the non-grounded (hot) lead for the bedroom circuit with the non-grounded (hot) lead from the converter and a third wire which goes into the breaker, as you should not have 2 wires entering a breaker screw.

I'm not certain that the presence of a wire nut is to code either, but that's how they do it. If you did not re-wire this exactly the same way when you installed your PD-4655, then that could be your problem area. Be certain that you have no power to the coach and shut all of the breakers in the box. Use a tester to be certain that there is no 120VAC present in the box.

Look at that wire nut again to see if there is a bad connection there. I would remove the wire nut and replace it anyway and use electrical tape to be certain that it does not come loose. Also check the neutral and ground from that piece of Romex as it enters the breaker box.

If everything is go in the breaker box, then it is possible that one of the leads in those garbage press-type outlets that the RV industry continues to use might have come loose. I call them giant Scotch Lock connectors, and they have been a constant source of problems in many RVs that I have worked on.

You can get a shallow depth re-model box at Home Depot with a curved back that will accept a 20 amp back wire screw type outlet. This is NOT the press-in type made for Romex, but a genuine screw type outlet. I had to replace every outlet in a 2014 front bedroom trailer due to problems with those press-in boxes, and once they were all changed out….NO PROBLEMS!!!

[sgschwend]

L. the owner only referred to his AC power as 110V outlets, he never said he measured it.

You are being nit-picky and I can't see how that is helpful or forum like.

[idroba]

One silly little thing: You mentioned that you flipped the breakers off momentarily and turned them back on again, with no change.

On many breakers made today, when they trip off they look like they are off but actually they go to a kind of center position. To reset them you need to push them firmly to off, then turn them on again. That is what actually resets them.

It is a slight possibility, but try it anyway, just in case.

[lewster]

Originally Posted by sgschwend

L. the owner only referred to his AC power as 110V outlets, he never said he measured it.

You are being nit-picky and I can't see how that is helpful or forum like.

Sorry, my engineering background……….

[Cleosdad]

Trying to follow this as I also have this problem but explanations are too complicated for me...and I'm a writer

[mgm]

I m currently traveling in Utah and my reception has been poor for my phone and internet. So I apologize for the slow reply. I will try to turn off all power and review the wires in the box, I had taken some photos and felt pretty certain I had reconnected everything per the directions and per the original wiring.

I am not perfect though and perhaps that could be it. We shall see.

Currently dealing with yet another issue. I barely run my Air Conditioning out east but needed it yesterday in Utah. Long story short.

Its running and blowing cold, but trips my breaker when It shuts off. Did the same thing when I used the heat pump instead of the furnace this morning to take the chill out of the camper. Read through some forums, just now and it seems like it could be several things from simple and easy to hard.


1. Poor connection in the breaker box affecting current when it draws power.

2. Voltage variations in the camp ground due to every ones use.

3. Dirty Condensors

4. Everything else

So I have some work to do when I get back to Ohio and have the use of all my tools in the garage.

The only other thing that makes me think all of this is related to the damn Power Dynamics install is that when I turn a light on, the Converter makes a light audible noise that does not sound like a fan. The noise goes away when everything is off and it only seems to make it when I m connected to shore power. No noise when just on the 12V

I have a lot of Solar Panels and 2 6V batteries and don't often use much power so these problems aren't too troubling for me on this trip but frustrating none the less.

[sgschwend]

L. I admire the way your help so many people here!

Tripping your circuit breaker makes me want to vote for low shore power voltage. Low voltage is hard on electric motors, hence your AC compressor motor could be overstressed with continued use that way.

A common rule of thumb for a 20 amp circuit breaker is to support 16 Amps continuously. Anything above that and the breaker will trip; 20 Amps might trip in 10 minutes, 17 amps might trip in a few hours. In the case where you compressor motor cycles on and off it would likely trip on starting after running for awhile.

I don't know the nominal amperage of your AC unit, but for example let use 15 amps. With a low shore power voltage, such as 20 percent low, the AC current would be 20 percent higher or 18 Amps. Enough to eventually trip your breaker.

As to the sound you hear, my guess is that the sound is normal. If you vary the load the sound will likely change too. I think you are hearing a sub-harmonic of the switch power supply in your converter.