no power to inverter outlets

[PB_NB]

Originally Posted by Revtwhite

Again thanks for all of the input. just an update the dealership did finally call me back and I went through everything with them once again on what was working and what is not working (same tech, same info) and yet again they assured me that I was on their radar and they want to make it right still not sure what is going on but as soon as the figure it ou they will call me back.... I went ahead and hired a mobile service to come out on Tuesday, I will update with what he finds. Because we have the queen bed model our inverter is located in the front compartment, curb side yesterday I attempted to see if I could find any bad connections our unconnected wires it was such a mess that's when I decided to hire the mobile service...ugh I will post pics

Hi Revtwhite, I am not too sure how your system is designed but there usually is some logic applied based on how people would use the inverter power. So the selection of the inverter only plugs would be logical down the road.

If there are 2 outlets designated for inverter power and they are not functioning, then working from the outlet upstream certainly is a good place to start. Try not to get to concerned about the mess of wires as that seems to be typical at least with my experience in my 2019.

My thoughts initially would be that the inverter is not allowed to work while the trailer is plugged into the shore power as the shore switch would prevent the activation of those designated outlets by preventing the inverter from running. There are some loops that can be created if the converter/charger is running and charging the battery while running the inverter so anyone installing this equipment would make sure that the converter/charger is not powered by the inverter.

I wasn't sure if you tried unplugging the trailer from the shore power and then turning on the inverter. The shore switch should automatically switch to the inverter and with any luck the inverter outlets start working. Your battery switch(es) need to be turned on as well.

That is how I set mine up (our trailer didn't have an inverter or shore switch when we bought it). I keep my inverter turned off while I am plugged into shore power and switch it on when the trailer is unplugged. All my outlets are live with the inverter once my shore switch sees the inverter power and kicks over.

If Airstream installed the shore power and inverter systems as completely separate, then it makes chasing the problem and bit easier. There are some downloadable wiring diagrams and parts books that you can get from the Airstream website that can be very helpful.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Revtwhite

. . .
. . . I went ahead and hired a mobile service to come out on Tuesday, I will update with what he finds.
. . .

Thanks for the update . . . will be interesting to hear the diagnosis/solution.

Too many variables to track here IMO . . . maybe this . . . maybe that . . . no thanks . . . analysis paralysis setting in . . .

Will wait for "hands on" . . . real facts.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by PB_NB

Hi Revtwhite, I am not too sure how your system is designed but there usually is some logic applied based on how people would use the inverter power. So the selection of the inverter only plugs would be logical down the road.

If there are 2 outlets designated for inverter power and they are not functioning, then working from the outlet upstream certainly is a good place to start. Try not to get to concerned about the mess of wires as that seems to be typical at least with my experience in my 2019.

My thoughts initially would be that the inverter is not allowed to work while the trailer is plugged into the shore power as the shore switch would prevent the activation of those designated outlets by preventing the inverter from running. There are some loops that can be created if the converter/charger is running and charging the battery while running the inverter so anyone installing this equipment would make sure that the converter/charger is not powered by the inverter.

I wasn't sure if you tried unplugging the trailer from the shore power and then turning on the inverter. The shore switch should automatically switch to the inverter and with any luck the inverter outlets start working. Your battery switch(es) need to be turned on as well.

That is how I set mine up (our trailer didn't have an inverter or shore switch when we bought it). I keep my inverter turned off while I am plugged into shore power and switch it on when the trailer is unplugged. All my outlets are live with the inverter once my shore switch sees the inverter power and kicks over.

If Airstream installed the shore power and inverter systems as completely separate, then it makes chasing the problem and bit easier. There are some downloadable wiring diagrams and parts books that you can get from the Airstream website that can be very helpful.

That's a good point I hadn't considered about not wanting the inverter to try to power the converter/charger. The units that are combination Inverters/Converters/Chargers like mine take care of that, of course. If what the dealer installed is just one of the cheaper inverter-only units that would make doing a system where all the outlets are hot more challenging. That's why Airstream just has Inverter-only outlets and calls it a day.

[Revtwhite]

Originally Posted by OTRA15

Thanks for the update . . . will be interesting to hear the diagnosis/solution.

Too many variables to track here IMO . . . maybe this . . . maybe that . . . no thanks . . . analysis paralysis setting in . . .

Will wait for "hands on" . . . real facts.

Agree totally! Inverter outlets do not work disconnected from shore power or connected from shore power... wiring was upgraded to handle the new system... battery brand is Lion safari we added two 120 amp hours w/upgraded charger plus 3 100 watt color panels with upgraded controller .

[Revtwhite]

Sorry that pic is the converter that is just laying on top of my ducts behind my electrical panel... dealership told me this is the way all airstream converters are installed...

[OTRA15]

Thanks OP for the update. Good luck tomorrow with the mobile RV service.

[daleyocum]

Originally Posted by Revtwhite

Sorry that pic is the converter that is just laying on top of my ducts behind my electrical panel... dealership told me this is the way all airstream converters are installed...

Not in my experience. Mine was installed neatly under the circuit breaker panel in a compartment made for it. My guess is whatever new lithium charger/converter they installed didn’t fit there so they threw it back there. This doesn’t bode well.

Did they install a battery monitor? You’re going to need one to know how charged your batteries are. Voltage won’t cut it.

So far this doesn’t look like they had their A team on this job. Airstream HQ may need to get involved to straighten all this out.

[Revtwhite]

Originally Posted by daleyocum

Not in my experience. Mine was installed neatly under the circuit breaker panel in a compartment made for it. My guess is whatever new lithium charger/converter they installed didn’t fit there so they threw it back there. This doesn’t bode well.

Did they install a battery monitor? You’re going to need one to know how charged your batteries are. Voltage won’t cut it.

So far this doesn’t look like they had their A team on this job. Airstream HQ may need to get involved to straighten all this out.

They did install a battery monitor. definitely did not have their A team on the job...

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Revtwhite

. . .
. . . I went ahead and hired a mobile service to come out on Tuesday, I will update with what he finds.
. . .

Any good news to report?

[Revtwhite]

Mobile service came out and began the process of elimination, he unscrewed and pulled all of the outlets labeled "inverter only" starting at the front and worked our way to the bedroom. He unscrewed and pulled the electrical panel, behind the panel there was an unconnected wire (it was not stripped and had not ever been connected) he connected that and it still did not solve the issue, after thinking we had checked every potential area we found a plug in the front compartment curb side, after taking out the divider there was a wire just laying on the bottom of the compartment the ends had wire nut on them and we wrapped in electrical tape he undid all of that and did a continuity test and this was the wire the dealership did not hook up once this was hooked up everything worked so problem solved also dealership agreed to pay for the work

Thanks again for all the input now it's time to get on the road and go!

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by Revtwhite

Mobile service came out and began the process of elimination, he unscrewed and pulled all of the outlets labeled "inverter only" starting at the front and worked our way to the bedroom. He unscrewed and pulled the electrical panel, behind the panel there was an unconnected wire (it was not stripped and had not ever been connected) he connected that and it still did not solve the issue, after thinking we had checked every potential area we found a plug in the front compartment curb side, after taking out the divider there was a wire just laying on the bottom of the compartment the ends had wire nut on them and we wrapped in electrical tape he undid all of that and did a continuity test and this was the wire the dealership did not hook up once this was hooked up everything worked so problem solved also dealership agreed to pay for the work

Thanks again for all the input now it's time to get on the road and go!

Excellent . . . A BIG miss by the dealer IMO.

Are they also going to pay for your labor time in all this fiasco?

[daleyocum]

So glad he found the issue. Wow, you sure shouldn't have had to do all that!