Visit our Popular Forums

kkdesigns · 01-12-2019, 11:03 AM

Hey gang. Hoping someone can answer this for me.

I have a 2018 Tommy Bahama and am having a problem I haven't run into before.

I'm am staying in an rv park in houston for a bit. I'm full hookup.

The issue I'm having is that all the outlets that are connected to the inverter, including the TV outlets front and back are not getting power unless the remote inverter switch is turned on. Never had this issue before. I was watching TV and it just shut off. My computer was plugged into a different inverter outlet and it wasn't charging. These are all outlets connected to the inverter. As soon as I turned the inverter remote switch on, everything powered up. I shouldn't need to do this hooked to shore power.

Any guesses as to what this issue might be or where to start looking?

Thanks in advance for your help..

Kyle

wave man · 01-12-2019, 11:05 AM

Check the fuses first...

kkdesigns · 01-12-2019, 11:13 AM

Yes, I should have mentioned this is on a breaker which I checked first. It wasn't tripped. I turned it off and on. I also unhooked shore power and turned everything off and cycled the battery disconnect. Still not working without haveing the remote inverter switch powered.

pjshier · 01-12-2019, 11:28 AM

If you are on shore power, why use the inverter outlets? Unless there is some reason, swap the computer and TV to the 110 shore power outlets and don't use the inverter. Unless I have my terminology confused - the inverter should be for "inverting" 12 volt DC battery power into 110AC, right?

kkdesigns · 01-12-2019, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjshier

If you are on shore power, why use the inverter outlets? Unless there is some reason, swap the computer and TV to the 110 shore power outlets and don't use the inverter. Unless I have my terminology confused - the inverter should be for "inverting" 12 volt DC battery power into 110AC, right?

The outlets should work when plugged into shorepower without the inverter being on. This is how they have worked since I got it. They will also worked when a generator is on. You should only need to have inverter switch turned on when you are running off straight battery power.

LDM · 01-12-2019, 11:57 AM

Be sure the inverter has 110ac to it.

LDM · 01-12-2019, 12:10 PM

I had wire break where it went into inverter on SOB. You are right about the way it works.

Acheron2010 · 01-12-2019, 12:14 PM

Just for grins, check the GFCI button on one of the outlets. That was the source of my 120V mystery in my 2019 FC.

kkdesigns · 01-12-2019, 12:25 PM

Just some more info, the light on the top of the inverter which should be green, is yellow which indicates battery back up status, even though it is plugged in.

kkdesigns · 01-12-2019, 12:27 PM

yep, first step on trouble shoot, along with breakers and fuses.
Learned this in the bathroom at the house. Ha

Dave-n-Janet · 01-12-2019, 01:44 PM

Use a volt meter or some other means to confirm you have 110v going to the outlet the inverter is plugged into. If yes, then maybe internal fusing on inverter, otherwise may be time to replace inverter.

Adventure.AS · 01-12-2019, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjshier

If you are on shore power, why use the inverter outlets? Unless there is some reason, swap the computer and TV to the 110 shore power outlets and don't use the inverter. Unless I have my terminology confused - the inverter should be for "inverting" 12 volt DC battery power into 110AC, right?

Newer Airstreams don’t have separate inverter circuits but a pass through system.

Acheron2010 · 01-12-2019, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adventure.AS

Newer Airstreams don’t have separate inverter circuits but a pass through system.

My 2019 Flying Cloud has an inverter circuit and a shore power circuit. Outlets by stove and bed and bath are not from inverter, for example.

Adventure.AS · 01-12-2019, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acheron2010

My 2019 Flying Cloud has an inverter circuit and a shore power circuit. Outlets by stove and bed and bath are not from inverter, for example.

Do you have two outlets by the TV for example, or just the one?

pjshier · 01-12-2019, 07:35 PM

Thx. I learned something today. New guy here who has a 2017 with separate plug-ins and a need to swap plugs and activate inverter when boondocking; swap back when on shore. 2018 must have pass-thru single plug-ins for both.

JohnTF · 01-13-2019, 11:44 AM

1st off more info , is the inverter original equipment - and what make & model ?
Then how is it wired into the trailer ?
I haven't worked on an Airstream that had an inverter from factory , so not sure how it is being used .
I build alternative energy systems , mostly solar and even repair inverters .
Some have transfer switches and passthrough when AC - either shore or generator .
But with info provided [ have to assume some issues ] it sounds like your operating the same as the past & things have changed , then you mention yellow light , so battery or connection issue .
Get a multimeter and check & list all voltages in & out of the inverter ?

journeydog · 01-13-2019, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kkdesigns

The outlets should work when plugged into shorepower without the inverter being on. This is how they have worked since I got it. They will also worked when a generator is on. You should only need to have inverter switch turned on when you are running off straight battery power.

FWIW - I have the same issue/same model AS ('18 Tommy).

(Maybe Alfred-the-new-guy was assigned to wire these puppies while Susie-the-master-electrician was on vac?) My Tommy was working as it should - not requiring inverter on while "plugged in" - but, started this "inverter-on requirement" suddenly one day while trying to get TV to work and still "plugged in" to shore power. The other outlets seemed to be OK (not needing inverter on). The factory-provided wiring docs say the TVs are getting their power from the inverter. Why then, do the TVs work when most of the time the inverter switch is off?
All I can say is that ït's magic - WTF?
YIKES!!

cazual6 · 01-13-2019, 12:32 PM

I don't know which one is yours, but my old 2014 had two outlets side by side. One was marked BLUE which means an inverter outlet.

My newer 2018 only has one outlet.

Rainmaker · 01-13-2019, 02:51 PM

Hopefully by now you have found the answer to your problem. What I found when I had that happen in our AS, is the inverter had become unplugged. None the receptacles on that circuit worked from normal 120v shore power. Plugged it back in and everything worked fine since.

DNM · 01-13-2019, 08:32 PM

There is a 15 amp circuit breaker on top of the inverter if it is tripped you get no pass through power to TV outlets. They are not connected through the 110 breaker panel