Just another "Outlets not working, GFCI will not reset" post...

[ToddB]

Hi folks,

All of the outlets in my Passport 2670BH are non-functional. Other electrical items are fine (stereo, slide, awning, etc.). We just bought it and have only had it in storage so far (about a month)...waiting until June to hit the road full-time.

I have spent the last couple of days reading through all GFCI and electrical issue posts here on the forum and have been down this path so far:

1) Reconnected negative cable to battery terminal (I know someone will ask)
2) Checked panel. No tripped breakers. Flipped all of them off and then back on.
3) Checked entire trailer (inside and outside) for a second GFCI with a reset button, but nothing. Only one with a reset is in the bathroom.
4) Checked all GFCI outlets for any signs of moisture and did not see any evidence that they had been or were currently wet.
5) Tried using keys on test and reset buttons to make sure I was using enough pressure. No luck. No response from either button.
6) Light on the GFCI is not on. Under the light it says "replace if flashing", but it is not flashing.

So with all of that territory covered, can anyone give me a "best next step" to pinpoint the problem on my brand new trailer that hasn't even seen her maiden voyage yet? (No, I'm not frustrated at all.)

Thanks in advance for the help.

[sourdough]

What kind of power do you have powering the trailer? ie; 50 amp, 30 amp, 120vac adapted to 50/30 amp? If you are into a straight 50A plug one lead may be bad. If you are using an adapter it could be bad. If you have a 30A then you only have one hot leg.

What about the microwave? AC? The stereo should be 12VDC. Everything you mentioned working works off 12VDC so you don't indicate that you have 120vac working on anything. Have you verified that you actually have AC coming to the trailer?

[ToddB]

Well, then I may be showing off my ignorance here. I hate it when that happens. I am a COMPLETE newbie to RVs and learning as I go.

The trailer is 30A, but I don't have any AC coming to the trailer. It is just using the deep-cycle battery right now...which would apparently explain why I don't have any outlets. Oh boy.

Feeling a bit ridiculous for throwing this out there now. It's amazing that I didn't piece that together (distinction between 12VDC and 120vac power) from the dozens of posts I have read on this topic this week!

So I think I get it now, but if I misunderstood anything let me know. Thanks so much for the help, sourdough. I'll just go find some AC and call it a day.

[PARAPTOR]

If all 120VAC devices are working except plugs I would concentrate on that bathroom GFI, we hae found in some rigs that all plugs are daisy chained from a single GFI. Also it has been noted that many a time the wires in the back of the GFI receptacle have popped out. If you are familiar with electricity and have a meter, you could pull that GFI and check the voltages on the power and load terminals.

If other 120VAC devices are not working Take that meter and go into the power Distribution panel and check the voltage of the legs going to the main breaker from your shore power cable.


ADDED :Toddb was typing slowly, good to see you found the problem!! Good Job

[sourdough]

Not to worry. It happens to every new RV owner.

Always keep in mind that you have 2 separate power systems in the RV unlike a home. Some things we associate with 120vac in our home (lights, stereo, furnace fan) actually work on 12vdc in the trailer so it gets a little confusing.

When you think you have an AC problem (and you have 30A so that rules out the double hot leads on a 50A) see which items will/won't work before worrying about a GFI plug. All things 120vac should work if you have a bad GFI except AC plugs. When you get power to the trailer be sure and check your GFI plug and the other outlets to make sure you didn't disable the GFI plug while checking it.

Here is a link that explains in pretty good detail the electrical workings in your RV. Good luck on getting things going.

http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformat...lectricity.asp

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by ToddB

Hi folks,

All of the outlets in my Passport 2670BH are non-functional. Other electrical items are fine (stereo, slide, awning, etc.). We just bought it and have only had it in storage so far (about a month)...waiting until June to hit the road full-time

So with all of that territory covered, can anyone give me a "best next step" to pinpoint the problem on my brand new trailer that hasn't even seen her maiden voyage yet? (No, I'm not frustrated at all.)

Thanks in advance for the help.

All of the items that you mention are 12v dc and run off your battery. Unless you are plugged into a 120v ac source (shore power or generator) all outlets and 120v ac appliances will not work. If you are connected to shore power recheck all circuit breakers especially the MAIN and the breaker that supplies the pedestal the trailer is plugged into.

[BuxCamper]

I have been involved in RV forums for over 15 years. You won't believe how many people either don't realize there are separate 12 Vdc and 120 Vac circuits plus there is normally no inverter to give you 120 from 12. You are not the first nor will be the last to get confused there.

A couple of years ago we were camping in a PA state park. It was late (dark), I went out to the truck to get something and suddenly heard all the air conditioners wind down. Power failure! So I rush into the camper to turn the A/C off. My wife is asking why, we still have lights. She did not realize the converter will automatically shift the 12V stuff to the battery like an uninterruptable power supply. I did mot want the power to come back and possibly have a voltage sag and cause problems for the A/C.

-- Mark

[JRTJH]

I'm showing my age here, but "in the beginning" there were three separate lighting systems in most campers. There was the LP light over the dinette, a few 12 volt lights mounted around the camper and two or three 120 volt ceiling fixtures for "campground stays"...

I remember rewiring the 120 volt fan/light on the range hood in our 1972 Jayco to run on battery power. A new fan motor and a 12 volt light bulb to fit the "regular light bulb socket". Back then, there wasn't a converter/charger, every morning we'd take the top off the battery box, hook up the battery charger for a few hours and/or hook up the truck and let it fast idle while the generator in the truck recharged the battery. Eventually I ran two wires from the battery to a set of terminals inside the trailer so I could connect the battery charger under the goucho in the front of the trailer without having to go outside in the rain. That gave us the ability to use the 12 volt and the 120 volt lights without discharging the battery. I suppose it was an "early version" of today's converter/charger.

Back then, the shore power cable was permanently attached to the back of the camper and we just wrapped it around the standoffs for the rear bumper. I can't count the number of 30 amp end connectors I replaced that dragged on the highway from Steamboat Springs back to Denver, but I'm sure it was at least 8 or 10 every summer.

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I'm showing my age here, but "in the beginning" there were three separate lighting systems in most campers. There was the LP light over the dinette, a few 12 volt lights mounted around the camper and two or three 120 volt ceiling fixtures for "campground stays"...

I remember rewiring the 120 volt fan/light on the range hood in our 1972 Jayco to run on battery power. A new fan motor and a 12 volt light bulb to fit the "regular light bulb socket". Back then, there wasn't a converter/charger, every morning we'd take the top off the battery box, hook up the battery charger for a few hours and/or hook up the truck and let it fast idle while the generator in the truck recharged the battery. Eventually I ran two wires from the battery to a set of terminals inside the trailer so I could connect the battery charger under the goucho in the front of the trailer without having to go outside in the rain. That gave us the ability to use the 12 volt and the 120 volt lights without discharging the battery. I suppose it was an "early version" of today's converter/charger.

Back then, the shore power cable was permanently attached to the back of the camper and we just wrapped it around the standoffs for the rear bumper. I can't count the number of 30 amp end connectors I replaced that dragged on the highway from Steamboat Springs back to Denver, but I'm sure it was at least 8 or 10 every summer.

John, I did not think that the horse would get you going fast enough to wear out the plug. And yes the LP light over the dinette was a nice source of warmth on a chilly fall morning. I have added 120v lights in our last two trailers just for nostalgia sake. Hank

[JRTJH]

LOL There were some mountain passes (Berthod and Rabbit Ears were two) that I honestly believe a horse could have pulled us up the mountain faster than our Dodge truck. Back then if we could maintain 30 MPH in first gear up the mountain, we were doing good, and that created loads of "pucker factor" with the engine winding faster than we thought it could, but a shift to second gear would bog it down and we'd be back at 20 MPH in first gear within a quarter mile. I had a 34 gallon main tank and two 30 gallon saddle tanks and we could go from Denver to Steamboat Lake and back to Empire before we had to refuel. That was about 380 miles, so we averaged somewhere around 4MPG with the long uphill hauls. Boy was that fun !!!!! LOL

[chuckster57]

I guess I qualify for "old" status. I clearly remember the LP lights along with that big tank across the tongue. Take the lid off, fill with water, put the lid back on and turn on the compressor so you could have "running water".

[bobbecky]

Just a little tip about GFI outlets, in an RV or in a home. Unless there is 120 volts on the source side, you will never be able to reset a GFI outlet if it has been tripped.

[ToddB]

Appreciate the understanding for this greenhorn, and all of the input.

Now, on to bigger and better things...take care, folks!