Issues with monitor panels and outlets

[MightyKC]

Hi everyone, my first post on here. I bought a 2013 cougar 330rbk fifth wheel used from a coworker about a year and a half ago.

I've managed to fix the obvious stuff so far that just boiled down to replacing parts. But I have 2 issues I'd like to put in the rear view over Christmas break.

1. (And we can put this one on the backburner till we see how the parts I ordered look) the monitor panel is a backlight primitive touchscreen deal. It cuts out a lot and I have to pull the #5 fuse. It was well documented on here and other pages for problems. There used to be a kit to change it all to hardwired switches. Thats discontinued as well. I bought the closest looking panel to it off of ebay. Instead of saying "Keystone Cougar " on it it says KIB industries, who I figured out were the ones who made it in the first place. When I get back to the house, I may need some coaching on whether or not anything on it will need modified.

2. All the 120v outlets on the street side and one on the curb side have stopped working. It was doing it intermittently but now its all the time. Are they all in series? Where if one wire popped out anywhere they all stop? Do I pull them out one by one and check the backs of them? Where do I start with that?

Thanks in advance for your help, love the camper, really gonna love it when every single thing on it works properly

[LHaven]

Is this your floorplan?

If so, "all the outlets on the street side" wouldn't be GFCI, so it's not that.

I'd start by plugging a outlet tester into each plate and seeing if it identifies a bad power or a bad neutral.

Then I would test to see if flipping off any of the breakers doesn't kill at least one outlet that isn't already dead.

If so, I'd check the wiring for that breaker behind the panel for tightness. (It's also possible it's loose at the first outlet, but the probability is lower). Disconnect from shore power first, obviously.

If not, I'd check the wiring between the last outlet that breaker shuts off and the first outlet that isn't working. You'd have to check both outlets.

In smaller trailers, there is often one breaker for the GFCI chain and one breaker
for the non-GFCI chain. On a larger trailer, you may have more, but they are usually organized by room or area, so you can guess which breaker belongs to the faulty outlets.

[ChuckS]

Sounds like ma6be one of your existing SC outlets May have a connection issue on the backside and is killing the rest of the outlets in the loop

Image of backside of SC outlet used in RVs...

I’d replace the outlet ...if you find and issue with wire retention on backside of outlet with these...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Carlon-1...RSWR/202077341

And of course a good 120 outlet with screw terminals for connections...

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...-00W/202066670

[MightyKC]

Hi! Thank you for the replies! That is my exact floorplan.
I tried to attach a picture of the panel board. I haven't tried that yet on this forum. I don't have a outlet tester and I'm over an hour from any decent sized town. I do have a multimeter. The smaller batch of outlets that still work got normal readings of 124 volts. The ones that don't fluctuate between .3 and .5 volts. If I had to guess looking at the panel board I would say the circuit breaker labeled "gfi" are the ones still working and the one labeled "recept" (receptacle I assume?) are the ones affected. So marching ahead with trying to figure this out, that circuit breaker could have gone bad, the wires on the back side of it could be loose, or I could a loose wire behind on of these outlets, correct?

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by MightyKC

I don't have a outlet tester and I'm over an hour from any decent sized town. I do have a multimeter. The smaller batch of outlets that still work got normal readings of 124 volts. The ones that don't fluctuate between .3 and .5 volts. If I had to guess looking at the panel board I would say the circuit breaker labeled "gfi" are the ones still working and the one labeled "recept" (receptacle I assume?) are the ones affected. So marching ahead with trying to figure this out, that circuit breaker could have gone bad, the wires on the back side of it could be loose, or I could a loose wire behind on of these outlets, correct?

Do ANY of your outlets turn on and off reliably with that breaker? If so, the problem won't be at the panel (tougher to find). If they are all dead, I'd start at the breaker box due to the streetlight effect -- a fix there would be simplest of all, probably a loose screw. It's still possible there's a bad connection in the first run, but that's harder to look for.

The .3 and .5V readings aren't significant. But you should also test between hot (the small prong) and ground -- if you see 120V there, then it's the neutral that is loose, otherwise, it's the hot.

[ChuckS]

Remove the screws on the flip down cover panel so that you have direct access to those 120 VAC breakers..

Then with your MM measure at the breakers to verify you have a “source” 120 volts AC present at the breakers.

If so then you KNOW your issue is downstream from the breakers and you will have to pick an outlet to start at..

If none of outlets have power start at first one in the stream from the 120 VAC breaker

[ChuckS]

I’d start at the two MAIN breakers and measure each leg to make sure you haven’t dropped a leg of incoming power to your panel

My panel in image... circled breakers show Red and Black L1 and L2 main lead ins.. measure each leg with one end of meter lead to The breaker and other lead to neutral BUS

If both mains read good then measure the 15 amp breakers to verify source voltage at breakers

[MightyKC]

Hey guys, I'm back. Went for lunch. Got the cover off the panel. Shore power unplugged. No loose wires going to circuit breaker. Gonna turn power back on and check with multimeter

[MightyKC]

Chuck S the Black wire on the left passed this test. The red one on the right failed

[ChuckS]

If the Red has no 120 Volts AC then I’d go outside and remove your power cable and ohm out both ends ...

But... I’d check the service panel the RV is plugged into FIRST and make sure you have power at the outlet yo7 are plugging into..

[MightyKC]

Significant Finding!:

Thank you guys for your help. The other outlets are back on right now. I noticed a few stops ago the exterior outlet where the 50 amp cord attaches was getting a little wonky. I went outside and realized the two screws on the right side are corroded and backing out. I gave the whole works a little extra and got another 1/8 of a turn on it. I assume that last 1/8 is what it takes for the red wire to make contact. In 2 days I'm headed back to civilization for Christmas break. I'll take it all apart and replace the hardware. I assume that should probably be the end of this particular issue

[MightyKC]

Thank you ChuckS and LHaven!

[ChuckS]

Glad we could all help you to resolve your issue.

[BigBearRick]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Glad we could all help you to resolve your issue.

Chuck... thanks for the outlet insight!... being a new owner, it never even dawned on my that RV's had their own outlet design.

I was about to get a couple of outlets that have USB plugs on them, now I will make sure they are shallow enough to fit into a shallow box! And now after looking at a couple of youtube vids on the rv style, might just replace any that might have a heavy draw on them.

cheers
rick

[flybouy]

Rick, you can also extend those "shallow electric box" with these... https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Sp...%2C263&sr=8-14

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Rick, you can also extend those "shallow electric box" with these... https://www.amazon.com/Electrical-Sp...%2C263&sr=8-14

Its great to see another perspective on how to use standard hose style outlets in the RV.. This item would make it easy to swap out outlets... hadn't seen that before

[Javi]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

Its great to see another perspective on how to use standard hose style outlets in the RV.. This item would make it easy to swap out outlets... hadn't seen that before

My Avalanche has several light switches using those from the factory..

[Tcarter]

I have a keystone cougar. I had the outside power cable plug and receptacle to loose one side of the pwer to the camper

[Scoopy]

Which KIB monitor panel did you purchase to replace the faulty one? Thanks in advance!

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Scoopy

Which KIB monitor panel did you purchase to replace the faulty one? Thanks in advance!

If you remove the panel there should be a number, then google that number. There are many different panels with different functions. What’s wrong with yours?