Outlets Only Work When Generator Running

[Raaberto]

Looking for some help here from the electrical experts.

I have a 2012 Keystone Fuzion toy hauler with installed generator. For some reason, only the right half of the trailer outlets are working when I am plugged into power. When I run the generator, all outlets work. The one GCFI in the back in garage seems to be tripped but I cannot reset it. I do not know if that GCFI is the issue or not? I also checked the circuit breaker for outlets and all is fine there.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Raaberto

[flybouy]

You cannot reset a GFI unless it is powered up. If you have power and it will not reset then it may be defective and need replacjng.

[chuckster57]

If everything works on one power source and not another, I would verify power at the transfer switch and work my way forward/back from there.

If the trailer is 50A service you may have lost 1 leg.

[sourdough]

Sounds like you lost 1 leg of the 50A when plugged into the commercial outlet. Do you know you have power on both legs of the 50A plug?

[Raaberto]

Appreciate the tips everyone! When you say "leg" what do you mean? Are you talking about one of the metal pro gs of the male side of the plug?

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by Raaberto

Appreciate the tips everyone! When you say "leg" what do you mean? Are you talking about one of the metal pro gs of the male side of the plug?

There are 4 conductors on a 50A RV circuit.
Red: hot for 1/2 of the breakers
Black: hot for 1/2 of the breakers
White: neutral
Green: ground.

The 2 “HOT” leads are often referred to as legs. If you know your way around a Volt/Ohm meter it’s fairly easy to check for 110V on each leg.

[Raaberto]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

There are 4 conductors on a 50A RV circuit.
Red: hot for 1/2 of the breakers
Black: hot for 1/2 of the breakers
White: neutral
Green: ground.

The 2 “HOT” leads are often referred to as legs. If you know your way around a Volt/Ohm meter it’s fairly easy to check for 110V on each leg.

Appreciate the insight.

Also, why would a circuit work when the generator is running vs. when plugged into power? That GCFI works fine when on generator power.

I don't understand how RVs work with generator power vs. Power outlet?

[chuckster57]

Your trailer has Whats called a “transfer switch”. It’s purpose is to detect where the power source is coming from and connect the trailer to that source. Inside the transfer switch will be a series of connections. One one side there is the 4 conductors that go to the trailer breaker panel.

On the other side is one set of connectors for the generator output and another set of connections for the shore power. And loose connection can cause issues, or any failed component can cause your issue.

Another possibility is the shore cord itself or the outlet it’s plugged into.

[notanlines]

Raaberto, all good advice above. I also believe your problem will be from your power cord back to your power pedestal, most likely pedestal oriented. If you have no volt/ohm meter, one can be had for a moderate amount of money from Harbor Freight, Home Depot and the like. No need to have a meter with all the bells and whistles if you won't use one regularly. You will only use it to measure voltage, ohms of resistance and check for continuity and those three tasks are easy to master.
If you happen to have a simple receptacle tester, the one with a little plastic light and two wires, one red and one white usually, you can use it to test each 'leg' in the pedestal for power, although not for the actual voltage reading.
And be careful! Good members are hard to come by.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Raaberto

Looking for some help here from the electrical experts.

I have a 2012 Keystone Fuzion toy hauler with installed generator. For some reason, only the right half of the trailer outlets are working when I am plugged into power. When I run the generator, all outlets work. The one GCFI in the back in garage seems to be tripped but I cannot reset it. I do not know if that GCFI is the issue or not? I also checked the circuit breaker for outlets and all is fine there.

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

Raaberto

Couple of questions. First, what are you plugged into? A 50 amp pedestal? A 30 amp pedestal with an adapter or a 15 amp outlet at home? If you are plugged into a 50 amp pedestal at a cg have you tried a different location? If you are at a cg plugged into a park 50 amp ask them to confitm that the outlet is ok.

If the 50 amp outlet is ok then you need to have someone check the main panel in the camper for power comming in on both L1 and L2. I say have domeone because if you aren't familiar with working on 120 vac circuits that are live then now's not the time or place for your first lesson. If the outlet is supplying both lines but one is missing voltage inside it could be anything inbetween those 2 points including the shore cable, the connection at the inlet of the shore power cable to the trailer, the contacts on the generator transfer switch, or any of the wire conections between those points.

[Raaberto]

Thank you all for the suggestions and advice! I was plugged into the 50 amp service at the campground and I have a 30amp wire with a 50 amp adapter. I will be troubleshooting at home this week to see how things are working. I'm hoping it was either power source from the campground or at least a bad adapter.

I'll update as I get a chance to troubleshoot.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Raaberto

Thank you all for the suggestions and advice! I was plugged into the 50 amp service at the campground and I have a 30amp wire with a 50 amp adapter. I will be troubleshooting at home this week to see how things are working. I'm hoping it was either power source from the campground or at least a bad adapter.

I'll update as I get a chance to troubleshoot.

So your camper is 30 amp? That would negate loosing one leg of the feed as 30 amp service only has one line, one nuetral and the ground.

[Raaberto]

Update:

Confirmed that I do have a 50amp camper. Have two main breaker switches.

Also, plugged in trailer into the house 110 using adapter and all outlets work again and GCFI can be tested and reset.

Since almost all RV campground give you 110 outlet option, is there a reason to have the 50amp plug in working? Wondering if this will lead to issues down the road? Also, it may have been the campground's power box that was the issue. Wont be able to try again for a while as we don't have any campground reservations. Just dry camping weekend ahead.

[chuckster57]

Use your ohm meter and test your shore cord for continuity on each conductor.

[BigBobIa]

Originally Posted by Raaberto

Update:

Also, plugged in trailer into the house 110 using adapter and all outlets work again and GCFI can be tested and reset.

How do you plug 110 at home? Do you use the same 50 amp cable with a 50 to 110-20a dog bone? Or do you have an adapter at the trailer and use a house extension cord.

If using the 50a cord the I think the problem was the campground outlet or breaker. If not using the cord it could be bad.

[Essvar]

Originally Posted by Raaberto

Update:

Confirmed that I do have a 50amp camper. Have two main breaker switches.

Also, plugged in trailer into the house 110 using adapter and all outlets work again and GCFI can be tested and reset.

Since almost all RV campground give you 110 outlet option, is there a reason to have the 50amp plug in working? Wondering if this will lead to issues down the road? Also, it may have been the campground's power box that was the issue. Wont be able to try again for a while as we don't have any campground reservations. Just dry camping weekend ahead.

With all the facts you've presented, the highest probability is that the pedestal you were plugged into had one bad leg. You will want the 50amp to work if you have 2AC units or want to run everything on electric in the trailer at the same time

[Richeyb]

I had a similar problem and in the end I swapped out the connectors. In the process of swapping then out I found there was a loose connection of the Fifth wheel wiring to the female outlet. One the hot wires was loosely connected. Found lots of black scorching and very easy to see how the connection was so temporary, changing with each trip. I was just glad it didn’t catch fire.