No electric to camper

CarrieOri · 08-29-2021, 04:14 PM

We have been hooked up to shore power (using AC) for 6 days with no issues. This morning I made coffee (kcup machine) and then power went out. No breakers have been tripped, we have 120v power to the camper. The converter is not bad. The camper is a 2021 290bhs.

NH_Bulldog · 08-29-2021, 04:49 PM

All power, or just the outlets? You may have tripped a GFI, usually found in the bathroom

CarrieOri · 08-29-2021, 04:51 PM

We cannot test the GFI due to no power. ALL power is gone. Batteries are good, power to camper but no power in camper.

**sourdough** · 08-29-2021, 04:54 PM

Some clarifications would help.

"Power went out" after using the coffee machine but you have 120vac to the trailer. ALL 120vac to everything or just the coffee machine? The air conditioner, microwave, outlets etc. - all do not work? You said you had power to the trailer - how did you determine that? The converter will have nothing to do with providing 120vac to the trailer.

If you have 120vac at the trailer plug the next stop is the power panel and the main breaker. Start at the start and lets track where the power is or isn't. Do you have and know how to use a VOM?

CarrieOri · 08-29-2021, 05:07 PM

Nothing in the camper works. None of the breakers in the camper or at the main breaker on our house were tripped. We have 120v where we plug the camper in. Using a volt meter we are getting 4volts at the 30amp breaker in the camper. Does this make sense? My husband is electric savvy so we have tested basically everything we know to test.

Javi · 08-29-2021, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarrieOri

Nothing in the camper works. None of the breakers in the camper or at the main breaker on our house were tripped. We have 120v where we plug the camper in. Using a volt meter we are getting 4volts at the 30amp breaker in the camper. Does this make sense? My husband is electric savvy so we have tested basically everything we know to test.

Then check each connection from last place there is 120 volts.

The dog bone if use one, if it is good then check the plug on the cord, then the next connection, and the next until you find the outage.

**sourdough** · 08-29-2021, 05:20 PM

What kind of cord(s), cables, connectors, dogbones etc. are you using? Have you pulled them all apart to check the connectors? Pull the cable off the plug to the trailer - do you have 120vac going into the plug on the outside of the trailer?

CarrieOri · 08-29-2021, 05:29 PM

We have a 120vac going into the trailer. Everything is 10 gauge. I am unfamiliar with a dogbone?

**JRTJH** · 08-29-2021, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarrieOri

We have a 120vac going into the trailer. Everything is 10 gauge. I am unfamiliar with a dogbone?

Is this a 120 VAC 15 amp or 20 amp "house outlet" with an adapter (often called a dogbone) to connect to the trailer's 30 amp fitting? If so, have you got a GFCI plug where the trailer is plugged in?

As for troubleshooting, what is the voltage at the plug on the house? You said there was 4 volts at the breaker IN THE TRAILER... If there is 120 volts on the house plug, then the problem is your extension cord or the trailer. If there is also 4 volts at the house plug, the problem is in your house wiring.

Reading back through your posts, you said you have 120 volts at the house plug and 4 volts at the trailer circuit breaker. That means there's a problem with either the trailer wiring or the extension cord from the house to the trailer. Disconnect the trailer and measure voltage at the extension cord plug that plugs into the trailer. If it's 120 volts, the problem is likely a loose wire that's not screwed tight on the circuit breaker panel. If there is not 120 volts at the trailer end of the extension cord, the problem is in the extension cord.

CarrieOri · 08-29-2021, 05:49 PM

The power cord is good. How in the hell do you find a loose wire in a camper??��*♀️

**sourdough** · 08-29-2021, 05:58 PM

If you have 120vac at the end of the cord plugging into the trailer, what does the inside of that plug look like? Clean, non burned etc.? If so go to the power panel and pull it out, your 120vac connections and bus bars will be there. Look for a loose/broken connection or anything else out of the ordinary.

**sourdough** · 08-29-2021, 08:55 PM

I was in bed and had a thought on this; "the converter is not bad"....the converter is fed by 120vac thru the power panel..... How was that determination made, and if true, you have power to the power panel???

**flybouy** · 08-30-2021, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarrieOri

We have been hooked up to shore power (using AC) for 6 days with no issues. This morning I made coffee (kcup machine) and then power went out. No breakers have been tripped, we have 120v power to the camper. The converter is not bad. The camper is a 2021 290bhs.

I've read several unanswered questions. I have a few myself in trying to understand what's going on.

To begin, if you are plugged into anythjng less than a 30 amp outlet you cannot operate the a/c and a coffee maker. So first question, what exatly are you plugged into? For clarification a "dogbone" is an adapter with a short wire that has a different amperage plug on each end so it looks like a dog's bone. Typically they are 15 amp male and 30 amp female plugs. There is also a less expensive "hockey puck" style adapters. They are very prone to failure and I would advise against their use. If you are using that style adapter that would be my first suspect.

How are you confirming voltage to the camper? The way your narrative reads it sounds like you may be reading each side of the main breaker. If that's correct, and you have 120 v between the black and white wires feeding the panel and no voltage between the wire wire feeding the panel and the screw terminal on that breaker than the breaker is either off or defective. If you do not have voltage at the wires comming into the electric panel but confirmed at the outlet the camper is plugged into then the problem lies inbetween those two points.

**JRTJH** · 08-30-2021, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CarrieOri

The power cord is good. How in the hell do you find a loose wire in a camper??��*♀️

Take a look at the photo below. You'll see a large number of "terminal screw connections" on white wires, black wires and bare copper wires. Any one of those wires, if not connected, loose or damaged can cause the problems you're having.

Once again, you've not answered the most basic questions: What kind of extension cord and what kind of outlet (on your house) are you plugged into? As stated, at least 3 times, you can't run "everything in the trailer" on a 15 amp house plug. That's an excellent way to burn up the extension cord or worse, the appliances in your trailer.

You check for loose wires in a camper the same way you check for loose wires in your house.

Bruce Jackson · 09-09-2021, 07:33 AM

Hi, Can you take the plug on the side of your trailer off and make
sure that all the wire connections on the back of the plug are tight.
This same thing happen to my brother and we spent hours checking
all connections and circuit breakers. It was the plug where your shore
power plugs into your trailer.

tlist809 · 09-09-2021, 07:49 AM

Do you have a EMS or surge protection unit inside the trailer? It could be that is blown. Or if you have an external EMS/Surge protector it could be bad, just take it out of the circuit and see if you have power.

Krog1278 · 09-09-2021, 04:10 PM

Why is the Op trying to get us to shot gun diagnose a brand new camper. Electric is nothing to mess with, if they were electric savvy like they say they are. Basic continuity, and diagnosing an open should be fairly straight forward. Not being able to respond to simple question like “are you plugged into a 15/20 amp residential outlet or a 30 amp rv receptacle” is just asking for an accident or worse.

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