No shore power and dead batteries

[Bamalynn]

I do not have a residential fridge. Ours is the 4 door, RV model. 2 side by side doors on top for freezer and two bigger side by side doors below freezer for fridge. To answer the inverter question, it continues to humm while plugged in to shore power. Is this not supposed to happen? Figured it would be on to charge the batteries, but it sounds like that's not what it's supposed to do?

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Bamalynn

I do not have a residential fridge. Ours is the 4 door, RV model. 2 side by side doors on top for freezer and two bigger side by side doors below freezer for fridge. To answer the inverter question, it continues to humm while plugged in to shore power. Is this not supposed to happen? Figured it would be on to charge the batteries, but it sounds like that's not what it's supposed to do?

I honestly think it would be in your best interest to get someone locally to look at your trailer, explain what you have and how to operate it and repair it if necessary.

[Steveo57]

You said in your original post that "A few outlets will still supply power, but very little, like to charge a phone and that's it". I'm curious what you mean by very little like to charge a phone and that's it?

If you have two air conditioners do they both work ok?

Why did you have to replace the "inverter" (I think you mean converter)?

And how have you been able to use the trailer with this problem? If you only have power for a few days until the battery goes dead what do you do?

Have you checked the reverse polarity fuses for the converter as was mentioned previously?

[Hamops]

Originally Posted by Bamalynn

I posted in my original post that 3/4 of the outlets don't work, and we replaced the 50amp cord and are plugging it into a 50amp outlet, without any adapters. This is at our home on our RV pad. This issue doesn't seem to be a lack of power from the ground to the rig as it also has failed at a campsites.
Did you check the shore power connector on the trailer? It appears that this is the only thing that hasn't been done. I suspect that the connector on your trailer has a loose or corroded connection. The loose or corroded connection can be deceiving because it may show full voltage at the circuit breaker panel, under no load conditions but a much lower voltage under load conditions. This appears to be what is happening in your case. It'll be a real pain to remove the connector from the wall of the trailer because to the caulking and sealant, but I think that you should look at it. When you get it out, inspect the connections for tightness and corrosion. A loose connection in all likelihood will show some discolourizaion of the wire and connector.

We don't notice the issue until the batteries go dead, which usually takes two days. We were told by the dealerships that if we aren't receiving any AC power, then our DC system is not functioning, due to either bad batteries or a bad inverter. Once the batteries die, none of the lights will work, and only 1/4 of the outlets function.
I firmly think that your problem is in your AC supply circuit and when that is resolved, all your other problems will be solved.

Not all dealerships have quality technicians, and some don't admit when they don't know how to fix something. I wouldn't be surprised if they said it was "fine" just to send us home.
It wouldn't be the first time for me to have to solve their problems for them. I have the same type issues with trailer service departments

As with the others in this thread, I hope that things work out for you.

[chunker]

Originally Posted by Bamalynn

I do not have a residential fridge. Ours is the 4 door, RV model. 2 side by side doors on top for freezer and two bigger side by side doors below freezer for fridge. To answer the inverter question, it continues to humm while plugged in to shore power. Is this not supposed to happen? Figured it would be on to charge the batteries, but it sounds like that's not what it's supposed to do?

I'm not familiar with that trailer but I'll make a couple observations. Since it has an RV fridge, the trailer probably doesn't have an inverter. That means all 120v items are directly from shore power. Converters will "buzz" some when operating and it almost sound like the battery disconnect is in the "OFF" position not charging the battery/(S). I also agree that it looks like the OP is in over their head on this and time to take to a good RV repair facility. I'll emphasize GOOD shop.

[Bbartley78]

It almost sounds like from what you are describing that there is an inverter in your unit and every thing 120 volt is running through that inverter from your batteries. We had a Diesel Pusher Motor Home that we could turn the inverter on and run all of our 120 volt stuff off of the 12 volt batteries. We had a four battery bank so they lasted a while. It really sounds like either that is switched that way or some kind of auto switching device has failed and is not going back to shore power when hooked up. We had a power selection panel in the MH and could turn it on or off.

Brian & Susan Bartley
Austin, MN
2007 F150
2018 Wildwood FSX 190SS 19' Travel Trailer
We downsized to tiny

[moodman]

Originally Posted by Bamalynn

I do not have a residential fridge. Ours is the 4 door, RV model. 2 side by side doors on top for freezer and two bigger side by side doors below freezer for fridge. To answer the inverter question, it continues to humm while plugged in to shore power. Is this not supposed to happen? Figured it would be on to charge the batteries, but it sounds like that's not what it's supposed to do?

My 5er is exactly the same year and model as yours. I too have the RV model fridge. None of my 120v outlets work on battery power, per the design. This model has a converter, not an inverter, so you cannot expect 120V power on any outlet when running on batteries. Also, even if connected to shore power, when there is a power draw (even 12V lights) you can hear the fan running on the converter behind the bathroom wall.

In the upstairs bedroom there is a USB outlet by the bed. I use it to charge my phone. Behind the bedroom TV is a 12V plug (the round type) where you could plug in an addon inverter that wold give you some limited 120V power, but that's it!

All my 12V lights and the slides work just fine, even with no shore power.

When I am at home, I run a regular extension cord to the rig plugged into a 30amp to 50amp wishbone adapter that is then plugged into the unit's regular power cord. This keep my batteries topped off at home and gives me limited lighting (and if I wanted to, I could power the fridge, since that is a 12V unit)

I do love my 362RD, and will test out some things on mine if you ask me so that you can see if your rig is "normal" or if it's really misbehaving. Good luck!

[Big 417]

How can this be so difficult? Make sure your breakers are all switched on. Make sure your battery disconnect is on if you have one. If that things plugged in everything 120 should be working full bore. So verify breakers are on. And that includes the double set on the pole. Could be a loose connection at the converter, or as said the converter it self is shot. I wish I was there, could probably figure it out in 5 minutes, as I'm sure many of us could

[JRTJH]

According to the OP's first post, this trailer has been to 2 different dealership service departments and they've both "found nothing wrong"

AND

The OP stated in that same post, "The dealerships think we're nuts and just "inexperienced" but this is our fourth trailer over the past 15 years (1st 5th wheel) but we do have a clue of how this is supposed to work."

So, apparently there is some "experience base" that the OP has and in "comparing previous RV electrical systems" with "this RV's electrical system" there is a significant difference. I don't think it's as "simple as not being plugged into shore power" if they have had 3 other RV's, surely they already know this....

It seems "perplexing" to me... I'd suggest having a "third set of eyes" come to the location where the trailer is "not working correctly" while it's hooked up to the "problem electrical source" and let that "third set of eyes" see the actual condition of the plugs that barely have any power" and the electrical components that won't work"... Possibly there's something as simple as a "non-powered leg on the 50 amp plug" or a bad adapter plug that's in use to adapt the 50 amp power cord down to a 20 amp garage outlet ???

Something is amiss and, if the OP has had 3 previous trailers, surely they recognize the difference between the 12 VDC electrical system and the 120 VAC electrical system.... At least I'd hope that after owning 3 previous trailers, they've been exposed to that basic concept.

[McRod]

As someone else stated, you don't have an "inverter" in the rig from factory without a residential fridge. You have a "converter", which is to convert shore power and charge your batteries. Its part of your 12v system, which is why some of your "outlets", rather your 12v USB hubs, work and your standard 3 prong 110v outlets don't work. You will drain your batteries using your 12v system and not having shore power to allow the converter to recharge them...takes a day or two for them to go dead.

Your 110v outlets will only work in 2 ways. 1.) 50Amp shore power (electric line or generator) plugged into your RV. 2.) You have a sizeable aftermarket "inverter" wired into your RV that will invert 12v power from your batteries to 110v for your outlets. Most RVs do not come from factory with option #2. Even the RVs that have residential refers only have a small inverter to power the refer and not the entire RV.

[Frosty46]

Originally Posted by Bamalynn

This has been a problem from the word go, day one, when we brought the coach home brand new. This is a 2018 Montana High Country 362RD. The 110 outlets do not have any power to 3/4 of the coach, and none of the AC power appliances will operate. A few outlets will still supply power, but very little, like to charge a phone and that's it. None of the lights or smoke detector are able to power on. The batteries will only hold a charge from when we manually charge them, or from being hooked up to the pull vehicle. This is the only way we are able to power the jacks up/down when the system is dead. We've replaced the deep cycle batteries, replaced the inverter at a dealer, and still the issue persists. Replaced the 50amp power cord, and run it directly to our 50amp outlet without any adapters. No blown fuses and we've deduced that there has to be a short somewhere that is draining the batteries in a matter of a few days. It's been very frustrating that the dealerships (2) we've taken it to say they can't find a problem when it's on their lot, yet when we bring it home, shore power won't even charge the batteries. We've checked the kill switch in the battery compartment, checked the "store" switch in the power compartment, moved everything to both positions thinking possibly it was installed backwards. We were told that it must be the batteries, since the coach won't supply power if the batteries break the chain of power in the electronic loop. I'm not an electrician, and we have tried looking in every forum for every mention of inverter issues, and have gotten nowhere. The dealerships think we're nuts and just "inexperienced" but this is our fourth trailer over the past 15 years (1st 5th wheel) but we do have a clue of how this is supposed to work. If anyone can give me some ideas of what to try next, we're all ears. Hopefully I've been clear and didn't misspeak in any of the terminology. Husband is familiar with high voltage/amp electronic systems but not low voltage so this has been a real challenge.

Stop what you are doing with this rig and find a licensed electrician. End of story here. Fire trap at best is my estimation.....life long electrician.

[sonofcy]

Originally Posted by Bamalynn

Okay, so to reply back to all of the questions:
Husband found that when the batteries don't have enough charge, the GFI trips, and all outlets that are tied to the GFI (in the main bathroom) go dead. This also happens to be all of the main appliances, outdoor kitchen, rear bathroom, fireplaces. So, that part has been figured out as to the outlet situation.

The power was tested in-line in several places, and everywhere that was tested had correct power for both proper legs, nothing was "not working".

So, when the batteries are hooked up to a charger and the GFI is reset, all outlets are working and all lights too. Everything working as it should. The minute the batteries come off the charger, and drain after a couple days, the issue presents itself again. These are brand new batteries, new inverter, new shore power cord. No idea why shore power isn't charging the batteries.

So, the two systems are connected and being plugged in will not power everything without the batteries being fully (or mostly) charged. While using the coach and plugged in, the batteries are getting depleted. If that's not supposed to be how the system should be wired, then we're really screwed... sigh.

Two things you need to understand. Batteries should only be used 50%, buy a real shunt based monitor to do that. Buy REAL deep discharge batteries, nowhere on the battery should it speak of cranking amps. The gold standard is Trojan T105. You need 2 as they are 6V and must be wired in series.

Until you fix the AC side of things, do not even install the batteries.
The GFCI has nothing to do with your batteries.
When you say inverter do you really mean converter, that's what charges the batteries. An inverter is for creating AC from DC.

Find the AC problem first.
And yes, I am a retired electrician.

[sonofcy]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

According to the OP's first post, this trailer has been to 2 different dealership service departments and they've both "found nothing wrong"

AND

The OP stated in that same post, "The dealerships think we're nuts and just "inexperienced" but this is our fourth trailer over the past 15 years (1st 5th wheel) but we do have a clue of how this is supposed to work."

So, apparently there is some "experience base" that the OP has and in "comparing previous RV electrical systems" with "this RV's electrical system" there is a significant difference. I don't think it's as "simple as not being plugged into shore power" if they have had 3 other RV's, surely they already know this....

It seems "perplexing" to me... I'd suggest having a "third set of eyes" come to the location where the trailer is "not working correctly" while it's hooked up to the "problem electrical source" and let that "third set of eyes" see the actual condition of the plugs that barely have any power" and the electrical components that won't work"... Possibly there's something as simple as a "non-powered leg on the 50 amp plug" or a bad adapter plug that's in use to adapt the 50 amp power cord down to a 20 amp garage outlet ???

Something is amiss and, if the OP has had 3 previous trailers, surely they recognize the difference between the 12 VDC electrical system and the 120 VAC electrical system.... At least I'd hope that after owning 3 previous trailers, they've been exposed to that basic concept.

Excellent suggestion, there is a decent chance the home 50A is not working correctly. I am assuming the OP had a 50A service installed, if not then the problem is definitely with the home power.

[Big 417]

Originally Posted by sonofcy

Excellent suggestion, there is a decent chance the home 50A is not working correctly. I am assuming the OP had a 50A service installed, if not then the problem is definitely with the home power.

Didn't they say it acts this way at RV parks also? I'm really struggling with their experience, 4th RV and not a clue what's causing this? It's frustrating not being close by and able to help.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Big 417

Didn't they say it acts this way at RV parks also? I'm really struggling with their experience, 4th RV and not a clue what's causing this? It's frustrating not being close by and able to help.

If the problem is a 30:50 amp adapter plug that they use at home, and use when camping in parks without a 50 amp plug on the pedestal …

AND...

BOTH the dealerships that checked their RV just plugged the dealership power cord into their trailer … (completely bypassing the adapter, the OP's 50 amp power cord) well.... If either of those two items is the problem....

They need someone to "see and feel and smell" the actual trailer "as it sits in their parking space at home WHILE the problem is happening" … They don't need to be dragging it to a 3rd dealership to repeat the "can not duplicate" and send them home again.....

[rdnels]

I purchased a 2019 Cougar 315rls and found a problem like yours. I traced mine to the plug on the trailer where the power cord plugs in. When I removed the outlet from the trailer, the wire fell out of the outlet. I tightened the wire and it fixed the problem.

[flybouy]

As I previously stated I think they need in person help. They not only don't know how to troubleshoot I don't think they know how to operate their camper. Previous ownership means nothing. A lot of people own and drive many vehicles and are lucky if their knowledge goes further than where the gas fill is.

I've said it before but I'll repeat myself. In my opinion there are 2 basic types of dwellers. Those that own a home and maintain it and those that should rent so they can call the landlord to replace a light bulb. Considering the manufacturing process and the extremes conditions an RV can be subjected to I wouldn't recommend it for the renter types.