Hello all! My family and I are new rv owners and have encountered an electrical problem that I was hoping someone could help with. We have a 1995 30 ft Prowler that was working fine the first few months. Our problem is the wall outlets and the 2 lights on the wall work but everything else does not. No refrig,heat , ac or outside lights(outside recepticles do work). We replaced fuses, had the camp ground check the hook up and nothing helped. We are hooked up to a 50 amp site. The camp ground suggested it may be our 12 volt converter. We have no clue what it is or what is going on. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
electrical /newbie
- Thread starter wakyshak
- Start date
TexasClodhopper
Senior Member
Re: electrical /newbie
Welcome to the forum, LeAnne!
It could be your 12v system, but that includes more than just the converter (120VAC to 12VDC). You're gonna need to be able to measure the voltages on your batteries, for example. If the batteries are really bad, they could affect your converter.
Welcome to the forum, LeAnne!
It could be your 12v system, but that includes more than just the converter (120VAC to 12VDC). You're gonna need to be able to measure the voltages on your batteries, for example. If the batteries are really bad, they could affect your converter.
Re: electrical /newbie
It sounds like you have a problem with both 120v and 12v. AC runs on 120, but needs 12v for the controller to work. Refridgerator should be able to run on 120v or propane, but again needs 12v for the 'brains'.
You need to narrow down the problem. Get something you can plug into every 120v outlet and see if they all work. Pay particular attention to any GFCI outlets; those things cut out all the time, and take out any other outlet connected to them. Run the microwave, TV, etc; everything which runs on 120v only. This should give you an idea how the 120v circuits are doing.
Now check all the 12 volt things and outlets. Once you have a list of everything which works and everything which does not work, it might narrow down where the problem is.
The interface between the 120v system and the 12v system is the Inverter/charger or converter/charger. If you know what you are doing and have a test meter, checking the input voltage and output voltage of this unit will be instructive.
It sounds like you have a problem with both 120v and 12v. AC runs on 120, but needs 12v for the controller to work. Refridgerator should be able to run on 120v or propane, but again needs 12v for the 'brains'.
You need to narrow down the problem. Get something you can plug into every 120v outlet and see if they all work. Pay particular attention to any GFCI outlets; those things cut out all the time, and take out any other outlet connected to them. Run the microwave, TV, etc; everything which runs on 120v only. This should give you an idea how the 120v circuits are doing.
Now check all the 12 volt things and outlets. Once you have a list of everything which works and everything which does not work, it might narrow down where the problem is.
The interface between the 120v system and the 12v system is the Inverter/charger or converter/charger. If you know what you are doing and have a test meter, checking the input voltage and output voltage of this unit will be instructive.