Generator & Electrical issues

[chin_k]

Some shop may just hand you back the keys, and said they found nothing, and charge you $200. Or they will try very hard to find the now non-existing issue, and end up with a bigger bill. I hate it when problem goes away unexplained, since you never know when and how it will come back later.

[Scott]

Have the shop inspect the outside outlet. I bet you it's crusty. If so, it would be the culprit for tripping the GFCI.

[SMan]

Have the shop inspect the outside outlet. I bet you it's crusty. If so, it would be the culprit for tripping the GFCI.

This is my thought as well. (Check the outside refer outlet too)

[HoosierB]

I'm with chin_k and Scott on this one...if you must have a shop do the diagnostic, try to be there for it to avoid the common rip-off (don't ask me how I know). To me, this sounds like a loose or corroded connection... "on, then off". Like Scott suggested, I would start with inspection of the outside outlet and work back from there. The upside is you will have inspected your outlets to make sure all are secure and proper. If you can find a good neighborhood electrician, it might be better than a typical "RV Shop".

[djkerch]

I recently purchased a 2003 Chinook - Premier, diesel. I am slowly working my way through the coach systems and issues. I purchased it in Aug. attempted to drive it to home, (2400 miles - a dumb decision) ended up shipping it home. Since then it has been to mechanic and the engine runs great, in fact I did a trip from San Diego to Washington successfully.

However, I have identified some coach issues...the refer and other electrical outlets do not transfer when plugged into shore power and in fact my outlets in the coach all do not work. I found the GFCI and tested and reset it, it seems there are two GFCI outlets in my coach...one by bathroom and one by sink/galley. I think there is only supposed to have one GFCI by bathroom.

Anyway, before I take it to the shop I want to do a little trouble-shooting....any advise out there?
DJ

[Manitou]

You said it didn't work on shore power. How about on generator? Does the roof a/c work? microwave? Theres an auto transfer switch somewhere, but I can't recall of its behind the drawers (where shore power cord folds in) or in the generators bay. I do know there is a big 50amp breaker in with the generator bay. May be work a check. I think you see a white tab when it's tripped... on the left wall as you're facing the generator.. so.. like towards the rear of the chinook.

[chin_k]

2003 is newer than mine, so maybe there is another GFCI by the sink galley... maybe it was a custom addition?

The ATS is attached to the AC/DC control panel under the sink area, many people call it the brown box. There is not a lot of slack behind it for you to pull out if you take out the screws, but you will see the shore power cord and a Romex wire going into it on the back of the metal attachment behind the brown box.

If you are familiar with working with 110 AC, you can follow the shore power to the AC distribution panel and trouble shoot it. It is pretty straight forward, since electricity only runs in conductor (and human body).

1, make sure the shore power is 110V where you plug it in. Test it with a AC voltmeter to make sure.
2, inspect the shore power line to make sure the adapter is in good shape, and no nicks or cuts or other obvious defect.
3, inspect the AC breaker panel to make sure the breaker is on. Flip it back and forth to make sure it "sounds" right when you trip it and set it back on. The most important breaker is the 30A main breaker. If it is not working, nothing will get AC power.
4, if both genset and shore power does not let any of your AC appliances to work (roof AC, microwave, charger/converter, outlet, microwave), then unplug the shore line, and shut off the genset, and then pull out the "brown box." Let's the fun begin. (that is, there is no power anywhere in the system, I assume there is no inverter there.)
5, I think the ATS only switch the black/hot wire, so maybe you can test the continuity of the neutral (white) wire to see if it is connect to the neutral of the shore cable.... not too sure about that, but it should be harmless.
6, the rest of the troubleshooting will involve take the ATS apart (there is a screw or two to take off to open up the metal plate.) and make sure one of the power is flowing thru. It is possible that the ATS have a bad solenoid switch, or one of the connections got lose.

I would troubleshoot in the power off mode with continuity meter, but if someone is being paid by the hour, he/she better do this on a live circuity and save me a few minutes of labor It is pretty simple, since you just follow the wiring and find out which component or connection is the missing link.