no shore power

jtc1724 · 10-06-2010, 07:57 PM

i have a 22 ft 1987 sunline satellite that was handed down to us...i can turn on the lights but they are running off the battery...when i hook up to the power cord and switch on the breakers nothing happens...no power...i checked the fuses by the battery...i also checked the fuses on the power converter...i dont no whats wrong and its very annoying...any suggestions...

**JohnB** · 10-06-2010, 09:58 PM

Hi JTC

First off Welcome to Sunline Owners Club! Glad you found us and glad to have you with us.

We will try to get you going but need some more info.

Since the lights run off the battery, that means the 12 VDC system is intact enough to power up the lights. I’m assuming the water pump, and other 12 volt DC things work too. Like the fridge on LP gas and the furnace.

Now going to 120 VAC. You said: “when i hook up to the power cord and switch on the breakers nothing happens...no power.”

Well OK what do you mean nothing happens? When you just plain plug in and turn on all the breakers nothing will happen except it should power up the AC to DC converter. You might hear a fan or a hum or nothing. The older units many times need an actual battery installed in order to work right. You could not with them create 12 VDC to run lights etc with no battery installed.

The 120 VAC only powers the wall outlets, the microwave if you have one, the AC unit if you have one. And some have an electric option on the HW heater and the fridge.

But even when plugged in to 120 VAC all the lights still are 12 VDC.

What are you expecting to happen?

Trying to help. Give some more info so we can help better.

Hope this helps

John

jtc1724 · 10-07-2010, 03:57 AM

thank you very much for welcoming me...and yes u are right by nothing happening i mean no power to the outlets or the frig...i dont have ac...i do not hear anything when i switch the breakers over and i have checked to make sure my power is actuly makin it to the camper from the house...

DianeScraps · 10-07-2010, 08:03 AM

Have you checked the ground faults? Especially the one in the bathroom. That little bugger can mess things up big time.

Steve Collins · 10-07-2010, 09:19 AM

Does the trailer have circuit breakers or fuses for the 110vac side?

In either case there should be a small panel with no more that 5 or 6 110vac breakers or fuses. One should be a 30 amp master, and the rest all 15's.

You will need to locate these and verify that all are OK. If they are breakers, they need to be ON, and if they are fuses, they have to be good ones.

In my '99, the converter and 110vac panel are all one unit. On older trailers, it may be in a cabinet instead of mounted on a visible panel.

There is very little difference from TT wiring and residential home wiring. There's a main line coming in to a breaker or fuse panel and then it is distributed out the 110vac appliances and outlets.

It should be relatively easy to determine where the shore line goes after it enters the TT and locate the panel.

If the breakers or fuses are all OK, then it is possible the the converter side is blown if you are not hearing any transformer hum.

It would also be helpful to know the model number of your trailer so we could look at the floor plan to help figure out where things are. The easiest way to let us know is to go to the user control panel and edit your signature. If you look at the sigs of some of the other users here, you'll get a good idea of what people put there.

Gene · 10-07-2010, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DianeScraps

Have you checked the ground faults? Especially the one in the bathroom. That little bugger can mess things up big time.

I have been caught by that one! The GFI in the bathroom will kill my fridge, outside outlet and a couple more, all wired from the bathroom.

**JohnB** · 10-07-2010, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtc1724

thank you very much for welcoming me...and yes u are right by nothing happening i mean no power to the outlets or the frig...i dont have ac...i do not hear anything when i switch the breakers over and i have checked to make sure my power is actuly makin it to the camper from the house...

Hi JTC

Well, OK lets take this 1 step at a time. We will see if the can get the wall outlets to work 1st. That may lead to an underlying issue creating other problems.

If we are 1st concentrating on the wall plugs, when you plug into the house for 120VAC power you will not hear anything. Nor will you see anything, yet.

If you take a 120 VAC device, a lamp, anything small, plug it into the wall and turn it on. Now it should turn on. If not then we need to start hunting.

1st is checking fuses and breakers to be on. You may have already done this. You said you checked and made sure power was getting into the camper. H’mm, tell us how you did that and what you used to verify it?

Next is just like Diane stated. Check the ground fault interrupters receptacles. Modern day campers have 2. One in the kitchen area plug, the other in the bath area wall plug. Make sure they are reset. Those 2 GFIC's feed every wall plug in the camper. And any moisture some times trips them. I really do not know your vintage TT but I would think even at that time there could be GFIC’s

If you are plugged in, fuses and breakers all working, GFIC's all reset and still nothing from the wall plugs, then it is time to break out a multi meter if you understand the safety rules of electricity to troubleshoot further. The 12VDC battery side is separate from the 120 VAC side. Blown fuses on the DC will not affect the 120 VAC wall outlets.

On the 120 VAC side the camper is nothing but a big appliance or extension cord. The main shore line cord feeds a distribution panel where fuses or breakers limit the current to down stream devices. From there it goes direct to the wall outlets or other 120 VAC devices.

If you have a volt/ohm meter and can work on electrical safely I can explain what to look for. Or do you have a buddy who is an electrican?

Hope this helps

John

quaddriver · 10-07-2010, 11:10 AM

you have the same year sunny as me and nearly the same model so chances are good you have the same converter, which by odd twist of fate, I tore into a week or so ago...

that in mind...

1) make sure the power cord is truly making connection - clean the blades of the plug.

2) if not scared, take off the cover to the converter and using a 120v test light, make sure you have power up the cord

3) if so, its a simple circuit: the AC is distributed to the breakers (check for breakers on, master breaker, the DC power supply, and the battery charger). you should be hot at all the breakers lugs (not output if bad breaker)

4) cycle the main breaker (the bigger amp one to the left of the string)

If all of this checks out, then you have power to the breakers - its a failry mechanical path so it will either be there or will not be, with a simple fix in all cases.

Now assuming this checks out, peek at the converter. when energized it switches the coach OFF the batteries and gives generally 30+ amps of 12v to the fuse panel. on the DC side of the face plate remove the small screw at the top to see your fuses. the massive red wire is battery input from the coach batteries. If equipped the smaller red or orange wire is for stuff that requires 12v even when off (like radio memory) and of course, there is a wire off of every in use fuse going somewhere.

If you restore AC power, try the lights. if they are on, disconnect the coach battery ground. if the lights stay on, then you are on the converter. If so then you can use a test light at the coach battery positive to test for current, this should be the output from the 3amp battery charger.

every part in the converter is replacable today if you are not afraid of a soldering iron.

so start with the plug/cord and get AC into the camper. it will be simple from there on in (pull your power cable all the way out and look for mechanical damage or for it to even be ripped out - I know of people who started towing while on shore power...)

jtc1724 · 10-08-2010, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DianeScraps

Have you checked the ground faults? Especially the one in the bathroom. That little bugger can mess things up big time.

you are the man let me tell you...i never looked in the bath cause my father-in-law said there was no outlet in there...well guess what he was dead wrong...popped in the braker and bammm i had shore power...thank you so much if you send me your adress ill mail you 3 bucks to go have a beer on me...and i will def drink a few for you this weekend when im campin in the mountains of north carolina...

DianeScraps · 10-08-2010, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jtc1724

you are the man let me tell you...i never looked in the bath cause my father-in-law said there was no outlet in there...well guess what he was dead wrong...popped in the braker and bammm i had shore power...thank you so much if you send me your adress ill mail you 3 bucks to go have a beer on me...and i will def drink a few for you this weekend when im campin in the mountains of north carolina...

LOL Enjoy the beer - Glad I could help!

Diane