No 12 Volt Service - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Dreamers · RV-Dreams Family Member

No 12 Volt Service

The Bear II · RV-Dreams Family Member

The wiring on our converter came loose twice in the past. It killed the 12V to the lights and refrigerator. I unplugged from the shore power and opened the acces compartment on the converter to get to the Power in/ Power Out wiring. I took loose all connections, cleaned and reinstalled the wire nuts one connection at a time. Everything worked after that. One of the connections must have vibrated loose a couple of years later. I had to do it all over again. That's been about 5 years and no problem since.

I've allso had the breaker trip a couple of times. You may get lucky and the breaker on the converter tripped. Look at the instructions, locate the breaker and reset it. This is an easy fix.

-- Edited by The Bear II on Thursday 31st of March 2011 02:16:28 PM

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

First thing to check, is the 120 volt circuit breaker that feeds the converter tripped as suggested? Second, is the 12 volt converter plugged in? Seriously, is the plug all the way in the 120 volt socket? (Had that happen.) Third, do you have a 12 volt master fuse? If so, check it. There may be one in the Xantrex itself. Possibley internal but I think those are external.

Certainly check the voltage right at the output of the charger. If nothing there, call Xantrex. They have a help line - or did.

Best first guesses should they help.

Bill

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

I think that you have a 12 V disconnect adjacent to the power panel. Verify it is "engaged" to provide power to the 12 V system. Should look like an old fashioned choke knob in a car, only short throw. Other than that, sounds like a master fuse. BTW, are the batteries charged? Since you have a 5th wheel, how did you get the landing gear down? (or up?) Most often, the landing gear is powered before the 12 V panel, direct from the batteries. If the batteries are up, it's a switch or master fuse.

Dreamers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for all the replies. We did have a tripped breaker but that didn't solve the problem. Whatever happened tripped the breaker but the converter is not working. There is 110 coming in and nothing going out. DH checked all the fuses but none blown. We also Xantrax but got no help. They do not support these converters anymore. We called Montana and they gave us the name of a dealer 40 miles south of the campground where we are. We called him and he tried to be very helpful. Had already called camping world. He is getting us one in from their other location but will be Monday and it will only be a 65 AMP where our broken converter is 80 AMP. So, we took our portable battery charger and hooked it up to our house batteries and we have 12 volt. Things always happen at the worst time and place. We're in the middle of no where.

Judy (& Bob)

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

Dreamers wrote:
. . . .. it will only be a 65 AMP where our broken converter is 80 AMP. So, we took our portable battery charger and hooked it up to our house batteries and we have 12 volt.

That's a good temporary fix, the batter charger. Keep your batteries connected so they will "filter" the power from the charger and also get charged as well. FWIW, don't be concerned about the 65 amp size. It will be just fine.

Bill