No 12 volt at all

[wanderingwingers]

Here in the campground the power went out. We found out real quick that our 12 volt system is not working. No lights, nothing that runs on 12 volts works.

This may have been this way for awhile. We found out that our refrigerator does not work when not plugged into shore power last week. We have an appointment Tuesday to have that looked at but now that we have no shore power, and nothing on 12 volts that works it could be something else.

I was thinking it must be the converter box or something. My two six volt batteries are showing 6.23 volts each so they are good.

Any Ideas? I am using my honda generator tonight to keep the refrigerator going. Tomorrow I will be calling DRV to see if they can help trouble shoot.

[Cheif 2]

There is a breaker in the battery compartment that may have tripped. It is an automotive type that you need to push in to reset. That may be your problem.

[wanderingwingers]

Sheesh, I feel like a nimwit!javascript:emoticon(':oops:')
The problem was the battery disconnect switch at the leveler control panel. It says pull is on. I took that to mean it had to be pushed in for 12 volt to work and pulled out for the battery disconnect to be "ON".

It must have gotten pushed in. As long as I was connected to shore power the converter was giving me 12 volts to run everything. After I pulled the disconnect knob out everything worked as it should.

What is really bad is a fellow forum member on the suites forum told me to check it. I did and interpreted it wrong and thought it was okay.

On the positive side, I now know that my Honda generator will go 8 hours on a full tank.

Another lesson learned. At least I did not have a service call to pay for.
Thanks for the help and the replies.

Now, back to my continuing education on how this rig works.


:oops:

[terry and jo]

Dave and Maxine,

Well, I can attest to the fact that a LOT of us are still learning, so don't beat yourself up in any way. I've been following three different forums since about mid-2008 and I continue to learn every day. But, in spite of what I have learned, I STILL have a lot of issues that I don't know enough about.

That said......welcome to the club.

Terry

[wingnut60]

Wingers...
Exact same thing happened to me when I got my '05 in '07--misinterpreted in/out and off/on. Cost me a trip to Camping World and a lot of embarrassment!!
But, wait, there is more to come in your RV years.
Joe

[golf_bears]

It takes a long time to graduate out of being a "Rookie" and after three years I haven’t graduated yet. But I'm hopeful????

Enjoy your travels and maybe we’ll hook up some day and trade a few RV leaning stories!!

[wanderingwingers]

Thanks for all of the support for this rookie.

I have just learned a little bit more now after getting off of the phone with DRV.

When I ordered my MS I ordered a surge protector, $325.00 option.
We had a power line go down in the park last night and had low voltage throughout the park. The only way I new it was my A/C started knocking and making noise. My neighbor stated that his surge guard shut off power to the coach. (why didn't mine due that?)

I started looking for my surge protector. I could not find it. I pulled all of my paperwork and found a sheet for a surge guard transfer box. Now I do not have a generator or generator prep, why would I need a transfer box?

I called Ryan Miller at DRV and explained my situation. He said he would call me back after he talked to the engineer's. I just got off the phone with him and he told me that DRV uses the transfer box as a surge protector since it does the same thing with the generator/shore power monitoring. The only problim with that I told him was that the transfer box will only protect from high voltage. A true surge protector will protect on both low and high voltage. I basically paid $325.00 for an option that is only doing half of what I expected it to due. I ordered a surge protector not a transfer box.

They do not install a true surge guard. I told him that it was very miss leading and that the sales people need to address it. I guess technically I was protected from surges but not protected the way I thought I was suppose to be.

Now I will be looking at buying a hardwired surge protector that protects both high and low voltage.

[terry and jo]

OK. Now I've just learned something else new. We also have the transfer switch in our unit. A few months back, we had a power "dip" in the neighborhood where we lived. That "dip" affected both the house and the electric at the RV pad. After the "dip" our transfer switch started buzzing. Later, the buzzing stopped and when the dealership worked on some other issues, they looked at the transfer switch and it was OK.

Your story now will prompt me to look into the same issue. So, still learning.

Thanks.

Terry

[hitchup]

A surge guard wasn't an option when we ordered our 2nd Suite. We learned our lesson on CG power surges during our first hot summer FTing in Charleston, SC. Every Sunday for the month of August, the power would go dim and then go out. One day, the transformer in the park blew and we lost 3 Monster Surge guards that were on the electronics. Those alone were pricey.

We bought a Franks' Voltage Booster when we bought our ES only because it was the only version they had at the time at the dealership. Since it also helped in brown-outs, we decided to buy it instead of ordering some other type.

It's helped out many times and is still going strong after over 5 yrs of fulltiming.

[bstark]

Something that would prove productive and possibly save a future problem is to remove that cover from the IOTA transfer switch and after amking sure you're isolated from shore power. Tighten every connection within the thing as mine was emitting an "ozone" smell of hot connections and, sure enough, about 50% of the connections within were loose.

[wanderingwingers]

Hitchup

I looked at the link for the Franks voltage booster. It looks like that would be a good solution. We are currently at a park where I have low voltage. Since DRV put in a the transfer box instead of a "true" surge guard I bought a monitor to plug in. Currently we are running about 102 to 105v volts. I am not running my A/C and have my fridge on LP. This voltage booster maybe just the right thing to have.

Do you have to have 2, one for 30 amp and one for 50 amp? Or could you just by a 50 amp and use an adapter for 30 amps when all you can get is 30 amps.

[Vern]

Dave:

I highly recommend the Progressive Industries Hardwired unit. You just remove the transfer switch and put the Progressive Industries unit in its place. On my unit DRV had left slack in both the in and out wiring cables, which made it an easy replacement. I also put in the remote control unit/display. I put one above the sliding basement door (above the water manifold) and the other one in the electronics closet. They show voltage and amps passing thru, on both hot legs.

Later, Vern

[wanderingwingers]

Vern

I was looking at the Progressive 50 amp hardwired unit as a possible solution. Hardwired in was my first choice. However, I am currently sitting in a park where the voltage is low and some other RV's that have a surge guard are having the power shut off due to only having 104 volts.

I do not want to run my A/C with only 104 to 105 volts (concerned about low voltage damage). So I think the best thing to do would be to get a voltage booster that also is a surge guard. From what I have read so far, the Progressive is just a surge guard and not a booster.

I would change parks but we wanted the kids activities here for this trip.

I spent $325.00 for a built in surge guard and DRV just installs a Transfer Box. I will ask for a credit back when I have some repairs done at the factory but I am not holding my breath.

What concerns me is I have gone the last year thinking I was protected when I wasn't. Bet they would not have covered any damaged appliances due to low voltage damage. I wonder how many other DRV owners ordered a built in surge guard and just received a transfer box.

[Huck]

Do you have to have 2, one for 30 amp and one for 50 amp? Or could you just by a 50 amp and use an adapter for 30 amps when all you can get is 30 amps.

If you buy a 50 amp. booster it will work on 30 amp too.

I used to have a 50 amp. Autoformer in my Suite. It worked fine at 30 amp. campsites.

[Vern]

Dave:

That is true but that is better than ruining appliances! Usually the park power is somewhat above 104V but when the AC compressor kicks in, then it goes 104 or less. If the AC is turned off, the Progressive unit will turn the coach back on. If the park power is really 104 V, you would not find me hooked to it at all!!

When we were at the rally in June, the power on one leg was 109 and the other leg was 116. Naturally, the 109 was the AC leg. At 109 it still went below 104 when the AC compressor kicked in. The problem wound up being a low leg at the Main Panel. He had the power company come out and they turned up our sections transformer two clicks. We then had 116 on one leg and 121 on the other. No more problems! This was all within the first afternoon. I was impressed with parks electricians 'get-r-done' attitude.

Later, Vern

[hitchup]

We only have 1- 50 amp box.

As Huck pointed out. You can use the 50 amp box with a 30 amp adaptor plug when 30 amp site is all that's available.

[anijet]

The 50 amp box is good for what ever load the unit is pulling "up to" 50 amps. I have the Progressive hardwired unit but if I was buying again, it would be the Frank's Booster. Very nice units.