# Partial Power



## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

I'm having some major electrical problems. , the furnace/air conditioner is not working. I checked the breakers and everything was fine. I checked the GFCI in the bathroom and it's fine checked fuses and are OK.
Every time I try to turn on a light I heard a beep...the camper is at home and I have a 30 amp breaker (is OK). The microwave works ok....tv works ok, I check the battery power and is about 4 volts, but it is plugged to the 30amps outlet.
Can this be the problem? PLEASE HELP I'm going camping next week .


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

kargorooOutbacker said:


> I'm having some major electrical problems. , the furnace/air conditioner is not working. I checked the breakers and everything was fine. I checked the GFCI in the bathroom and it's fine checked fuses and are OK.
> Every time I try to turn on a light I heard a beep...the camper is at home and I have a 30 amp breaker (is OK). The microwave works ok....tv works ok, I check the battery power and is about 4 volts, but it is plugged to the 30amps outlet.
> Can this be the problem? PLEASE HELP I'm going camping next week .


The beep is the LP or CO detector. Both will beep with low 12V battery voltage. If you have a multimeter check the voltage at the battery. If the voltage is low then either the converter is not working or there is a problem feeding the power back to the battery or a dead battery (low on water). Pop the cover off of the converter and check the voltage at the black and white wires (make sure that the converter/charger breaker is on) if its feeding 13v out than I would check the 40a auto reset breaker in the + line (black) from the battery. James


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

I'd start with checking all ground connections are clean and are connected firmly.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

If you've got 4 volts from your battery(ies), those batteries are flat out dead. Lowest voltage should be in the 11.6 - 11.8 volt range.

You say your batteries are hooked up to the 120 volt 30 amp house supply. How? Through a battery charger, I hope! <grin!>

The furnace requires 12vdc to run even when on shore power---If you've not got 12v, that's a sign.


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

hautevue said:


> If you've got 4 volts from your battery(ies), those batteries are flat out dead. Lowest voltage should be in the 11.6 - 11.8 volt range.
> 
> You say your batteries are hooked up to the 120 volt 30 amp house supply. How? Through a battery charger, I hope! <grin!>
> 
> The furnace requires 12vdc to run even when on shore power---If you've not got 12v, that's a sign.


Well the camper is plugged and is suppose to charge the battery...
I checked all the connections and are OK, I think the inverter is not working (not charging the battery) nothing that is 12v is working but I have 120v in every outlet.


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

On the 120v side there is a breaker for the converter/charger and on the 12v side there are two 30a or 40a fuses that are to protect the converter/charger if the battery was cross connected. There is also the 40a auto reset breaker in the + line. James


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

GarethsDad said:


> On the 120v side there is a breaker for the converter/charger and on the 12v side there are two 30a or 40a fuses that are to protect the converter/charger if the battery was cross connected. There is also the 40a auto reset breaker in the + line. James


I have not change or touched the battery(no cross connected), I checked all the fuses and breakers and all are OK.
The fan on the converter is not working so I'm thinking is the converter...but the AC is not working either ... It actually seams like there is not power going in, but I have power every where else...


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## GarethsDad (Apr 4, 2007)

kargorooOutbacker said:


> On the 120v side there is a breaker for the converter/charger and on the 12v side there are two 30a or 40a fuses that are to protect the converter/charger if the battery was cross connected. There is also the 40a auto reset breaker in the + line. James


I have not change or touched the battery(no cross connected), I checked all the fuses and breakers and all are OK.
The fan on the converter is not working so I'm thinking is the converter...but the AC is not working either ... It actually seams like there is not power going in, but I have power every where else...
[/quote]
Unplug the shore power and remove the cover from the breaker panel. Open the access cover and tighten all of the black wires at the breakers and all of the + wires on the 12v side. Now tighten all of the white and ground wires on the buss bar. You will need to pull a few screws and pull the breaker/fuse panel out and tighten all of the 12v ground wires. You could have a problem with loose screws. James


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## Scoutr2 (Aug 21, 2006)

Oregon_Camper said:


> I'd start with checking all ground connections are clean and are connected firmly.


X2. If you have a loose ground wire on the 110V side of your converter, it will not run or charge your battery. If you are plugged into shore power and your battery is at 4V, the the converter is not charging your battery.

My microwave quit twice in the first year we had our Outback. Both times, the problem was a loose ground wire in the converter. Here's how to check:

Unplug the shore power. Pull the cover plate off (2 screws). Unplug the shore power. Locate the metal bar with screws that clamps all the ground wires. (Did I mention to unplug the shore power?) Tighten all connections. Check to see that all breakers are seated well.

Then replace the cover and plug back into shore power. Hopefully, you'll hear the converter charging your battery. You can tell for sure by turing on your ceiling lights. That should make the converter lug down a bit - which is a good thing, because that means your converter is operating. Then check the battery again the next morning. If it is still low, you either have a bad battery or a bad converter. (Hope for the battery. Much cheaper and easier to fix!)

Mike


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

The converter may be dead what if any voltage are you getting from it? BTW the AC unit required 12vdc to operate so if you do not have a good battery or converter you will be dead in the water.


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

Scoutr2 said:


> I'd start with checking all ground connections are clean and are connected firmly.


X2. If you have a loose ground wire on the 110V side of your converter, it will not run or charge your battery. If you are plugged into shore power and your battery is at 4V, the the converter is not charging your battery.

My microwave quit twice in the first year we had our Outback. Both times, the problem was a loose ground wire in the converter. Here's how to check:

Unplug the shore power. Pull the cover plate off (2 screws). Unplug the shore power. Locate the metal bar with screws that clamps all the ground wires. (Did I mention to unplug the shore power?) Tighten all connections. Check to see that all breakers are seated well.

Then replace the cover and plug back into shore power. Hopefully, you'll hear the converter charging your battery. You can tell for sure by turing on your ceiling lights. That should make the converter lug down a bit - which is a good thing, because that means your converter is operating. Then check the battery again the next morning. If it is still low, you either have a bad battery or a bad converter. (Hope for the battery. Much cheaper and easier to fix!)

Mike
[/quote]

Thanks, is too dark now, but I will try all your recommendations tomorrow.
How difficult is to replace the converter? I'm mechanical oriented.








Can the battery be dead after only two years?
If it is the converter or the battery, can this interfere with the AC?

I don't want to take it to the stealer ...


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Converter replacement is a 15 minute job. Takes longer to open the box and get your tools out then to replace the converter.

Here is a very good source for a replacement. Best Converters


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

How can you tell if the converter is dead?
I have an extra battery I will try tomorrow.

Thanks,


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

kargorooOutbacker said:


> How can you tell if the converter is dead?
> I have an extra battery I will try tomorrow.
> 
> Thanks,


Check the voltage from it when connected to shore power. You should have 13.6 vdc no load.


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## H2oSprayer (Aug 5, 2006)

kargorooOutbacker said:


> How difficult is to replace the converter?


I would start by looking at the high amp 12 volt fuses as others have noted. If you find that the converter needs replacement, be sure to check out THIS THREAD.


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

CamperAndy said:


> How can you tell if the converter is dead?
> I have an extra battery I will try tomorrow.
> 
> Thanks,


Check the voltage from it when connected to shore power. You should have 13.6 vdc no load.
[/quote]

I connected the new battery and it is working!!!!
The power at the inverter shows 11.8 volts...I still can't tell if the inverter is working...at least the fan has not yet kicked in (new battery)


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Its not working.

If you are showing less then 13.6 vdc then the converter is not charging the battery.


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

CamperAndy said:


> Its not working.
> 
> If you are showing less then 13.6 vdc then the converter is not charging the battery.


So the reading from the converter is from the battery? I was hopping that if the converter was dead there was not going to be ANY reading...


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

The 11.8 reading is from the battery.


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

CamperAndy said:


> The 11.8 reading is from the battery.


Thanks, I will have to buy a new inverter tomorrow:angry: 
Is it "normal" for these things to go bad so fast?(the camper is only 2.5 years old)
Or maybe it was the last CG...


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Random events happen. This event is not normal but it is also not abnormal. Did you inspect the wiring as was suggested by other members? A loose wire can cause your symptoms and that is very normal.


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## kargorooOutbacker (Jan 8, 2007)

CamperAndy said:


> Random events happen. This event is not normal but it is also not abnormal. Did you inspect the wiring as was suggested by other members? A loose wire can cause your symptoms and that is very normal.


Yes, I checked them all. Some ground wires were a "little" loose but not much.
The only bad fuse was for the radio.
I was wondering if it can be under warranty , but I don't think I will be able to take it to the stealer before my trip.

Thanks again for all your help.


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