What could be my electrical problem?

[CKslk15]

2013 Montana fifth wheel on 50 amp shore power.Moved into park on Tuesday. This park requires us to get our electric in our names. So I setup as I normaly do, use batteries to get my slides out, hook up propane and all other hookups, plugged into 50 amp shore power and waited the couple hours for my service to come on. When it did, everything worked normaly. I had to be away the next night but upon my return I first noticed the wall sconce in my livingroom super slide didnt work, since it was fine the night before, I assumed it was the bulbs. Replaced them to no avail. Then noticed that outlet also didn't work, as it had the night before. Checked breakers, none were tripped. Next i noticed the GFCI in the kitchen was tripped and was also fine the night before. It will not reset. Then I noticed to fridge was also not running. I had left the propane tank valve closed, but the fridge was also fine the night before. So now its the fridge not on AC, three outlets in the kitchen and that GFCI that wont reset. The light fixtures in the living room slide and that outlet. Ive checked the power supply cord, looks good, flipped the main on the pedestal outside, checked the outlet on the rig that accepts the shore power cord, looks fine, checked the outlet on the outside that is also on the living room super slide, looks ok (no meter), looked at the breakers and fuses, (no test light) but they look ok. And also made sure the battery disconnect is on in the convenience center... ummmm.... im at a loss, except for one thing. When I close my slides for moving the office and the super slide fill the living room and you have to move the ceiling fan blades to keep from breaking it.... its a little crooked!? But not much. I dont have my stabilizers down yet and im slightly listing to the passenger side. Havent been in the battery cubby yet. (Scared of it) that GFCI seems to me is a problem, it wont reset, but why?? Im just a girl winging it on my own. I got the refer on gas for now... Help? Please? My soon to be ex is a career electrician, oh the irony!!!☹

[DutchmenSport]

Do you have a surge protector or an EMS (Energy Management System), either hard wired or portable for your camper. If so, it might be tripped from a high or low power surge.

[CKslk15]

I honestly dont know, and dont know how to find out... do you? ��

[BB_TX]

Do any of your outlets or any 120 vac devices work? If some work but some don’t then you have likely lost one leg of the 50 amp power. That could be a park pedestal problem or a problem with your power cord or trailer wiring. Or what Dutchmansport said. Only way to find out is with a volt meter.

[Ahdmeyer]

you need to find someone in the park with a voltmeter. without it you are just grasping at straws to find the problem.start right from the feed at the pedestal and do your checking. not sure if you have one but there have been a number of transfer switches that have gone bad. maybe make up with your ex and see if he can help you and also give you a lesson on how to troubleshoot for this in the future. wish i could help more but not to possible and safe to teach you on a computer. good luck
al meyer
3931fb az

[BB_TX]

I would first ask the park to have some one check the pedestal. If it is good, he MAY offer further help. If not, call a local mobile RV repair service.

[rohrmann]

If a GFI outlet will not reset, it may not be powered. I would go outside to the pedestal and fully turn off the 50 amp main breaker and then turn it back on. Then check for power inside where it wasn’t working and check that GFI outlet to see if it will reset. It sounds like one of the two hot legs is not on, which could be your problem.

[CKslk15]

Yup! That was my first thought, thats why I un plugged from the pedestal, inspected my cord ends, the camper receptacle and turned off that breaker and turned it back on. Nothing. Tomorrow im going into the battery cubby.... distilled water, and troubleshooting using a checklist i got off Google. If thats not it, ill have to get a meter and a check light i guess....

[CKslk15]

You are all so kind to help me out with suggestions. Thank you! Ill keep in touch as I progress into the issue. Maybe all of us together, and I can accomplish getting it repaired without a professional and keep that chunk of cash in my own pocket. As I educate myself, my belief in it being that pedestal is growing. Im calling them if its not in my dc system and I dont see any issues with my electrical wiring around the slides. Im feeling so empowered. Thank my new Montana fam! Just stay tuned cause, this spring, were replacing most of the water lines! Yay!

[rohrmann]

Forget the water for the batteries for now, as you were able to extend the slides with them. Your main problem is your 120 volt AC getting to your panel in the trailer. Once that is working, most of your issues should be resolved.

[CKslk15]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

Forget the water for the batteries for now, as you were able to extend the slides with them. Your main problem is your 120 volt AC getting to your panel in the trailer. Once that is working, most of your issues should be resolved.

Ok, so please help me with a troubleshooting plan? Where do I start? Will a meter be totally necessary? Until i hear back from you, I'm going to go unhook and do more investigating around that pedistal and my plug and cord. That's all I know to do....

[rohrmann]

Check power at pedestal, you should have 120 volts to the ground and to the neutral on each of the hotlegs. Once that is confirmed, the next location, if you are comfortable checking voltage or have someone who is, remove the cover on your panel inside the trailer and check for power at the 50 amp breaker, and there are two sides to the breaker, each with the 120 volts to both the ground and the neutral. If you have power at the incoming side of the breakers, then you check for power on the bus bars that the breakers attach to, and this proves the breakers are both closed and working. Hopefully, somewhere up to this point, you have found where the power is not at and can solve the problem. Beyond the main breaker, you just have the individual circuit breakers that go to the various things in the trailer. Good luck and be very careful, but I really would recommend having someone who is qualified to operate the meter and check voltage.

[CKslk15]

I think i have my ex husband's meter, somewhere. Im not a 100% newby to electrical. He is an IBEW journeyman... so i have the fear and some safety knowledge. I also when to stop, and get help. My biggest fear is the stuff i might not kno.... thanks so much. Im going on a meter hunt...

[twindman]

I wasn't sure if you tried every 120V electric outlet in the rig yet or not. If not, just plug something in each and see if it works. If none work you have a problem from the park power box to the internal breaker panel. And for now and the future, keep the voltmeter handy. It eliminates many questions when dealing with RV power issues.

[Daryles]

To determine if you are missing one leg of your 50A service, have a look at your circuit breaker panel. You will see two 50A breakers in the middle. The left one runs one leg of your service. The right one runs the other leg.
Check to see if the dead outlets are on one side or the other.

[BB_TX]

Here is a very good article to help understand 50 amp power and what the voltage measurements should be. With your ex being an electrician you seem to understand the dangers of 120/240 vac power. But I still caution you to be extremely careful of doing something like this yourself without any real experience. And even if you do, you should have someone nearby who can help in the event of a problem. Electricity can grab you and not want to turn loose.

https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electric...p-shore-power/


What Daryl said MAY be true. But my 2007 has the main two pole 50 amp breaker at the left end of the row of breakers. And the breakers to the right of it alternate with every other one being on the opposite hot leg.

[rames14]

First, let’s get back to the basics. You have two electrical systems on your Montana - 12V and 120V. All of your standard wall outlets are 120v. They will not run off the battery. Your water heater, 12v lights in the ceiling and the refrigerator on propane all work off of your batteries. Your batteries will eventually lose power without 120v power, because that also charges your battery. As Bob said, forget about your batteries for right now. If your refrigerator is working your batteries are okay. As Tom said, take anything that you can plug into a wall outlet. Check to see if there is power. Something with low current draw is best. You could use a cell phone charger connected to your phone. In addition to the breakers on the power pedestal, you have breakers in your breaker box inside. I would try turning the inside breakers off for ten seconds and th3n turn it back on.

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by CKslk15

2013 Montana fifth wheel on 50 amp shore power.Moved into park on Tuesday. This park requires us to get our electric in our names. So I setup as I normaly do, use batteries to get my slides out, hook up propane and all other hookups, plugged into 50 amp shore power and waited the couple hours for my service to come on. When it did, everything worked normaly. I had to be away the next night but upon my return I first noticed the wall sconce in my livingroom super slide didnt work, since it was fine the night before, I assumed it was the bulbs. Replaced them to no avail. Then noticed that outlet also didn't work, as it had the night before. Checked breakers, none were tripped. Next i noticed the GFCI in the kitchen was tripped and was also fine the night before. It will not reset. Then I noticed to fridge was also not running. I had left the propane tank valve closed, but the fridge was also fine the night before. So now its the fridge not on AC, three outlets in the kitchen and that GFCI that wont reset. The light fixtures in the living room slide and that outlet. Ive checked the power supply cord, looks good, flipped the main on the pedestal outside, checked the outlet on the rig that accepts the shore power cord, looks fine, checked the outlet on the outside that is also on the living room super slide, looks ok (no meter), looked at the breakers and fuses, (no test light) but they look ok. And also made sure the battery disconnect is on in the convenience center... ummmm.... im at a loss, except for one thing. When I close my slides for moving the office and the super slide fill the living room and you have to move the ceiling fan blades to keep from breaking it.... its a little crooked!? But not much. I dont have my stabilizers down yet and im slightly listing to the passenger side. Havent been in the battery cubby yet. (Scared of it) that GFCI seems to me is a problem, it wont reset, but why?? Im just a girl winging it on my own. I got the refer on gas for now... Help? Please? My soon to be ex is a career electrician, oh the irony!!!☹

If it was anything serious your EMS would have refused the connection, so it's likely some little thing. I would focus on the GFCI, they can go bad so replace it for starters.

[phillyg]

Sounds more like a power surge from the CG pedestal, or unusually high or low voltage. It's not uncommon for older parks to have electrical service issues. Ask around to see if anyone else reported a power surge. WRT high or low voltage, find someone in the park who has the knowledge to use a multimeter; its fairly simple, and have them explain to you what they're doing so you can do it next time.

[dbextel]

on my 2010 GFCI main outlet went out and several outlet went dead including refer. there is a way to wire around the main GFCI outlet to see if that is the problem.