No electricity

Moved to a new campground and have no power.  Maintenance workers checked to post - okay.  Checked my electric cord - okay.  Reset breakers - nothing.  No power to breaker things. Generator - everything works. Seems like the problem is somewhere starting with my outside outlet.  Any ideas and/or suggestions.

Of course it has to happen when I’m by myself.  When my husband gets here - “what did you do?).   Me - “nothing”.   

I don’t mind dry camping, but hate paying for electricity and not using it.

Janey. (Just happy to be camping)

If you have a built in surge supressor it will block the AC if out of spec. Could also be the auto switch that switches between the AC and the Generator.

Could also be the inverter as often the AC will pass through the inverter.

 

If you have a built in surge supressor it will block the AC if out of spec. Could also be the auto switch that switches between the AC and the Generator.

Could also be the inverter as often the AC will pass through the inverter.

 

Haven't taken delivery of my PC yet, but very familiar with motorhomes.  Could this be a tripped GFI? 

Barry T

Haven't taken delivery of my PC yet, but very familiar with motorhomes.  Could this be a tripped GFI? 

Barry T

I had taken her comment that the "Generator - everything works." meant she had turned on the generator and everything worked with that. If so, that would eliminate a tripped GFI.

Moved to a new campground and have no power.  Maintenance workers checked to post - okay.  Checked my electric cord - okay.  Reset breakers - nothing.  No power to breaker things. Generator - everything works. Seems like the problem is somewhere starting with my outside outlet.  Any ideas and/or suggestions.

Of course it has to happen when I’m by myself.  When my husband gets here - “what did you do?).   Me - “nothing”.   

I don’t mind dry camping, but hate paying for electricity and not using it.

Janey. (Just happy to be camping)

I would be 99% sure it's the transfer switch or the wiring to the transfer switch to the shore power socket.

When you start the generator, does it take about 20 seconds before the power inside actually comes on?

If yes... The transfer switch is working properly.   If no, the transfer switch is "locked" in the generator power position.

Please don't take this as condescending,  but did you turn on the breaker at the pedestal  after plugging in your shore power cord?  Don't ask why I ask this question ?

Do you have a Energy management system? EMS
Is switch on by the door?

Are you referring to the battery on/off switch?  That’s all there is.

Hi Janey,
Can you possibly borrow a power cord from somewhere to double-check that point?  Maintenance, or a helpful neighbor who either has a spare or doesn't mind disconnecting so you can run a test with their cord?  Those things can fail with age and the failure may not be something you can see by looking at it.  Good luck and keep us posted!
Carol

Maintenance guys checked our cord.  Registered fine.

Janey, sequence is:
- power pole
- cord
- receptacle
- transfer switch
- EMS (if installed)
- power center

If you have an EMS (surge protector) installed I would check that first and see if the power from the campground is within bounds. 

If no EMS is installed and everything works as it should with the generator then either the transfer switch is stuck on generator or there is something loose or broken in that area.

Do you know where the transfer switch is located in your rig?  In my 2552 it is forward just behind the drivers seat. 

If it was me I would get out my meter and check for power at each step in the sequence above.  But if you are not comfortable doing that then you might want to at least look in the transfer switch box and see if anything looks obviously wrong.

The switch to turn the generator on and off is behind the drivers seat.  Please clarify the “transfer switch”.  Are you referring to the generator on /off switch?

The auto transfer switch is the device that tells the coach to power up on shore power or "Transfer"  to generator power. On some brand X motorhomes this task is done manually each time they switch from shore to generator power.  We have an "automatic" so it will switch over when shore power comes into coach or back to generator when no shore power is present.  As someone has stated, the automatic part may be "stuck" in the generator mode and will not allow your shore power to come into coach.  From my research, it appears this auto switch is located behind the carpeted wall behind the drivers seat, it is not readily accessible or visible.  Having read other posts of accessing the ATS and the fix, is beyond my paygrade. Do a Google search of automatic transfer switch manual and that info may enlighten you.  Keep us posted and good luck.

Larry

Janey, kneel down behind the driver's seat. There will be a small carpeted kick panel in front of you on the wing wall, directly down below the switches and idiot light panel. Feel along the upper front area of that vertical panel and you'll feel screw heads. Take those screws out, lift off the panel, and take a look. I can't help you past that point but it will get you to the electronics so you can check for corrosion. A google search may get you more troubleshooting steps.

Janey, you never answered whether you have an EMS on board.  That would be another panel on the wall behind the driver most likely.  So I'll assume you do not have one unless you say differently.

Please clarify the “transfer switch”.  Are you referring to the generator on /off switch?

No, the Automatic Transfer Switch or ATS.  As others pointed out above on Phoenix units we have a automatic switch that monitors shore power and switches back and forth between shore and generator power.  Mine is set to give the generator priority but I think this is programmable.  And it looks nothing like a 'switch'.  It is a shiny metal box about 6" by 8" with a contactor and coil inside to switch between 120 volt inputs.

What should happen is that if the switch senses 120 volt power from the generator it switches to that input and when the generator is not running it switches to regular shore power.  When there is power at neither input then of course nothing happens.

Mine is located, as noted by 2 Frazzled, just behind the drivers seat.  You can open it up and look to see if anything is obviously wrong but beyond that you will need a multimeter and test probes to see where the power is coming from.  Please do not touch anything in the box while either the generator is running or you are connected to shore power.

If you have a multimeter (and feel comfortable working with high voltage):
1) Shut OFF the generator.
2) Test for power at the pole. If OK plug your cord into the pole and go to 3
3) Test the coach end of the cord with your meter. If OK plug the cord into the coach and go to 4
4) Open the ATS box and test for power at the shore power input. If power is present go to 5
5) Assuming you have power at the ATS input then test the output
6) If no power at the output then the ATS is faulty

At each point you test if you do not have power then the failure is upstream of that test point.

Since you reported all is fine with generator running I am going to assume the issue is at the ATS or upstream rather than at the power panel.

If there is no power at the ATS then the only other failure point is the coach receptacle which is inside of where the cord goes on the outside.  Not sure where that is hidden on your coach.