Shore power not working

Sharon_is_SAM

I would ask the camp hosts for recommendations for a mobile RV tech.  If it is just a loose connection, I would think it would be a pretty generic repair.

Verna

A loose wire, especially a ground wire, does sound feasible. The ground buss for all the grounds should be on the floor, in the basement under the removable floor, in the closet.  

Good luck!  

TresK3

If I ever make it to U-Camp, you will all be able to recognize me: I'll be the one wearing the dunce's cap.  I also think I owe everyone an Amish doughnut for putting up with this thread.

Turns out it was a simple fix for a stupid problem.  It seems that when someone put the trailer away, back in January, he turned off all of the breakers, thinking it would help protect the battery.  Then when that same idiot went to prep for this camping trip, I glanced... er, I mean, that idiot glanced... at the breakers.  They were all in the same direction, and it's rather hard to see the on-off lettering, so that idiot assumed they were all "on."  In truth, they were all off.

Now that we're at a site with electric, I pulled the fuses for the solar (and confirmed it was dead), then turned the battery switch off (and confirmed that the 12V system was dead), then unplugged shore power and unscrewed the face plate to the power system.  I turned shore power back on (now the only live system... sort of) and put my meter on the ground bar and each of the breakers. Not surprisingly, no power.  Then, just to be thorough, I threw the breakers in the other direction.  Voila! I had 110 V coming through the system.  That's when I got my most powerful flashlight and backed away from the breakers until they came into focus, and read the lettering that I should have seen earlier.  (Note to self: when you get back home put some white nail polish on the lettering so they show up.  There's a nice bottle that came with the trailer that I can use).

Now I actually have another question: after I shut everything down (or so I thought), I tested the inverter.  With the inverter on, I had 110 coming out of that outlet.  No solar connected, shore power unplugged, and the battery switch in the off position. This tells me that the inverter circuit by-passes the battery cut off switch.  Yes?  Does that sound normal?  It sounds like to take everything offline, should I ever want to, I would have to physically disconnect the battery (in addition to pulling the solar fuses and unplugging the shore power).

Anyway... thanks to @Denny16, @mona, @ChanW, @Verna, @Sharon_is_SAM, @Michigan_Mike, @lkc001, and anyone else who chimed in.  Feel free to point and laugh if you ever see me IRL. 

-Tres (final night at Watchman, moving to South Campground, Zion NP tomorrow... where shore power isn't even an option)

Denny16

I am not going to say anything more about the breakers... 
As for the inverter, yes it is hard wired (via ln-line fusses) to the battery, and the battery cutoff switch will not disconnect the inverter.   The inverter needs as short a connection as possible to the battery.  

The inverter has its own shut off switch, which you need to insure is switched off, or you can discharge the battery.  When switched on, without a load on the 110/120 BAC outlet, the inverter has a several amp load on the battery.  

Glad you got it sorted.  
Cheers

ChanW

Remember you can 'turn off' the solar with the Victron Connect app. Under your controller's settings, use the "Charger enabled" switch. This disconnects your panels from the system.
No need to pull the fuses.

Verna

I knew that white nail polish would be useful when I left it with the 400 for the new owner!

Hey @TresK3, you have just had an initiation to everything electrical in the 400!  You made the rest of us use our gray matter, too!  Now, you and Paula go have fun and quit worrying about your 400!  

TresK3

@Verna: thanks, we will! It's been a blast so far.  Since we had electric, Paula was able to make cookies!

@ChanW, I don't have the Victron app on my phone, or many other apps for that matter.  Mostly I use my phone for calls and texts.  I may end up downloading that one, though.

Thanks again, all...

-Tres (South Campground, Zion NP)

mona

Glad to hear that things worked out. 

Jeannie

ChanW

You definitely should have the app on your phone... I don't know how I could live without it. 
I think they might have a simulator on the Victron website to give you an idea what you're missing... 

lkc001

@TresK3 If anyone tries to tell you they have never had a DOH moment, they are lying through their teeth==LOLLL   I'm glad it was just that simple and not expensive!!