1975 Ford Coachmen Rv Ignition Wiring Diagram

Don is a retired engineer and long-time motorhome owner who enjoys helping readers deal with the increasingly complex technology of RVs.

A typical pair of coach batteries that you might find on an RV, and their connections. Two 6-volt DC batteries, connected in series, provide the 12-volt power that powers many lights and controls.

Don Bobbitt

Electrical Problems in RVs: For the Novice

Electrical problems in an RV or camper are very common, and often RV owners don't know where to start when they deal with them.

This article provides some basic information for the RV owner to help diagnose and repair electrical problems efficiently and safely. I'd like you to:

Understand your RV electrical system in general.
Learn how to do some very basic troubleshooting on your RV.

First: Know the Difference Between a Major and a Minor Electrical Problem

If you own or rent an RV, you will want to know enough to at least make a walk-around inspection before you go on the road, especially of the electrical system. Even a novice can learn how to inspect for problems, and determine if the problem is major or minor.

A major problem, for example, may be present when a refrigerator stops working, and you wonder if you should look into the wiring and propane-management circuitry on the back of the fridge or not. For the electrical novice, the answer is no; stay away from such repairs yourself. They are too dangerous, especially when they involve AC power or propane. You should always contact a qualified service tech for resolving such problems.

But a minor problem, one you could address on your own, could be something as simple as re-setting a breaker or GFI that has "kicked out," replacing a blown fuse that is easily accessible, taking an educated guess as to what caused the breaker or fuse to shut off, or checking the water in your battery.

So how do you tell? Before you start with any hands-on troubleshooting, keep in mind that safety comes first.

Before you start opening panels and messing around with electrical systems, in an RV or camper or at home, observe these warnings.

WARNING 1: If you do not know what you are doing, do not touch anything, and call your RV manufacturer, or RV Roadside Assistance company, or if at home, your local certified electrician. Remember, again, ELECTRICITY CAN KILL!

WARNING 2: If replacing a blown fuse or resetting a kicked breaker doesn't fix the problem, you should seriously consider backing off and calling your RV manufacturer's Service Center for advice before doing anything else.

Now—with these warnings in mind—here are some minor problems that you may be able to fix, and some diagnostics that you can run yourself.

Troubleshooting Your RV's Electrical Problems

Every problem is different, but before or after you read the discussion just below of the basics of your system, check the four sections further below on troubleshooting common problems:

Fuses and breakers
The 12-volt system
The power source
Appliance current draws

Plus I include a section on terms and abbreviations that you may run across while doing your electrical investigation.

Some Basic Electrical Information for the RV Owner

A modern RV contains a lot of built-in electrical devices. And along with these devices comes complicated electrical control and protection circuitry designed to protect the RV and its occupants.

Starting with the absolute basics, your RV's appliances can be powered in three different ways. Appliances may use any of these three power sources, individually or in combination.

The AC (alternating current) electrical system (generally 115 volts), which runs the air conditioner and some other devices.
The DC (direct current) system (12 volts), which runs the lights, switches, slides, and thermostats.
In addition, refrigerators and some appliances run on propane fuel.

1. Troubleshooting Fuses and Breakers

Troubleshooting often begins, and may well end, with resetting a breaker, replacing a fuse, or resetting a Ground Fault Indicator, and then seeing what happens. Older RVs tend to have fuses; newer ones, breakers.

The fuses and breakers were placed in the system for two major reasons:

To protect the RV and you the owner from harm if an appliance or other electrical device or an electrical line fails and draws too much current.
To protect your RV and its electrical appliances and other devices if you plug your RV into an electrical service that is not regulated properly and you get electrical voltages that are too low or too high for your RV and its equipment.

So a breaker or fuse going off is often a sign that something else is wrong: a symptom, not a cause of your problem. The problem may be easy to fix or it may not be. Many appliances have sensors on their mechanical parts that will kick a breaker or blow a fuse rather than allow the appliance to continue running in an unsafe mode.

Note that breakers can go bad themselves; if they trip too many times, they can suffer mechanical stress and lose their ability to stay closed at the current they were designed for.

Ground Fault Indicators

A GFI or Ground Fault Indicator (also called GFCB) is a receptacle with a RESET button on it. It is designed, like a regular circuit breaker, to "throw" itself off when the current through it exceeds its designed current limit. Additionally, a GFI will throw itself if even a small amount of current is detected between the "hot" lead and the ground lead of the circuit breaker. These specialty circuit breakers are required in areas such as bathrooms, kitchens, and garages, places where the user of an appliance could possibly be physically touching ground through plumbing, metal, or flooring and using an appliance that is not insulated properly. They are life-savers.

If you find that several AC appliances at once stop working, or if AC appliances quit working but the air conditioner keeps going, suspect a Ground Fault Indicator. If the GFI detects a problem, the GFI-equipped receptacle will shut itself off, often along with several other "slave" receptacles. Push the RESET button and see if that fixes the problem; if not, disconnect all appliances and plug them back in one by one. The problem may be a single faulty appliance or something else entirely. It's possible (though not the most likely thing) that the GFI receptacle itself is bad and needs replacing.

Don't Upgrade Your Fuses

Don't try to fix your problems by replacing your fuse or breaker with a higher-rated one. Your camper or RV was designed by professionals with your safety in mind, as well as your convenience. Each electrical device was installed on an electrical line that could safely handle the load.

Putting in a higher-rated fuse or breaker does not fix any problems. If you have a blown fuse, replace it with a fuse of the same rating, NEVER a higher-rated fuse. Because:

You could cause an electrical fire and destroy your RV.
You could permanently damage the equipment that is supplied by that fuse.

Always remember, the fuse was designed for a normal operational load. And if it blew, something has changed.

With these warnings in mind, below is a table of fuse colors and what ratings they indicate, in case you go shopping for replacement fuses.

Standard automotive fuses are color-coded according to their current rating; below is a short list for your reference.

The color of a DC fuse shows its amp rating.
Color	Amperage rating (amps)
black	1
gray	2
violet	3
pink	4
gold	5
brown	7.5
red	10
blue	15
yellow	20
clear	25
green	30

2. Troubleshooting 12-Volt System Problems

A bad connection in the 12-volt system can cause failures of various appliances, including slides and lights which run on 12-volt power. A 12-volt problem can cause failure of other appliances and systems if they have 12-volt power to their controls. The refrigerator and air conditioner, even running in propane-fueled mode or on AC power, require DC voltage for their logic circuits, and so may fail to operate when there is a DC system problem. Problems in the DC system can also cause lights or appliances to go on and off.

You can so some simple investigation of the 12-volt system yourself, for example:

Check whether the fuse or breaker is tripped or not.
Check whether the fuse is loose.
Check whether the connections to the fuse or breaker box are loose.
Check whether the connections to the DC batteries are loose (see initial photo).
Check whether the batteries have enough water. This is the most common easy-to-fix problem. When your battery is overworked or overheated the water tends to evaporate. Add distilled water only.
Check whether the batteries are charged enough. A multimeter (see below) should show the voltage between the battery terminals between 13.4 and 14.5 volts DC; if not, the battery may be worn out and need replacement, or it may be low on water, or the converter may not be giving it any power.
Check whether the connections to the converter are loose.
Check the fuse on the converter. The converter itself has a fuse or two, often on the front.

If you can find nothing wrong here, you may have a bad converter that needs to be replaced; this is a job for the service center.

Another article of mine has more information about troubleshooting and maintaining your RV's batteries.

Using a Multimeter

A multimeter can measure potential (DC volts, AC volts), electric current (amps), and resistance (ohms).

This device is very useful in the hands of a trained individual, but the novice should not attempt to use all of its functions until they understand what they are trying to measure as well as any dangers involved in making the measurements.

3. Troubleshooting Problems Coming From the Outside Power Supply

The power supply that your parked RV is plugged into can cause problems if it is supplying too much or too little power, fluctuates, is not grounded correctly, or its connector is corroded. Too much current can cause appliances or lights to fail or blow out, and even melt wires or plugs; too little (in an overpopulated campground with an overloaded supply, for example) can cause lamps to dim. Your campground management should be providing safe power at the level they advertise, whether 30 amps or 50 amps; that is their responsibility. You may ask management to investigate, or check with your campground neighbors to see what they are experiencing.

If half your appliances along with your air conditioner are out, one possibility is that half the AC supply from the campground is missing (another possibility is a GFI going off; see part 1 above).

Your on-board or portable generator can also be the cause of problems; it may stop running if your vehicle's gas tank is less than 1/4 full.

Most RVs have a master switch for disconnecting your RV's power during storage. It is a small switch, often near the door on the inside. It will need to be on for you to get power.

Surge Protector, Yes or No?

Everyone in campgrounds seems to be purchasing surge protectors these days. I don't have one. If you buy one, make sure you are purchasing a GOOD one.

Your RV already has surge protection devices: your main AC breaker plus the individual appliance and equipment breakers in your main breaker panel. Like surge protectors, they kick out if the input voltage goes too high.

The only real difference between breakers and a commercial "surge protection" device is that standard breakers are slow to react to voltage changes. A good surge protector should react faster than a breaker to voltage increases and kick out if the voltage exceeds the safe limit of your electrical equipment. Because low input voltages can also harm electrical devices or make them run erratically, most surge protectors will also turn the power off when the voltage is too low.

Now the problem with surge protection devices is that there are no real requirements or specifications for their design. You could purchase one that does not react fast enough to protect your RV equipment. Many of my fellow campers who had surge protectors experienced damage that "fried" their breakers without the surge protector helping at all.

Anyone who buys one of these devices should make sure they get one that has a relatively fast response time, though it's difficult for a camper to tell how fast one surge protector is relative to others.

4. Troubleshooting AC Current Draws

Once again, I recommend that you NOT mess with your RV's 115-volt power system unless you really know what you are doing.

But if your AC breakers or fuses are going off, you can certainly investigate whether your appliances, singly or in combination, are drawing more AC power than you want them to.

Remember that problems with your AC appliances may not come from your 115-volt system at all but from your 12-volt system, because the controls for your fridge and your air conditioner and heater—and other switches here and there—are likely 12-volt.

How Much Current Do Your Appliances Draw?

It's good to know which of your appliances use a lot of current, even when they are working properly. That way you can decide when and where to use your appliances so that the flow of electricity stays within the bounds your system can handle.

The table below lists the approximate MAXIMUM current drawn by common appliances in your RV. Most appliances draw a lot of current during a short period of intense use and less current at other times. These current figures are not exact and vary by manufacturer and model.


Appliance	Current	Notes
Air conditioner (rated 13,500 to 15,000 Btu)	12-14 amps	Peak use when starting up
Air conditioner	5-8 amps	Normal rate after it gets going
Coffee pot (maximum use, while perking coffee)	8-10 amps	Once the coffee is brewed, the hot plate under the pot uses much less power, especially if you turn its temperature down.
Hair dryer	8-15 amps	Less powerful hair dryers might be better for RV use.
Crock pot	1-2 amps	Crock pots are useful for cooking in RVs.
Food processor	3-5 amps
Electric frying pan	7-11 amps
Hand vacuum (small)	2 amps
Iron	8-10 amps
Microwave oven	8-13 amps
TV (digital)	1.5 to 5	Depending on the size, the manufacturer, and the technology.
Water heater (in 120-volt AC mode)	11-13 amps

Estimating Maximum Current

If you are unsure what current an appliance draws, use this simple method to calculate the maximum current it will draw when working.

Look for the appliance's power rating in watts. You may find it on a label on the appliance, or in the owner's manual, or you can contact the manufacturer or look online.
Divide the number of watts by 120 (the AC voltage), and the result, in amps, is the maximum rating of the appliance for current.

Or you can measure the current an appliance uses with the simple tool below.

Useful Electrical Terms, Abbreviations, and Data

Here is a list of electrical terms and abbreviations, along with a list of color codes for resistors. This information should help the novice be more comfortable with what they are doing when an electrical problem does occur.


Term	Abbreviation	Meaning	Tips
Alternating current	AC	Alternating current reverses polarity and flows alternately in both directions in a circuit.	The voltage in your home is AC voltage, in the US typically 115V AC.
Ampere	Amp	The measure of electrical current
Capacitor		An electrical component that stores electrical energy, with a specific storage capacity	A capacitor often has a polarity and must be installed properly. The polarity is generally indicated by a stripe at one end of the part.
Circuit breaker		A device that opens up or "throws" itself to break a circuit when the current through it exceeds its designed limit. Unlike a fuse, a circuit breaker can be reset when it throws.
Direct current	DC	Direct current flows constantly in one direction, commonly from a positive lead to a negative lead.
Diode		An electrical component that allows current flow in one direction and impedes current flow in the opposite direction.	Current flows from the cathode to the anode. The cathode end is usually marked by a stripe.
Fuse		A device that is designed to destroy itself or "blow" when the current that passes through it exceeds its designed current limit.	A safety device used to protect electrical devices under adverse conditions. When replacing a fuse, always use one with the same current and voltage rating.
Ground Fault Circuit Breaker	GFCB	Like a regular circuit breaker, the GFCB "throws" itself off when the current through it exceeds its designed current limit.
Ground Fault Indicator	GFI	Same as above
Ohm		The measure of resistance to current flow.	The resistance can be calculated using the formula: R=V/I, or resistance equals voltage divided by current.
Watt	W	The measure of electrical power.	DC power can be calculated using the formula: W=V x I.
Wire gauge		The size of a wire chosen in designing electrical circuits, which determines the current it can handle with minimal resistance.	Standard wire sizes or gauges go from 0 to larger numbers. The larger the gauge number, the smaller the wire size.

One-Letter Electrical Abbreviations


Letter	Meaning
F (upper case)	Farad, the measure of the value of a capacitor. For example, 1 uF means 1 micro-farad.
l (upper case)	Electrical current, measured in amperes. Current can be calculated using the formula I = V/R, that is, current equals voltage divided by resistance.
K (upper case)	One thousand. Example: 1 KW means one kilowatt, one thousand watts.
m (lower case)	One one-thousandth, 0.001. Example: 1 mW means one milliwatt, a thousandth of a watt.
M (upper case)	One million. Example: 1 MW means one megawatt, a million watts.
n (lower case)	One billionth, 0.000000001. Example: 1 nF means one nanofarad, a billionth of a farad.
p (lower case)	One trillionth, 0.000000000001. Example: 1 pF means one picofarad, a trillionth of a farad.
u (lower case)	One millionth, 0.000001. For example: 1 uF means one micro-farad, a millionth of a farad.
V (upper case)	Volt, the measure of electrical potential. Voltage can be calculated using the formula: V = I x R.
W (upper case)	Watt, the measure of electrical power.

Resistor Values and Colors

In a resistor with four bands, the first three colored bands "spell out" a three-digit value for resistance in ohms, and the fourth band (if any) indicates the tolerance.
Color	Value
Black	1
Brown	2
Red	3
Orange	4
Yellow	5
Green	6
Blue	7
Violet	8
Gray	9
White	0
Gold (as the fourth band)	1% tolerance on the value
Silver (as the fourth band)	5% tolerance on the value
No color (as the fourth band)	10% tolerance on the value

Good Luck Now

The hundreds of comments below have explored just about everything that can go wrong with an RV's electrical system. Add your own questions and comments. But please, again, do not mess with any wiring unless you are sure of what you are doing. Electricity can kill.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author's knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters.

Questions & Answers

Question: I need help with an issue; my 2095 Allegro Bus is failing to start. All details were noted in a comment submitted moments ago. I wait to start, and the light comes on after turning the ignition key, but no cranking. The batteries are charged, I have a nearly full tank of gas, etc. The weather has been frigid here, with lots of rain and wind last night. We are stuck in a Walmart parking lot. What should I do?

Answer: When a diesel is in "Wait to Start" mode, it is heating the engines' "glow plugs" before it tries to crank the engine. If your engine battery is low, then the typical diesel will not start.

Does your engine have a 110-VAC heater coil built in? If so, try to start your diesel generator, and then plug your engine heater coil into a receptacle. This will warm your engine block after a while. You should have some diesel status lights o your dash to tell you when things are OK to start.

Question: How do I get my hot water heater in my RV to stay on? We have a 1993 holiday rambler free spirit 5th wheel. The hot water has only worked a few times. The switch on the battery panel is on, however, there is a hot water on / off switch cover but it's just on the counter and I have no idea where it's supposed to be mounted.

Answer: The typical RV Hot Water heater operates on either 110-VAC when you have it plugged into a campsite power source, and it will switch over to your propane when you do not have 110-VAC for your RV.

Also, the control circuitry of your Hot Water Heater senses if it has water in the tank, and if not, the heater will not operate.

Question: We all of a sudden have an electric issue. We are on a campground with full hook up; 50 amp, but the lights, water pump and AC stopped working. What could have caused it?

Answer: Check your COACH batteries. Your RV's interior lights, water pump and the control panel for your AC's all operate on your 12-VDC which comes from the COACH batteries. Check the following;

1- do the Coach batteries have water in them?

2- Are they fully charged by your RV's Converter (Charger)?

These two things are the top most common causes of your problem.

Question: I have a 1999 Winnebago. I lost all power on the riders side, when plugged into outside power (50amp) but everything works with the generator. Could it be the outside power inverter?

Answer: First, check if these receptacles are on your GFCI circuit and if so, check if the GFCI Master receptacle needs to be reset.

Next, check your campsite power box on your campsite to see if one of the breakers in it has kicked.

If this is not the problem, you should then check the 50-AMP connector to your camper to make sure you have both sides of the 220VAC from the campsite power box. to your cable.

Question: I have a 2019 Keystone Passport Ultralight. I have it plugged into the house (no batteries), and the interior lights will randomly turn on by themselves. I shut them off, and a few days later they are back on. What would cause this?

Answer: Remember that your camper has a battery and a CONVERTER that uses your 110-VAC to keep that battery charged.

Your interior light are 12-VDC lights and they, like a number of our other interior items such as your temperature control panel, your CO and gas alarms as well as your 2-way Fridge (if you have one) all run on your battery.

Because of this, most RV owners will keep the battery in good shape and let it power the interior item it is wired to.

If you do take the battery our, or allow it to degrade, then your interior items will be operating on the CONVERTER, which is typically not designed to carry the load of everything that runs on 12-VDC.

It will be a lot simpler to get that battery in there and running than wiring in a 12-VDC power supply.

Question: I have a Fleetwood Terry 29 Ft 5th wheel. Both the heater and A/C stopped working. I assumed the thermostat was the problem, and replaced it with the same Coleman model. I had 12V to the thermostat, and the fuse is good. Still, both don't work. All other systems and appliances work. I had the furnace igniter board checked out, and it was good. The only other thing I noticed is the 12V lights seem to be flickering slightly when connected to 115V. What do I do?

Answer: Those flickering interior lights tell me you most likely have either a bad coach battery or it is not properly charged by your converter.

You should check your battery for adequate water and that it not just old (5+ years).

If these are OK, then you should use a multimeter to make sure the Converter is keeping the battery charged.

Check the voltage across the COACH battery terminals. If it is at 13.5-VDC to 14.5-VDC, then it is being charged.

Question: My 2019 THor Hurricane 35m has a "zone 1 temp sensor error" on my LED screen. Should I change the temperature sensor in my RV or is there more to the issue?

Answer: Your motorhome has two interior "zone" temperature sensors that are used by your Temperature Control panel to manage the Cooling and Heating systems.

Check that you have not blocked the area in front of these two sensors first to make sure they are getting airflow around them.

If the sensors seem OK, then the most logical problem would be that your 12-VDC battery is not fully charged and may not be powering the temperature control panel properly which can cause it to give you errors.

If that is OK, then your temperature control panel may be suspect.

Question: I need to replace a GFCI outlet. How do I know which circuit breaker to shut off?

Answer: The safest thing to do is to turn OFF your MAIN breaker thus making sure ALL AC power to your RV interior is disabled.

I've replaced a couple of these GFCI receptacles over the years on different RV's, and that's what I did, turn off the Main. It only takes maybe 5-minutes to do the job if you have the right tools. I use a flat-blade screwdriver (with insulated grip) for the terminals and a good pair of needle-nosed pliers (with rubber covered handle) to bend the wire ends onto the screw heads.

Question: So I have a 2005 Fleetwood Pegasus with a solar panel. Everything in the RV was working except for the furnace, AC, and fan which is all controlled by the same thermostat. I have power at all of my fuses and breakers, and I wasn't sure if the thermostat was my issue. But then we had a cloudy day and noticed the lights were going dim and the low voltage alarm went off so the batteries must not be charging from the 30 Amp RV plug. Any ideas?

Answer: Your batteries are kept charged with the built-in CONVERTER, which in turn is powered by your 110-VAC. So make sure you have 110-VAC connected to your RV and then check that your Battery is good, has water in it, and is being charged.

Your Temperature Control panel is also powered by your 12-VDC from your battery.

So, I would suspect your battery and then if it is OK, the Converter.

By the way, your Solar panel is usually there to apply a "trickle charge" to your Coach battery while it is kept in storage or is just sitting idle for a day or so, it is not designed to keep the battery charged and handle a motorhome's power load.

Question: I have a 2016 wildwood xlite and the GFCI by the sink tripped, so I reset it. After that I now have 2 outlets that won't work, checked fuses and can't find what caused it. Any ideas?

Answer: Of course, you already know that your GFCI system consists of a "Master" GFCI receptacle which has a TEST and RESET button on it, but it also has one or more "Slave" GFCI receptacles which are powered by the Master GFCI. Check if the problem receptacles are GFCI slave units? If they are they should have power if the master one is resetting properly. If they are not on your GFCI circuit then it is a regular receptacle somewhere else in your RV. If it a regular receptacle then it is powered by one of your 110-VAC breakers in your AC Powerbox.

Then you would check if one of these AC breakers has kicked OFF.

By the Way, your fuses in your RV are for your 12-VDC circuits only, while your AC Breakers are for your AC Appliances and equipment.

Question: All AC power has stopped working in my 1962 GM 4106 Conversion. There is no generator or shore power; only battery power. Do you have any idea what is wrong?

Answer: I'm not familiar with 1962 designs for conversions, but the newer ones will have a power control panel that senses the presence of generator power and then operate a solenoid that connects to the generator and disconnects the exterior shore power. This power control panel requires that your 12-VDC be good to operate properly.

So, make sure that your battery is fully charged.

Question: I have issues with the lights on my awning: they won't shut off. I pulled the switch out and they still stay on. Any ideas?

Answer: OK, let's start with the question; what switch?

Is this switch and your awning light system something that was installed by the manufacturer?

Has this awning light system and this switch operated properly in the past, and has just started to not work properly?

If the answer to the last question is yes, then you most likely have one of two things; 1- you may have a bad control switch, or 2-you may have a damaged wire in the harness that goes from the awning lights and into the RV.

Question: I own a 2011 Keystone Laredo 291tg. Lately my overhead lights will turn off and I lose power to most items. The TV remains on but I lose DVD etc. Battery was checked at an automotive store and found to be fine. No breakers or fuses are showing that they are blown. I was going to test voltage on convertor but not sure where to attach voltage meter. Convertor seems very hot but fan eventually kicks on. Anything I could be missing?

Answer: OK, First of all, if your RV's battery(s) are original, then you need to test them properly.

1- Check that the battery(s) have water in them

2- Check that all wires attached to these batteries are tight and not damaged.

3- Use a multimeter, connected to the terminals of the battery to check the voltage;

a- with the lights and other 12-VDC accessories turned ON, the converter should be charging the battery and the voltage should be around 14.5 volts or so. If the voltage is down at around 13 volts or lower then your converter is not charging.

Once the battery is charged the voltage (with everything turned OFF) should settle in at around 13.5 volts or so, never down at 12.5 volts or lower

As to your accessories, I wouldn't get distracted by them until you have your 12-VDC system functioning properly.

Question: I moved my travel trailer, and now none of the outlets are working. I already flipped the fuses. What's wrong?

Answer: Well, the first question I would have is; Is the external power cable plugged in securely? At both ends? The next question would be; did you check if the campsite you moved to actually has power at the connectors and that the breakers on the power pole? These are your most likely problems.

Question: Do you have any idea why suddenly my motorhome slide in / out switches are working in reverse?

Answer: On motorhomes and trailers, your slides are each controlled by a module that manages the movement of the slide.

Considering this, and if you have not made any wiring modifications to your RV, the direction of the slide movement should not change, unless your slide control module is malfunctioning.

Question: I have a 1992 Prowler. I replaced the slide controller and switch about four weeks ago. The water pump is now blowing fuses. It worked when I replaced the controller. It looks like the other electrical items work. What could be causing the short?

Answer: Your water pump runs on your Coach 12-VDC system. If everything else that runs on this system is operating OK, then I suspect your water pump motor is the problem. A long shot is that, considering the age of your RV, there is a loose wire on one of your water pump control switches to ground. You should check for this first, then the motor.

Question: My 2003 Gulfstream scenic cruiser did not have dc power to one control panel. I then solved that problem. But now the thermostat has power but the air conditioner or heater won't run. I reset the ac breakers, still nothing. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: First, make sure that your COACH batteries are in good shape and fully charged. They provide 12-VDC power to your interior lights, 2-way fridge control panel, temperature control panel, alarms, and more, so always make sure they are charged.

Your roof AC units operate on 220-VAC but again you need to have that 12-Volt battery charged. By the way, if you use a multimeter and measure across the COACH battery terminals it should read around 13.5-VDC. not 12-VDC. A reading this low would mean the battery is not charged.

Question: I have a 2008 Springdale by Keystone (30 ft pull behind trailer). I've been running my heater on automatic, as the heater shuts down, the lights start to flicker, the fuses look fine, and even the breakers look fine. I'm new to all this and I really have no idea what's going on. Any ideas?

Answer: Check your COACH battery in your RV. It powers your lights as well as your temperature control panel. among a number of other pieces of equipment in your RV.

Even though your furnace runs on Propane, it also uses a little of your 12-VDC from your battery.

So, check that the battery has water in it. Then remember that it is kept charged by the Converter in your RV which in turn runs on your campsites 110-VAC power. This battery is the heart of your RVs internal electrical equipment and it must be kept charged.

Question: My son has a travel trailer that the breaker keeps popping in it. All he is running is the air conditioner. He is in an RV park. What could be the problem?

Answer: I would first reset the breakers in the campsite power panel.

Then, I would turn OFF all of the breakers in the breaker panel, and then, turn ON the breakers for the AC unit. If it functions OK, then I would turn the other breakers ON, one by one and see which one has a load on it that is enough to overload your travel trailers main breaker.

Question: I have a 5th wheel with a 1000 watt xantrax inverter. I accidentally reversed the polarity at the battery. Fuses were blown on devices within the rv that run on the DC current. My problem is the inverter isnt working. Did I fry the inverter or is there a breaker that protects this device. I replace the fuses in the main panel, but wasn't sure if there was added protection?

Answer: Typically, the Inverter in an RV is wired directly to the COACH battery(s) and not through the 12-VDC Fuse panel. This is because Inverters built into an Rv by the manufacturer are usually built with their own internal fuse for protection. You should check the Inverter for a fuse holder mounted on the end of the unit.

A quick look at similar Xantrax Inverters does not show a fuse holder but they do have a fan which should always be running if it is operating, and it has a digital display which should indicate the voltage. If neither of these are operating then your Inverter is most likely bad. especially if you use a multimeter and measure the presence of 12-VDC on the input terminals of the Inverter.

Question: Why would the receptacle for my full size refrigerator stop working?

Answer: If your Fridge is a full-size commercial home Fridge, then it is powered by an Inverter, which in turn is powered by either your COACH battery or a separate battery just for the Fridge.

So, if you do not have power at your Fridge receptacle then either your Inverter is bad, or the battery is not fully charged.

Use a multimeter to check the voltage across the terminals of your COACH battery and it should read around 13.5-VDC if the battery is charged, or around 14.5-VDC if it is being charged by your Converter.

Many of the RV manufacturers will just connect the Fridges Inverter to the COACH batteries and they will only have 4-6 hours of Fridge operation if the battery is not being recharged.

Question: On a 2004 Dutchman Express, with new 12 volt battery and all wiring tight with zero corrosion, what would cause only the negative 12 volt DC connection on the circuit board to get hot enough to start melting the plastic coating on the wire and only do so while air conditioner or furnace are running but NOT blowing the fuse on the positive 12 V side that control the furnace and air conditioner?

Answer: Your 12-VDC COACH power system has a fuse panel that is wired with; 1-a 30-Amp input line that powers all of the 12-VDC circuits which goes directly to a 30-Amp fuse and 2- multiple wires from all of your fuses to the individual 12-VDC circuits in your RV including your Air unit and Furnace.

Any ground wiring on your fuse panel would be for some special circuitry on the fuse panel itself, and not for your AC and Furnace which only use 220-VAC for the AC and Propane for the Furnace, functionally.

But, your Temperature control panel does use 12-VDC to manage the AC and Furnace.

So, back to your "HOT" common wire on your COACH fuse panel. If you have a multimeter, you should check the connection on the fuse panel and se if it has any voltage from the connection to a good solid ground. If it does, then it is a hot wire and maybe someone has swapped a fuse ot with one that is a large value and does not blow. Many people will replace a blown fuse with a larger one and forget they did this which can be quite dangerous for the RV owner, and can even cause fires.

Each fuse in an RV is a certain safe value that is designed to blow only if the circuit draws more than the safe amount if current.

And one more thing, your situation can be dangerous and does need to be resolved as soon as you can.

Question: the wiring for my dc lights on my main slide comes apart when the slide is out. How can I repair/replace?

Answer: I would look for a good auto mechanic who has a soldering iron so he can repair your problem. And there is always your nearest Camping World service department.

Question: Why would my RV's 120v work but my 12v doesn't?

Answer: I must assume from your sparse symptoms that you have an RV that is plugged into campsite power? If so, then check the following;

First, make sure your Cut-Off switch is in the right position.

Second, Check your COACH battery and make sure it is fully charged.

Question: I have 240 volts coming through the electrical outlets. Why would that happen?

Answer: A situation like this is very serious. You could damage many of your appliances and accessories. So immediately unplug every appliance you have including your microwave, Fridge and other built-in appliances.

Then, unplug your Rv from your external power source which I assume is a campsite.

Then you should check the voltage at the campsite; or call the campground office and have them come down and check their campsite power box.

My assumption is that you are using a standard RV external power cord and that no one has rewired anything inside your RV????

Question: No ac/dc power! Breakers, fuses, batteries, gfi all working. Generator starts but shuts down immediately! However when I unplug from shore line and plug converter straight to shore 12 volt works and generator will run. Is this a short?

Answer: I am assuming that you are saying you have no-AC-to-DC power, but all of your AC systems operate properly. But, when you select your generator, it shuts down after it actually starts??

Well, with this being the case, I would suspect your COACH batteries. They provide power for the RV's Power Control Panel which detects if the generator is started and running and if this is so, it will switch the RV systems OFF of the Shore Power and onto the GENERATOR.

I suspect that when you connect your Converter alone to power, it is able to operate your DC powered circuitry, but with the COACH batteries being bad, they are loading your Converter down and without that 12-VDC available, so the Power Control Panel switches the RV circuitry back over to your Shore power.

How did you check your batteries? Was it under load? If not, batteries may show they have voltage, but they will not be able to support a real load.

So, Check those batteries and replace them if necessary.

Question: I have a '69 holiday rambler that I bought and rebuilt in 2016. I also rewired it. Only was it this past year, I couldn't plug it into a generator. I burnt up mine. I then burnt up another one of a friend's. But then got another one that had some kind of breaker built in and it did throw it every time I plugged it in. Do you have any ideas what could be wrong?

Answer: Here's a question for you:

If you turn everything that operates on AC-Voltage to OFF, even unplug anything in the receptacles, and even turn your AirConditioners to OFF, does it still kick the generator's breaker?

If it does, then the problem is definitely in your RV wiring. If not, one of your electrical appliances, or the Air Conditioners, is your problem.

And, if the problem happens when everything is OFF, you need to examine your wiring closely.

By kicking the generator's breaker, your RV must have one of your AC-voltage lines shorted to ground.

Here are a few things to check;

1- check your power cord from the generator to the RV for damage or bad connections.

2- check that your AC-Voltage breakers are operating and work properly.

3- check that where you rewired things there are no loose wires that might be shorted to other wires.

Question: After returning from a weekend trip where everything went great, I plug in my camper to the outlet at home and it trips the GFI breaker. I have moved out the cord and it is ok. also turned off all breakers in the RV and home cable from the reciprocal to 50 amp breaker it is fine as well. Do you have any suggestions?

Answer: Remember that your GFCI system is designed to detect very small current leakage between your GROUND and COMMON lines.

Your problem could be something as simple as your house GFCI breaker being old and more susceptible to a slight current that was always there before.

Or it could be just some slight induced current in your RV cable.I can say that I have had the same problem with my motorhome and my house GFCI circuit and I replaced the GFCI receptacle itself. This fixed things for more than a year and then it started up again, so I just moved my cable to a non-GFCI receptacle in my house, and I haven't had a problem anymore.

Again, this problem is really hard to detect with just a multimeter, so rather than chase a ghost if you understand that your RV cable is a pretty long run of wires that handle high currents (50-AMPs) and just crushing the wires closer together somewhere along the length or getting oxidation or "char" from arcing on the contacts can change the way the cable looks to your GFCI system.

Question: My shore power 50 amp breaker trips out frequently but none of the breakers inside my 2019 Puma trailer trip when this happens. My power is coming from a 200 amp service with a dedicated 50 amp breaker. I have been in this location for two years, this is a new issue. I have changed the shore power 50 amp breaker. I have checked for loose wires and checked voltage at outlets. How can I further diagnose my RV's electrical problems? Is there any chance of my 12-volt system being involved in my RV's problems?

Answer: To answer your last question first; No, the 12-Volt system in your Rv should not cause your Main Breaker to kick Off. Your 12-Volt system is powered by your COACH batteries and they are in turn charged by your Converter which operates on 110-VAC. So normally, if there was a problem with the Converter it would kick Off the one breaker that powers it, and not the Main.

Now, your problem with your Shore Power indicates to me that you most likely have a Grounding problem. Considering you have been hooked up and not traveled for 2-years, this tells me that you may have a problem with Corrosion or Oxidation.

Over time, if you are not traveling and "shaking" things around, thus getting a rub at your contact points, you will have these corrosion/oxidation problems occur. So, check your external power cable contacts for any buildup and clean them back to shiny metal.

Then you might have to check the contact points on the inside of your external power connector to your chassis.

Question: I just installed new LED lights in my Coleman/Fleetwood Westlake pop-up camper. The previous owner said the lights didn't work and that they replaced the bulbs. The bulbs became extremely hot, melting the cover plate and blowing the bulb. I then installed new LED light fixtures, but after two minutes, one side on each fixture smoked the LED. What in the world is going on?

Answer: From what you describe, I assume that your pop-up was connected to the towing vehicle and thus was using the auto's voltage to the lights.

If the previous owners selected the right replacement lamps, they should have been safe and should have operated properly on the auto's 12-VDC. I suspect that the previous owner used the wrong lamp.

If the LED assembly and lights are a standard design, then they should never have been in danger of burning out.

This leads me to suspect the pop-up wiring. First of all, pop-ups are notorious for having poor ground connections, so make sure the light fixtures are well grounded, and that there is no corrosion on the ground connections or loose wires. LED lamps are designed to operate on 12-VDC and can work properly up to maybe 14-VDC, but above that their protective circuitry can burn out.

I would also check the DC voltage without having campsite power plugged up.

I do know of one RVer who contacted the LED lamp manufacturer, and they apologized because they had sent them an LED that wasn't designed for the variations in voltage you experience in an RV.

If the lamps are the proper ones they should never burn out, which would indicate a high voltage.

Question: The GFi outlet in my RV trips on generator power, but works fine on shore power. What do I do?

Answer: A GFI senses if there is ANY current between the COMMON wire and the GROUND wire of the GFI system.

The best thing to check first is to turn OFF all of your Generator power (for Safety) and check the connections coming from your generator. At the generator make sure the connections are tight, and there is no oxidation at the terminals.

If they are OK, then you have to do a little wire tracing to the high current solenoid that the power control panel uses to switch between the shore power and the generator. Near that location, the manufacturer may have cut the ground and common wires and used terminals where there can be loose connections. With the symptoms, you described these checks should find your problem.

Question: why does my RV's breaker trip when I'm plugged into the house for power? It does not trip the house breaker. I'm using the same power chord I usually run the RV off my Generator while camping, and it never trips?

Answer: Not sure which breaker you're talking about, so I assume you're talking about your AC MAIN breaker.

And, considering that you say your RV power works appropriately when you are camping and using your generator, I would have to say that the only new variable you have introduced is the wiring of your HOUSE receptacle.

So, you need to check that your house receptacle is wired properly, especially the GROUND and COMMON wires.

Question: I have an adventurer camper, and the brake lights are not working, the top running lights do but no taillights? I tried replacing the bulbs, and I checked the fuses. Is there something else I can try?

Answer: Your Tail-lights and your Brake lights get their power through your dash light switch, as do your running lights, so I will assume you have power to this switch.

Check that each of the wires from the switch gets power, first of all, to assure your light switch is good.

From your symptoms and investigation so far, I would suspect this switch, if the fuses are good. By the way, you know in some models of the Adventurer there is a fuse panel in the dash area in addition to what you have under the hood?

Question: I have continuous problems with my board going into the furnace; this only seems to happen when I plug into power. I've had the board replaced three times; it works well on dc put as soon as I plug in it works for a bit then burns out, any thoughts on that?

Answer: Your Converter could be generating a voltage to charge your COACH battery that is too high (over around 14.5 VDC). If this voltage is high enough, even for a few seconds, it could harm any of your 12-VDC appliance control boards, alarm boards, interior lights, etcetera.

Try to check this voltage at the terminals of your RV COACH battery itself and look for "spikes" when you plug the Converter into 110-VAC and turn it on.

Question: I have 2016 Flagstaff Classic Super Lite, and the Water Pump switch will not turn off. What can I do?

Answer: Most campers will have multiple Water Pump switches usually located; near the kitchen sink, in the bathroom and outside in the service centre. They are wired so that anyone switch will start or stop the water pump. Knowing this, try one of the other switches, and if they do not turn the pump OFF, then you have a problem at the Water pump itself. I would check that the wires at the pump are still connected?

Question: I have a 2000 Safari Continental Panther 425. Where can I find the flasher module for the turn signals?

Answer: Wow! Now that's a very product-specific question. I honestly do not know where the module is, but I can say that if you stop and look at your Rv as a truck, you should find the flasher module under the dash or under the hood. It just doesn't seem logical to run the wires for a flasher module far from the signal light lever switch.

Question: why would my A/C and ceiling fans not turn on in my motorhome?

Answer: Your ceiling fans run on 12-VDC while your Air Conditioner runs on 220/110-VAC. Your Temperature control panel operates on 12-VDC so you could have a problem with your COACH battery being charged.

Check this first.

Question: I have a 2000 Fleetwood Pace Arrow. Everything works on the unit, and I don't have any electrical issues. I notice a clicking coming from under the Hood ONLY when I park the unit, and it is not connected to an external power source. When I do plug it in at the Campground, the clicking stops. I am told this is draining my batteries and will eventually burn up my solenoid. Do you know what is causing this and if so, is it an expensive repair?

Answer: Your motorhome has two 12-VDC systems, and the engine battery powers the engine and its accessories the same as an automobile. But, it also powers the step, the power awning, the exterior spotlights and running lights.

The external power source is not connected to any of these systems and should NOT affect anything under the hood.

When do you park your RV do you also use your SHUTOFF switches to turn ON power to your AUX equipment and turn OFF power to your MAIN equipment? Check these things out.

Question: I have no 12 V when the motor does turn and I am not connected to 120 V AC. The main and auxiliary batteries are ok. I changed the BD relay ( intellletec 01-00055-000) thinking that the problem was coming from that device. Now I suspect the solid-state muli battery isolator, but I am not sure. Could the battery isolator be the problem with my RV?

Answer: Your 12-VDC for your Rv engine is your MAIN battery. If it drops to zero when you crank the engine, its voltage level should not drop to zero. Your AUX battery is also called your COACH battery, and it powers all of your Rv's interior 12-volt accessories. You should check your "storage Cut-Off switches" that they are ON, and that your batteries are fully charged.

Question: My battery to the engine is boiling and hot. The alternator is good. What could short this battery to get hot?

Answer: First of all, turn OFF the engine and after things cool down, replace the battery as your battery probably has an interior plate that has collapsed and is shorting to another one. This can happen with an old battery, or when you haven't checked the water level in the battery. Either way, when a battery is boiling, you need to assume it is bad and replace it.

But, when you do replace the battery, make sure to use a multimeter and check that the new one I operating correctly and check that the alternator is not "over-charging" the battery.

Question: My trailer, when plugged into shore power, has no power. I have checked the power at the main breaker, and I am getting 120. When I open up any of the other breakers, the neutrals all become hot. I still have 120 when checking for heat at the main breaker, but when checking any other breaker to the neutrals, they all read 0, meaning the neutrals are hot. What could be causing this?

Answer: You didn't say but I assume that your trailer is wired for the standard 30-Amp service.

First, check your neutral wires to a good ground. This should never show any voltage reading.

Assuming that your trailer's power system has worked normally in the past, I would check the following;

1- Is the external RV power cord that is plugged into the campsite power box OK? Is there any damage to the cord or any oxidation on the contacts?

2- If the cord is OK then I would contact the campground and have them check out their campsite power box wiring.

Question: Does the TV outlet in an RV require a fuse?

Answer: If you're talking about the 110-VAC outlet that the RV TV plugs into, then yes, it will get its power from one of the 110-VAC breakers in the typical motorhome.

Question: We purchased a one yr old Mercedes motorhome with 6000 miles on it from an RV dealer. We are on our first trip to Yellowstone from WV and fridge quit. We had it plugged in at home, and the fridge was extremely cold. While driving, it showed it was running on gas, and the light was not flashing, so we assumed it was ok. When we stopped to eat, the temperature inside the fridge was 60. It works when plugged into electric. Any idea of what we can try? It is evening now, and nowhere is open.

Answer: When you are traveling and are not plugged into 110-VAC, your 2-way Fridge will operate on propane, but it must have 12-VDC from your COACH battery, which is charged only when you are plugged into 110-VAC.

So, you should check that COACH battery for adequate water level, and always keep your RV plugged into 110-VAC when you are parked at a campsite. This way the COACH battery will have a full charge and easily keep your Fridge and other 12-VDC accessories running for a full day and night.

I believe this will take care of your problem. When you are traveling, so keep that COACH battery charged before you take off.

Question: I have a 2005 Terry quantum 295rlts. During the day when its hotter my panel keeps tripping the main breaker when the a/c is running. I took some basic readings with my voltmeter and all I can tell is that the current spikes to high once the main breaker heats up. We bought it used and I know that my battery is not new and I've also found that someone removed one of the outlets and left the cord cut under the trailer. How can I stop my RV's a/c from tripping the main breaker?

Answer: You can be suffering from a number of small problems that are adding up on you on hot days.

With an older RV, you must keep your COACH battery relatively NEW and full of water and fully charged.

Your Air Conditioner will age and eventually, it will draw several AMPS more current to start up and to run, so keep the air filter clean and you could even get up on the roof and clean the coils for better airflow.

Next, on those really HOT days, you should take precautions to only use your necessary appliances and make sure you unplug the things that are not necessary during the peak periods of heat during the day. Read my article on How to Keep Cool in your RV for tips.

Many people don't realize that breakers that kick out often can eventually weaken ad not be able to handle the load they could when new, so consider replacing that MAIN breaker to get a couple of more Amps during these peak periods.

Question: We purchased a 2003 RV. We ran a cable so we could have cable TV at the campground. We got the TV working, but now the cab fans (metal driver and passenger fans) will not work. Any suggestions on what to check? They worked prior.

Answer: First of all, your fans over the driver area are usually powered by the CHASSIS (engine) 12-VDC. So, I would check the internal 12-VDC fuse panel which provides power for these internal dash equipment.

Question: On my camper, the battery is fully charged, but the lights in the camper will not come on. When hooked up to my generator, everything works fine. What is the problem?

Answer: First of all, is your 12-VDC Cut-Off switch turned OFF so that you have voltage to your interior lights?

Secondly, while on Shore power, is your Converter operating? It should be trying to charge your Coach battery and if you use a voltmeter across the battery, you should read around 14.5-VDC if the Converter is charging the battery, around 13.5-VDC of the battery is charged, but if you read around 12.5-VDC, then your battery is not charged, and the Converter is not trying to charge the battery.

It's strange but from your symptoms with everything working great when on Generator power, and with the lights not working when on Shore power, I would suspect that either one of your breakers in your campsite power box is OFF, or your power supplied by the Shore campsite panel is really low. You can check the battery, and you can have the campsite check their power to your camper.

Question: Everything works except the starter will not turn over. When I arrived at the RV I started the diesel and lifted up the leveling extensions and slide out room was retracted and everything works except the ignition. What is the cause?

Answer: You didn't mention some pertinent information, but let me give you a few hints of things for you to check.

1- Most motorhomes will not start if the emergency brake is not engaged so check yours.

2- Diesel motorhome engines are very high compression motors, and it takes a lot of currents to turn them over. So, check your engine battery (s) and make sure they are fully charged.

These two things are the most likely causes of your problem.

Question: Recently, my bedroom lights started flickering but not losing power- like a half current. I changed the light toggle on/off switch - which did not change anything. How should I further diagnose my RV's electrical problems?

Answer: This kind of problem that occurs often when your COACH batteries are not holding a charge and you are normally running on your Converter.

But when the Converter turns OFF the battery drops voltage quickly and the Converter has to come on again.

So, check your COACH batteries. Do they have water, are they holding a charge?

Question: My RVs stabilizing jacks will not extend, do you think it's electrical?

Answer: Some questions you should review when considering what the problem with stabilizing jacks could be:

1. Are your stabilizing jacks powered or manual?

2. I assume they're electrical, so check if your camper's battery is fully charged because the jacks operate on this power source.

3. Is your RV a motorhome or a trailer/fifth wheel design?

4. If your RV battery is fully charged do you have a "Shut-OFF" switch that's normally used when storing your camper in the right position to allow the use of the battery?

Question: The air conditioner in my RV doesn't work well. My toaster won't brown the toast, even after seven minutes, and my microwave takes four mins to heat a small coffee. I'm sure the campground circuit is overloaded as I'm not getting the full 30 amps. Everyone in the campground is having the same issues. Is this low amperage damaging my camper?

Answer: If you're not getting 110-VAC to your RV, and when you operate an appliance it loads down the voltage, then you could be damaging your appliances or other electrical equipment.

The campground must provide adequate power to everyone's campsite, or they should tell their campers that they need to leave because their power source is dangerously low.

This is a problem for the campground, and if they don't accept responsibility for any damages, then I wouldn't go there again.

Posted by: colinopatrnyer.blogspot.com

Source: https://axleaddict.com/rvs/RV-Electrical-Tips-and-Reference-Data

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