Electrical Issues

[roy_c]

Hello all,

So last Tuesday there was an electrical storm that hit our campground. A lightning bolt struck a tree about 25 feet from my camper and sent a power surge to multiple campers around me. (None of my circuit breakers had been tripped)

When I got home from work that night my thermostat gave an E1 code for zone 1 and zone 2 would turn on; however, once the compressor turned on zone 2 would quit. After resetting all the breakers and checking all fuses, zone 1 was non longer communicating with the thermostat.

Now just yesterday the lights would not turn on in the camper. After doing some research I learned that the lights are powered by the batteries, I think, so I checked the voltage on both batteries today and they are reading at 5.6 volts.

If I'm reading about inverters and converters correctly, I think the converter is shot from the power surge??? Would this also affect the AC units as well??? Any advice or help is greatly appreciated as I am really new to the camp life. Thanks all.

Roy

[PNW_Steve]

Roy,

Some converters have fuses separate from the fuse panel that has the fuses for your 12v loads.

If your converter and fuse panel are two separate pieces, there is likely one or two fuses on the converter itself.

[pianotuna]

roy.c,

The reverse polarity fuses are on the converter--not in the power distribution panel.

[roy_c]

Cavie, no. I could not find any fuses that were labeled reverse polarity. There are two that had been labeled LP and WP. I assumed the WP was for the water pump and could not think of what LP meant. However, I did check all fuses on the panel as well as the fuses on the converter. Could those be the polarity fuses?

I hooked my car up to the batteries to let them charge a little so I can charge my phone, etc. The converter is now running as well as the lights, outlets, etc. Guess that wasn't the issue.

A camper repair gentleman is supposed to be coming by tomorrow afternoon. Hopefully he has some good news. Again, thank you all for the help.

Roy

[cavie]

did you find the fuses that said reverse polarity?

[time2roll]

Your charging system is either shot or you have an open fuse etc.
Get a battery charger on that battery asap and until you get the main system repaired.
Any automatic battery charger is fine to go right on the battery. Get 5+ amps rated and 10+ is much better.

Need to get a solid 12 volts in the RV before you even start testing other equipment.

[roy_c]

Quick update: I have power going into the converter and no power leaving the converter. Neither fuse on the converter were blown. Which leads me to believe something internal on the converter is fried or blown. Thank you all again for your help.

Roy

[roy_c]

Cavie,

Thank you for the quick response. I guess I should have been a little more specific in my original post. Apoligies.

My camper runs on a 50 amp system. It's a 37 foot Sandpiper. The voltage read 238 at the hook up and 237 across the two main circuit breakers. This is where I get lost. I'm not sure how to check output voltage... Voltage across the converter circuit breaker to ground read 118. There is no fuse labeled for converter or inverter. I may be doing something wrong or backwards, I am not electricity savvy.

I'm assuming that the fridge, microwave and TV are all connected through the 30 amp system as they are still operational.

[pianotuna]

roy.c,

Welcome to the forums.

Most of the control systems on an RV run on 12 volts. If the converter doesn't work then the batteries supply the needed power until the voltage gets extremely low. Then none of the devices work.

I'd add a battery charger--for testing purposes.

It is possible that the fuses on the converter have blown. There are often 2 and sometimes 3 right on the converter itself.

Once you have 12 volt power restored you can begin checking the other devices.

One device that doesn't use 12 volts at all is the microwave--so see if that works.

[cavie]

roy.c wrote:
Hello all,

So last Tuesday there was an electrical storm that hit our campground. A lightning bolt struck a tree about 25 feet from my camper and sent a power surge to multiple campers around me. (None of my circuit breakers had been tripped)

When I got home from work that night my thermostat gave an E1 code for zone 1 and zone 2 would turn on; however, once the compressor turned on zone 2 would quit. After resetting all the breakers and checking all fuses, zone 1 was non longer communicating with the thermostat.

Now just yesterday the lights would not turn on in the camper. After doing some research I learned that the lights are powered by the batteries, I think, so I checked the voltage on both batteries today and they are reading at 5.6 volts.

If I'm reading about inverters and converters correctly, I think the converter is shot from the power surge??? Would this also affect the AC units as well??? Any advice or help is greatly appreciated as I am really new to the camp life. Thanks all.

Roy

Start at the pedestal with a volt meter. Reset the ped main breaker. off then on. If 50 amp measure between L1 and L2 for 240 volts. If 30 amp look for 120 volts hot leg to ground or neutral. Then go to the circuit breaker panel and read the voltage there. Turn off all breakers then back on. Measure the voltage going into the converter. 120 volts. measure the voltage coming out of the converter. 12 volts. Fuses are 12 volt. Circuit breakers are 120 volts. Check the two 30/40 reverse polarity fuses on the converter. A/C t-stat is controlled by 12 volts.

[USAFBILL]

He meant exactly what he posted 5.6 volts and that is why his lights do not work etc

[agesilaus]

You mean 15.6 V I assume.