JasonNOLA Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 I would like to see if you all can help me identify a problem I am having with my 1994 Itasca. When I am plugged in to shore power, everything works except for my 110 volt outlets and none of them work at all. My AC works, my interior lights turn on extra bright, water pump works...but I am getting nothing from the outlets. I was told to look for a "coach disconnect switch" but do not see anything like this. Any ideas on how to fix this problem? I talked to Camping World and they want $110 per hour just to ID the problem. Hoping to avoid this cost. Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Jason, Have you checked all your breakers and fuses? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonNOLA Posted May 11, 2014 Author Share Posted May 11, 2014 John, I have mainly been searching for this mystery "coach disconnect switch" and was thinking breakers and fuses must be fine since the other electrical pieces worked fine. Will check these this morning and....hopefully report back that it works. Thanks for the reply. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 The first thing to check on anything electrical is always the breakers or fuses. I bet that your's is tripped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 A lot of the newer coaches have a GFI outlet in the bathroom. Good idea, but then some bright person decided to gang the rest of the coach outlets through the GFI instead of properly installing other circuits. So check and see if your GFI is tripped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredNewell Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 The GFI reset button is likely on the outlet (where you plug in a hair dryer or toaster). If you bump the button inadvertently you will kill the ac power to outlets. You just have to press the reset. Don't ask why I know this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 A lot of the newer coaches have a GFI outlet in the bathroom. Good idea, but then some bright person decided to gang the rest of the coach outlets through the GFI instead of properly installing other circuits. So check and see if your GFI is tripped. This ^^ resistance units heaters etc. will trip them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonNOLA Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 It was the GFI outlet's reset button But it was in front of the sink in the kitchen, not the bathroom. All 110 outlets are restored! Thank you all for the help in identifying and fixing this problem. Money and headache saved! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredNewell Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 This has happened to us, and others. Recently we pulled into an RV park. As soon as we got out of the vehicle, an elderly neighbor lady approached and asked for help with her electric. So I get to walk over like some kind of hero, enter her trailer, go directly to her GFI outlet and ask her to press the button. Presto, all 110 restored! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanAatTheCape Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I have a 93 winnie warrior which is the same as your itasca spirit. my gfi is at the kitchen sink too. I reset mine but it would pop again & again. I replaced it - about $20 at any rv store. I was in delaware & the rv dealer nearby got me one for less than 10 - easy to put it. has not popped since then, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcroc55 Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Hello, I'm new to the toyota motorhome world and just got a 1990 Itasca. I got a new deep-cycle battery and the outlets worked after that. Now the outlets don't work, but the battery is charged and all of the interior lights work. I pressed the GFI reset button, but nothing changed. I figure it is the fuse, but I can't find the fuse box. The Winnebago owner's manual says that the fuse box is by the power converter, but it doesn't say where the converter is on this particular model. I have found the fuse boxes under the steering wheel and under the hood, but those don't have the fuse for the outlets. Does anyone know where this fuse box can be found? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks. -Jcroc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 The house type 110 outlets don't work unless you are plugged in or have a generator running. Battery supplies 12 volt only. Your inside lights are 12 volt Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Here's what you're looking for with the fuses for the 'home'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MljHaWwQTTw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcroc55 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Derek and Linda, Thank you for the info. It was extremely helpful. I did find the fuse box which was behind a metal vent that I assumed was only the heater. The youtube was great too. My GFI outlet is not popping and doesn't work when the whole thing is connected to power, so I think it is defective. Instead of replacing it with another GFI, could I replace it with a cigarette lighter style outlet then use the small converter that the youtube mentions in order to be able to charge my phone when I'm not plugged in? Thanks again. Jcroc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Derek and Linda, Thank you for the info. It was extremely helpful. I did find the fuse box which was behind a metal vent that I assumed was only the heater. The youtube was great too. My GFI outlet is not popping and doesn't work when the whole thing is connected to power, so I think it is defective. Instead of replacing it with another GFI, could I replace it with a cigarette lighter style outlet then use the small converter that the youtube mentions in order to be able to charge my phone when I'm not plugged in? Thanks again. Jcroc. I didn't watch any of the U-tube videos (and I'm not going to) . . so I'm not sure exactly what you saw. A few questions though since what you wrote leaves me a little confused. A "GFCI" outlet, IF it is actually hooked to a live 120 volts AC source - should try to work and if bad - trip right away. If it does nothing and shows no sign of "life" - I suspect it is not getting any power at all. I don't under-stand how you are going to replace a 120 volt AC GFCI controlled outlet with a "cigarette lighter" outlet. That would be 12-14 volts DC, not 120 volts AC. That is unless you mean getting a DC to AC inverter and using that as an outlet for AC power. If you do that - it will be capable of no more then 1 or 2 amps @ 120 volts AC. That would be fine if just charging a cell-phone. Not for many bigger items though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Do you not already have a 12v 'cigarette lighter style' outlet in your coach? I'd use that. Each time you change the voltage (12v -> 110v -> whatever your phone uses) you loose a bit of efficiency. I'd just source a charger for your phone that will plug in to a 12v outlet. Or a USB charger. Or install something like this:- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I recently bought one like this. Nice to be able to watch my starting battery voltage with the temperatures here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12V-24V-Red-LED-Car-Digital-Voltage-Meter-Voltmeter-Monitor-USB-Charger-/400804797963?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d51d3de0b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I recently bought one like this. Nice to be able to watch my starting battery voltage with the temperatures here. http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-12V-24V-Red-LED-Car-Digital-Voltage-Meter-Voltmeter-Monitor-USB-Charger-/400804797963?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d51d3de0b What IS your starting voltage? 12.3 volts would be near impossible. 9-10 volts more normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 That's just a 'stock' photo, but it's about what I see on mine with the ignition 'On' but before engaging the 'Starter'. After starting the reading quickly rises to ~14.3v and stays there. Drops a bit if I switch on everything (Headlights (high beam), wipers (fast), heater fan (max), heated rear window, etc.) as a 'stress test'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 9-10 volts more normal. Under what conditions? Starter motor engaged/cranking? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Under what conditions? Starter motor engaged/cranking? Under the conditions of what you stated in your post i.e. "starting battery voltage." I took that to mean voltage when starting, or with the starter-motor cranking. Normal voltage range for a properly working 12 volt starter and a fully charged battery is 9-10 volts. I've got several of those power-outlet powered digital voltmeters. Great to have. All of mine show 13.8 to 14.3 volts when running. I got my first one after having a scare with our Dodge GrandCaravan. We were in the middle of nowhere when the "no charge" light came on. No tools,, no test equipment and we were in the middle of the NY Adirondacks. It was day-time so our lights weren't on. But still a 2000 Dodge van uses electricity for transmission shifting, fuel injection, ignition system, anti-lock brakes, and God knows what else. We were 40 miles from the nearest auto-parts store and that's the way we headed. When I got there to the NAPA store - ended up they had no alternator in stock. There is no stand-alone regulator for it since the the on-board computer handles control of the alternator. So best I could think to do was buy a new battery and take it with us as a spare. If the one under the hood went dead- I was going to swap in the new battery to keep driving. So on we went - another 50 miles to our destination. When we finally arrived - I finally shut the engine off - figuring the battery would be too dead to restart. NOPE. It was fine. Ends up the van was charging fine all along even though the "no charge" light was on. It was just a computer glitch. I bought one of those digital voltmeters and we now keep it plugged in all the time. Since then, our " no charge" light has come on many more times. When it does - the voltmeter stays at 13,8 to 14.3 volts so I know all-is-fine. I also found out that to make the "no charge" light go off, all I have to do is "reboot" the computer. All that takes is shutting the engine of and restarting. Some time after we got a 2nd Dodge Grandcaravan. A 2003. It does the same damn thing and every once in awhile - the "no charge" light pops on and will not go off until we "reboot." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 In the interests of science, I just went out to look closer. Having sat since yesterday in the cold (~2F currently), the voltage was 12.2v. Starter motor cranking, voltage dropped to ~9v. Within 5 seconds of starting/running, voltage was over 14.3v. I bought mine to help diagnose my new 'winter beater' problem. Car started fine until the 1st night below freezing. Started fine after overnight charging. Suspects were battery, alternator and starter (in that order). Being 'thrifty', I didn't want to start throwing new parts to replace still good 'old' parts. Seeing the 14.3v with the engine running told me the alternator was charging, so I put in a new battery and no problem since Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 Batteries might have improved but when I was a kid in New York when it got really cold the car battery came in the house for the night. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 The batteries haven't improved in that respect. A battery still loses 1/2 its cranking power at 0 degrees F. So a vehicle designed to start in cold weather will usually have 2 to 3 times the battery it needs to start in warm weather, in order to start fine when it's below 0. What HAS improved is engine starting in the cold due to electronic fuel injection and high-energy ignition systems. Means a lot less cranking in severe cold to get an engine started. No more fouled plugs and/or fuel leaving the carburetor and sticking to cold metal instead of finding its way to the combustion chambers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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