Sent: 5/30/2005
Just got done with a road trip in my old D19. While camping I found that I had no power to charge my cell phone at any of the recetacles. I remember on a previous rig that I had to plug the shoreline into a receptacle at the generator to have AC power in the coach, but I could find no such recptacle to plug in to. Am I missing something here?
Sent: 5/30/2005
My Brave has a receptacle inside the enclosure containing the power cable.
Sent: 5/30/2005
some rigs have a plug to plug the shore power cord into to run on generator. some have a set of breakers you have to throw to run on generator. newer models have automatic switching between shore and generator. what year is your rig and was the genny running? has it worked on shore power before? has the system been modified from original? need a little more info to help more.
sal
Sent: 5/30/2005
My Winnie has a set of breakers. Depending what I'm using for a power source, they are interlocked so both cannot be on at same time. If on generator breakers, they are one way, then, if I switch to shore power, it shuts the generator breaker off.
Sent: 5/30/2005
If your rig is anything like mine, the seat over the converter will lift out. It could be the receptacle is just hidden from you. And, yes; you have to plug the shore line into it when running on the generator.
Sent: 5/30/2005
If your rig was like mine when I bought it from the PO, the receptacle to plug the shore cable into that leads to the generator was missing (of course, my WHOLE generator was missing...lol).
Here is a quick lowdown on how I wire my rig:
On shore power, the shore power line plugs into a shore receptacle. Make sure you bring an adapter that converts your big 3 post spaded trailer plug to a regular-looking 3 post extention cord-looking plug...some campgrounds still have the old fashioned house plugs, and if you stop to visit relatives and friends, you will still want to plug into power if they let you.
On generator power, I plug the shore power cable into the trailer receptacle that I replaced. With shore power or generator power, all of my outlets work, and all the 12 volt systems work, even though my Phillips converter is over 33 years old.
A PO may have updated your rig with a selecting switch, eliminating the very good and fool proof shoreline receptacle...OR they may have went to an even more high tech and problematic system with an automatic switch that shuts off all connections with the generator when shore power is detected. If they did this, you may have a problem with the auto switch.
The most likely culprit is breakers. On mine, the generator has breakers, the system itself has breakers, and there is a 30 amp main breaker at the junction box where my generator ties into the rest of the system.
Good luck!
Kev
Sent: 6/1/2005
Well, thanks again for all the advice. Yes, there was a receptacle tucked way back inside the shore line compartment. And yes, it does work. So mystery solved.