The convenience of an RV brings indoor comfort to the
outdoors—but if you don’t have power, that convenience goes by the wayside. If
you’ve noticed that your RV is plugged in but you have no power, you may have
to try something different to get it going again. Here’s a brief guide to help.
Try This First
Start by disconnecting any devices from your RV that are currently
drawing power, such as a hairdryer connected to a bathroom plug. Even kitchen
appliances like coffee pots should be turned off and unplugged before you
begin. At your circuit breaker, you can also turn off a number of other
elements in your RV, such as your water heater.
You should also check the main circuit breakers of your RV. In many cases, simply resetting the main
circuit breakers can resolve the problem.
A word of warning:
if you’re not comfortable working with electrical power and you don’t feel that
you know what you’re doing, you’ll want to stop the process and take your RV in
to a qualified repair expert. This might seem like a major inconvenience, but
if the problem is more serious than you’re capable of repairing yourself, you
were going to have to bring it in anyway. If your problem is easily resolved,
you shouldn’t expect a major bill for your efforts and you’ll be rewarded with
a functioning RV.
Diagnosing Your Power
Problem
If you’ve worked with your RV’s electrical systems before
and know all of the proper safety precautions to take, there may be some
diagnosing you can do on your own. If you have no experience with these
systems, however, you’ll want to stop yourself before making a bad decision. You
don’t want to learn “on the job” when it comes to electrical systems.
- Check the
fuses and breakers. These are the most common culprits. Check or try
replacing fuses and breakers. When replacing, be sure to replace with the fuse of
the same rating. Failing to do so could result in serious issues like electrical
fires and damage. - Check the
12-volt system. This system applies power to appliances and lights. Check
the corresponding fuse, connections with the breaker, and connections to the
batteries. Also be sure to check the water level in the batteries. If it’s low,
that could be your culprit. - Check the
surge protector. Because of the surge protector’s function of protecting
the RV, it can sometimes get in the way of power flow if there’s a problem.
Have a look at your surge protector’s diagnostic lights to get a sense of
what’s going on.
Diagnosing an RV’s power issues isn’t for the faint of
heart. Make sure you have experience and a thorough understanding of electrical
systems before you get started. There could of course be other issues with your
power system than those mentioned here.
Follow all proper safety precautions and make sure you have
experience with diagnosing electrical issues. And if you have any doubts, you
can always take the RV in to have an expert look at your electrical systems.
Other Ways To
Maintain Your RV
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for everything you need to clean it and keep it in great shape!
