ProfilersTrouble-shooting the 120v Electrical System
So you think you
=ve got trouble?This month let
=s take a look at the first steps you should be taking to resolve what just went wrong with your electricity.We
=ll start with the 120 volt electrical systems since they provide the most mystery. Remember, electricity almost never leaks into a puddle under the sink.Our number one rule in trouble shooting any kind of electrical system is:
AStart with the power supply, or power source.@Take, for example, you just got into the campground and set the trailer up. The water hose is connected and the electrical line is plugged into the space receptacle. The first thing that you might notice is that the if you brought your microwave this trip, the clock isn
=t blinking 12:00. Let=s say you didn=t bring it this time, then you might not notice a problem until one of three things catch you eye (or ear). In the evening, the lights slowly start getting dimmer and dimmer. The CO monitor, or Propane leak detector start to chirp. Not real loud, as when you test them, but just a short, polite Achirp@, indicating low 12v voltage. Maybe you notice that the refrigerator temperature is rising. Then you remembered rule Number One. Go back outside and check that you turned the breaker for your trailer connection at the post to AOn@. (Many people follow the manufacturers safety recommendation and turn the breaker off to connect or disconnect the trailer plug. Sometimes they leave it off.)If that fixed the problem you can go grab a coffee. You
=re done. Congratulations.If however, the breaker was already On and you didn
=t have the low voltage, and the refrigerator was cold. Just the TV or other plug in appliances just don=t work. Now go to the next most likely culprit, the GFCI outlet nearest the kitchen. This outlet is a safety feature to keep you from any shocking experiences with water and electricity. In the center of the outlet are two buttons. One os labeled ATest@ the other is AReset@. Push the reset one first. If it feels like it snapped into place this is good. Now try the ATest@ one. It should cause the AReset@ to pop out. If it does, then there is power to the outlet. You have now tested the outlet for ground fault safety and now you get to push the AReset@ once again. Since many of the other outlets are connected to this one, they all are protected from short circuits. If the AReset@ was out when you first tried it, this should fix the problem. Coffee time.In the rare instance when neither of the first two fixes worked, there is still the on-board circuit breaker panel. The manufacturer likes to hide them. Look under the couch, under the bathroom sink, behind a storage panel door. There is one inside somewhere. Just check that all the breakers in this panel, (when you find it) are all turned On. If they were, then it
=s time to check with the campground personnel. The problem should be on their side and you shouldn=t be the only one left in the dark.Hattie