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My RV's Generator Is Not Providing Power To The Electrical Outlets In My RV

by Chuck
(Belleville, IL)

My Onan Generator powers the hardwired microwave and the rooftop AC, but doesn't power the wall outlets. Breakers were cycled without effect. There's an automatic transfer switch that sounds like it's some sort of solenoid or electromechanical throw. I don't think I hear it switching. The generator gives power after its usual warm up.

1. Is it possible that these appliances are wired around the transfer switch? They both run off the generator or shore power in normal operation.

2. Must the 12-volt system be fully charged to engage the automatic transfer switch? There's barely enough battery to start the generator. Currently on the charger.

Thanks in advance,
Chuck

ANSWER: Hi Chuck OK since you do not tell me what year and type of RV you have I am going to have to take a stab at what the problem actually is. Here are the 2 most common causes of the problem you are experiencing.

1. Since you did not tell me if your electrical outlets work when you are hooked up to Shore Power, you could have a tripped GFCI Electrical Outlet (pictured at the top of this page). As you can see a GFCI outlet looks like a normal electrical outlet except that it has two buttons on it. One button is a test button and one is a reset button.

The GFCI outlet works like a circuit breaker. If one of these outlets have tripped then all of the other electrical outlets connected to it will not work until the reset button on the GFCI outlet is reset. Depending on the year of the RV you have, you could have more than one of these GFCI Outlets on your RV. In most cases, these outlets are located in the RV's kitchen or bathroom areas however some RV manufacturers have been kind enough to install them in out of the way places such as inside cabinets etc.

2. Your generator itself may have a couple of circuit breakers on it. Go into your generator compartment and look for the circuit breakers that are actually on the generator. I cannot tell you the exact location of these breakers as they vary by year and model of generator. One of these breakers may have tripped.

The other two items that you mention in your question should not affect whether you get power to your outlets when the generator is running. As long as the generator is running you should be getting power to the outlets.

I hope this helped.

Do you have any suggestions or comments on this topic? You can add them to this page by clicking on the "Click Here To Post Comments" link located near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

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