Electrical Outlets Not Working

[Cort]

2019 Oliver Elite II - Outlets work fine while on shore power; not otherwise. Lights, CD player work - outlets do not. Checked the fuses, flipped the breakers back and forth, red light is on near the electrical panel, it has a zamp solar charge controller -battery level reads full - any suggestions are welcome!

[Steph and Dud B]

If you have an inverter, which I assume you do since you have solar, you need to turn it on to power the 120v outlets when you don't have shore power. Our inverter is a Xantrex and pushing the silver button on the control panel in turns it on. Note that the inverter is a fairly large battery draw.

[SeaDawg]

@Steph and Dud B caught it, i think. In a 2019, your tv/cd player were probably 12v. Lights are 12v.

110 outlets will only work if your inverter is on. And, if you have sufficient battery to power them.  Or, if you're on shore power.

[Cort]

Thanks. it has two buttons that I can see - the amp/volt and battery type - I don't see where to turn it on. The battery voltage says 13V. I don't know about that red light - charging status?

[SeaDawg]

@Cort, @Steph and Dud B, the button for your inverter is NOT on the solar panel. It's a different control panel for your inverter. 

Do you know where the control panel is for your inverter? (Probably Xantrex, in 2019.)  My trailer is much older. I don't have your equipment.

 

[SeaDawg]

Anyone else online right now with a @circa 2029, with a xantrex, who can advise Cort where to look,  please?

[Cort]

8 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

@Cort, @Steph and Dud B, the button for your inverter is NOT on the solar panel. It's a different control panel for your inverter. 

Do you know where the control panel is for your inverter? (Probably Xantrex, in 2019.)  My trailer is much older. I don't have your equipment.

 

That makes sense there's no button there! I'll look around 🙂. I don't see anything in the cabin.

[Rivernerd]

That is not your inverter remote control panel; it is your solar panel charging panel. 

Below is a photo of the Xantrex inverter control panel in our 2022 Elite II.  The silver button in the lower right hand corner is the "on/off" switch.  "In" is on, "out" is off.  In the photo, the inverter is on (switch in the "in" position).

[SeaDawg]

@Rivernerd, @Cort, this one, circled, in red?

Thank you rivernerd. Cort, don't forget to turn it off when you're done with 120 needs. Inverter will drain your battery, even with nothing on 120 running. 

Best of luck.

 

 

[MobileJoy]

If you don't see the Freedom panel, see if there is a PROWatt panel like this one. I got this from the 2018 model. I couldn't identify the one used for 2019 specifically.

[Cort]

Thanks - that's a nice panel - unfortunately I either don't have it or can't find it.  The CD player is below the solar panel. 

Is it possible that there is no inverter? I don't see it anywhere 

[Cort]

11 minutes ago, SeaDawg said:

@Rivernerd, @Cort, this one, circled, in red?

Thank you rivernerd. Cort, don't forget to turn it off when you're done with 120 needs. Inverter will drain your battery, even with nothing on 120 running. 

Best of luck.

 

 

Thanks for the advice - these are not new batteries. 

[Cort]

6 minutes ago, MobileJoy said:

If you don't see the Freedom panel, see if there is a PROWatt panel like this one. I got this from the 2018 model. I couldn't identify the one used for 2019 specifically.

Thanks Mobile! I actually looked in the manual and that's what I have. Where in the trailer did you find that?

 

[MobileJoy]

1 minute ago, Cort said:

Thanks Mobile! Where in the trailer did you find that?

Oliver University. It is from the 2018 Xantrex PROwatt 2000 Inverter Remote Manual.

[SeaDawg]

Look low, also. Some early trailers had panels mounted low, like under beds. Or, under seats .

[Cort]

9 minutes ago, MobileJoy said:

Oliver University. It is from the 2018 Xantrex PROwatt 2000 Inverter Remote Manual.

I see it in the manual but have not been able to locate it in the trailer (lol)

[SeaDawg]

Unless your solar is not original, you have a panel somewhere, for the prowatt. 

Look under the beds and seats.

I know it seems like a crazy scavenger hunt, but it has to be somewhere.

[MobileJoy]

The PROWatt inverter itself looks like this:

[MobileJoy]

In case you don't have the PROWatt, the Freedom inverter looks like this. Note it has a control panel. This is a large box that will likely be mounted under the street side bed near the pantry.

[Cort]

Thanks for all your help!

This is a single bed setup. I have looked near the floor, in all the under compartments, all the upper storage areas, in the closet, The bathroom (yes, I'm getting desperate),  in every outside opening and I don't see either the inverter or the prowatt panel anywhere. The manual says it came with them. I don't know how but I must be missing something. I'm trying to get in contact with the former owner and see if he remembers. 

[Cort]

Well, I have the answer - the former owner told me there is no inverter....I guess that's the way it came.  It's weird because trailer  seems to have just about everything else  - double awnings, Truma water heater, solar, double propane tanks, WIFI, CD player,  and I don't know what else - but no inverter. 

The previous owner said the outlets would only work with shore power or when using a generator. 

I wonder how hard it would be to put one in?

[SeaDawg]

Well, I'd say that's odd, considering you have pretty much everything that could be had in 2019.

We added an inverter to our 2008. After a few years, removed it,,as we rarely used it.

[Cort]

The only reason I can see to get one is to use the outlets without using a generator. I'm almost almost always boondocking. 

[Rivernerd]

2 hours ago, Cort said:

I'm almost almost always boondocking. 

Then you would surely benefit from installation of an inverter to provide 120V power when boondocking.  But, I expect adding an inverter is a fairly major upgrade after construction.

Has anyone on this forum ever done it?

[Rivernerd]

2 hours ago, SeaDawg said:

Ww added an inverter to our 2008. After a few years, removed it,,as we rarely used it.

We use our inverter regularly when boondocking.  We have yet to use a generator, although we usually carry a pair.

But, we also have 390 Ah of LiFePO4 batteries, which provide sufficient power to run 120V appliances (like the microwave or AC) for an hour or two.

Cort, what battery package do you have?  That may impact the feasibility of an inverter upgrade.