Weird outlets issue (gfci?)

[LarryBud]

Odd thing today. We've been getting the 2019 24.1 vegas ready for our inaugural trip. Plugged it in at the house to get the fridge and freezer cold.
Nothing.
The propane kicked in when I unplugged. Checked the outlet that the fridge is plugged into and,,,,dead. Outside outlets,,,dead. Easy enough, find the gfci (above the toilet) and reset. Not so fast. Gfci had power and didn't seem to be popped. Disassembled gfci, nothing seemed wrong. 🤔
Decided to start generator and see if shore power was the problem. All outlets worked on generator. Turned off generator,,, plugged in shore power. Everything worked fine again! Absolutely no idea why? Sitting at campsite with 4 degrees freezer and 42 degrees fridge on shore power.
Inaugural trip is going well! 😎

[taylorbob1]

USE/STORE switch issues?

Assuming it’s in the USE position, sometimes the solenoid is bad.
I had to replace the solenoid about a year ago
It got corroded.

Everything worked just like you described.

Are you hearing a “clunk” when playing with the USE/STORE switch?

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by LarryBud

Odd thing today. We've been getting the 2019 24.1 vegas ready for our inaugural trip. Plugged it in at the house to get the fridge and freezer cold.
Nothing.
The propane kicked in when I unplugged. Checked the outlet that the fridge is plugged into and,,,,dead. Outside outlets,,,dead. Easy enough, find the gfci (above the toilet) and reset. Not so fast. Gfci had power and didn't seem to be popped. Disassembled gfci, nothing seemed wrong. 🤔
Decided to start generator and see if shore power was the problem. All outlets worked on generator. Turned off generator,,, plugged in shore power. Everything worked fine again! Absolutely no idea why? Sitting at campsite with 4 degrees freezer and 42 degrees fridge on shore power.
Inaugural trip is going well! 😎

Sounds like an issue with the transfer switch. If you don't know what a transfer switch is you need to learn. It usually is located near where the shore power cord connects. It is a good idea to check the tightness of the connections in the transfer switch once a year. You do this be taking off the cover with the generator off and the shore power cable disconnected. Check the tightness of each screw. All the current flowing into your RV goes through the transfer switch and can be as high as 30 amps on an RV like you have. If the connections are lose they will overheat and often cause a failure.

Now to your issue. The transfer switch has a large relay (often called a contactor) configured as a double pole, double throw. The coil of this relay is powered by the generator so when the generator is off power to the coach comes from the shore power connection. If you start the generator (after a short delay) the relay will energize and remove the power from the shore connection and connect the coach to the generator. Sounds like in your case by starting the generator and then turning it back off you cycled this relay and perhaps caused the shore contacts to be cleaned or debris to fall out. Maybe an insect built a nest in the transfer switch. I once had a problem with an HVAC system caused by a spider. Seems the spider got between the contacts and then when the contacts closed it was squashed thus insulating the contacts.

Another thing to be cognizant of is what happens if the coach is connected to shore power with the air conditioner running and you start the generator without first disconnecting shore power. When current is flowing through contacts it wants to keep flowing if the load is inductive like a motor on the air conditioner and when you disrupt it by turning on the generator the voltage at the contacts will increase in an attempt to keep the current flowing. This results in burned contacts. Maybe someone did this to your coach and the shore power contacts are burned.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Originally Posted by taylorbob1

USE/STORE switch issues?

Assuming it’s in the USE position, sometimes the solenoid is bad.
I had to replace the solenoid about a year ago
It got corroded.

Everything worked just like you described.

Are you hearing a “clunk” when playing with the USE/STORE switch?

I'm not sure that MY "use/store" switch (actually just a battery disconnect) employs a relay. I don't hear any contacts switching when I turn it. I could certainly be wrong, but in MY use case, I don't see why a relay would be needed over/above heavy gauge cable to carry DC current. Please correct me if I am wrong.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

I'm not sure that MY "use/store" switch (actually just a battery disconnect) employs a relay. I don't hear any contacts switching when I turn it. I could certainly be wrong, but in MY use case, I don't see why a relay would be needed over/above heavy gauge cable to carry DC current. Please correct me if I am wrong.

Supply a picture of your switch.

If it's a true disconnect switch and you "turn it" like this one:



Then no remote latching relay is involved.

But if it's a spring return to center rocker switch like this one:



Then that is just a control switch for a remote latching relay.

[Bob Nodine]

Originally Posted by Chateau_Nomad

I'm not sure that MY "use/store" switch (actually just a battery disconnect) employs a relay. I don't hear any contacts switching when I turn it. I could certainly be wrong, but in MY use case, I don't see why a relay would be needed over/above heavy gauge cable to carry DC current. Please correct me if I am wrong.

If you go back and read LarryBud's post you will see is is actually talking about AC power and not DC power as would be controlled by the battery disconnect switch. He even talks about the GFIC circuit breaker. From the description of his actions and things he did I surmised he had an issue that corrected itself when he started the generator and then turned it back off. He even says that everything worked on the generator and starting working from shore power once he turned the generator back off. The most logical suspect was the transfer switch which is a device constructed with relays to transfer power between the shore connection and the generator.

[ducksface]

Ok,
Don't abuse me because I'm being simple.
Is the little green light shining on your outside male 30 amp plug indicating you really have shore power going into the RV?

My shore gfci pops on occasion. It sucked and it took me ALL day before I thought to check that light. I diddled shore breakers and rv breakers and tore up the rear bed hefore I thought of the shore gfci(it's a big shop and the Damn thing was 65ft away. That took an hour to find)

I have (once) not plugged the 30 amp cord in correctly.

Some here have told tales of 30amp cords going bad.

Gfci shore power tale was for others. Op can check his 30amp cord