RV Power Problem Leads to Converter Diagnosis and Replacement 

Nearly my exact symptoms except batteries were not dead as I have a couple solar panels sending juice to recharge the batteries. But I did notice no working 12V circuitry when plugged to shore power and battery disconnect set to "off". Comprehensible description of the science and & application and some of the perplexing issues such as "Where you might locate the converter". Thanks for going to the trouble of filming-editing-posting videos and sharing your knowledge with us. It sure helps and settles the anxiety in dealing with situations.

Have what we think is a converter problem, found your site, showing my husband this video when you moved the ground lug, his comment about you. “This guy has big electrical nuts”. Please interpret that as much respect for your skills! Thank you for all these videos! Wish you were closer!

the problem alot in RU-vid 😢.. is the explaining lack of or people really don't know fully of what there trying to present.. you are most definitely the best at all levels in each video u present.. i appreciate all cuz greatly has helped me .

You nailed it. I tried looking at my RV website and tried to describe the problem. I got nowhere. Your video with the blinking clock on the microwave was my exact situation. I found my converter and yes! I had two blown 35 fuses. Everything works again. Thanks.

My parents bought a RV and the only way their 12 v works is keeping the battery on a charger but all of the 110 works fine with shore power. So with this video I know now know how to chk their converter. Thank you so much for your indepth training.

Great videos. Thanks for taking the time to record and produce these videos!

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge. I used this video to diagnose and replace my converter last weekend... project went smooth as butter 🧈.

Love your videos, I'm a NRVIA Level 2 RV Inspector and I have learned so much from you

Thanks for sharing your expertise. I’m refurbishing a ‘94 Oshkosh Sahara Diesel pusher. These videos are very helpful. I’m a novice when it comes to RV electrical. Thank you very much. I’m going to test my converter next

Very good explaining each step , easy to follow !! One of the best I've seen - I've been in the electrical industry for 52 yrs.... a joy to watch ......

Excellent. Thank you for using laymen terms so we can follow along.

Thank you, you just saved our lives, it's 107° here in AZ and we only thought there was 1 breaker box outside, unplugged everything and found the breaker box inside and it worked woooohoooo thank you!

Can't thank you enough for sharing all your expert experience!

I'm an RV technician in training and I can't say enough how much I appreciate you taking the time to explain all of this and make these videos.

THANK YOU, I really appreciate the analogies that you use it helps to UNDERSTAND what is happening behind the panel. Great videos, appreciate you

Fantastic tutorial! I’m having awning problems and your video may have saved me a lot of money and frustration. Thanks!

Thank You! Ever since crooks cut off my catalytic converter and I had a new one welded on, I’ve had nothing but electrical problems! Thanks to your vids, I’m grasping the why and how to fix my issues! Thanks again

Excellent learning experience. This will help me tremendously trouble shooting my electric problem on my slide in truck camper

I a widow with a dream motorhome....I can only do 1987 Ford cut away and the way you explain has given me great hope I can manage this....thank you so very much!!

I never knew there are fuses on the converter. I always learn so much watching your videos.

Outstanding videos - like the fact you jump right into a task as we would and find out and resolve issues as you move forward-real world videos -

Thank you...I've been having issue with exact issue you describe. Your trouble shooting was excellent

You are a lifesaver. I have a 2020 South Fork that had some of the outlets go off during a storm. Thanks for guiding through the location of the fuses. Even the stupid place I bought it from couldn't help me unless I paid for a tech. $3.00 and I am up and running again!!! :)

You explained it so completely I totally understand it now! I have been waiting for my sons to find time in their schedules to come over and look at it. But I change out my own lights I have put up fans I have done so much on my own I really think that I can do this myself. Thank you so much

thank you you make it so easy to understand the converter and AC & DC POWER

I love your videos Im 19 I got my first travel trailer I live in and you have taught me a lot I never would have known 👍

I have learned more in this video than all the videos combined. Thank you!

Great video!! I had a problem finding the converter until this video!!

Great video and explanation. I just went through this same process of elimination on a 1999 Cedar Creek travel trailer. After all the troubleshooting I found that the AC to DC converter had gone bad. Much simpler fix than replacing the whole power center. Took 15 minute to uninstall the old unit and install the new one. Now everything is working again on both sides (AC/DC) as it should.

Good video. I’m familiar with RV and electrical systems. I’m a retired industrial maintenance technician. Good explanation for the lay person. Glad to see how easy the range removes for future reference. Thanks for the info 😊

You are a really good teacher and explainer of systems and diagnostics... Kudo's

I hope you teach new RV tech's.. You know how better than most. Best wishes and thanks for the tips.

You explain the workings of an rv better than anybody I have seen. For somebody that has never done the things you have done it may be absorbed better if you explained them a little slower. Please do not stop doing your videos because they are more valuable than you know!!!

THAT WAS AN EXCELLENT VIDEO AND EXPLANATION. THANK YOU NOW I HAVE TO CHECK MY DAUGHTER CONVERTER sorry for the caps.

Thanks for your input and thanks for the info on the high-flow regulators. Always good information.

Hey Darren, enjoy the channel you’re the best. As a career Marine tech if this were a boat, I may have load tested the outlet for the converter. Sometimes you can even smell if the converter is burned up. You know before you do the test but you have to do the test. Great channel. I try to learn something every day.

Know you probably won’t see this cause this video is from a year ago but thank you for this very informative video. Especially the part about different types of batteries will need different types of converters/chargers. Cause I am needing to replace my water filled battery and was considering a sealed type battery. Thanks again. 👍👍

Incredibly helpful. The fan on the invertor no longer runs to assist with keeping said appliance from getting too warm. I had noticed this at least a year ago and so I've placed a fan down by the appliance as a way to give the cooling effect of the non working fan. So far so good. I do feel lucky thus far that the appliance hasn't failed. My battery is staying charged, so whether the charger is within the invertor or elsewhere I have no idea but at least the charger does and has kept my battery charged. I don't travel with the RV (1997 Shasta w/small slide out) so I only use one 'flooded' battery for the 12V boards that do the things you spoke about and all those systems do work properly. Of course I now know to operate the slide, if ever I do need to, I'll add a second battery in parrallel to increase amperage for the motors. I've lived in this RV since November 2015 in Arizona through cold winters and oppresively hot summers. I don't use my LP gas furnace as the blower fan has a worn bearing that squeals when I try to use it, which I just don't and hav not for several years now. But seeing how easy it is to remove the stove I may attempt to get to the blower motor which is located under the stove. I've suffered two mild strokes in the past five years, I'm 65 years old and no longer agile, so I don't know if I shall try to fix the blower motor myself or continue to use electric space heaters. I realize the fire danger of over taxing the shore power and such with space heaters and I know I really need to get things working properly. In particular I should save the money soon to be able to have a invertor on standby for when mine does eventually fail. I rarely use the 12 volt lights, but of course the fridge needs the 12 volts either from my house battery or from the invertor being I'm on shore power. Same goes for the roof A/C board and when I rarely use the water heater the gas ignitor circuit* needs a working invertor or a charged 12 volt house battery. *This I knew already. ALL OF THIS I WROTE ABOUT IS SOMETHING NEWLY LEARNED, AS I WAS UNAWARE OF MUCH TOO MUCH OBVIOUSLY, UNTIL I WATCHED THIS VIDEO.

Thank you. Have a path to check out issues I'm experiencing

You got super lucky. Every time I have wanted to access something under the cook stove there has been floor in the cabinet under the stove. Better go buy that lottery ticket. Good job, as always Darren

You do an amazing job of making a novice like myself understand - THANK YOU! The only thing working on my tt is the microwave so this video is UBER important to me!

Firstly thank you. I would suggest that you dedicate in gradual steps more videos only on electricity in length because. Since you anyway go about it beyond just the fix, no doubt your followers would appreciate your talent for explaining things better than any professor out there. Hopefully we get that lucky!!

Exactly... I had no idea how easy it is to pull the stove! My converter is in a different place though. Very helpful. Already subscribed.

Great Camera work, and as always, tutorial explanation. Thanks.

Thank you so much for this wonderful video. It truly helped me understand things from the best perspective and that’s straight facts! After thousands of videos, I watched I now understand how my converter works. God bless your heart.

Wow! Really good videos. I've been thinking about a project that would require me to temporarily remove my range. and thinking, and thinking and thinking I don't really want to remove it... well guess what I just found out? Six(ish) screws and couple wrenches. I guess I know what I'm doing tomorrow. Thanks (i think) for the info. Please keep doing these videos. You are by far and away the best resource for this sort of stuff on RU-vid.

This was exactly my issue. Some AC outlets working, but no fridge, furnace, lights. Bought a voltage meter, did the diagnostics. A bad converter. Purchased a new converter, and installed it within an hour. Thanks for the help.

This video was amazing! It’s exactly what I needed to know and he explains everything at a level anyone can understand.

Awesome video. Because of the whole Covid thing, I've lost my company and my place to live. I was able to find a 1991 Econoline 350 RV for $450, but it's in really bad shape. Mostly water damage. I'm trying to make it livable and I've started by just gutting the whole thing. As I rebuild the cabinets and fixtures, I'll need to do a lot of rewiring. I'm glad I found your channel.

hello enjoy watching your video's . I trying to learn as much as I can. My wife and I are still trying to get our first motorhome. Thank you so much for sharing knowledge.

2 battle born bats, 1 go power ic2000 inv/conv/char, go power controller, 2 flex rich 100 watt solar panels, 1 rich 20a MPPT controller, trc surge protector .. u can thank me later ..this is 1 year of full use in camper & hundreds of hours of use after 6 months of initial research b 4 install. PS THIS IS THE BEST ExPLAIN'en LUCY I'VE EVER HEARD damn that was good.

Excellent description of the system.

Such great explanations. This is the exact problem I'm facing right now. Thank you.

Watched a couple of videos. Tested the out let it was reporting strong......however, it was a 20 volt sideways prong. The prong reciver inside the out let had bent and was not Making connection. Replaced outlet and saved money on the converter.....thank you again for explaining to start at the source and complete all tests. Troubleshooting isn't for the quick crowd....slow down and save. I also noticed that when I unplugged and plugged into outlet lights and converter would come alive for about 3 seconds. Started tinkering and then confirmed outlet fail.

Thanks for the info especially if you are changing your battery type from liquid to AGM sealed. Changing the converter doesn't look too bad depending where it is located.

Just across the strait in Victoria, BC. This is great

Good stuff! Thanks for putting these videos out there!

Love how thorough you are .

Thank you for this video! I learned a lot here. We have been having batt discharge constantly. I did check the readings on my meter and they are perfect and the fuses are good so I believe the converter is good. Still have to charge the batt every couple months though. ????? By the way I found the converter in the back of the rig in the storage bay. everything else is mid rig.

I appreciate the video! I did know how easy it is to take out a stove as I just removed mine a few weeks ago. The area below the stove in mine was not as clean as your customer's was.

Thanks have a few more to watch to find the problem of ours before dragging it 60 mile north for the warranty fix. :)

You are a fantastic teacher. Thank you for these fantastic and informative videos/

I had that same setup as far as the access. I took the fence/grid off and put a air vent register cover...mounted on outside..two thumb screws....and I can access the converter very easy access now

Thanks Darren. Another great video.

Once again you were very timely for me. Now I know how to check it out. Thanks! Havagudun

NICE EXPLANATION. THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

Very helpful, and well taught! Thanks!!!

Bro thanx for confirming what I didn’t want to say I already knew but there I said it it’s been so long since I’ve done any RV electrical but when use don’t use it you loose it right !! But great video well instructed and so simple thanx now I can fix my sisters trailer and get her back on the road again thanx again .

Very well explained, no unnecessary bla bla 👍

I like your style. Thanks for making this video brother.

Outstanding video! Thanks

Great video very helpful. Did notice the owner put holes in the wood behind the stove to hold knives in Place, but alot of us put our knives away wet which would put water in with the wires and converter area. I am pretty sure electric and water means TROUBLE.

thanks for this video. helped a lot with my sons camper.

Dealing with this camping this weekend. Fortunately I had an old school battery charger.. 2 10 and 50 amp start selection switch. Hooked it up to the battery and will at least get to deal with this at home over the week.

I have learned so much, thank you.

Listen carefully folks...he's right about if you upgrade to AGM batteries you Must change your battery charger to match. We bought an old Class A with a new $350 AGM starter battery that lasted barely more than a year...it would show full voltage but instantly drop to 7 volts when I tried to start the engine. Researching a replacement I learned that things have changed since our class A was built 30 years ago. I've installed a small Optima charger on my dashboard that shows me the condition of my starter battery and not only charges it but reconditions it at various times. Well worth the money. I installed AGM House Batteries that are charged from a new Converter I installed. The original Converter weighed 30 pounds, was always hot to the touch and was really loud 24 hours a day...the new one weighs maybe 4 pounds, is silent, cool to the touch and does tons of things that the old converter couldn't do for my batteries. I installed the new converter floating 4 inches above the floor and several inches from any walls on 2 large L-brackets to facilitate the cooling of the unit.

Remember to use your batt disconnect switch to turn off the battery connection before doing this job. Also, the batteries in this video are probably not going to come back to life if they're reading an absolute zero voltage.

Your video led me to the source!! thanks for the help!!!!

Thank you for this video! Excellent!

Thank you for your military service!

Thank you for this video. Iam a technician helping a friend with his refridgerator and this video answered everything. He is running on A/c only with no batteries and his fridge keeps cutting out, but when I hit the water pump or the slide out it will kick the fridge back on. Well you just made me realize why.. His converter is bad and Im guessing that its over charging hitting the slide out is pulling such a load that its dropping it down enough to alow it back on.. Im pretty sure the diodes are bad in the converter because I was picking up quite a bit A/C voltage at the dc leads and fuses. Thank you very much!!

Great video. .very helpful in solving my D.C. problem. Thanks.

Hello and everything I need to know from you. You are so freaking informal perfectly informal.

Sir, I thank you now I know why my light's are dim but most of the item's work in my fifth wheel.

Think I may have a converter issue so will check for proper voltage as you have described.

I found your information to be very helpful thank you very much very well explained

i have to say...this video save me $$$ from taking my airstream to the dealer. Could not find the short on my fantastic fan, thermostat and ac unit all 3 did not work, AC work just fine but your explanantion about this boards needing their 12 volts to make their circuits work. My batteries showed good voltage but their capacity was only 9%. bad batteries. Now it makes sense. they would work intermittently. Thanks for the video explanation.

Thank you very much.your video and information were very helpful makes me like using my RV again.

Just 2 things that I want to add: 1. 120v might be present at the outlet, but if the wire is frayed when you try to draw amps it can't push them through. Rare, but I've seen it. 2. An open wire will not trip a fuse or breaker. You can have a bad wire still between the converter and the battery. If the wire isn't making contact with a ground the fuse/breaker will not blow

Great video thanks again for all your great info. I'm a graduate from RVTI school in Indiana but I'm learning more from you thanks again

Great video good explanation on how to diagnose the problem love watching your videos very helpful. 👍

Thanks man I appreciate what you do!...keep up the good work I love your show!😊

Thanks for the video great job

Excellent! Very informative

Hey Darren, I just discovered your channel and I live in Agnew! We're practically neighbors man! I had an interesting thing happen last week, my mom called and said she could smell something hot like wire burning. I went over there to take a look. I started with power to my shop from the meter base, then to the 100 amp panel I upgraded in there a couple of years ago ...240 so far so good, then at the 70 amp pedestal. Still ok at 240 Then Inside the 40 ft park model I had 240 at the 50 amp main, and even intermittent 120 at some of the breakers, however it would change every time I put my Fluke meter on it, sometimes the power out on the breakers would go from 120 to 90 and then to 180 and all over the place. Long story short, the 50 amp shore power cord which is a twist lock on the outside of the trailer trailer had worked its way counterclockwise and therefore the neutral was barely connected, so the circuit was trying to use one or both of the hot wires to complete the circuit back to the substation instead of using the Neutral. Needless to say we had to buy a new tv for her, those new tv's don't like 180. I'm currently trying to locate a new converter for a lady that works for me, her and her husband live in a fifth wheel and they lost all 12v power, they don't currently have batteries hooked up in the trailer, which I heard can be bad as the charger doesn't have any resistance load to work against. Anyway, I'm having trouble locating the exact unit. Its a 2007 trailer with a model 555 Parallax Converter-charger. It looks like, as I am in the middle of the research phase of this issue, that a Parallax 5355 is a really close match not only in features but the size as well. Thoughts? Maybe one day we will run into each other, I stay in my trailer 3 nights a week in Forks, and besides my mom's trailer I also have my Aunt on our property in her own 40 ft fifth wheel, and then across the street my other Aunt is in her own 40 ft fifth wheel. So as you can imagine I am always doing something on these trailers. Maybe I should go watch your video on becoming an rv repair business. But that would be in another 10 years after I retire. :)

Thank you, this video helped me solve a really stupid problem!

Hi Darren great video. I'm very familiar with Carlsborg. My Sprinter based MH got left unplugged for a couple weeks and when I went to use it I no 12v lights. I plugged into shore power and my battery meter said I had 94%. It continued to drop as I charged it.12v lights work on shore. Now after a weekend trip it's at zero after being plugged in overnight. I'm sure unrelated but I don't have tail lights either. Gotta love RVs, but makes work for you. Cheers

Outstanding show thank you 🙏 so much

Great Explanations. Ty. Ty. Ty

Great Video! I loved the explanations. Also, encourage your viewers with 199x trailers to change those DC converters. Mine started to catch my camper on fire by slow-burning through the floor. AND... We all love those stupid Proane / CO detectors. But they're only supposed to be good for 5-7 years. Change them.