Begall Report post Posted May 21, 2015 I bought a 1996 Coachmen Catalina. We noticed the refrigerator will not work on electrical power, only on LP-gas, and found out that there is no power at all on the right side. We cannot find the converter to check it. Does anyone have any Idea where the converter is located or if there is another reason why there is no power on right side? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rossboyer Report post Posted May 21, 2015 A converter changes 120 volt AC to 12 volt DC to operate lights, charge batteries, etc. You probably have a GFI outlet that is tripped or a breaker in you main power panel. If you are trying to operate without shore power and you have an inverter that changes 12 DC to 120 volt AC then there may be breakers on the front or side of the inverter. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jleamont Report post Posted May 21, 2015 Begall, I agree with rossboyer, check your GFI outlets inside the unit. Our old Coachmen had the GFI outlet in the bathroom sink area tripped once and our fridge would not work on A/C. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Begall Report post Posted May 21, 2015 I have shore power and have checked the breakers but cannot find the converter . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 21, 2015 Begall, Welcome to the FMCA Forum. The GFI they are talking about is just like one in your house-- on a 120 VDC outlet. And, as they said, if it is tripped, that outlet and all outlets downstream of it (protected by it) will be dead. To operate on 120 VAC, your refrigerator actually needs both 120 VAC (heating element) and 12 VDC (to operate the PC board). If it works on LP, then you DO have 12 VDC to it. The converter is not involved in providing 120 VAC-- it only takes 120 VAC and "converts it" to 12 VDC (actually around 13 VDC so that it charges the 12 VDC batteries). What is battery voltage on the house battery bank? That will tell you whether you have a converter problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Begall Report post Posted May 21, 2015 We found a box in battery compartment that looks like a converter but the previous owner had disconnected it and we have no idea where it goes but the whole right side has no power we put all new batteries in when I bought it. Also have checked the GFI it was not tripped but reset it anyway just to be sure beginning to wonder if this is gonna be a headache trying to figure all this out.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 21, 2015 NOTE: THIS ALL ASSUMES YOU ARE SAFE WORKING AROUND 120 VAC!!! The "right side" of what has no power to it-- 120 VAC or 12 VDC? With a digital voltmeter-- what is voltage at the batteries. That will quickly tell you if a converter, charger or inverter/charger is working. And, exactly what is not working on 120 VAC-- is it just some outlets? In your main 120 VAC breaker box, is there just one marked "outlets"? If more than one feeding various breakers, turn them off one at a time to identify which one is connected to the "not working" outlets. Then, starting at the closest outlet (usually proximity to 120 VAC breaker box is the one) check for power to it. Let us know what you find-- again, the more information you provide, the better we can help. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Begall Report post Posted May 21, 2015 NOTE: THIS ALL ASSUMES YOU ARE SAFE WORKING AROUND 120 VAC!!! The "right side" of what has no power to it-- 120 VAC or 12 VDC? With a digital voltmeter-- what is voltage at the batteries. That will quickly tell you if a converter, charger or inverter/charger is working. And, exactly what is not working on 120 VAC-- is it just some outlets? In your main 120 VAC breaker box, is there just one marked "outlets"? If more than one feeding various breakers, turn them off one at a time to identify which one is connected to the "not working" outlets. Then, starting at the closest outlet (usually proximity to 120 VAC breaker box is the one) check for power to it. Let us know what you find-- again, the more information you provide, the better we can help. . The right side of RV the refrigerator and outlets have no 120 Vac don't know what battery voltage is I will have to get someone to check that for me but I put in 2 12 v deep cycle batteries Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 21, 2015 Suggest you also have them check for 120 VAC on both IN and OUT side of the GFI outlet. They DO fail. They are not expensive. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Begall Report post Posted May 21, 2015 Thanks for the suggestion I will have it checked .... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Begall Report post Posted May 21, 2015 Thank you all for the help it was the GFI in the bathroom was tripped power was coming in but not going out ....Dummy me didn't know it had 2 GFI .... Problem solved Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hermanmullins Report post Posted May 22, 2015 Great. Herman Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
