Newbie with AC Outlet issues
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=6258
Printed Date: 29 Apr 2024 at 2:07pm
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Topic: Newbie with AC Outlet issues
Posted By: CreaganCondo
Subject: Newbie with AC Outlet issues
Date Posted: 17 May 2015 at 10:11pm
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Very happy to be a proud owner of a new 182G & took it out on it's maiden voyage this weekend with the kiddo. Everything was great until we tried to watch a DVD. Sound was coming out but TV didn't work. Tried plugging my cellphone charger into same outlet & learned that didn't charge. Plugged charger into other interior outlets & those didn't work either. Read on this forum that it might be a GFCI issue & located that outlet. Tried to push the buttons & do not get the same "click" that I get in the house. The interior lights, radio, and furnace all worked great. Did not try to use the Frig. or A/C Seperately, I plugged into my RPod at home (and turned switch on in front driver side panel) and I can't get Microwave to work. Thinking these issues may be related & joked with wife that "I don't know how to turn my RPod on" Keep in consideration that I am a complete novice when it comes to electric & all this 120 vs. 12 and 30Amp stuff....Help!!! |
Replies:
Posted By: CFWARREN
Date Posted: 17 May 2015 at 10:22pm
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Although you didn't say so, I assume that you are plugged into 30 amp electric service? All those things you said don't work, won't work on just battery power. I'm not sure exactly what will or won't work on "household power", but I'm sure the microwave and AC won't. The outlets should work on regular household power. TV only works on 30 amp. ------------- 2016 179 - Hood River Edition 2008 Nissan Xterra |
Posted By: CFWARREN
Date Posted: 17 May 2015 at 10:25pm
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Correction, the TV should work on household power. The TV didn't work on battery, because the outlets don't work on battery. Someone should make a list of what does and doesn't work on battery, household power, and/or 30 amp. ------------- 2016 179 - Hood River Edition 2008 Nissan Xterra |
Posted By: CreaganCondo
Date Posted: 17 May 2015 at 11:07pm
I'm embarrassed to say that I don't know what the electric service is at my house. The campsite that I was at this weekend did not have a plugin. I'm going back out on Thursday and both sites that we're visiting will have 30 amp plugins. I'm really just concerned about the functionality of the outlets inside the Pod. I should add an additional question here: Does the switch in aforementioned utility box need to be turned on in order to charge the batteries from household power? I agree that a list would be very helpful!  |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 18 May 2015 at 12:32am
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Is your microwave plugged in. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 18 May 2015 at 11:26am
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With no plug-in service at your campground last weekend, I'm betting that is the problem. A/C, microwave, some models of televisions, all outlets, all require that you be plugged in either at home or at a campsite. Buy a 30 amp to 15 (or 20) amp "dog bone" adapter so you can plug your pod into an outlet at home. Don't get one of the small "hockey puck" types of adapters. As for the battery, make sure the battery is connected to the pod, and the pod is plugged in overnight, every 30 days. Or leave the pod plugged in all the time. Or get a trickle charger just for the pod's battery (you'll save a little electricity that way). If you disconnect the pod between charges you must also disconnect the battery from the pod, or the LPG detector and fridge electronics will drain the battery in a week or two. They make battery disconnects that are very easy to install that will make that job easier. No reason to be embarrassed or worry about being confused. We are all here to help no matter what the question. At one point we were all newbies! ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: CreaganCondo
Date Posted: 18 May 2015 at 10:51pm
Thanks for the input!! This forum is soooo much friendlier than the mountain biking one To answer the previous question, I checked to see if the microwave was plugged in & don't see (even on the exterior panel behind microwave) where that physically happens so uhhhhhhh.... i don't know if it's plugged in. My Pod battery was showing 2/3 & I'm going to leave it plugged into home outlet tonight to see if it gets fed. Someone at work suggested I find a 30 Amp outlet in my house (via the fusebox) but alas I could not.
This would all make sense if ALL these items required 30 Amp power but as the previous poster mentioned, the Pod outlets should work on home power...  |
Posted By: marwayne
Date Posted: 18 May 2015 at 11:30pm
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On our 172 the plug is above the shelf over the micro wave, in other models it my be in a cabinet. ------------- If you want something done right, do it yourself. 2011 RP172, 2016 Tundra 5.7 Litre, Ltd. |
Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 19 May 2015 at 8:10am
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You WON'T have a 30A outlet in your house that you can plug into. IF you have one, it will be for the dryer, and it is 30A but it isn't 120v. DO NOT attempt to plug into it. Many owners have added, or had added, a 30A 120v RV outlet. If you choose to do this, be very careful, electricians instal about 200 dryer outlets for each RV outlet, and they OFTEN do it wrong, because they are so used to doing a 30A 240v outlet. You will let the magic smoke out if you plug into that. As I read it, your pod was not plugged in at the campsite. All the 120v stuff only works when plugged into a 120v outlet. It also sounds like your pod is now plugged into an outlet at home, and your battery is not reading "full". When you are plugged into 120v power, you should ALWAYS see a "full" battery on the monitor panel. Even if you don't have a battery. The converter produces 12v for the pod and to charge the battery when plugged in. Since your 12v stuff was working, we know the battery is hooked up, and that the fusses are good. My next thought is you should check the breakers in your pods power distribution box. It sounds like either the 30A main, or the converter breakers are thrown, at the very least. Your GFCI won't reset, if it doesn't have power. Your microwave plugs in, inside the over sink cabinet, on the right. ------------- |
Posted By: Jpntime
Date Posted: 19 May 2015 at 10:48pm
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Just a quick note make sure you have your water heater off or have water in it so you don't burn it up My house only has 20 amp circuit I cannot run the AC from the house but it will charge the battery ------------- Love to camp 2014 171 |
Posted By: Jpntime
Date Posted: 19 May 2015 at 10:51pm
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I should've mentioned on the post before the circuit breaker kicked you off or the switch outside I believe shuts it off the red switch on the wall only stops it from working with propane ------------- Love to camp 2014 171 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 May 2015 at 7:30am
Actually most people are ok running their A/C from a 15 amp outlet at home since it uses about 1000 watts with the fan on low. Just don't try to run anything else high-wattage at the same time. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: Luv2Q
Date Posted: 20 May 2015 at 10:04am
I'm able to run our AC at home using a 15 amp outlet & extension cord. The Kil-A-Wat tells me, though, that voltage drops to ~108 when the compressor kicks on. Right at the edge of a brown-out if I'm interpreting correctly. I definitely don't turn on anything else (except the 12v lites) when the AC's on. ------------- John & Teri Tundra 5.7L V8 / RP 180 E2 WDH / Integrated controller (POS) replaced by Tekonsha P3 |
Posted By: CreaganCondo
Date Posted: 20 May 2015 at 10:31am
| Something is definitely not right. Battery won't charge & outlets have never worked. Taking into my dealer before camping outing this weekend. Will report back.... |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 20 May 2015 at 8:26pm
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Just want to be sure - did you get an adapter and plug the pod in at home? ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: CreaganCondo
Date Posted: 20 May 2015 at 8:29pm
| Tried puck & pigtail adapters... |
Posted By: CreaganCondo
Date Posted: 20 May 2015 at 10:15pm
Well I'm happy to report that I do not have a dud. Cudos go out to Technetrek because I went back to the Pigtail adapter (NOT PUCK) an a different outlet from my house & BLAMOO!! a faint beep & the Pod came to life!! Outlets, TV, even lights on Microwave all came on & Battery reading full (which I understand to mean that the batteries are charging.) Food & adult beverages promptly loaded into frig for our (Now confident) excursion tomorrow & so happy that we figured it out the American way: NOT by reading instructions, NOT by taking it back to the dealer (which would have been more than a hassle) and NOT by giving up!! Trusting your new friends in the RPOD forum, some cursing, and a $6 Harbor Freight pigtail!!! Hoooraaaaaay
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Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 21 May 2015 at 1:04pm
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Awesome! Just be sure to charge the battery overnight every 30 days and before/after each trip, if you don't leave it plugged in all the time. And if you do disconnect it between trips also disconnect the battery from the pod, or the LPG detector and the fridge electronics will kill it in a week or two. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: techqueen
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2015 at 9:32pm
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From one newbie to another... 1) When our Pod is plugged in at home using a 30 to 15 plug, the AC in the pod works just fine. We have used the pod as a cool place on really hot days since our house does not have AC. Best guest house ever! 2) The GFCI plug in our pod has two black buttons that are really hard to see due to their location in a dark, low corner. Our outlets were not working when plugged in to house power and it took me a while to realize that there were actually two buttons to press (as I knew there should be). I eventually figured out which button to press to reset the system and, voila, the outlets work fine. 3) Sometimes, plugging and unplugging the pod causes the system to trip so I have to reset it before everything works as expected. 4) One Honda 2000 generator will run the microwave/convection oven just fine...I used it for baking cinnamon rolls...yummm! 5) We went with a pair of Honda 2000 generators in case we ever plan to camp where we might need the AC (also works as back up at the house if needed). We went with generators over solar due to the issues of shade or cloud cover on the coast AND so we could run outlets, mic/conv oven and AC in addition to charging pod batteries. 6) I still don't get the whole inverter and 12v stuff...I want to be able to charge small electronics off th batteries but need to figure out what plugs to add and how to do this next. ------------- Honda Pilot plus 176T for me ;0) |
Posted By: JohnBG
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2015 at 2:38pm
I can run the air on low on mine for about 5 minutes until it trips the house breaker. ------------- 2010 R-Pod RP-171 2010 Honda Ridgeline TV |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 22 Jun 2015 at 5:52pm
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You may have something else on that circuit. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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