Below is a typical wiring layout. Your individual trailer may be different. Show
The following table provides generic circuit breaker alignment information. Your RV may not be exactly the same as shown depending on model, floor plan and options. Main, Incoming Power to Unit Refrigerator/GFCI (Kitchen/Bath) Pump/Monitor Panel/Range Hood/Sink Lights TV/Radio/Propane Detector DC Fuse Panel LayoutThe electric brakes operate on 12 volt DC power from tow vehicle through blue and white wires on 7 way pigtail and harness. More information on the brakes is found in Chapter Main Slideout (1) Lights/Security Lights Main Slideout (1) Lights/Security Lights Monitor Panel/Range Hood/Pump Dinette Slideout (2) Lights More problems in an RV start and can end with the RV electrical distribution panel. Sometimes fixing a problem can be as easy as replacing a fuse or resetting a breaker. Before you get too worried and start spending money, check here for really easy fixes – if easy fixes are to be had. replacing the RV power converter – the RV power distribution control panelreplacing the RV power converter – the RV power control panel is often under the 5th wheel stairsrv power distribution panel showing converter breakerJayco travel trailer rv power distribution panel – useful reference for DCJayco travel trailer rv power distribution panel – useful ref ACJayco travel trailer rv power distribution panel – fusesJayco travel trailer rv power distribution panel – breakersRV Electrical Panel Board showing fuses and breakersRV Electrical Distribution PanelMost RV’s that are travel trailers or larger have an RV electrical panel board for distributing power. This is how electrical energy gets routed within your RV as well as protected within your RV. RV Electrical Distribution Panel Easy to Understand DiagramOn motorhomes and fifth wheels, the distribution panel boards seem to be located by the stairs near the entry of the RV. On the travel trailers, they are usually located in a centrally located bathroom. I’m sure many exceptions to this apply, but this is what I’ve seen in many of the RV’s I’ve seen. How the AC Power come into the rv power distribution panelShore power comes into the RV and is routed to the panelboard. The panel board then sends the electric power from the shore power to breakers. For non-electric people, breakers are on-off switches that also protect your RV in case your RV starts taking too much electric for the wires to handle. You can see the breakers in the panelboard in the picture and in the diagram. Where does the AC power go out from the breakers?From the breakers, the electric power then goes to air conditioners, TV’s, and different AC power places inside the RV. One of the breakers goes to a thing called a converter. The converter does 2 things:
The AC power goes to the converter from the breaker. Where does the DC power go out to from the fuse box in the RV power distribution panelThen the DC power out of the rv power converter comes back to this panelboard where it breaks the DC power into its own set of fuses and places the DC power needs to go. You can clearly see the fuses on the right hand side of the panel board below and on the diagram above. Remember, on your RV, there are many things that you can utilize with only DC power. The only things you can’t run are the TV , the microwave, and the air conditioners. So anyway, when you start having power issues for some reason or the other, you will eventually have to visit the distribution panel board and it will become an old friend. Checklist for different things you can troubleshoot with ONLY working with your RV electrical power distribution panelFolks, I’m not an RV repair person. But these are things that I’ve learned over the years. If you do need 24/7 online RV repair mechanic, try this service that RV52.com has linked to. The following bullets are RV electrical system troubleshooting hints. I’ll add more as time goes on.
Replacement fuses to have in your RV:You will have fuses go out. Not too often, but not having replacements on hand is pretty silly. All RV owners should have an ammeter or multi-meter. High rated ammeter is listed nextYou can use this to check the pedestal voltages, the battery voltages, and anything electric. Since electricity is invisible, an ammeter/multi-meter sort-of makes electricity visible. Where are the fuses in a travel trailer?The trick is sometimes finding them. Often, the fuse box is with the electrical panel. Other times, you'll find it in a cabinet in the kitchen area. The wise RVer will keep a supply on hand in all the amperages that your rig uses.
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