All Outlets Not working; Everything Else is.

[L in NV]

Went dry camping this weekend and discovered that all the outlets werent working but everything else was including the USB ports.

Battery was completely charged and I was not connected to shore power.

I looked at the GFCI outlet on the outside of the trailer and tried resetting and testing but nothing was 'clicking.'

I am very much not handy whatsoever and you'll need to explain this to me like I'm 5. I'm also fine bringing this in to a tech if there's no easy fix.

Thanks!

 

[ebike1]

Inverter : my trailer

On front of the solar display:
I have a note to remind myself, in order to use plug ins when not on shore power: turn on the inverter - it looks like a plug in : turn off when not using. Note; when I purchased the trailer this was an option to power all outlets when "off grid".

 

[KevinA-ESC]

I guess my first question is whether those outlets have ever worked for you when not hooked to shore power or is this the first time trying them? If they worked before, you have to turn on your inverter. If they haven’t worked at any time without shore power, you may not have an inverter (or it’s turned off), so you are limited to 12v power.

 

[L in NV]

Thanks. I feel dumb.

No inverter. I assumed the phone charger (what I plugged in) could draw from 12v.

 

[Ron in BC]

Thanks. I feel dumb.

Welcome to the club and it's a very large club.

I have a mini plug into a cigarette lighter outlet inverter. Works fine for loads like that.

Ron

 

[Chasing Trials]

Thanks. I feel dumb.

No inverter. I assumed the phone charger (what I plugged in) could draw from 12v.

It is a learning curve on what electrical connections are needed, for Shore power vs 12 volt. I'm still learning. I have no inverter, (not wanting to try run things like Mirco, & hair dryers, etc., off my plain 6 volt batteries). I do have solar, so happy for my smaller needs.



I cook & heat & run Frig with the Gas off shore. The smaller draw things laptops, phone chargers, rechargable battery small printer, Lith. AAA, AA, C,D battery charger etc. Can almost all run off of the 12 volts Cigarette outlets(with solar for bigger things). Need all these crazy adapters for 12 volts & your things. (Why they can't stay with ONE end of phones/hotspots!) OR a small cigarette lighter outlet inverter(I just found out about them!) for a new laptop, that I can't find a 12 volt cigarette cord for, which is what I have for my OLD laptop. UBS ends can plug into UBS into new Captain lights, Cigarette=UBS little plug in adapters, etc. Then there is the cigarette end to regular prong plugs inverter. I bought this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MDXS0U?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Hope this helps.

 

[L in NV]

It is a learning curve on what electrical connections are needed, for Shore power vs 12 volt. I'm still learning. I have no inverter, (not wanting to try run things like Mirco, & hair dryers, etc., off my plain 6 volt batteries). I do have solar, so happy for my smaller needs.



I cook & heat & run Frig with the Gas off shore. The smaller draw things laptops, phone chargers, rechargable battery small printer, Lith. AAA, AA, C,D battery charger etc. Can almost all run off of the 12 volts Cigarette outlets(with solar for bigger things). Need all these crazy adapters for 12 volts & your things. (Why they can't stay with ONE end of phones/hotspots!) OR a small cigarette lighter outlet inverter(I just found out about them!) for a new laptop, that I can't find a 12 volt cigarette cord for, which is what I have for my OLD laptop. UBS ends can plug into UBS into new Captain lights, Cigarette=UBS little plug in adapters, etc. Then there is the cigarette end to regular prong plugs inverter. I bought this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MDXS0U?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Hope this helps.

Very helpful. Thanks!

 

[L in NV]

It is a learning curve on what electrical connections are needed, for Shore power vs 12 volt. I'm still learning. I have no inverter, (not wanting to try run things like Mirco, & hair dryers, etc., off my plain 6 volt batteries). I do have solar, so happy for my smaller needs.



I cook & heat & run Frig with the Gas off shore. The smaller draw things laptops, phone chargers, rechargable battery small printer, Lith. AAA, AA, C,D battery charger etc. Can almost all run off of the 12 volts Cigarette outlets(with solar for bigger things). Need all these crazy adapters for 12 volts & your things. (Why they can't stay with ONE end of phones/hotspots!) OR a small cigarette lighter outlet inverter(I just found out about them!) for a new laptop, that I can't find a 12 volt cigarette cord for, which is what I have for my OLD laptop. UBS ends can plug into UBS into new Captain lights, Cigarette=UBS little plug in adapters, etc. Then there is the cigarette end to regular prong plugs inverter. I bought this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004MDXS0U?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details Hope this helps.

so i went ahead and ordered the inverter. i plugged in a small kettle rated at 12v and turned it on and blew a fuse. i went and bought a new fuse but am going dry camping in two days and wondering what i can do to get myself some hot water for pour over coffees

 

[brroberts]

I couldn’t read all of the details on the kettle, but your inverter is 300 watts which is not much. I doubt it will power any kind of heating element which is what a kettle is. A typical 15 amp 120Volt is usually rated 1800 watts which is a lot more than 300. You also get into issues with how much current your batteries can deliver to run an inverter.

 

[L in NV]

I couldn’t read all of the details on the kettle, but your inverter is 300 watts which is not much. I doubt it will power any kind of heating element which is what a kettle is. A typical 15 amp 120Volt is usually rated 1800 watts which is a lot more than 300. You also get into issues with how much current your batteries can deliver to run an inverter.

pardon the dumb question but is there any way for me to know this? more importantly, is there any way to use this kettle without shore power? guessing not but figured i'd ask. what about plugging in phones to charge? thx

 

[brroberts]

A 300 watt inverter is basically 2.5 amps at 120 V. So there are phone chargers that might work. Anything that will run on 120 volts and draw 2.5 amps or less should work. A kettle is likely to be 10 to 15 amps. Most likely a minimum of 12 amps. 2.5 amps is not going to really heat water.

 

[L in NV]

I couldn’t read all of the details on the kettle, but your inverter is 300 watts which is not much. I doubt it will power any kind of heating element which is what a kettle is. A typical 15 amp 120Volt is usually rated 1800 watts which is a lot more than 300. You also get into issues with how much current your batteries can deliver to run an inverter.

that heating element looks like its 1000w so you're correct.

 

[Ron in BC]

I couldn’t read all of the details on the kettle, but your inverter is 300 watts which is not much. I doubt it will power any kind of heating element which is what a kettle is. A typical 15 amp 120Volt is usually rated 1800 watts which is a lot more than 300. You also get into issues with how much current your batteries can deliver to run an inverter.

pardon the dumb question but is there any way for me to know this? more importantly, is there any way to use this kettle without shore power? guessing not but figured i'd ask. what about plugging in phones to charge? thx

The label on the kettle says 1000 watts. A 300 watt inverter just can't handle that. Some inverters can handle some overload but your situation is way beyond that.

Ron

 

[brroberts]

If you found the wattage or amp draw of the kettle, you would then be able to determine the size of inverter needed to run it. You may get into issues with battery capacity depending on your 12 volt system and amount of kettle use.

 

[brroberts]

So Ron helped you letting you know you need an inverter that can deliver a constant 1000 watts to run your kettle. That is 8.34 amps of current draw at 120V. Some inverters have a peak rating that is higher than their continuous output.

1000 watts is likely okay on your battery if you only run it a short time each day and have some way to recharge your battery when not plugged in. That would be solar or a portable generator. It comes down to how much your battery has to give, and how you can charge it. The more electricity you use, the faster your battery runs down.

 

[L in NV]

So Ron helped you letting you know you need an inverter that can deliver a constant 1000 watts to run your kettle. That is 8.34 amps of current draw at 120V. Some inverters have a peak rating that is higher than their continuous output.

1000 watts is likely okay on your battery if you only run it a short time each day and have some way to recharge your battery when not plugged in. That would be solar or a portable generator. It comes down to how much your battery has to give, and how you can charge it. The more electricity you use, the faster your battery runs down.

this is helpful thanks. looks like its propane-fueled pour-overs for me.
i just like dialing in the temp of the water at 206F but i'll live

 

[Chasing Trials]

so i went ahead and ordered the inverter. i plugged in a small kettle rated at 12v and turned it on and blew a fuse. i went and bought a new fuse but am going dry camping in two days and wondering what i can do to get myself some hot water for pour over coffees

How did you understand the tea kettle was 12 volts, yet it draws 1000 watts? Was it marketed as for 12 volts? I think the "true" 12 volts all have the cig. adapter type end. That inverter is for low draw things.

I know there are true 12 volt SMALL appliances out there. TVs, fry pans, etc., more designed for the Truckers. You could always get heat from 12 volts, the old Cig. lighters sure did! & there always have been the coffee warmers, etc. I don't want to do the same! https://www.amazon.com/Acouto-Stain...hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583451676591076&psc=1

 

[Bill and Earline]

L in LV

I can't resist a little more explanation.

Your inverter can produce 300 watts of power in the form of 120 volts--which is the normal household voltage. Also known as shore power at campgrounds.

Think in terms of the old 100 watt light bulbs. It could power three of those.

Your inverter was probably plugged into your 12 volt (cigarette lighter) outlet. Those small round outlets usually cannot send out more than 400 watts, so it was overloaded, and that's why the fuse blew. It's little wire is not allowed or able to send more than about 400 watts.

Your kettle is marked as 120 volts -- normal household-- not 12 volts. It shows that it will draw 1000 watts. Think 10 of those old 100 watt light bulbs. That would require a much bigger inverter. Our Escape was ordered with a 1500 watt inverter, but the inverter was wired into the main system with heavier wires and fuses.

I just didn't want you to buy a 1000 watt inverter and try to plug it into your cigarette lighter spot and hope that would work.

 

[davidmurphy02]

so i went ahead and ordered the inverter. i plugged in a small kettle rated at 12v and turned it on and blew a fuse. i went and bought a new fuse but am going dry camping in two days and wondering what i can do to get myself some hot water for pour over coffees

Assuming you have either the propane cooktop or stove with burners, you could just use a good old fashioned teakettle for heating water off grid, that's much easier on your batteries anyway than running an electric pot on the inverter.

 

[brroberts]

I just didn't want you to buy a 1000 watt inverter and try to plug it into your cigarette lighter spot and hope that would work.

Good point. I can’t imagine a cigarette lighter plug on a 1000W inverter, but you never know what shows up online.