New 2004 24RB owner with questions

gabriels · Post by **gabriels** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 1:32 pm

I appreciate all the contributions to this forum, some of which ultimately helped me select the unit I brought home from Lazydays yesterday. After 1100 miles in a single long day, I am very happy with my choice.

However....could someone please help me with a couple of questions.

1. I cannot get power in my two 110v outlets for the TV's (one next to the fridge and the other in the cabover storage space). What am I missing?

2. Can I add seat belts for the incline couches? I saw some forum entries that the factory has done this, but is it simple to do by myself?

I look forward to contributing to the forum, and thank you in advance for your help.

Roger · Post by **Roger** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 2:42 pm

Do you have power in the other AC outlets? In the converter panel there
are AC circuit breakers...make sure they're all on.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Sat Mar 15, 2014 3:09 pm

Jim,

You don't indicate if your other 120 vac outlets are missing power or not but if they are I would then suspect a blown ac circuit breaker in your Parallax power panel. Drop done the upper lid to your power panel and check both the 30-amp incoming power breaker and also the single breaker powering all 120 vac outlets in your coach in parallel.

Concerning seat belts for your incline couches, look under the beds as your coach may have been equipped with the belts but the previous owner may have decided not to use them and tucked them under each couch. Otherwise adding the belts should not be too hard but it would help to be able to look at another BF coach to see exactly how to do it.

gabriels · Post by **gabriels** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 12:56 pm

Regarding the two TV outlets, yes, I have power at all the other outlets in the coach. I did find a Cobra inverter under the sink, which is apparently inoperative. I am now assuming that the two TV ouitlets were powered from the inverter. I cannot find where it gets its power, but I am working on it. (Yes, it is turned on!)

Regarding the seatbelts, there are none at this time. Could someone who has done this please let me know how it is done. Do you drill through the floor and then bolt/nut? Or do you lag to the floor, and if so, with what length lag bolt?

Thanks again.

whemme · Post by **whemme** » Sun Mar 16, 2014 1:50 pm

Jim,

Your inoperative inverter is the problem. I would assume that the inverter would get its power from direct wiring to your house batteries. There should be a circuit breaker somewhere in that +12 vdc connection that you should check.

The seat belts for both right side captain's chairs and the left side Flexsteel sofa in my coach are bolted down thru the floor.

Dean Gradwell · Post by **Dean Gradwell** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 6:09 pm

On my 24RB the Cobra inverter had a small rocker switch on the top side. Very hard to see. I turned it on when watching TV otherwise left it off.
Dean

harrisgowing · Post by **harrisgowing** » Mon Mar 17, 2014 8:04 pm

You probably need a new inverter. We are on our third inverter in our 2004 RSB. Try running extension cords to bypass the inverter outlets and you will know for sure. Good luck!

stevek · Post by **stevek** » Tue Mar 18, 2014 9:59 am

You consider minimizing your need for an inverter, if and when you replace it.
I have a small pure sine inverter, but seldom use it.
Most of the things I use are 12 VDC.
Like TV, DVD, Laptop Computer, LED reading lights, Fan, etc.

gabriels · Post by **gabriels** » Wed Mar 19, 2014 9:30 am

I do have a bad inverter. The old one shorted out the fuse even when it was turned off.

Thanks for all the help.

cmeadows · Post by **cmeadows** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:53 am

Jim,

Being only a county away, we are neighbors in the Born Free community. I hope you are enjoying your Born Free coach.

When I wired our 1000w inverter, I searched for some ideas on circuit switching. The primary issue is with AC induction motors. Basically, if there is anything rotating on AC current, it is best to incorporate a time delay between switching AC power sources to prevent the blue smoke from leaking out. Blue smoke is valuable and should not be released. I can’t claim ownership of the blue smoke humor. Below is a link to the original.

http://yarchive.net/car/rv/inverter_switching.html

I left our inverter isolated from the coach’s electrical system. We use the inverter primarily to power electronic devices.

Chuck

oliverpsmile · Post by **oliverpsmile** » Thu Mar 20, 2014 2:37 pm

I wonder how the 120 VAC TV outlets were separated from the rest and how they were wired to the non operative inverter. In my previously owned BF as well as the current one all outlets are powered from ONE single circuit breaker?

When traveling or dry camping I use this for powering all outlets with 120 VAC.

http://www.bornfreervclub.org/bulletin_ ... php?t=2140

gabriels · Post by **gabriels** » Sun Mar 23, 2014 11:29 am

The Cobra 400w inverter appeared to be faulty, because it blew fuses when turned on. So I got a new one, which did exactly the same thing.

Now I discover that the orignal inverter is good....something must be faulty in the wiring, all of which appears to be done by the factory. None of this is shown on the schematics in the manual. The AC side of the inverter is romex wiring with a standard grounded 3 prong plug, which goes to the two outlets referenced at the start of this thread. When I plugged that into an extension cord from the house, the outlets worked fine.

This seems so simple, but I am puzzled enough, so that I am planning on getting some professional help to fix it.

oliverpsmile · Post by **oliverpsmile** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:00 pm

Now I discover that the orignal inverter is good....something must be faulty in the wiring, all of which appears to be done by the factory.

gabriels

I doubt very much that the romex wiring is from the factory. Most likely, it was done by the previous owner. The fuse blowing (which fuse exactly - inverter (AC or DC side), DC panel or else), in my opinion, is due to the collision of two power sources (shore power and the inverter). Try shore power with UNPLUGGED inverter - check all receptacles and then try inverter power ONLY with disconnected shore power. I believe it will all be OK.

Let us know the results.

harrisgowing · Post by **harrisgowing** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 7:41 pm

Oliver, the only problem with that solution is that in our 2004 RSB the inverter has to be on when connected to shore power for the receptacles to work. That was wired by the factory. To use the tv without the inverter while connected to shore power requires extension cords to other receptacles. I think there may well be a wiring issue as we are on our third inverter and it is starting to have static.

oliverpsmile · Post by **oliverpsmile** » Mon Mar 24, 2014 11:48 pm

I think there may well be a wiring issue as we are on our third inverter and it is starting to have static.

Now we have another problem - static and wiring issue.

I think it is about time, somebody from the factory to publish the actual wiring diagram for 2004 RSB and to help troubleshooting the mysteries.

Born Free Leap'n Lions RV Club Info & Discussion Forum

New 2004 24RB owner with questions

New 2004 24RB owner with questions

thanks for your replies, and an update

inverter issues

inverter issues

Inverter update