Shore Power Not Working at Your Campsite?
Start at the source before assuming your rig is the problem. Work through this in order:
Electrical guide
RV electrical & shore-power troubleshooting
Frame shore-power, 12V, and converter symptoms before you start swapping parts — then know when to call for metered diagnostics.
Active corridor: Montana · Wyoming · Idaho · Washington — case-by-case beyond.
Field notes
Shore power problems and flickering lights are the most common calls we get. This page covers the wiring/power-supply side of things — for battery charging and capacity issues, see our dedicated Battery & Charging Systems Guide. This guide covers a standard 12V DC house battery system — the overwhelming majority of RVs. If your rig runs a 24V or 48V inverter/charger system (common with larger Victron MultiPlus/Quattro or Xantrex installs), see our Victron Fault Code & Diagnostics Guide — resting and charge-stage...
Battery Draining Overnight?
A battery that reads full at bedtime and dead by morning almost always means a parasitic draw — a detector, control module, or radio left wired hot, an aging battery near end of life, or a converter/inverter drawing c...
Flickering Lights or Dimming Under Load
Lights that dim when the water pump or furnace fan kicks on point to voltage drop somewhere in the circuit — usually a loose or corroded connection, not the light fixture itself.
Converter Not Charging Properly
A converter that undercharges leaves your battery chronically low; one that overcharges cooks it early. Neither failure mode is obvious without testing. Internal converter fuses are a common failure point and are ofte...
When to Stop and Call a Professional
If you’ve worked through the steps above and still have nothing, or if you smell burning, see scorch marks at any connection, or a breaker trips instantly every time it’s reset — stop troubleshooting and get it looked...
Related
Electrical & Power System Repair Battery & Charging Systems Guide Victron Fault Code & Diagnostics Guide (24V/48V systems) Back to Field Guide Pricing
Owner checklist
- Check the campground pedestal breaker first — it may have tripped
- Inspect your shore power cord for burnt or melted pins at both ends
- Check your coach breaker panel — reset tripped breakers, but if one trips again there’s an underlying cause
- Test your 30/50 amp adapter — adapters corrode and fail more often than people expect
- Verify pedestal voltage (120V AC) — anything under 108V AC can damage appliances silently over time
Related: Electrical service · 30 vs 50 amp · Converter / inverter
Pricing teaser
Trip fee $75 within 30 miles, then $1.50/mi. Labor ~$150/hr (1-hour minimum, billed in 30-minute increments). Diagnostic $150 applied toward repair if you proceed.
Active corridor: Montana · Wyoming · Idaho · Washington — case-by-case beyond. Credentials (text): Victron Professional Certified Installer · weBoost Authorized Installer · Peplink Certified Associate · Dometic Professional Certified.