Kitchen outlets and hall light not working

I have a 2018 Heartland Bighorn. My kitchen outlets and hall light quit working a couple of days ago. The bathroom GFCI works fine. I've tripped/tested it and reset it three times, and done the same for all the breakers, as well as checked the fuses with no luck. The lights on the switch on the same wiring as the outlets in the island works fine. Any ideas?

Hi rosemarieh57,

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Jim M

Hi rosemarieh57,

Your hall light is most likely 12V DC. Of course the outlets are 120V AC. It would be unusual to find a common cause explaining both, unless a lot more things are not working.

In your main circuit breaker panel, flip all the breakers OFF and back ON. If a breaker has tripped, sometimes it's not obvious from a visual inspection.

It's also possible that you've lost 1 power leg. Make sure your shore power cord is securely attached at both ends.

If none of that helps, we have an Electrical User Guide in this folder which explains, with pictures and drawings, how your electrical system works. You may find it helpful in running down the cause of your problem.

You might also have more than one GFCI located somewhere other than your bathroom that are causing those outlets to stop working. For example I have one in my bathroom, one in my kitchen island and one in the master bedroom.

I would agree with danemayer that it would be pretty unlikely to find a common cause for both the light and outlets to stop working unless you are having other issues as well.

You could check the bulb to the light and ensure it hasn't wiggled loose and it is making good contact or try to switch it out with another bulb that does work to ensure it hasnt burnt out.

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A somewhat frequent cause I have seen for 12 volt overhead lights not working (other than burnt out incandescent bulbs) is the light switch not making good contacts internally. This is especially true with incandescent lamps that pull about 10 times the current of LED equivalent lamps. You can try operating the switch 10-20 times to rub the internal contacts to make a better connection. I have had success with using the small spray nozzle on a can of Caig Cramolyn DeOxIt contact cleaner/restorer spray to spray into the switch along the tiny space between the switch rocker and frame to get the spray inside the switch to the switching contacts. Also, some RV overhead lights have a switch in the middle of the fixture, which could disable the fixture if the switch is turned off. Occasionally the lamp fixture will not make good electrical contact with the light bulb base. A spray of contact cleaner/restorer on these contact surfaces can help.

You have gotten pretty good advice on your 110 VAC outlets problem. Are the 3 outlets physically close together? Do you think they are on the same circuit? RV manufacturers use an insulation displacement snap together outlet, which uses a springy V of metal to contact the wire(s). If you are familiar with Scotchlok type telephone and automotive wiring connectors you know what I am talking about. Although these IDC outlets are approved by the electrical code, to my mind they are unreliable and have too little metal to wire contact area as opposed to an outlet screw head mating with a supply wire. Sometimes they "daisy chain" these IDC outlets together, and this can cause a poor connection to the outlets down the line on an outlet circuit chain. I found the problem with the IDC outlets when an electrical heater displayed a flashing pilot light (Due to the IDC wire connection arcing). I have since changed ALL my outlets in my rig to standard house screw connection outlets.

See this thread for more IDC info: https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/42297