Is the lack of power in my camper RV due to improperly wired light switches and outlets in the bathroom and kitchen?
Asked by Liam White 
4 months ago
Last Updated: May 26, 2024
I just picked up this camper RV and I’m a bit stumped – is this thing a light switch or an outlet? There are three sets of wires and I’m trying to figure it out. The bathroom outlets and light switch aren’t working, and neither are the switches in the kitchen or outlets. Could that be the problem? I taped them up and used wire nuts before turning on the electricity.
Who knows? Maybe try grabbing some tools.
Consider either hiring an electrician or looking up how to use a multimeter online.
Connect the wires using wire nuts, matching the colors, and check if what was not working starts functioning and if a light turns on. It’s likely a feed in, a feed out, and a switch leg.
That switch looks pretty old. You can try reaching out to an electrician instead of going to an RV dealer. The bottom wire likely connects to that outlet, but it’s hard to say for sure without testing the other two wires.
I think one is for the power, one for the light, and the third for an outlet 🤔.
To figure this out, you’ll need a meter and a good understanding of wiring. RV wiring can be particularly challenging to work on.
Who did reg Calabrese ask to sell???
有问题…请退货
I’m not sure what you’re asking me
Since it’s an RV, I recommend getting a professional. I initially spent 5 minutes explaining how to test and determine the connection, possibly linking it to the kitchen. However, I realized that in order for you to test and identify the correct connections, you need a tester and expertise to diagnose the purpose of each one. Considering the apparent 14/2 wire, which seems to be a smaller gauge and therefore delicate, it’s not advisable to break it apart and risk causing a spark or creating an open short circuit after reinstalling that switch… or whatever it used to be, perhaps a switch-outlet combination. In any case, it’s best to have an electrician inspect the situation for safety reasons.
There’s the question of why the wiring is set up that way. Was the previous owner trying to troubleshoot an electrical issue?
Eorge Berkeley yeah, some have 12-volt DC and 120-volt AC, good luck 👍
Palsgrove , that’s exactly what I was trying to convey to the OP. Without a meter, he won’t be able to determine what he is dealing with.
I’ve witnessed electricians becoming overconfident and making mistakes in an RV.
Eorge Berkeley or risk getting shocked or burning something down
Can you check with the person you purchased it from?
By that door, it’s likely a switch leg for the outside light, serving as both a feed-in and feed-out.
If those are 120-volt lines, they will only be active when the camper is connected to a power source or running off a generator. They could also be low voltage wires for LED lighting, carrying 12 volts. It appears that these wires are 120 high voltage lines. Remember, only one of the black wires will be the line or hot wire – the other two black wires are load wires, connecting to outlets, a fridge, or a 120-volt light.
If you’re checking the power source direction, it’s similar to tracing your line in. You can use a multimeter to double-check. I think it might be an outlet due to the neutral wire. Not sure if many RVs have dimmers, but it’s a good starting point. If you’re not familiar with electrical work, it’s best to call a professional since you’ll need some electrical detective skills to figure it out.
I’d recommend turning on the power to test, connecting the neutrals together, and testing the hot wire with all the black wires to see the result 🤪
Run a feed through, connecting it to the light. Splice the wires together and determine which one goes to the light before switching it.
It was probably a light switch. One wire likely comes from the power distribution panel. Another wire likely goes to other areas like the bathroom or kitchen, and the third wire is for the light. To determine which one is incoming, you’ll need to test each wire bundle with a multi-meter or voltage tester while the power is on to identify the hot wire. Once you find the incoming wire, connect all the white wires together and then alternate connecting the remaining black wires to the hot black wire. Test to see what works when a black wire is connected. One should be for the light, and the other may power your kitchen and bathroom. Label them for reference. Then, install a switch box. Inside the box, connect all the white wires together using a wire nut. Connect all the bare copper ground wires with a wire nut. Join the incoming and outgoing black wires with a short piece of black wire (pigtail) using a wire nut. The pigtail and the wire going to the light will connect to the switch. You can also add a pigtail to the ground and connect it to the green screw on the switch if desired. If the switch and cover are plastic, it’s not a major concern in my opinion. Always make sure to work with the power off for safety.
Organize all the black wires together and all the white wires together, if a light remains lit then it’s a switch
It sounds like you might have lost a neutral wire, but it’s hard to say for sure without being there to track it down. I agree with everyone suggesting you use a meter to check it out.
One wire is probably a power feed, another one is likely a feed out, and the third is possibly a pass-through. Though I’ve seen many stacked switches in trailers.
One more thing to remember is that wire number one is for power in, wire number two is for power out, and wire number three is for the light. To figure out which wire is which, you’ll need a meter. Look for continuity between the White and ground to identify the power in wire. Then, test the light in the same room. The third wire is your power out.
RV wiring is often a jumble of conflicting colors… none of which seem to match. Invest in a good meter to trace them accurately. Best of luck!
Bring it to an RV dealership
Make sure to check with a meter if you haven’t done so already to determine if they are live.
Both options are on the table.
There’s a switch up high and an outlet down below. There’s no need for an outlet to be located up high next to the door.
Why purchase a camper with a jumble of wires hanging out of the wall… that you’re not familiar with? 🤔
This box was most likely used as a junction for your outlets and switches. Wire them by connecting black to black, white to white, and ground to ground. Always pretwist the wire bundles before securing them with a wire nut to prevent them from coming loose. You can also use continuity to trace the wires to each outlet and verify they are on the correct circuits.
Completely empty everything.
Considering the height, I’d say it’s a switch. However, you’d need to trace it to verify what it is
Having a tone tracer would come in handy.
That might be all you need to connect, but I recommend installing a junction box with a cover for safety.
It’s like a switch. Two are the heat and jumper wires that go into the bottom of the switch, one will be the switch leg.