Airstream 2017 Interstate Owner's Manual page 49

120-Volt Electrical System
City Power
When your touring coach is hooked up to external AC
power, the converter system automatically charges
the touring coach batteries with the battery disconnect
switch in the USE (ON) position� The speed and
degree of charge depends on how much power is used
for lights and appliances, as only the surplus goes to
charging the battery� If you are making an extended
stay you should keep your touring coach hooked up to
a 120-volt current, if it is available�
While you are connected to the 120-volt receptacle, the
wiring is protected by circuit breakers in the breaker
panel� The circuit breaker panel for the 120-volt system
is located in the converter� Open the black decorative
converter door under the roadside jumper seat� In the
event of a failure of a 120-volt circuit, first check your
touring coach circuit breakers and the breaker for the
outlet into which your touring coach shoreline cord is
plugged� If a breaker continues to trip after you have
reset it several times, your circuit may be overloaded
with appliances or there may be a short in the circuit�
Try lessening the load on the circuit� Perhaps an
electric griddle, hair dryer, or an electric heater can be
turned off� If that does not solve the problem, consult
an Airstream Service Center�
The 120-volt electrical system provides power to
operate the A/C, converter, and 120-volt receptacles
for portable appliances� The power is carded through
the 120-volt city power flexible cord to the 120-volt
distribution panel, and then is distributed to each
appliance or receptacle� Exterior 120 volt outlets are
located on the curbside exterior wall�
All wire, components, and wiring methods conform to
federal and state requirements�
2017 Interstate
Converter
The Airstream converter system enables you to use the
12-volt lights and equipment whether operating on self-
contained battery power or hooked up to 120-volt city
power� The 12-volt light bulbs give off the same light
as regular household bulbs, so that when operating
on self-contained battery power, everything works
normally except the 120-volt convenience outlets and
120-volt appliances�
CAUTION
When operating with city power, make very certain
that the service is 120 volt, not 240 volt.
The converter system is a transformer designed to
maintain constant output voltages regardless of the
variances that occur in city power systems� The design
eliminates the need for complex electronic sensing
systems to charge the batteries, minimizing the
possibility of failures and greatly increasing its overall
reliability�
In some older parks and other locations where three-
pronged outlets are not available, certain precautions
to ensure proper grounding and polarity must be taken�
These precautions are listed below:
1� Attach the three-pronged plug to a two-pronged
adapter� The third conductor line of this adapter
has a short wire lead that must be grounded�
2� For proper grounding, connect the short ground
lead to a grounded outlet box or to a cold water
pipe� When no water pipe is available, drive a
metal rod two feet into the ground and attach the
ground lug to it, thus providing the unit with proper
grounding�
NOTE
When the three-pronged plug can be used,
there will be no problems with proper polarity or
grounding with a properly-wired shoreline outlet.
To operate self-contained, simply disconnect the power
supply cable�
Interior
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