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07-23-2012, 02:40 PM
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#21
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
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if you have electrical panel in trailer remove cover tighten all wire connections at breakers, inspect buss with flashlight see if any signs of black on copper buss.if you had a meter you could measure for voltage drop at main and back track from there.
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07-23-2012, 04:20 PM
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#22
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Posts: 1,536
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don't forget the buried connector. a connection underground is subject to excess corrosion. check the easier ones first.
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07-23-2012, 04:29 PM
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#23
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 3
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i had the same issue last week while camping. This was a first trip in our brand new 2013 trailer. It was a power coard issue, the terminal melted at the camp ground panel hook up. notified dealer about courd melting, and the statement was made that the power coards are cheap, and that several issues have been reported by other customers. camp ground maint. came out and installed a loaner much heavier power coard and everything was great for the rest of our trip. Check your power coard terminals look for melting
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07-23-2012, 04:44 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Hattiesburg, MS
Posts: 1,658
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnichols2243
i had the same issue last week while camping. This was a first trip in our brand new 2013 trailer. It was a power coard issue, the terminal melted at the camp ground panel hook up. notified dealer about courd melting, and the statement was made that the power coards are cheap, and that several issues have been reported by other customers. camp ground maint. came out and installed a loaner much heavier power coard and everything was great for the rest of our trip. Check your power coard terminals look for melting
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Well Durn! I should have tried that!
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07-23-2012, 07:03 PM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SD
Posts: 441
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If you're measuring voltage at a wall outlet, most likely it is the cord, the wiring between the cord and the breaker box, the plug, or the connection in the breaker box (or the main breaker itself) in your camper. The problem is across separate circuits which pretty much eliminates individual breakers as long as the voltage remains steady at the pedistal. Look hard for copper wiring that is turning brownish or wire insulation that looks like it's melting, it sounds like a bad connection someplace.
__________________
2015 Sierra 357TRIP
2012 Ram 2500 CCSB 6.7CTD
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07-23-2012, 09:16 PM
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#26
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,570
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jimh
don't forget the buried connector. a connection underground is subject to excess corrosion. check the easier ones first.
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Huh?
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07-23-2012, 09:30 PM
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#27
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by VinceU
Huh?
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He's talking abut my wire. I have two wires for the length I need and the connector was buried. I dug it up. Looks clean.
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07-23-2012, 09:53 PM
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#28
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 3,570
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Quote:
Originally Posted by xander
He's talking abut my wire. I have two wires for the length I need and the connector was buried. I dug it up. Looks clean.
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Thanks
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07-24-2012, 08:55 PM
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#29
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 26
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Here is a little something to remember, as the voltage goes down the amps go up. Work is a combination of volts and amps which = watts or work. Any motor or inductive component will suffer from this, a 10% decrease in voltage creates a 10% increase in amps. Thats what burns stuff up NOT the low voltage but the by-product of low voltage which is high current (amps). Resistive components do not suffer for this problem only inductive parts like motors & relay coils.
But thats not the end of the problem as the voltage goes down and current goes up the wire it's self heats up because of the high current and when that happens the resistance increase and the voltage drops even more.
So as you can see any voltage under 110 VAC will create problems serious problems, in most case low voltages cause more problems that high voltage because of the high current by-product.
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07-25-2012, 03:32 AM
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#30
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
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HVACretired you are 100% correct on it.
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07-25-2012, 06:44 AM
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#31
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HVACretired
Here is a little something to remember, as the voltage goes down the amps go up. Work is a combination of volts and amps which = watts or work. Any motor or inductive component will suffer from this, a 10% decrease in voltage creates a 10% increase in amps. Thats what burns stuff up NOT the low voltage but the by-product of low voltage which is high current (amps). Resistive components do not suffer for this problem only inductive parts like motors & relay coils.
But thats not the end of the problem as the voltage goes down and current goes up the wire it's self heats up because of the high current and when that happens the resistance increase and the voltage drops even more.
So as you can see any voltage under 110 VAC will create problems serious problems, in most case low voltages cause more problems that high voltage because of the high current by-product.
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I was aware of this, and use a Franks autotransformer when line voltage is low. I will be staying at a campground again next year where even with a 16% voltage boost brown outs nearly fried my air conditioner when starting.
I want to add a hard start capacitor (or other device) to my Coleman 15K air conditioner to help get it moving at a lower voltage. I don't want to "get it wrong."
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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07-25-2012, 07:33 AM
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#32
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 47
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if every thing in edlectrical service installed as per nec there is no reason to get that kind of voltage drop. demand factors should have been applied to park service. as to your question on hard start capacitors they have different ones. some have a relay to put cap into line and some just couple across the run capacitor and are generic according to tonnage of a/c.
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07-25-2012, 07:36 AM
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#33
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Site Team - Lou
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,269
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http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tor-24439.html
This thread answered my questions and provided the instructions to do the mod.
Thank you for everyone who helped me figure it out.
My favorite campground has some old circuits on their dedicated 30 amp runs.
We "go to war with what we have; not what we wish we had"
Donald Rumsfeld.
Just want to have air conditioning if it is over 100 again next year.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
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07-25-2012, 07:51 AM
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#34
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Got mtn bike?
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: N. Austin Texas
Posts: 147
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I realize the main conversation is about voltage drop at the campground/site.
But would running the fridge on gas and having a solar panel with regulator charging the 12V DC side help any?
Also I think I had read some where that the RV fridges running on gas are the most efficient and the very opposite running on electric.
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07-25-2012, 11:32 AM
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#35
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ddavis662
I realize the main conversation is about voltage drop at the campground/site.
But would running the fridge on gas and having a solar panel with regulator charging the 12V DC side help any?
Also I think I had read some where that the RV fridges running on gas are the most efficient and the very opposite running on electric.
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Running the fridge on 12 VDC shouldn't effect issues you having with the high voltage system in your coach. Also remember that 12 VDC is 1/10th of the voltage of a 120 VAC service, so as it related to the amperage consumption 10 amp at 12 VDC is equal to 1 amp at 120 VAC (when using a converter).
That being said you must also remember that that same rule applies in reverse. 120 VAC @ 10 amps= 100 amps at 12 VDC (when using a Inverter).
Thats why a battery can be full discharges so quickly when you use an inverter on a 120 VAC appliance, even a small one like a 15" TV. TV draws 2 to 2 1/2 amps @ 120 VAC which is 20 to 25 amps @ 12 VDC (100AH battery gone in less than 4 hours).
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07-25-2012, 11:50 AM
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#36
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Got mtn bike?
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: N. Austin Texas
Posts: 147
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HVACretired
Running the fridge on 12 VDC shouldn't effect issues you having with the high voltage system in your coach. Also remember that 12 VDC is 1/10th of the voltage of a 120 VAC service, so as it related to the amperage consumption 10 amp at 12 VDC is equal to 1 amp at 120 VAC (when using a converter).
That being said you must also remember that that same rule applies in reverse. 120 VAC @ 10 amps= 100 amps at 12 VDC (when using a Inverter).
Thats why a battery can be full discharges so quickly when you use an inverter on a 120 VAC appliance, even a small one like a 15" TV. TV draws 2 to 2 1/2 amps @ 120 VAC which is 20 to 25 amps @ 12 VDC (100AH battery gone in less than 4 hours).
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But wouldn't that atleast help some during a voltage drop/low voltage situation?
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07-25-2012, 11:57 AM
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#37
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 26
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Hard Start
Quote:
Originally Posted by skipper194242
if every thing in edlectrical service installed as per nec there is no reason to get that kind of voltage drop. demand factors should have been applied to park service. as to your question on hard start capacitors they have different ones. some have a relay to put cap into line and some just couple across the run capacitor and are generic according to tonnage of a/c.
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I have used a lot of hard start caps over the years, but to quite honestly unless your trying to start against a high head pressure (hot compressor without time to equlize after shut down) you shouldn't need a hard start cap.
If the voltage is to low to start the compressor without a hard start cap you shouldn't be trying to run it under those conditions. Also the new AC's have a 5 minute time delay built into them so you don't have to deal with a hot compressor syndrome.
If you have a low voltage I am betting that there is a problem with the breaker at the pedestal. Its not uncommon for those to fail. They are turned on and of hundreds of time over ther life and they get weak (manufacture says it trips you should replace it, I don't believe thats true but after a couple of dozon times it wii effect it). Lastly most of the 50 amp pedestal services are wired with alunimum wire and over time the screws will work loose and that will cause a voltage drop under a load.
The best way to check the voltage at a breaker is under load, loose wires don't always show up with out a load. Also put your hand on the face of the breaker if it is anything more than comfortably warm. There is a problem related to the breaker eather overload, bad breaker, or loose wires.
OK I am done sorry to ramble on
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07-25-2012, 12:01 PM
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#38
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Too old to be too smart
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: La La Land
Posts: 439
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When a pro "rambles on", I LISTEN!
Your advice above is SPOT ON!
Too bad that NoAlOx wasn't routinely used until AFTER aluminum wiring fell out of common usage.
It's also too bad that, usually, maintenance people don't periodically tighten the connections on equipment that still has aluminum conductors.
Pop
__________________
Terry 250RKS, perfect for the two of us and the pups.
2000 F-350 7.3L CC/LB 4WD Lariat 3.73's
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07-25-2012, 12:11 PM
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#39
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 26
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Wouldn't that help
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddavis662
But wouldn't that atleast help some during a voltage drop/low voltage situation?
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If you voltage drop is that bad I dont belive it would help, again there is a ten to one ratio. Most fridge heater elements are 3.2 amps @120 VAC or 32 amps @ 12 VDC. If 3.2 amps on a 120 VAC circuit is causing a coach wide overload you have bigger problems.
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07-25-2012, 12:14 PM
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#40
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Charles, La.
Posts: 1,536
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i believe anything u do to shed load will help ur AC. the question would be if it is enough. the frig should shed 5 amps from ur AC demand. the 12v side should be unaffected by this...the control board is on on either service. u will be replacing a 120v heater with gas.
hw heater will also help.
the Air Conditioner has a protection against low voltage (thermal overload inside the compressor...u really don't want to test this too much...it may get to where it won't reset). it will draw more amps because the lower voltage will increase the lag between the armature and field in the electric motor. ie work=watts. i'll reserve opinion on the relay; believe what u have in a trailer are DC and are more resistive than reactive.
somewhere, there should be an operating voltage range on it. i believe i've run across it before but haven't been able to locate it on the label. somewhere 90 comes to mind but wouldn't depend on it unless i could find it on the label.
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