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Old 07-03-2019, 02:55 AM   #1
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Tripping campsite breaker

So I have a 2009 sunseeker 3100ss and I'm running the fridge, heat pump for ac, water heater, some lights, tv and sometimes microwave...keep tripping breaker at canpsite... cant imagine FR designed it that all those things couldnt be run at the same time, so I'm thinking it's a weak breaker at my site?? Thoughts?
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Old 07-03-2019, 03:41 AM   #2
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you've got too much running, for a 30amp source. switch the WH to propane, at least.
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Old 07-03-2019, 03:48 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by SunseekerDave View Post
So I have a 2009 sunseeker 3100ss and I'm running the fridge, heat pump for ac, water heater, some lights, tv and sometimes microwave...keep tripping breaker at canpsite... cant imagine FR designed it that all those things couldnt be run at the same time, so I'm thinking it's a weak breaker at my site?? Thoughts?

You will encounter weak breakers but you also sound like you overloading the main circuit too.


One of the first things a RV'er with a 30 amp RV has to learn is power management...which is what you can have on (and what must be turned off) at the same time. 30 amps is 3600 watts. That's your max cumulative number.


You will learn.


This thread may help, as it has links that explain the electrical systems of the RV, and the converters amp draw (which also has a list of common amps per appliance). They are at the first, as this is the first thing new RV owners need to learn.



http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ts-157524.html
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Old 07-03-2019, 05:58 AM   #4
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[QUOTE=SunseekerDave;2131753.keep tripping breaker at canpsite... Thoughts?[/QUOTE]
One of the things necessary for a happy camping trip is power management. You do not have 200/300Amp service like at home. You have 30A provided by the campground. If you draw more than 30A the breaker will trip. This is a function of the service provided by the campground and not FR. In general AC, WH and microwave will not run simultaneously on 30A service.
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Old 07-03-2019, 06:12 AM   #5
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I actually believe you are closer to being correct in your original assumption, than most of the advice you have been given. We've encountered several times when a campsite breaker was the 'culprit' to a prematurely tripping breaker.

Why? Think about it this way - you have a 30amp main breaker in your own panel, and yet it is not tripping, only the 30amp breaker at the power pedestal. Shouldn't YOURS trip first if you were using 'too many things' at the same time?

Ask the campground to trade out your campsite breaker with a new one. Problem solved.


This same event happened to us several times - and even when asking the campground to replace the shore breaker rendered questionable looks, we forged ahead with our request. After questions from the employee that we must be 'somehow' using too many things, I relayed the fact that the previous campground we just traveled from had no issues providing the same power, with NO tripped breakers, and everything running just the same.
After the replacement of the 30amp shore breaker, and no more issue with it tripping, the park owner was astonished that we somehow 'knew' something he had never been privy to: breakers get weak with so much use, and with age.


replace the shore breaker, and enjoy!
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Old 07-03-2019, 06:31 AM   #6
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That's why I have the dog bone to tsp into the 50 amp plug. Many times tripping the breaker and it weakens them. If your main breaker is not tripping and the camp ground is, that's their bad breaker!
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Old 07-05-2019, 01:18 PM   #7
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Tripping campsite breaker

We aways turn off the heat pump/AC when we use the microwave at meal time. We leave the WH on electric always. The CG power may not trip every time depending on when the heat pump compressor kicks in and you may get away with it from time to time but, as you can see, on occasion it will get you. Oh, you forget the battery charger/converter. On normal change maintenance, uses about 3amps, more of it is changing heavy.
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Old 07-05-2019, 01:43 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by formerFR View Post
I actually believe you are closer to being correct in your original assumption, than most of the advice you have been given. We've encountered several times when a campsite breaker was the 'culprit' to a prematurely tripping breaker.

Why? Think about it this way - you have a 30amp main breaker in your own panel, and yet it is not tripping, only the 30amp breaker at the power pedestal. Shouldn't YOURS trip first if you were using 'too many things' at the same time?

Ask the campground to trade out your campsite breaker with a new one. Problem solved.


This same event happened to us several times - and even when asking the campground to replace the shore breaker rendered questionable looks, we forged ahead with our request. After questions from the employee that we must be 'somehow' using too many things, I relayed the fact that the previous campground we just traveled from had no issues providing the same power, with NO tripped breakers, and everything running just the same.
After the replacement of the 30amp shore breaker, and no more issue with it tripping, the park owner was astonished that we somehow 'knew' something he had never been privy to: breakers get weak with so much use, and with age.


replace the shore breaker, and enjoy!
You're correct that breakers can go bad over time, however you have to keep in mind also that if you are drawing too much, it's traveling through the pedestal before the rv. AC compressors usually require 17 or so amps to start. Microwaves use 7-10 amps depending on size and the water heater will use about 13. The op could easily be drawing too much.
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Old 07-07-2019, 01:24 PM   #9
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Tripping campsite breaker

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Originally Posted by valleyduo View Post
You're correct that breakers can go bad over time, however you have to keep in mind also that if you are drawing too much, it's traveling through the pedestal before the rv. AC compressors usually require 17 or so amps to start. Microwaves use 7-10 amps depending on size and the water heater will use about 13. The op could easily be drawing too much.


In the last two years and 140 nights with our 2018 Forest River Forester we had this occur at two campgrounds. Both times they replaced the breaker and then everything worked fine . We use all the things in our RV when we want and they always have enough power.
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Old 07-07-2019, 01:41 PM   #10
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If Dave comes back he should have determined if the power pole breaker was bad. He didn't tell us if it was 30a or 50a. A 30a pole breaker can be easily overloaded with the the electrical loads of even my Roo 23SS. AC draws nearly 20a and the microwave and water heater another 10a each. There's a quick 40 amps right there. No matter what the main breaker inside the trailer -- Forest River's responsibility -- a 30a pole breaker will be hard pressed to handle more than 30a. Nor will the internal main breaker.

With high summer temperatures and weak state park power I tend to run everything other than the AC off propane. Another good reason to avoid "residential" refrigerators and electric only water heaters. The refrigerator will run several weeks on propane.

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