Weak Electrical System

ilmor · 08-22-2011, 05:38 AM

OK, does anyone else experience this?

If we are running the A/C, turning on the microwave will trip the breaker inside the coach.

Yesterday we were running the A/C, and if we turn on the electric hot water heater, it trips the breaker where we plug in outside. This happened in two different campsites.

Shouldn't a 30A system be able to handle more than just running the A/C? I'm sure that my past coaches were able to, or so I recall...

It's awfully annoying to have to turn the A/C off everytime we run the microwave. Also, not being able to use the A/C and the electric water heater at the same time doesn't make much sense.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 06:26 AM

Some times park electric is not up to par. If its hot out and the whole park is running their air you may only see low voltage. 105 v. And less than 30 amps

ilmor · 08-22-2011, 06:53 AM

If its a 30A breaker, theoretically, it will only pop if my motorhome is using in excess of 30A. It would not matter what the rest of the campground is doing, or how hot it is, would it?

jimh · 08-22-2011, 07:23 AM

true, but with lower voltage comes increased amps to do the same amt of work.

the breaker may be weak. i can run hw heater, frige, lighting, microwave, and one air conditioner on a 30 amp connection. usually if i do trip something, it is the campground breaker.
if it is one of the breakers in the trailer, it may be weak especially if it happens at different campgrounds.
that does seem to be a small amt of items to trip the 30 amp breaker. may try replacing that and see what happens.

jimh · 08-22-2011, 07:33 AM

the breakers in my trailer appear to be made by cutler-hammer. they are sold at home depot but it looks like the price is fairly uniform where ever u go. seems like mine are type BP. take ur old one and compare. the buss contact slit is longer and the contact fits a slightly thicker buss.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 07:47 AM

I would say its a service issue at the camp ground only way to tell is to check there service with a meter.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 07:56 AM

We had this same issue a few years back a group of us were camping on hot day in late July.
Our breakers kept popping.
we later found out we were at the end of the line and had 20 campers ahead of us..... on the same 30 amp service. We later checked voltage and found we were only receiving 108 volts.

ilmor · 08-22-2011, 10:11 AM

So if I use a 50A receptacle with an adapter might it resolve this issue?

jimh · 08-22-2011, 10:38 AM

i'd say check the a/c voltage inside the camper and see what u have. that should tell u what direction to take.
if they ran the the 50 off the same cable as the 30, i wouldn't expect it to solve ur problems. if they ran a separate cable, maybe. i don't know how campgrounds are wired.

if the voltage inside ur camper is under 110V, there probably isn't much u can do. u can try adapting to 50 amp service and see. just use a commercially available adapter. if ur reading abt 115 or so, i would suspect u have a weak breaker. the interesting thing is that it is usually the campground breakers that take the beating and become weak.

donn · 08-22-2011, 10:43 AM

HUMMM lets see, AC=20 amps
Microwave=10 amps
Converter= 5-15 amps
Water Heater= 15 amps
Where is the problem?
Too much amperage draw not enough available amps.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 10:43 AM

Also you should see between 115 to 120 .
Anything less than 110 is bad news

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 11:10 AM

[QUOTE=donn;126846]HUMMM lets see, AC=20 amps
Microwave=10 amps
Converter= 5-15 amps
Water Heater= 15 amps
Where is the problem?
Too much amperage draw not enough amps.

Are we sure the hot water heater was even on? Or on gas?
and the converter was at max output?

ilmor · 08-22-2011, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donn

HUMMM lets see, AC=20 amps
Microwave=10 amps
Converter= 5-15 amps
Water Heater= 15 amps
Where is the problem?
Too much amperage draw not enough available amps.

If the A/c is in fact drawing a measured 20 and the water heater a measured 15, you'd be correct. This is what I need to verify. I'll also check the voltage here.

ilmor · 08-22-2011, 11:49 AM

The AC was on, and as soon as I turned the electric water heater on the outside breaker popped. This happened two times in the last two days at two separate campgrounds.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 11:55 AM

hmmmm .... so just the ac and the electric water heater . not including the converter amps which is always an unknown because it can vary minute to minute.
ive had my a/c on, outside fridge , inside fridge, converter and electric water heater on and never blown ?
im at a loss .

cfsoistman · 08-22-2011, 12:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilmor

The AC was on, and as soon as I turned the electric water heater on the outside breaker popped. This happened two times in the last two days at two separate campgrounds.

Have you tried turning on the water heater without the AC running? Possibly you have a dead short in the water heater if the breaker trips just with the water heater on. There isn't any problem when the AC is running alone. Just a possibility it's in the water heater.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 12:16 PM

Yeah sorry I thought your internal breakers were popping.
not the camp grounds sorry.
Yes sounds like element might be shorted for water heater

ilmor · 08-22-2011, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

hmmmm .... so just the ac and the electric water heater . not including the converter amps which is always an unknown because it can vary minute to minute.
ive had my a/c on, outside fridge , inside fridge, converter and electric water heater on and never blown ?
im at a loss .

Isnt the converter always on? I don't know of a way to shut it off. Doesn't it have to be on for the 12v lights or other 12v items? I'm not an electrician so please excuse my ignorance...

jimh · 08-22-2011, 02:03 PM

It is unless ur unplugged.

Waterheater and air/c both run abt 12 amps. If it is the campground service tripping. Even with those numbers, u r at the limit. Could try switching hw to gas.
i probably got away with it because the hw heater didnt try and come on when the microwave was in use.

TURBS · 08-22-2011, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by donn

HUMMM lets see, AC=20 amps
Microwave=10 amps
Converter= 5-15 amps
Water Heater= 15 amps
Where is the problem?
Too much amperage draw not enough available amps.

Just so you know a 13500 btu air conditioner is 16 amp start 13 amp running
converter Max is 8 amps
Microwave Max 13 amps
fridge in ac mode Max 8 amps
Hot water heater Max 13 amps

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