No Power in Camper

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by doc73

Not trying to say "all" electricians... But give it a few months (everyone gets their new rigs in from the dealers) and there will be numerous threads for 240 blowing out from miswired plugs campers, why their microwave does not work on battery power and so on.. Been here a while as you all have as well and see if every year

If what I read on a news feed earlier today is true we'll see close to a 30% reduction in those kinds of posts. RV mfr's are having a slump in RV deliveries by that percentage.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by Joedvo

I just bought a new 2018 Forest River Salem Cruise Lite in June, 6 months ago. We have taken it camping several times without issue. I had a 30 A outdoor outlet installed at my house so we could keep it plugged in, I plugged it in the first time, and I swear I heard a faint pop. The hurricane was coming so I didn't get a chance to check on it. A couple of weeks later I check on it and find that there is no power inside, oddly except the microwave clock. I checked the house breaker and it was fine, I checked the breakers and fuses in the breaker panel inside the camper and they were fine. I cycled all breakers and still nothing. I checked the fuse on the red battery cable and it was fine. I had my electrician come back out and check the outlet and he said it was wired right, nothing came loose, and it has power. He checked the campers breaker panel and there was AC power coming in, but he was a bit puzzled why nothing was working. I have no idea what could have happened. Obviously, I will likely have to take it in for warranty repair. But if it was something rather simple, I wanted to ask the forum. The only thing I can think of is the AC to DC converter, but I have no idea where it is. Any insight is appreciated. Thank you!

Don't go dragging it to the dealer until you get the outlet wired correctly and have 120 volts to your trailer. Then reset all your breakers and reset all GFI's
Chances are a breaker tripped and saved everything. I know the GFI tripped because you had no neutral. Give the electricians boss an earful and get everything to fixed by them. They are responsible and they have insurance to cover it. Ask for the company License #. If they don't have one call the local building department and report them for working without a license. If they give you a bad time, ask if they pulled a permit. Another building department issue. The electrician will be kissing your hiney when you threaten him. The electrician was an idiot. The receptacle he installed says 120 volts right on it. Check EVERY piece of electric equipment in the trailer and be sure it all works when they are finished.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Joedvo

it was installed as 240 V. Has anyone ever dealt with this or known someone who has?

We have had many that have had the same thing happen. As I explained in post#3, there are several things that can be damaged. The converter always goes immediately or gives up the ghost soon. You should go ahead and plan on replacing it. That is more than likely the "pop" you heard.


Televisions and microwaves are hit and miss. Sometimes they make it with a simple fuse replacement, sometimes not. Fridge control boards, electric fireplaces, air conditioners...are also hit and miss and can be dependent on other things at the time of the 240 volt occurrence. The main thing is you want it all documented and do not release the electricians insurance/liability with just an initial converter replacement. You may find other things go bad in short order, contributable to this.


Here are just a very small sampling of some of this same type situation, that I have been involved with. It will possibly show you some things to look for.



http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1681154


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1583495


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1161426


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1028200


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tml#post860017


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1631263

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by cavie

Chances are a breaker tripped and saved everything. I know the GFI tripped because you had no neutral.

Cavie, I don't think that would apply in either situation, since the circuit breaker and/or gfci are usually designed to trip on current, not voltage.


The gfci would have current on the neutral line, but it would just be coming from say the L2 in case of the miswired outlet. I'm thinking if the L1 and L2 were in balance as for current, then the gfci wouldn't trip..... but may need to think that out some more.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Cavie, I don't think that would apply in either situation, since the circuit breaker and/or gfci are usually designed to trip on current, not voltage.


The gfci would have current on the neutral line, but it would just be coming from say the L2 in case of the miswired outlet. I'm thinking if the L1 and L2 were in balance as for current, then the gfci wouldn't trip..... but may need to think that out some more.

GFI outlet measures the leakage between hot and neutral/ground measured in miliamps. Breaker trips on over current measured in amps

[D W]

Originally Posted by WY Husker Fan

As a 40 year + master electrician I can assure you that not “all” electricians “Then blow up your camper”. I would wager a lot of money that the friend or handy man do a lot more damage than licensed professional electricians. Sure there are instances of so called electricians misswiring Rv 30 amp circuits but those are the ones you hear about - the majority that have no issues don’t make it to the forum. I get a little testy when this issue comes up! I have weighed in on far too many threads on this forum where the “experts” suggest electrical solutions that are absolutely wrong and very dangerous.

BUT, that wasn't the case here. The OP stated that the "electrician" was informed that it was 120V, yet the "electrician" wired it for 240V. These days there is a lot of difference between a "licensed" electrician and a "qualified" electrician. The NEMA 30TT receptacles are clearly marked "MAX 125 VAC - 30 AMPS". No matter how you slice it, this was malpractice on the part of the electrician. If an electrician is unable to distinguish the difference between a NEMA 30TT and a NEMA 10 then they should probably seek a new line of work!

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by cavie

Don't go dragging it to the dealer until you get the outlet wired correctly and have 120 volts to your trailer. Then reset all your breakers and reset all GFI's
Chances are a breaker tripped and saved everything. I know the GFI tripped because you had no neutral. Give the electricians boss an earful and get everything to fixed by them. They are responsible and they have insurance to cover it. Ask for the company License #. If they don't have one call the local building department and report them for working without a license. If they give you a bad time, ask if they pulled a permit. Another building department issue. The electrician will be kissing your hiney when you threaten him. The electrician was an idiot. The receptacle he installed says 120 volts right on it. Check EVERY piece of electric equipment in the trailer and be sure it all works when they are finished.

Originally Posted by cavie

GFI outlet measures the leakage between hot and neutral/ground measured in miliamps. Breaker trips on over current measured in amps

Okaaay, so are you actually agreeing now that the circuit breaker and/or gfci trip on amperage(aka current) instead of voltage as initially stated?

I've not seen in these forums yet (and I have been involved in many), where when someone connected a 30 amp RV to an outlet miswired for 240 volts, that a circuit breaker ever saved them by tripping.

Just had another one last night:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...rv-173279.html

[CedarCreekWoody]

I expect that in most of these mis-wired incidents the electrician is simply told "I want a 30 amp outlet installed that looks like this picture" without either really discussing the voltage desired. One is picturing a 120 volt outlet, the other is thinking 240 volt, and neither thinks to verify the actual need.