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Old 05-22-2018, 09:15 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by ArkansasGreyWolf View Post
When I plug in my trailer at home to keep the battery charged, i get the typical “spark” when plugging in a live outlet. I use a 30/15 amp pigtail and run a 12 gauge extension cord to the outlet.

Is this ok or do I need to shut off house or trailer breaker then plug in and flip the house/ trailer breaker back on? Seems to me a breaker is not supposed to be used as a “switch” since it will weaken it.
One of the reasons GPO's (wall sockets) come with a switch is to minimize or eliminate that external spark when the pins of the plug and socket touch, especially if the load is attached. Too bad this type of outlet is not regulation in the US as it is here in Australia. Yes it makes the GPO (general purpose outlet) a tiny bit more expensive but it does give you a safer way to connect, disconnect, turn on/off a power outlet, at the point it is needed. It allows you to leave stuff plugged in without power being connected.
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Old 05-22-2018, 11:33 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by wmtire View Post

Many people forget about the converter, since it's usually out of sight/out of mind.


RV Converters and Amp Draw - RV Information (RV Maintenance)
I read Polks article and found this sentence quite misleading:

"Another question I was asked was; I know my converter is also a battery charger so why won’t it bring my discharged batteries back to a full charge? RV converters do provide a charge to your RV house batteries, but only a small portion of the converters amperage rating is used for this. Normally 3 to 5 amps, which are not nearly enough to charge batteries that are discharged."

I think this information is quite dated expecially since he talks about converters using 3 stages in the next paragraph. It is clearly NOT true that your battery won't be charged when plugged in at a campground. And my own measurement show my own 75amp converter putting out about 10 times the amount he quotes when I'm in bulk mode (briefly).
I think he is talking about float mode which will NOT charge a discharged battery...but of course any modern converter will leave float mode if it senses a voltage drop.
Just wanted to clarify that unless you disagree...in which case maybe you could explain what is wrong with my thinking as my wife often does!
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Old 05-23-2018, 01:32 AM   #23
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Originally Posted by camaraderie View Post
I read Polks article and found this sentence quite misleading:

"Another question I was asked was; I know my converter is also a battery charger so why won’t it bring my discharged batteries back to a full charge? RV converters do provide a charge to your RV house batteries, but only a small portion of the converters amperage rating is used for this. Normally 3 to 5 amps, which are not nearly enough to charge batteries that are discharged."

I think this information is quite dated expecially since he talks about converters using 3 stages in the next paragraph. It is clearly NOT true that your battery won't be charged when plugged in at a campground. And my own measurement show my own 75amp converter putting out about 10 times the amount he quotes when I'm in bulk mode (briefly).
I think he is talking about float mode which will NOT charge a discharged battery...but of course any modern converter will leave float mode if it senses a voltage drop.
Just wanted to clarify that unless you disagree...in which case maybe you could explain what is wrong with my thinking as my wife often does!

I agree, and think he just didn't clarify it as best as he could when talking about older converters not recharging a dead battery vs newer converters. I think he was only talking about the older converters at first since he said " Another problem with older converters".


It was at the end when Mark started talking about the newer converters:


----------------------------------



Another question I was asked was; I know my converter is also a battery charger so why won’t it bring my discharged batteries back to a full charge? RV converters do provide a charge to your RV house batteries, but only a small portion of the converters amperage rating is used for this. Normally 3 to 5 amps, which are not nearly enough to charge batteries that are discharged.


The converter battery charger is designed to keep the house batteries topped off with this trickle charge. Another problem with older RV converters is they charge at a fixed voltage in the range of 13.5 volts. If your batteries are fully charged this can be too much for a float charge and over time it will deplete the water level in the batteries cells. This is why it’s important to check the water level in your batteries on a regular basis, especially when you leave the RV plugged in for extended periods of time. You need a three stage charger that can provide a bulk charge then an absorption charge and finally a float charge. Newer RV converters on the market are capable of charging the batteries this way.
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Old 05-23-2018, 06:43 AM   #24
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SailorSam,

Can you explain further the need to shut off the external Water Heater switch? I believe I may have missed that step all last season until winterizing. I have an internal switch and an external switch. If the internal if OFF (As well as your main breaker), what is the external still powering when in the ON position?



Thanks!

Ron


Not Sam but I do both to make sure I’m ready to do electric later. Have to do two steps so minimizes the chance I’ll turn in by mistake and burn out the element.

Don’t have to just extra safety for me.
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Old 05-23-2018, 07:11 AM   #25
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Originally Posted by SailorSam20500 View Post
My departure routine for power is:

1. trip camper main breaker
2. turn off water heater outside switch
2. trip pedestal breaker
3. disconnect and store.

Arrival:

1. test power pedestal for proper wiring (3 light tester)
2. turn off pedestal
3. wire up
4. turn on pedestal
5. check status of Progressive EMS
6. turn on camper main breaker
7. verify water heater is full
8. turn on water heater outside switch.
This is way to complicated. If you trip the main breaker it should isolate all mains powered devices.

I have never done any of that, I just make sure the shore supply point is off, plug in the cable at the 5'er end, plug it in at the shore supply point, turn on the power at the supply point, done. Never had a problem, never had a spark.
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Old 05-23-2018, 09:31 AM   #26
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Originally Posted by Ron045 View Post
SailorSam,
Can you explain further the need to shut off the external Water Heater switch? I believe I may have missed that step all last season until winterizing. I have an internal switch and an external switch. If the internal if OFF (As well as your main breaker), what is the external still powering when in the ON position?

Thanks!
Ron
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gumpster808 View Post
Not Sam but I do both to make sure I’m ready to do electric later. Have to do two steps so minimizes the chance I’ll turn in by mistake and burn out the element.

Don’t have to just extra safety for me.

I've had too many "I should kick myself" episodes where I didn't protect something and then forgetting that it wasn't protected, damaged it. So as Gumpster and a couple others note, it is just to protect myself from doing something stupid. So hooking up gives me a chance to verify that there IS water in the heater. Delays my first beer after setting up by all of 30 seconds.

Similarly, tripping the camper main probably isn't really needed, but it does force me to check the EMS monitor which for me is just inside my main door. Unlikely, but the EMS can fail - so I know electric is all good before I turn on the camper.
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Old 05-23-2018, 10:48 AM   #27
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Old wives' tale

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Originally Posted by ArkansasGreyWolf View Post
Is this ok or do I need to shut off house or trailer breaker then plug in and flip the house/ trailer breaker back on? Seems to me a breaker is not supposed to be used as a “switch” since it will weaken it.
There seems to be no evidence to support the old wives' tale that a breaker should not be used as a manual switch.

This is a link to a typical breaker catalog. Note that the design life of the breaker is 20,000 actuations. That would be a lot of uses of an RV.

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Old 05-23-2018, 11:01 AM   #28
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I guess I just don't sweat the little stuff, overthink most stuff, or am just plain ignorant. I do turn the breaker off before hooking up to a CG pedestal. But when plugging into the house 15amp, I do not. Does it spark? Usually. Does it cause me any concern or problems? Nope, never has.
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Old 05-23-2018, 08:49 PM   #29
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This just happened tonight and we have had the camper for a year and a half. Plugged in at home and hear a fan running by breaker box. Is this dangerous? It seems that when we plugged it in the microwave was off then I heard a pop like the breaker flipped and the microwave came on and then we heard the fan.
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Old 05-23-2018, 08:54 PM   #30
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Naah, perfectly normal

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Originally Posted by Fprusha View Post
This just happened tonight and we have had the camper for a year and a half. Plugged in at home and hear a fan running by breaker box. Is this dangerous? It seems that when we plugged it in the microwave was off then I heard a pop like the breaker flipped and the microwave came on and then we heard the fan.
The converter (shore power converted to 12 volts DC for lights, accessories and to charge batteries) has fans which only run when it supplying current to a medium or heavy load. If you just turn on a few lights, it won't run. Turn on a few more, or the furnace, or exhaust fans and the fan (sometimes two) in the converter will run.

This is perfectly normal.

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Old 05-23-2018, 09:39 PM   #31
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Thank you so much Larry!!!
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