Air Conditioner Tripping Breaker

[Flybob]

Originally Posted by DerbyBailey

Where would I take those readings?

Take a reading of the voltage at an outlet when the AC is running. You will have to turn the breaker for the outlets back on. If your have too much voltage loss into the TT it is made up in the AC by current and can cause what you are seeing.

[rwhit]

Are you using an extension cord?

[DerbyBailey]

Originally Posted by rwhit

Are you using an extension cord?

Yes. Custom built cord from electrician that installed the box. It's really thick. Again, worked for 4 weeks in 100 deg heat. 80 deg yesterday and the problem started.

[DerbyBailey]

Originally Posted by formerFR

turn OFF the Main 30amp breaker, and/or UNPLUG from shore power

- remove the cover of the breaker panel

- tighten the black wire coming from the bottom of the 20amp breaker
(pull the breaker out if you can not access the wire/screw easily)

- then clip the breaker back in if you've removed it

- plug shore power back in

- flip the 30amp Main breaker on

- turn on the 20amp a/c breaker

- turn on the a/c unit and see how long it stays on


replacing the breaker is the same ...

Did this, no loose screws anywhere. Although there was a lot of junk behind the panel (from manufacturing? ).

Also did the tap on it drill and that didn't cause breaker to close.

[rwhit]

Just saw a guy this last week here in central Texas that had a bad extension cord while we were at Big Chief in Burnet Texas.i helped him out and found after removing the front of the breaker panel he had loose connections on the breakers themself. FYI he had the same issue as you.

[DerbyBailey]

Originally Posted by rwhit

Just saw a guy this last week here in central Texas that had a bad extension cord while we were at Big Chief in Burnet Texas.i helped him out and found after removing the front of the breaker panel he had loose connections on the breakers themself. FYI he had the same issue as you.

Checked breakers, nothing loose for sure. Not sure how to confirm if cable is good. Far too long to just go buy another one. Any ideas?

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by dward51

Turn every breaker INSIDE THE CAMPER off. Then turn only the Air Conditioner breaker back on and start the AC.

See if it keeps running like it should. If it does, try flipping the Converter breaker (CONV) back on and see if all remains well. If not, your problem may lay in the converter and not the AC. Let it cycle through a couple of compress start ups and if all remains well, add one breaker back to the one position and wait again to see if something trips. Then you may have a better idea of where the problem is. The AC may be a symptom and not the actual problem source.

Also it's not unheard of for a AC capacitor to be bad or on the verge of being bad from the factory. It happens. If you have to change it out (should be a warranty item), I would also have a soft start kit installed at the same time since it all goes in the same location inside the AC housing. You may want to look at a Micro-Air "Easystart" unit.

https://www.microair.net/collections...nt=30176048267

A Micro-Air easy start is certainly a good idea---------if one is boondocking a lot and want to use a smaller generator. If the OP's problem is a bad capacitor, and I agree they can fail even when new and during first uses, he will still have to replace the capacitor. The Micro-Air is a $300 item that won't solve his problem alone.

Since they are living in the TT and have shore power all the time I doubt they need the soft start kit.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Unless someone post this already....This started recently......NOT from the day they pulled it in.

"- The "pole" in this case is a brand new, dedicated 30A box. It's on my in-law's property, installed the day we parked the camper (weeks ago - and we've been using it daily). That breaker is NOT tripping."

Still think it's a Voltage problem ? I think the compressor crapped out.

[DerbyBailey]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

Unless someone post this already....This started recently......NOT from the day they pulled it in.

"- The "pole" in this case is a brand new, dedicated 30A box. It's on my in-law's property, installed the day we parked the camper (weeks ago - and we've been using it daily). That breaker is NOT tripping."

Still think it's a Voltage problem ? I think the compressor crapped out.

Based on everyone's responses and the troubleshooting so far I'm hoping capacitor but betting compressor. Will be calling Forest River in the AM to see how they'd like to proceed on a professional assessment.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Originally Posted by DerbyBailey

Based on everyone's responses and the troubleshooting so far I'm hoping capacitor but betting compressor. Will be calling Forest River in the AM to see how they'd like to proceed on a professional assessment.

With all the problems I've seen posted about people replacing AC units on brand new RV's and only having them for weeks, I wouldn't be the least surprised to find out yours took a dump on you also. Good luck and hope they can fix it quick.

[DerbyBailey]

Originally Posted by TheWolfPaq82

With all the problems I've seen posted about people replacing AC units on brand new RV's and only having them for weeks, I wouldn't be the least surprised to find out yours took a dump on you also. Good luck and hope they can fix it quick.

That's what I'm afraid of. Tech we spoke to said they're on a nationwide backorder and it's at least a 17-week wait.

At least winter is coming...

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by DerbyBailey

Based on everyone's responses and the troubleshooting so far I'm hoping capacitor but betting compressor. Will be calling Forest River in the AM to see how they'd like to proceed on a professional assessment.

FYI, you can route this through either Dometic or AirXcel(Coleman-Mach) rather than Forest River. Will probably save you a lot of time and hassle. You can go to their respective websites to find authorized service centers. As another FYI, even though it’s almost impossible to purchase replacement ACs, both Dometic and Coleman have been supplying them to ASCs rather quickly if a replacement is needed.

[DerbyBailey]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

FYI, you can route this through either Dometic or AirXcel(Coleman-Mach) rather than Forest River. Will probably save you a lot of time and hassle. You can go to their respective websites to find authorized service centers. As another FYI, even though it’s almost impossible to purchase replacement ACs, both Dometic and Coleman have been supplying them to ASCs rather quickly if a replacement is needed.

Thanks, I may try that route. But the camper isn't moving, repairs need to be done on site. Still don't know what that's going to look like!

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by DerbyBailey

Thanks, I may try that route. But the camper isn't moving, repairs need to be done on site. Still don't know what that's going to look like!

You’re going to have a much better chance finding a mobile tech through an Authorized Service Center than you are through a Forest River dealer. Expect to pay the trip fee, though.

[dustman_stx]

Is it a Coleman or Dometic unit?

[DerbyBailey]

Coleman. Will they tell me the nearest ASC or will Forest River? Dealer told me to call FR.

[dward51]

2 additional comments/questions

1) Did you add or change anything from when it was working before?

2) Since the labeling of the breaker box is questionable, I would turn them all off and verify if the labeling might be correct one breaker at a time. The 30amp is for sure the "main" and if it is off, even if you turn on one of the others, the other ones should remain dead. Then one by one, step through each of the other breakers and see if what appears to be the label is correct. Then you know for sure what circuit is the problem. I would do this before calling for warranty service as it does not require any "working" on the parts to test.

A side note - normally the AC "is" a 20 amp breaker in most trailers. Also I would expect that full sized 15 amp to be the converter breaker. That is the way mine is (not same brand model trailer though), but I guess anything is possible.

[DerbyBailey]

Figured out there's a Coleman (Airxcel??) ASC just a few miles from the camper. In the middle of nowhere. Crazy!

[NXR]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Ray, there are two kinds of breakers, Magnetic and Thermal.

Yup, our jets used magnetic breakers because they trip a lot faster. They also felt different when you trip them manually. It took a lot less force to trip a magnetic breaker.

They're also a lot more expensive than thermal and we are talking RV's here.

Ray

[Iceman0987]

21 year HVAC tech here, sounds like a dead short in the compressor. Compressor is done. Hopefully you can get a replacement compressor because of the back order on units