Converter smoking 2018 4th time using

[dogdog130]

we have 2018 camper we were going to take out for the fourth and i desided to plug it into 220 to turn on both a/c's and stock it up for the week . well i plug it in and smoke came out from behind the fireplace. removed fireplace cover and found the converter. this like 6th time this camper been used and hooked to 240 and ideas and camper place saying 6 weeks before they can look at it. and also is this covered under warranty

[Oaklevel]

What kind of plug are you using??? What is your camper make model?? Is your camper 30A or 50A?? The trailer runs on 110V not 220V. Make sure that your shore power is wired correctly.


http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...let-27223.html

50A has two 110V legs L1 & L2

[bikendan]

Sounds like you plugged into 240v, which is bad.
As Oaklevel said, RV. 50amp is 120v, NOT 240v.

[Bama Rambler]

Actually 50 amp RV service is the same as residential split phase 240 volt service. Just because most RV's don't normally have any 240 volt appliances doesn't mean it's not available.

Now if you have a 30 amp RV then plugging it into a 240 volt dryer/welding plug will fry stuff, but I assume since the OP said that it's been plugged into 240 volts before, and they have two A/C's, that they have a 50 amp RV.

If you've owned the RV less than a year then the converter is under warranty, and depending on the model it may have a longer warranty than the RV has.

Instead of waiting on the dealer to see you, contact the mfg. of the converter and ask them about it. There may be an independent repair service that could see about it sooner than six weeks.

Have you looked in the unit to see if you can tell what happened?

[Chuck_S]

Plugged into where? Did you have an outlet fitted at your home to keep the trailer powered there?

-- Chuck

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by dogdog130

we have 2018 camper we were going to take out for the fourth and i desided to plug it into 220 to turn on both a/c's and stock it up for the week . well i plug it in and smoke came out from behind the fireplace. removed fireplace cover and found the converter. this like 6th time this camper been used and hooked to 240 and ideas and camper place saying 6 weeks before they can look at it. and also is this covered under warranty

Is your camper of the 30 amp (3 prongs on power cord) or 50 amp (4 prongs on power cord) variety.

If it is a 30 amp RV and you plugged into an outlet wired for 240 volts with out an appropriate adapter, you always fry the converter and can possibly do other damage. it sure reads like this is what happened.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...let-27223.html

Please let us know what your RV is (amp wise) and what you have plugged into exactly.

[5picker]

Well lets hope the OP comes back and gives us more information.
We can only speculate until then whether he has a 30a service or 50a but I'm guessing 50a since they mentioned firing up BOTH A/C units.

Maybe these will help...

[rlh1957]

Ooops, I guess by no reply back from poster he found the issue, too late.

I hear nightmare stories in campgrounds everywhere, at least somebody tells of doing the same thing early in their RV'ing life.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by rlh1957

Ooops, I guess by no reply back from poster he found the issue, too late.

I hear nightmare stories in campgrounds everywhere, at least somebody tells of doing the same thing early in their RV'ing life.

Not necessarily. Some people have jobs where they cannot reply back during the day (or shift). This member posted later last night, and may reply back in that same time frame.

[Bama Rambler]

I usually give people a few days before giving up on them. I know people who work 48 hours straight and can't have internet access while working.

[dogdog130]

Sorry i work 3rd shift just woke up a hour ago but yes it is 220 4 prong 50amp adapted to slant 3 prong i have 110 on both sides of receptacle

[5picker]

Originally Posted by dogdog130

Sorry i work 3rd shift just woke up a hour ago but yes it is 220 4 prong 50amp adapted to slant 3 prong i have 110 on both sides of receptacle

Please explain in greater detail what you mean by "adapted to slant 3 prong i have 110 on both sides of receptacle."

Do you have it adapted to a 220v slant 3 prong outlet (think old dryer/welder) or a 120v slant R/V outlet?

[dogdog130]

First pic where i pluged in both slanted prings 110
2nd puc adapter 3 prong to 4prong camper line
3rd end of factory plug
4th camper plug in has 125/250 50amp
Model number of camper

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by dogdog130

Sorry i work 3rd shift just woke up a hour ago but yes it is 220 4 prong 50amp adapted to slant 3 prong i have 110 on both sides of receptacle

Originally Posted by 5picker

Please explain in greater detail what you mean by "adapted to slant 3 prong i have 110 on both sides of receptacle."

Do you have it adapted to a 220v slant 3 prong outlet (think old dryer/welder) or a 120v slant R/V outlet?

I think 5picker is on the right path. The comment of "I have 110 on both sides of the receptacle" makes me think that you fed 240v to one leg of the 50amp RV (it expects 120v on each leg).

See this page on testing an RV receptacle:
Electrical Testing

The voltage between the Hot lead at 7 o'clock and W 120-volt, Hot lead and G 120-volt, W and G 0-volt

[wmtire]

Uh ruh, first glance is telling me this is wrong and you fed 120 volts to the neutral. Let me get to a computer

[dogdog130]

Each slanted plug is getting 110 middleis ground/neutral

[wmtire]

The way this adapter is supposed to used is is plugs into a 120 volt 30 amp outlet (NEMA TT-30R).

It has one ground prong, one neutral prong, and one 120 volt hot prong.

Internally it jumps this one hot leg over to the other hot leg for the 50 amp RV (NEMA 14-50). This way both hot legs are powered in the RV (L1 and L2) but they are only sharing the 120 volt L1 from the 30 amp outlet.

See this link for schematics:

http://www.dmbruss.com/zFullTimeLife...alAdapters.htm



You forced this adapter into a NEMA 10-50R appliance outlet that has no ground if it's wired right (pic below). However you now are feeding your RV via the adapter..... 120 volts down the shared/jumped L1/L2 legs and are also feeding it 120 volts down the neutral.



Please disconnect this from the power. Please read this:

https://www.rvtechmag.com/electrical/chapter3.php

and all the links/tabs here. it explains the different outlets and what NOT to try and plug into.

http://www.myrv.us/electric/index.htm

[Steve-W]

This combination of receptacle & dogbone would have applied 240VAC between the trailers hot & neutral. Since the trailer panel is wired with a isolated ground as a sub panel should be.
Had the trailer panel been wired with a bonded neutral & ground, the house breaker to the receptacle would have tripped as one leg of the 240 split phase would have been directly connected to ground.

This is the same result we see many times when a TT30 Receptacle is wired to 240 instead of 120.

OP
End result you most likely fried your converter, microwave, TV (some have 120-240 capability) and any other 120 VAC items that were plugged in.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by dogdog130

Each slanted plug is getting 110 middleis ground/neutral

There is where your thinking was not complete.

Yes the OUTLET you plugged into is feeding 120v on each slanted leg but the ADDAPTER you used is designed for a R/V outlet that is 120v and wired internally to put 120v on BOTH LEGS going to the 50a side from one slanted leg and neutral from the other slanted leg.

Since your outlet had 120v on both slanted legs, you fed 120v into your R/Vs neutral and likely left the smoke out of most anything that would have been on or plugged in.

Go back and look at the schematics I posted earlier and they should help you understand.

Your doggone 30a to 50a adapter was in no way designed to be forced into a 240v 3 prong outlet.
It should only be used in a 120v R/V outlet.

[CaptnJohn]

OP ~~~ don't feel too bad. At least once a month we see someone that fried electronics. Often an electrician has done the work. Live and learn,,, and pay of course.