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08-06-2021, 12:01 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Posts: 50
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power only works when microwave is running.
I have 120 V to the circuit breaker panel but the*power only works when the microwave is running.
I ran the microwave to see if it worked, and set it for 9 seconds. For those 9 seconds everything worked, then when the 9 seconds were up, everything shut down again.
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08-06-2021, 12:23 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 223
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I’d start by checking all electrical connections at the panel/converter. Make sure there are no loose or disconnected wires.
I sent this to my brother who is an electrician for his thoughts.
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08-06-2021, 12:39 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: ALASKA (World's Biggest Campground)
Posts: 6,631
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Fascinating. Absent a feat of magic, I'd say there are some really, really big problems in your service panel. If your microwave is on it's own circuit breaker the only thing common to the other circuits is Neutral and the Ground. This is not a good situation. If you are not versed in electricity I highly suggest you enlist the services of a competent electrician to sort it out.
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08-06-2021, 12:41 PM
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#4
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,738
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Is your RV of the 50 amp or 30 amp type?
What are you currently using for 120 volt AC power?
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08-06-2021, 12:43 PM
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#5
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Trailer Park Supervisor
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Northern NJ
Posts: 8,450
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And define 'no power'. No power to AC outlets? Or no power to anything including all your DC circuits.
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08-06-2021, 12:50 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Family room couch
Posts: 4,525
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D W
Fascinating. Absent a feat of magic, I'd say there are some really, really big problems in your service panel. If your microwave is on it's own circuit breaker the only thing common to the other circuits is Neutral and the Ground. This is not a good situation. If you are not versed in electricity I highly suggest you enlist the services of a competent electrician to sort it out.
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Yup, seen it before. 240 VAC service and one appliance on one side of the busbar was feeding power through it to power the other side of the busbar.
Ray
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08-06-2021, 12:55 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Posts: 50
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50 amp
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08-06-2021, 12:56 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Posts: 50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wmtire
Is your RV of the 50 amp or 30 amp type?
What are you currently using for 120 volt AC power?
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50 amp. I have 50 amp shore power at my home.
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08-06-2021, 01:00 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 1,680
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open neutral somewhere. could have easily damaged other items
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08-06-2021, 01:00 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Posts: 50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NJKris
And define 'no power'. No power to AC outlets? Or no power to anything including all your DC circuits.
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The microwave has power. Volt meter reads 120 V from panel main breaker to ground bar, zero V to neutral bar, and the converter and outlets work only when the microwave runs.
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08-06-2021, 01:02 PM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Posts: 50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NXR
Yup, seen it before. 240 VAC service and one appliance on one side of the busbar was feeding power through it to power the other side of the busbar.
Ray
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So what do I do about it?
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08-06-2021, 01:11 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: USA
Posts: 50
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Quote:
Originally Posted by llr
open neutral somewhere. could have easily damaged other items
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The electrics worked perfectly until the original converter quit. I replaced it with another 55 amp converter. When I turned the power on, everything worked for a second, then there was a click and a huge cloud of white smoke billowed out of the cubbyhole where the converter was. Then nothing worked. Then I installed another new converter and the result is what I posted earlier.
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08-06-2021, 01:30 PM
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#13
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,890
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JTM13
The electrics worked perfectly until the original converter quit. I replaced it with another 55 amp converter. When I turned the power on, everything worked for a second, then there was a click and a huge cloud of white smoke billowed out of the cubbyhole where the converter was. Then nothing worked. Then I installed another new converter and the result is what I posted earlier.
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I'd test your 50amp outlet. Make sure it's putting power out properly.
https://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/testing.htm
Typically the magic white smoke is let out of the converter when 240v is applied to one of the 50amp legs.
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08-06-2021, 01:31 PM
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#14
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Site Team
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Northeast Louisiana
Posts: 33,738
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Quote:
Originally Posted by llr
open neutral somewhere. could have easily damaged other items
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Yep. You most likely have an open/loose neutral. That's what I was expecting.
Check the white wire which is your neutral. It is what keeps each side of your 50 amp RV at 120 volts. An open neutral can cause all kind of voltage fluctuations and weird things when you turn on loads like your microwave.
Start at the outlet at your house and make sure the white neutral wire is secure. Go inside the RV electric panel and do the same. If you don't find a problem there it can be in the shore power cord or RV inlet for the shore power cord.
Do this while the power is disconnected and house circuit breaker off. You also want to check the neutral in your house panel feeding the 50 amp outlet.
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2011 Flagstaff 831 RLBSS
A 72 hour hold in a psych unit is beginning to intrigue me as a potential vacation opportunity.
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08-06-2021, 02:02 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: ALASKA (World's Biggest Campground)
Posts: 6,631
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JTM13
The microwave has power. Volt meter reads 120 V from panel main breaker to ground bar, zero V to neutral bar, and the converter and outlets work only when the microwave runs.
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Whoa! You should not have 120V between the breaker and ground. You need to disconnect from shore power immediately and get your Neutral wires straightened out.
__________________
'07 K3500 Silverado LT Crew Duramax (LBZ)
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1984 CHEV SCOTTSDALE K20 2GCGK24J0E1XXXXXX (Chevrolet Legends-Class of 2019)
"...exhaust fluid? We don't need no stinkin' exhaust fluid"
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08-06-2021, 02:11 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Zephyrhills FL
Posts: 1,106
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I see that you replaced a converter and that is when all of this started. I think you have something miswired or something came loose while doing the converter change. If you are unsure of what it is, it would be a good idea to get some new eyes which are familiar with electricity on the system, they will likely see something which is not right.
The test of 120V to ground and 0V to neutral tells me there is a problem with neutral at a minimum.
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08-06-2021, 02:21 PM
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#17
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,074
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JTM13
The electrics worked perfectly until the original converter quit. I replaced it with another 55 amp converter. When I turned the power on, everything worked for a second, then there was a click and a huge cloud of white smoke billowed out of the cubbyhole where the converter was. Then nothing worked. Then I installed another new converter and the result is what I posted earlier.
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There you go... your answer is right there.
You miswired something and now you need to find what burned off/up.
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08-06-2021, 02:57 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 1,680
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Quote:
Originally Posted by D W
Whoa! You should not have 120V between the breaker and ground. You need to disconnect from shore power immediately and get your Neutral wires straightened out.
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Yes you should have 120v to both ground and neutral, these are tied together at the main manel in the house.
The ground to neutral should be very close to zero
The OPs comment on zero volts to neutral confirms the suggestion of a neutral issue.
If the power inlet is near the converter I would start there then go to the camper panel. It could be anywhere though
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08-06-2021, 04:24 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Family room couch
Posts: 4,525
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power only works when microwave is running.
Quote:
Yes you should have 120v to both ground and neutral, these are tied together at the main manel in the house.
The ground to neutral should be very close to zero
The OPs comment on zero volts to neutral confirms the suggestion of a neutral issue.
If the power inlet is near the converter I would start there then go to the camper panel. It could be anywhere though
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Agreed, that's exactly correct on the voltage measurements. My money is on the possibility that the original converter failed due to the open neutral but perhaps the owner was not there to see the failure.
This is exactly what a good, protecting EMS prevents.
Ray
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08-06-2021, 04:50 PM
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#20
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 15,266
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Sounds like your microwave circuit is wired in series with one side of the breaker panel,
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