Low Campground Voltage/Transfer Switch

[Thebackpacker]

Camping in the dry, hot Southwest, the campground voltage declined under the stress of the AC load. My 2016 DX3 automatically switched over to the generator.

With the generator off, I have not been able to get the electrical power source to transfer over to shore power.

Am I correct in thinking this is a transfer switch problem or could it be something else?

In the 2016 DX3, where is the transfer switch located and what does it look like?

Can it be reset?

I have searched this forum and the manuals and do not find the answers for the 2016 DX3.

Your help will be appreciated.

Thebackpacker

[fonzie]

To reset, did you try disconnecting from shore power and reconnecting again?

[Chuck_S]

Any idea just how low the voltage got?

My Hughes Autoformer is a big help in boosting shorepower to needed levels. I don't have the luxury of automatic generator startup (or any generator at all!) so the Autoformer is even more important.

-- Chuck

[clr]

I would measure the voltage that you are receiving from shore power. If the voltage is below 107 volts you would be causing issues with the microwave and the fridge and AC units. Most EMS systems are set to disconnect from the shore power when the voltage drops to 107 volts or below.
Your coach may be saving you here by disconnecting the shore power and starting the generator.

[vlamgat]

Following

Saw a lot of voltage drops to <110 this Summer. Surprised to see (first time) a reference to a minimum level of 107 for appliance tolerance. Where did this come from? I think it depends on the start amperage requirements of the appliance. Starting an AC or a MV takes more amps (even if momentarily) than a fridge and I can see where an AC getting 107V and needing 40 amps to start is going to pop a breaker, or a spike manager. I also think that such an AC would probably not start with 110V either and older ACs routinely pulled that amperage in high ambient temperatures. But I dont think 107 is an absolute number especially as I have seen my Softstart and Microair Starts get themselves going at 105V albeit over 10 seconds or more.

[Chuck_S]

USA Voltage Tolerance ANSI C84.1. (Made my head spin. )

-- Chuck

[vlamgat]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

USA Voltage Tolerance ANSI C84.1. (Made my head spin. )

-- Chuck

Thanks. As Arte Johnson said in Laugh In - Very Interesting!. Two take aways: 107 volts is not the threshold of relevance but rather the attached excerpt that shows 104.x as the bottom number of all standards based on a 115 motor.

And the IT industry has caused a major revision in the recovery standards of their load management requirements which would support AC start up loads if the overall load was being managed at a level of 104.x which it is not. Our grid management has deteriorated to a point where they struggle in different parts of the country to balance supply and demand quickly enough. My company has been doing engineering and design for the DoE since 2018 because the DoE cannot find expertise to run their DOS and COBOL based systems from the 60s and 70s. This stuff makes management somewhat analog akin to turning on/off valves on s steam locomotive to adjust speed and braking.

[johndjmix]

Be careful with the low voltage, it can damage things! I just began building a switch of sorts that turns 220v computer equipment off if the voltage gets too low. In my business we had 2 power supply’s blow due to a low voltage condition caused by the utility dropping a phase for an hour. Cost me $1,200.

—John

[vlamgat]

Originally Posted by johndjmix

Be careful with the low voltage, it can damage things! I just began building a switch of sorts that turns 220v computer equipment off if the voltage gets too low. In my business we had 2 power supply’s blow due to a low voltage condition caused by the utility dropping a phase for an hour. Cost me $1,200.

—John

Too right but given an unwillingness to invest in any power generation except wind and solar, neither of which are adequate to meet demand or workable in all conditions, this means that brown outs or load shedding is going to be part of our lives as it is in the Third World.

Put another way, generators are going to run in CGs whether the owners like it or not because 50 amps per site will just not be available.

[clr]

The 107 v that I stated was the lower voltage limit for the EMS system that I have wired into my unit. So any voltage below this will be cut off. As you see there are many lower limits that are used depending upon the device. Many turn off at 107 voltage stated some go to 104 volts, but that depends upon the unit being powered. Some where there is a lower limit that will cause damage to the powered unit, so in that regard 107 v is much less likely to cause problems than 104 V.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by Thebackpacker

Camping in the dry, hot Southwest, the campground voltage declined under the stress of the AC load. My 2016 DX3 automatically switched over to the generator.

With the generator off, I have not been able to get the electrical power source to transfer over to shore power.

Am I correct in thinking this is a transfer switch problem or could it be something else?

In the 2016 DX3, where is the transfer switch located and what does it look like?

Can it be reset?

I have searched this forum and the manuals and do not find the answers for the 2016 DX3.

Your help will be appreciated.

Thebackpacker

Pretty sure we were still using the Southwire Transfer Switch on the wall of the electrical bay (opposite side of the compartment from the inverter). SHould say "Surge Guard" on it.

[Thebackpacker]

My thanks to everyone who responded. Yes, the Surge Guard saved my DX3 from damage.

Without any intervention on my part, the Surge Guard was good to go at the next RV Resort where the shore power was of good quality.

When the Surge Guard disconnected my DX3 from shore power, the Xantrex generator control was set to “manual off.” The inverter was also set to “off.” The two air conditioners were on. I was surprised that the Xantrex automatically placed the generator to “manual on.”

Best regards,

Thebackpacker
2016 DX3