breaker labeling

nayther · 08-07-2018, 10:33 AM

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i0kq19565v...panel.jpg?dl=0

Can anyone help identify the breaker labeled "GP"?

The only thought I have is "Gage Panel". I have not tried turning them on/off. Plus I did not think I had a dual fuel water heater but "WH" must mean "Water Heater" no?

fonzie · 08-07-2018, 10:36 AM

Generator Power?

**wmtire** · 08-07-2018, 11:04 AM

I think we have have seen this before and it was like "general purpose" and was to the outlets not on the gfci.

I am kinda curious though as it appears you may have two air conditioners and they are both on the same line/leg...but need to actually look up that WFCO panel to see how the legs are wired. I cannot fathom them placing both air conditioners, microwave, and water heater all on the same leg though.

**wmtire** · 08-07-2018, 11:48 AM

Here is what I was describing earlier on this WFCO 8930/50 panel which it shows you have. Everything to the left of the 50 amp main breaker is on Line 1 and everything to the right of the main breaker is on Line 2.

Normally you would expect the loads to be shared more evenly like in the picture below that has the two air conditioners split between Line 1 and Line 2. Your picture has all the main high draw appliances on Line 2 only, which has me confused, as I must be missing something.

cavie · 08-07-2018, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nayther

https://www.dropbox.com/s/i0kq19565v...panel.jpg?dl=0

Can anyone help identify the breaker labeled "GP"?

The only thought I have is "Gage Panel". I have not tried turning them on/off. Plus I did not think I had a dual fuel water heater but "WH" must mean "Water Heater" no?

General purpose 120-volt wall outlets. yes, Water Heater.

nayther · 08-07-2018, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cavie

General purpose 120-volt wall outlets. yes, Water Heater.

Wow! Hieroglyphics I guess. I asked during the walk through, he said, "I'll find out" and then I forgot to press.

I'll check some outlets though. I agree, strange the loads are not split more evenly.

formerFR · 08-07-2018, 03:14 PM

I think that you'll find that the general assumption that a coach's breaker panel must be 'split' might not hold up too long, as mine is 'not', at least not as you might generally think...and I'm a 50amp coach:

my Panel box is actually designed to hold the 50amp breaker panel circuits, but it also designed with an integrated 'sub panel' for the Inverter circuits. What is really different is that while you'll see both Air Conditioners and the Water heater on one 'side', what's really happening is that the 'hot bars' behind the breakers is already split into two legs.

my own 'RIGHT' side is for the Inverter and it's breakers, which are three 120v OUTLETS for GP(general purpose outlets around the coach), one GFCI(the bathroom circuit and it's associated outlets, probably the kitchen area and maybe one in the basement, etc), and the 30amp Inverter breaker, which is actually a return feed from the Inverter itself, to feed it's 'sub-panel' 15amp outlet breakers.
The other 'side', the LEFT, are both AC units and the water heater. While it 'looks' as if they are all on one 'side' of the 50amp Double-Pole breaker, they are really sharing either the Left or Right hot leg 'hot bar' behind each breaker. One AC and the water heater on one 'side', and one AC and the Charger on the other 'side'.
My coach has no 'converter', since the Inverter and integrated Charger are basically accomplishing the same task.

Several of these breakers are 'tandems', especially on the Inverter side, which allows a smaller format for the small Panel Box, even though each is it's own breaker, and will trip on it's own.

nayther · 08-14-2018, 12:45 PM

Got another one for you smart guys. "WH" I assumed meant water heater, but there's no electric element in the water heater. My 1999 Wanderer had a dual fuel water heater so kinda know there has to be some heavy gauge wire to feed a resistance heating element but there is nothing besides the spark ignitor and thermal reset. Trailer does have tank heaters, could that be what this breaker is?

formerFR · 08-14-2018, 12:48 PM

I would imagine that tank heaters are 12v, no breakers involved, only fuses, and that the GP breaker is for your 'general' outlets in the coach. WH on a breaker would signify power to an ELECTRIC element for a water heater, though the unit may also use propane, or BOTH, if you have both switches on...mine does.

Scrapper · 08-14-2018, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nayther

Got another one for you smart guys. "WH" I assumed meant water heater, but there's no electric element in the water heater. My 1999 Wanderer had a dual fuel water heater so kinda know there has to be some heavy gauge wire to feed a resistance heating element but there is nothing besides the spark ignitor and thermal reset. Trailer does have tank heaters, could that be what this breaker is?

The electric element in the water heater is 120vac. The wires would not be any larger than 12ga, or maybe even 14ga as the element is only 1440+/- watts. It will be on a breaker, not a fuse.

CHICKDOE · 08-14-2018, 01:27 PM

don't know what type of rv you have. are you sure the water heater does not have electric? the switch for electric heat on a suburban water heater is outside on the water heater panel. do you have one of those newer on-demand water heaters. if so, it might be for it.

**Bama Rambler** · 08-14-2018, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by formerFR

My Panel box is actually designed to hold the 50amp breaker panel circuits, but it also designed with an integrated 'sub panel' for the Inverter circuits. What is really different is that while you'll see both Air Conditioners and the Water heater on one 'side', what's really happening is that the 'hot bars' behind the breakers is already split into two legs.

Your panel is laid out like a traditional residential or commercial panel the bus alternates L1 to L2 so every other space is the same leg. That way any double pole breaker will span both hot legs no matter where they're installed. The main breaker is installed at the end of the busses and therefore supplies power to both L1 & L2 busses.

The WFCO 8930/50 is completely different. The only space that the main breaker can be installed is the center position. because the L1 & L2 busses are split in the middle. That makes it impossible to install any double pole breakers other than the main.

Each single breaker space on the left side of the main breaker is supplied by the L1 bus, and each single breaker space on the right side of the main breaker is supplied by the L2 bus.

Progressive Dynamics panels have this same layout of splitting the busses in the middle.

nayther · 08-16-2018, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scrapper

The electric element in the water heater is 120vac. The wires would not be any larger than 12ga, or maybe even 14ga as the element is only 1440+/- watts. It will be on a breaker, not a fuse.

The only wires going to the water heater are for the ignitor, there are no line voltage wires going to the water heater, at least none that I can see from the access panel on the outside, I have not tried to find the inside of the heater as its inside/under a cabinet. On my '99 Wanderer there was a rocker switch on the outside to turn the element on/off. The only switch on this one is a reset for thermal overload. I guess I need to read the instructions (damn I hate to read instructions!).

So what powers the tank heaters? Trailer is a 2019 Wildcat Maxx 285RKX

Kaadk · 08-16-2018, 10:53 AM

Your tank heaters are traditionally 12v, so they'd be powered by the battery/converter. You should see a fuse in the 12v distribution panel for them. The WH in your panel might still be for the water heater, but just not used if yours is an on-demand type. In my TT, the 120v side of the water heater (for the element) was plugged into an outlet near the back of the tank (i.e. near the bypass valves.) It was not visible from the outside access panel. I haven't opened up the new trailer to see if it's the same, as it now has it's bypass valve in the wet bay.

nayther · 08-21-2018, 09:27 AM

water heater mystery solved, used the trailer this weekend at full 50 amp hookups. Did not turn on the water heater at the switch (propane) but turned on the WH breaker, had hot water! So confirmed we have dual fuel water heater. Now have to remember to turn that one off, like now parked in my driveway I have hot water in my trailer plus don't want it on when the inverter is powering up the panel.

CHICKDOE · 08-21-2018, 10:06 AM

there should be another on/off switch for the electric side of the water heater. you shouldn't have to use the circuit breaker. lucky for you that other switch was on. what if it had been off and you turned on the breaker and no hot water?

formerFR · 08-21-2018, 10:08 AM

yes, you would either have an on/off switch on the heater itself, or a remote switch in the coach...sometimes in the bathroom, or near the water pump switch.

nayther · 08-24-2018, 11:57 AM

there are no switches at the control panel or in the bathroom and I know it doesn't have one like my 1999 Wanderer had, that was a rocker switch right on the heater itself on the outside. I'll have to poke around more.

If I didn't have hot water I would have turned on the gas via the on/off toggle on the control panel, that controls gas only I'm pretty sure.

**wmtire** · 08-24-2018, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nayther

there are no switches at the control panel or in the bathroom and I know it doesn't have one like my 1999 Wanderer had, that was a rocker switch right on the heater itself on the outside. I'll have to poke around more.

If I didn't have hot water I would have turned on the gas via the on/off toggle on the control panel, that controls gas only I'm pretty sure.

Can you post a pic of your water heater? If it's a suburban and has an electric element, it's pretty obvious but the switch can be hidden a hair, or behind silver foil tape.

As per this picture below, the electric switch is somewhat behind the gas burner tube, while the electric element is behind the black oval cover to the right of the switch...... and the anode rod/drain is to the right of the element.

nayther · 08-27-2018, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmtire

Can you post a pic of your water heater? If it's a suburban and has an electric element, it's pretty obvious but the switch can be hidden a hair, or behind silver foil tape.

As per this picture below, the electric switch is somewhat behind the gas burner tube, while the electric element is behind the black oval cover to the right of the switch...... and the anode rod/drain is to the right of the element.

THAT'S IT! Finally got down on my hands and knees and found the switch, thanks all. Now if i can just figure out how they're feeding the tank heater power I'll be happy. I want to pull the fuse for them as I will probably never need them and don't want them accidentally turned on while boondocking.

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