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Old 09-03-2018, 04:17 PM   #1
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Default Electrical issues

I have a 2008 extra 200 toy hauler. This weekend we kept tripping the campsite breaker with only a box fan and frig running...kept getting worse ...tried 3 different sites last 2 sites would trip breaker when plugging into box with nothing turned on.....thoughts?? No problems and was plugged into house before leaving....
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Old 09-03-2018, 07:14 PM   #2
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Is your hot water heater on gas or 110. Other than your AC unit it is a higher amp user, it might have an issue. Power supplies at campgrounds can be flakey at best as well.
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Old 09-04-2018, 09:07 AM   #3
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If you had no problems plugged in at home but did have problems while plugged in at the RV park, my guess is that the problem is with the RV park's power supply. We had the same thing happen recently -- a bad voltage drop at the RV park was the culprit.
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Old 09-10-2018, 03:32 PM   #4
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Park power is the likely culprit, unless something on the AC portion of the inside power circuits shorted while you were towing (Typically the refrigerator, microwave, power converter, and possibly the water heater). Quite a few things happen the instant you plug into external power, so it's hard to zero in on anything based on your description.

The basic rule to remember is that as voltage drops, current (in amps) increases. Increased current through the circuit breakers causes them to trip. So, knowing the *actual* voltage at the park plug is a critical bit of knowledge. The amperage (amps) will be zero until something is plugged in, so you can't really measure that directly. A simple volt-meter can give you an idea, but not the complete picture. I recommend one of the many surge protectors that also gives an indication of the power you're connecting to. Here's an example: https://www.campingworld.com/portabl...tectors-30-amp

The voltage at the plug before and after connecting is important and should fall between 110v and 120v give or take. I get nervous at anything below 110v if I'm using my A/C. The current (in amps) should be no more than 80% or 24 amps if you have a 30 Amp service. Even at 80% load, I personally think that's pushing it. Incorrect polarity won't cause your problem, so it's safe to ignore at first as you troubleshoot (probably).

To troubleshoot, I suggest turning off every single breaker, and then plugging in. If the park breaker blows, you know that you have an issue in your TT's wiring somewhere before it even gets to the TT's distribution box.

If it doesn't blow immediately, turn on the main breaker in your TT. Then, turn on each breaker one at a time until a breaker trips. That will narrow your search. Then you can decide how to proceed. (I can't help much here. There are too many possibilities). There are breakers for both the AC and the DC circuits. You really only need to turn off the AC breakers, but it can be hard to tell sometimes. In my XT200, I had 2 mis-marked breakers from the factory, so that's why I suggest EVERYTHING be turned off.

Breakers fail, but rarely. The insulation on internal wiring fails, but even more rarely unless something chews it or punctures it. Power Converters and batteries fail, but those wouldn't be my first suspect in your case.

Finally, be careful! Electricity travels at almost the speed of light, and those angry pixies in there can be very dangerous, very quickly. If you're not sure, don't touch anything. Even if you're positive that the power is off, check it with a meter. Electricity isn't magical or even mysterious, but it demands respect and some knowledge. Pay a professional if you're not sure.
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Old 09-11-2018, 07:52 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vttimwhite View Post

The basic rule to remember is that as voltage drops, current (in amps) increases.
Incorrect. Research and use ohms law. Voltage and current are proportional. Current is the result of voltage applied to a load. If voltage drops, So does current. In Ohms Law current equals voltage divided by resistance.

Your water heater element has 10 Ohms resistance. If you give it 120 volts it will pull 12 amps of current. providing 1440 watts of heating. If you drop to 110 volts power it will draw 11 amps of current and provide 1210 watts of heating.
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Old 09-11-2018, 08:37 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by team dougherty View Post
Incorrect. Research and use ohms law. Voltage and current are proportional. Current is the result of voltage applied to a load. If voltage drops, So does current. In Ohms Law current equals voltage divided by resistance.

Your water heater element has 10 Ohms resistance. If you give it 120 volts it will pull 12 amps of current. providing 1440 watts of heating. If you drop to 110 volts power it will draw 11 amps of current and provide 1210 watts of heating.
You are 100% correct with regard to the relatively static resistance of the water heater element, and I should have been more clear. I was kind of thinking of everything all at once, and I shouldn't have done that.

When you consider a motor though, as in the AC compressor, the motor must draw a relatively constant amount of power to drive the mechanical load. That brings Watt's law into play, where Power=Current x Voltage. If the motor requires 120W of power to run, 1A x 120V=120Watts. If the voltage drops to 100V, 1.2A of current is required: 1.2A x 100V=120Watts.

Starting a motor in a low-voltage situation can draw tremendous current momentarily, which is why you find large capacitors on many motors. That suggests that when a motor trips a circuit breaker on starting, it might mean either a failed motor, or a failed capacitor.

I think though that I diverged from the point of the original poster's question. Sorry about that.
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Old 10-10-2018, 10:04 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dirtnbird View Post
I have a 2008 extra 200 toy hauler. This weekend we kept tripping the campsite breaker with only a box fan and frig running...kept getting worse ...tried 3 different sites last 2 sites would trip breaker when plugging into box with nothing turned on.....thoughts?? No problems and was plugged into house before leaving....
Was it tripping only a GFCI or was it tripping the actual 20 or 30 Amp breaker?
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Old 09-17-2021, 02:37 PM   #8
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Hi, new member here as I recently took ownership of an X189FBS. I picked it up from my parents where it spent most of the year plugged into garage power.

When we took it out camping last weekend, we plugged into 15A shore power for the first time. It would instantly trip the GFCI on the site outlet. We tried another site on the way out and at home so we know it's the trailer.

I'm now trying to diagnose with my neighbour. If we start with all breakers off, we can turn them all on except for the GFI and water heater. This TT doesn't have an electric water heater so not sure that needs to be on, unless it's for the electric ignition?

We cut the wire from the power converter and now we can turn on the GFI breaker and all the GFI outlets will work, no tripping of the GFCI on the garage outlet. So with the power converter not connected, shore power won't run through the battery to power things like lights or water pump, correct?

Thanks!
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