Only getting 30A indicated on 50A connection
I recently bought a 2009 Bounder 35H, it has 50A service via an Intellitec Smart EMS, model 900. I had my electrician (licensed, bonded, experienced, has been doing work for my family for many yea...
Forum Discussion
Thanks for all the responses!
To clarify questions some of you had about how I tested this, this is what I did:
- Shore cable was plugged into house, not connected to RV
- Cable has Marinco locking connection at RV end
- Multimeter probes are not long enough to reach into the end of the cable, so (with the house breaker turned off) I inserted small screwdrivers into the ends of the cable, turned the breaker back on, and tested the voltage
- I have not been camping anywhere yet, so have no other data point. The vehicle was inspected by an RV inspector before I bought it, and it was on hookups at the place where it was inspected. I'll email the inspector and ask if it was a 50A hookup, and if she happens to recall if the panel displayed 50 or 30.
Things I will do (marked with --) based on your suggestions, or have done (marked with X)
X open up house end of cable and check connections for tightness (everything was good, and it's wired correctly per the instructions that came with the new cable end)
-- Open up RV end of cable and check its connections
-- Reset all breakers (none seem to be tripped; everything in the coach works, but I'll reset them anyway
-- Check ground and neutral at the receptacle to make sure they aren't reversed
-- Find the EMS control board and check its fuses
-- Switch of battery disconnect for 10 seconds to "reboot" EMS
-- Try the troubleshooting steps for "does not display 50A" in the EMS 800 manual (haven't found a 900 manual yet, but they seem to be very similar)
Question for dougranier: I'm not sure I understand what measuring the voltage at the RV breaker panel is supposed to tell me. If the voltage was 60V low across the two hots at the end of the cable, and 30V low between each hot and ground, and 30V low between each hot and neutral, why would it be different if I plug it in and measure the voltage at the RV breaker panel?
Thanks again for everyone's input!
Jonathan
To clarify questions some of you had about how I tested this, this is what I did:
- Shore cable was plugged into house, not connected to RV
- Cable has Marinco locking connection at RV end
- Multimeter probes are not long enough to reach into the end of the cable, so (with the house breaker turned off) I inserted small screwdrivers into the ends of the cable, turned the breaker back on, and tested the voltage
- I have not been camping anywhere yet, so have no other data point. The vehicle was inspected by an RV inspector before I bought it, and it was on hookups at the place where it was inspected. I'll email the inspector and ask if it was a 50A hookup, and if she happens to recall if the panel displayed 50 or 30.
Things I will do (marked with --) based on your suggestions, or have done (marked with X)
X open up house end of cable and check connections for tightness (everything was good, and it's wired correctly per the instructions that came with the new cable end)
-- Open up RV end of cable and check its connections
-- Reset all breakers (none seem to be tripped; everything in the coach works, but I'll reset them anyway
-- Check ground and neutral at the receptacle to make sure they aren't reversed
-- Find the EMS control board and check its fuses
-- Switch of battery disconnect for 10 seconds to "reboot" EMS
-- Try the troubleshooting steps for "does not display 50A" in the EMS 800 manual (haven't found a 900 manual yet, but they seem to be very similar)
Question for dougranier: I'm not sure I understand what measuring the voltage at the RV breaker panel is supposed to tell me. If the voltage was 60V low across the two hots at the end of the cable, and 30V low between each hot and ground, and 30V low between each hot and neutral, why would it be different if I plug it in and measure the voltage at the RV breaker panel?
Thanks again for everyone's input!
Jonathan
