A 50amp lesson learned
We have had our new 5th wheel for about a month now. It's our first RV with 50amp service. All previous have had 30amp.
I moved it about 50 miles yesterday to a new RV park. When I arrived I plugged into the 50A service at the site. Both lights lighted on the power cord indicating to me that everything was connected properly. When I went into the rig I noticed that the clock on the microwave had not started. I chalked that up to the plug perhaps becoming is connected while bumping down California's freeways. All other AC appliances were working properly.
My wife and I went out to dinner. When we returned the LED lights in the trailer appeared dim check the battery voltage and it was low. That really got me to cursing and swearing at the manufacturer for a sloppy build. In any case I watched some tv (in the dark) and got up early in the AM to troubleshoot the problem.
I decided I'd plug in battery charger to one of the outside AC outlets and charge up the battery. Low and behold the charger didn't come on! Plugged in to one of the inside outlets and it worked properly.
That got me to looking at the breaker panel again I noticed the breakers for the microwave, converter and outside outlets were all physically next to one another. I figure the breaker module was bad.
Oops forgot to say when the charger wouldn't work on the outside outlet I checked it with a voltmeter and got a reading of 20V. When my selling dealer opened I called the service advisor and was hot under the collar! He listened to my description and said he'd get back to me which he did in about 10 minutes.
When he called back he asked if the space also had 30A service and whether I had a 50 --> 30A pigtail. I answered yes to both. He suggested I plug in to the 30A which I did and voila - Problem Solved! It was the parks service, not the RV.
Now I know not to believe the idiot lights on the cord. One leg of the service must have been at 20V which was enough to light the LED but of course not enough to power anything. ??
I moved it about 50 miles yesterday to a new RV park. When I arrived I plugged into the 50A service at the site. Both lights lighted on the power cord indicating to me that everything was connected properly. When I went into the rig I noticed that the clock on the microwave had not started. I chalked that up to the plug perhaps becoming is connected while bumping down California's freeways. All other AC appliances were working properly.
My wife and I went out to dinner. When we returned the LED lights in the trailer appeared dim check the battery voltage and it was low. That really got me to cursing and swearing at the manufacturer for a sloppy build. In any case I watched some tv (in the dark) and got up early in the AM to troubleshoot the problem.
I decided I'd plug in battery charger to one of the outside AC outlets and charge up the battery. Low and behold the charger didn't come on! Plugged in to one of the inside outlets and it worked properly.
That got me to looking at the breaker panel again I noticed the breakers for the microwave, converter and outside outlets were all physically next to one another. I figure the breaker module was bad.
Oops forgot to say when the charger wouldn't work on the outside outlet I checked it with a voltmeter and got a reading of 20V. When my selling dealer opened I called the service advisor and was hot under the collar! He listened to my description and said he'd get back to me which he did in about 10 minutes.
When he called back he asked if the space also had 30A service and whether I had a 50 --> 30A pigtail. I answered yes to both. He suggested I plug in to the 30A which I did and voila - Problem Solved! It was the parks service, not the RV.
Now I know not to believe the idiot lights on the cord. One leg of the service must have been at 20V which was enough to light the LED but of course not enough to power anything. ??
