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CarolineGates's avatar
CarolineGates
Explorer
Nov 22, 2015

Rec/Con fuse shutting off

Hi, I live full-time in my 2010 Cougar fifth wheel. I know it is a light-use unit so I try to take good care of it. Like others, I do worry about fire.

For the first time in the three years I have owned this unit a breaker has shut off.

It is the Rec/Con breaker. I understand that stands for receptacle circuit and converter.

I don't know what those mean, receptacle circuit and converter.

Doesn't sound good. It has shut off twice in the past three days.

I would appreciate someone telling me what Rec/Con means in simple terms and what I should do about this, if anything. Any info would be appreciated.
  • BFL13's avatar
    BFL13
    Explorer II
    Nov 22, 2015
    The converter is what transforms your 120v shore power into 12v same as what the battery makes to run the lights, fans etc. The converter gets its 120v by way of that breaker. So does the string of 120v receptacles you plug things into. They share that same breaker.

    The breaker has a current limit before it "pops" depending on how much it is rated for like 15a or 20a. If you plug a high amp item like a toaster or a hair dryer into a receptacle at the same time as the converter is running on high to recharge low batteries, that will overload the breaker and it will pop.

    There are other less likely reasons ("tired" breaker etc), but start there with what you had "on" at the time it popped.

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