Hey All, Was hoping to hear from other owners on reasons for possible electrical fire.Trailer: 2015 Outback Toy Hauler Here is the story. Around midnight on Monday we woke up to the sound of what sounded like a breaker fuse trying to trip over and over again. Then there was a weird surging sound in the AC unit. I turned the AC off and opened the distribution panel. Were I could smell smoke immediately. I flipped on the lights and could see smoke coming from the panel. I began dropping all the power to the trailer, and we stayed that way till a service tech showed up in the morning. The service tech opened the panel and we couldn't see any noticeable burn marks or melted wires...nothing. WEIRD!However, our entire electrical system was possessed. The amperage draws were chaotic, the ACs were shifting loads between them both. Then BOOM!A capacitor on the converter blows creating a huge electrical arc. That's when the tech calls it and says he wants to work on it back at his shop. We take the RV to his shop. He replaces the converter and...NOTHING. Everything works great. The amperage draws our normal, the ACs are running perfectly, there is no more issues in the electrical system. QUESTIONS: Could a bad converter have been the cause? Videos:Electrical Arc: https://youtu.be/_ofvt8_cLvYVideo Story 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwMNr3KSIpYVideo Story 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwMNr3KSIpYVideo Story 3:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vUTVgELsQGY-CLV3

In a word: YesIf you are new it is highly recommended that every last screw in your AC box be re-tightened as well. Do not omit a single one.

*If* you were hooked to 50 amp service, I would suspect a bad neutral connection, which fried the converter because of high voltage.

I too suspect a bad neutral on 50 amps.Yes the converter could do much of what you said but the surgign A/C suggests, STRONGLY, an open or weak neutralSuggestion: If it is a 50 amp Rig install a Progressive Industries HW-50C(for 30 amp change the 50 to 30)These devices can detect an open neutral and shut down power to your RV to protect you from just what appears to have happened.

The amperage draws were chaotic...... How was this determined and how large was the swing in amps? I too, cast a vote for possible lack of neutral and recommend that all the wires in the load center be tightened. FWIW, if I was full-timing, I'd definitely have a hard-wired Energy Management System in place. There are just too many electrically substandard campgrounds that I might encounter. Do you have an AC meter in place in the Outback or do you test the pedestal before connecting?

Thanks guys. I'll ask the camp ground to check the neutral led. We are currently using a Progressive Industries (EMS-PT50C), I was under the assumption that this would notify me of an open neutral. Would the converter have back feed the distribution panel creating a jump in Amps?

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17 Replies

MrWizard
Moderator
Sep 03, 2016
It will notify you of an open neutral at the pedestal

Don't think it can tell you have an open/loose neutral in RV breaker box or transfer switch
Dr_Jay
Explorer
Sep 03, 2016
Hi cestlaviethree, Are you saying that the EMS was already connected to the rv and despite this you still had the electrical malfunction and arcing? If so your problem should not have been an open neutral. Please clarify. Thank you.
cestlaviethree
Explorer
Sep 03, 2016
Thanks guys.

I'll ask the camp ground to check the neutral led. We are currently using a Progressive Industries (EMS-PT50C), I was under the assumption that this would notify me of an open neutral.

Would the converter have back feed the distribution panel creating a jump in Amps?
westend
Explorer
Sep 03, 2016
The amperage draws were chaotic......
How was this determined and how large was the swing in amps?

I too, cast a vote for possible lack of neutral and recommend that all the wires in the load center be tightened.

FWIW, if I was full-timing, I'd definitely have a hard-wired Energy Management System in place. There are just too many electrically substandard campgrounds that I might encounter.

Do you have an AC meter in place in the Outback or do you test the pedestal before connecting?
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Sep 03, 2016
I too suspect a bad neutral on 50 amps.

Yes the converter could do much of what you said but the surgign A/C suggests, STRONGLY, an open or weak neutral

Suggestion: If it is a 50 amp Rig install a Progressive Industries HW-50C

(for 30 amp change the 50 to 30)
These devices can detect an open neutral and shut down power to your RV to protect you from just what appears to have happened.
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
Sep 03, 2016
*If* you were hooked to 50 amp service, I would suspect a bad neutral connection, which fried the converter because of high voltage.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Sep 03, 2016
In a word: Yes

If you are new it is highly recommended that every last screw in your AC box be re-tightened as well. Do not omit a single one.

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