ELX-45 Main Breaker.

Question

Hello,

Not sure if anyone has done this before, But I have a recently acquired 2007 Palomino thoroughbred that comes with a main 20 amp main breaker. Using electric heat and the Electric water heater has resulted in the breaker tripping every few hours ( as the Water heater cycles on). I was doing a little head scratching as I had 30 amp service. After some digging in the manual I discovered Palomino used a 20 AMP main breaker in the Elixir 45 amp converter. Now after even more research, I discovered the Elixir 45 amp manual calls for a 30 amp main. Not wanting to set anything on fire I pulled the converter and lo and behold the main incoming wire is sized for 30 AMP. Does anyone see any reason NOT to swap out the main to 30 amp?

enblethen · Answer

If you have the standard 30 amp shore power cord, go withy the 30 amp main breaker. Cord should say on it what gauge of wire. It should say 10/3 and be able 3/4 inch in diameter.
Do not confuse the main breaker with the branch breaker feeding the converter.
Some rigs do not have main breakers. The shore power cord goes to the buss work.

zaheer22 · Answer

Thanks,

I did trace the wire and that is how I know it is the main breaker. It is a 20 AMP and the Palomino manual says it is the main as well (20 AMP) What I am struggling to understand is why when the cable and service is rated for 30, did they choose to go with 20 AMP. I did validate the Branch for the converter is a 15AMP, so I know the 20 is the main. I want to use the trailer for some winter camping so If I could have electric Heat and run a 1500W heater simultaneously would be great!

old-biscuit · Answer

enblethen wrote:Do not confuse the main breaker with the branch breaker feeding the converter.Some rigs do not have main breakers. The shore power cord goes to the buss work.THIS^^^^^^^^Elixir did that a lot........RV power cord going straight to buss w/o Main BreakerThat 20A CB that keeps tripping.......when it trips do you lose ALL AC Power or just water heater ?When you pulled converter was your RV 30A cord wired thru that 20A CB?If 20A CB IS the Main Breaker than yes you can use 30A.....IF!!!

zaheer22 · Answer

Hey All,

I lose ALL AC power. I know when it flipped my laptop stopped charging, and so did my iPhone both running off of AC power. When I pulled the converter, the RV power cord was indeed wired to the 20AMP breaker, and this is consistent with the palomino manual that states the main is 20AMP. Seems like , 30AMP is the way to go as the wires are good for it.

tngw1500se · Answer

If ALL the wiring to the panel is 10 gauge wire AND the panel can handle 30 amps, then I see no reason you couldn't replace the main 20 amp breaker with a 30.

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ELX-45 Main Breaker.

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