Forum Discussion

dave14117's avatar
dave14117
Explorer
Jun 21, 2015

Shore power trips shore breaker

After storing for winter, I can't get shore power to work for my 06 Cougar. Hooking up to a 20a AC ckt, I either have insufficient amperage to run, say, the microwave, or else the hookup trips the breaker in the house entirely. (This has so far involved 3 different houses, no RV parks yet.) Neither air conditioning or water heater are on. Sounds like a short somewhere? Or could be something else?
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Jun 21, 2015
    Sounds like excessive loads. Turn off all CBs and then back on one at a time to see if you can isolate the problem. First on the list might be the charger which is drawing to much power due to bad batteries. But the HW or any other AC appliance could be on.

    I've often recommended that RVers purchase a AC/DC clamp on meter about $50. Use it with a $5 line splitter on your 20A plug to measure the actual loads. And you'll have a very useful tool for future DC projects.
  • Jim's avatar
    Jim
    Explorer
    Jun 21, 2015
    Take the house batteries out, have them serviced and fully charged, reinstall, then try. Or do that yourself...you can also put your car battery charger on them after you've checked water levels and all. I'm guessing CA Traveler is right about the converter struggling to charge up the house batteries after sitting for the winter.
  • dave14117's avatar
    dave14117
    Explorer
    Jun 22, 2015
    Re house batteries: battery meter in the trailer indicates fully charged (not sure what that's worth, but with all the problems connecting to 115AC, I've seen it down from Good to Poor). Now at top of meter. NOTE I've tried to isolate by turning all CB's off. Result: shore breaker may trip with only one trailer CB (take your pick which one, they all will do it) on. Other four are off.

    Could main breaker be faulty? I mean, tripping shore breaker by turning on a small fan connected to an outlet? This is not air or microwave or water heater. Nothing else on
  • cummins2014's avatar
    cummins2014
    Explorer
    Jun 22, 2015
    dave14117 wrote:
    After storing for winter, I can't get shore power to work for my 06 Cougar. Hooking up to a 20a AC ckt, I either have insufficient amperage to run, say, the microwave, or else the hookup trips the breaker in the house entirely. (This has so far involved 3 different houses, no RV parks yet.) Neither air conditioning or water heater are on. Sounds like a short somewhere? Or could be something else?



    By chance did you burn up your electric water heater element without knowing it, I forgot to turn off the switch when I drained the water heater. I couldn't even plug into my 20 amp outlet without popping the breaker. It goes to ground
  • rhagfo's avatar
    rhagfo
    Explorer III
    Jun 22, 2015
    dave14117 wrote:
    Re house batteries: battery meter in the trailer indicates fully charged (not sure what that's worth, but with all the problems connecting to 115AC, I've seen it down from Good to Poor). Now at top of meter. NOTE I've tried to isolate by turning all CB's off. Result: shore breaker may trip with only one trailer CB (take your pick which one, they all will do it) on. Other four are off.

    Could main breaker be faulty? I mean, tripping shore breaker by turning on a small fan connected to an outlet? This is not air or microwave or water heater. Nothing else on


    Time to check wires for mouse damage. Remove all external power and disconnect batteries, and pull out the circuit breaker panel and inspect all the wiring behind, likely the feed cable is bad.

    Time to consider winter camping to keep all active.
  • CA_Traveler's avatar
    CA_Traveler
    Explorer III
    Jun 22, 2015
    dave14117 wrote:
    Re house batteries: battery meter in the trailer indicates fully charged (not sure what that's worth, but with all the problems connecting to 115AC, I've seen it down from Good to Poor).
    Virtually all RV battery meters have only one purpose - For the salesman to sell you the rig demonstrating what a great monitor system you have.

    Buy a $5 HF meter which is more than accurate for the batteries.

    NOTE I've tried to isolate by turning all CB's off. Result: shore breaker may trip with only one trailer CB (take your pick which one, they all will do it) on. Other four are off. This sounds a lot like your home "CB" is a GFCI. If so that is an entirely different discussion.

    Could main breaker be faulty? Yes but doesn't seem to likely
  • dave14117's avatar
    dave14117
    Explorer
    Jun 22, 2015
    Battery 1 = 11.89v; Battery 2 = 12.46v. So I guess it's time for new ones. Thing I don't get is, how can converter be working so hard to charge these apparent duds, when the breaker for it is off.

    THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR PROFESSIONAL GRADE (& better) REPLIES.
  • edatlanta's avatar
    edatlanta
    Explorer
    Jun 22, 2015
    You might have a problem with your shore power breaker. Breakers do "wear out" and trip before they should.
  • Toolguy5's avatar
    Toolguy5
    Explorer III
    Jun 22, 2015
    sounds like you have a short in your shore power wire. Like a previous post said, mouse damage.
    Or could even be the circuit breaker itself is bad.

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