120VAC problems
We plugging in to the 50A on the pedestal at a campground Sunday. Here is what happened right after: (all related to 120VAC): Several outlets dead Vacuum cleaner pitch changed up and down when ...
Forum Discussion
DrewE wrote:norwestie wrote:
UPDATE
I took her to a repair shop I trust yesterday. Got a call later in the day that they were 99% sure they found the problem. Two of the house batteries were dead or close to it. He explained that when plugged into the 50 amp service, the inverter was trying so hard to charge the dead batteries that it caused havoc with the whole 120v system.
It may well be that the batteries were dead and in need of replacement, but this explanation is hogwash if the 120V electrical system is operating properly. The inverter (I assume it's an inverter/charger) would be a reasonably heavy load on one of the legs, but that should in no way cause the voltage in the other leg to skyrocket...or, for that matter, the voltage in its leg to sag too much. If it consumed too much current, it would just trip a circuit breaker somewhere. The only way you could see such swings are if there's a bad connection somewhere, be it in the RV or the campground wiring.
Did they even check that the neutral connections were good and tight in the circuit breaker box on the RV?
That simply doesn't make any sense. Even if your rig has a hybrid inverter charger at most what it does is pass through the line voltage from shore power or the generator. There has to be a problem somewhere else. It could be in the inverter's internal transfer switch. If that failed you could lack the NG bond or an open neutral.
