Changing Circuit Breaker

[revump]

I have an 06 Alfa SeeYa. I am going to change #7 double throw in the left panel. It says that it is for the roof AC and Comp #2, but it also shuts off the charging cycle when it trips. It trips when we are on the generator or dry camping and we run the microwave or put anything heavy on the circuit. We are on shore power now. What do I need to shut off when I pull this circuit breaker?

[chuckftboy]

If by double throw you mean double pole, somthing is not right. RV's use single pole breakers (115 volt) on the circuits except for the main breaker. If 2 are tied together, when one trips, it will trip the other. The a/c breaker should be independant of converter or microwave breaker.

[enblethen]

I am going to add to replacing the circuit breaker.
While you have the power disconnect, cover to the 120 volt AC breakers removed and the tools, clean, inspect the insulation and re-terminate the neutrals normally in the back of the box. You may want to pick up a small tube of electric grease to coat the conductors prior to re-terminating.
A loose neutral could cause amperage t inc rease and could be part of your issue.

[Executive45]

BTPO1 wrote:
I agree with what has been said above, but one thing has been left out. Once every thing has been cut out or disconnected you should always check for voltage on the device that you are working on. It only takes a fraction of a second to kill you if the right conditions exist. JMO

THANK YOU! You beat me to it....electricity can kill you!

Get a meter and check for any hot wires after you remove the panel off the breakers. The "Hot" leads coming INTO the main 50amp breaker will still be HOT with the breaker OFF if there is still power to the coach.

The larger coaches have THREE ways to get juice...shore power, inverter power from the batteries, and the generator. To be completely safe, the coach should be unplugged, the generator breaker disconnected AT the genset, and the batteries disconnected. IF you have an autoswitch, the genset could start while you're fiddling with the breaker panel. Err on the side of caution. Since you're not familiar with electricity I will say it once again:

1. Disconnect the coach from shore power.
2. Turn Genset OFF by switching OFF the breaker ON the genset.
3. Disconnect your batteries.
4. Check for live wires INSIDE the breaker panel AFTER removing the cover.

After all this is done, grasp the offending breaker at the front and wiggle it back and forth while pulling. It will swivel out. Reverse the procedure to put the new one in.....Dennis

[BTPO1]

I agree with what has been said above, but one thing has been left out. Once every thing has been cut out or disconnected you should always check for voltage on the device that you are working on. It only takes a fraction of a second to kill you if the right conditions exist. JMO

[enblethen]

Disconnect from shore power, shut genset off.
I hope you mean that the breaker is a double pole thin breaker and not a double throw! Majority of the breakers are single throw either double pole (could be tied together or two singles) or single pole.
Remove breaker, insert new breaker into slot to make sure it fits tight.
If it does, remove the new breaker and connect the branch circuit conductors.

[wolfe10]

Unplug shore power.

Generator off.

Inverter turned off is so equipped.

May or may not apply to your coach, but takes less than one minute to be SAFE.

Are you going to divide the load by adding another breaker (good).

Just don't put in a higher rated breaker-- it would not protect the wires.

[rgatijnet1]

bycrackey wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:
I would say unplug the RV ande turn generator off to be sure.

And turn off the inverter, which is still going to produce 120 volt power from the batteries.

Switching off the main breaker does turn off power to that breaker BUT, you have to remove the panel cover to pull the breaker. Once you pull the cover off of the panel, even with the main breaker turned off, there is still points that you can touch that have power. Better to stop power from getting into the panel than to trust that you will not touch anything that is hot with your hand or screw driver.

what points? are still live in the main panel once the 50amp main is turned off?I have never seen any 50 amp MH service that has power lines that bypass the input breaker.Not saying they don't but I have never seen one wired this way?
the only thing I could add would be shut off the "out" breakers to inverter if u have such a thing.My unit has breakers in and breakers out.

Since the question was being asked, I have to assume that the OP is NOT well versed in electrical power boxes. For that reason I prefer to err on the side of caution. I, myself, would turn off nothing other than the breaker I am changing, but I am used to working on live electrical components and boxes.
The facts are that at the top of the 50 amp circuit breaker, the bars that it plugs in to are live, even after the breaker is shut off. There is NOTHING by-passing that breaker but the portion of the box that brings in the power, and the input feed wires themselves, that come from the outside power panel, ARE STILL live since they come BEFORE the 50 amp breaker. Once you take off the front panel to change the breaker, the input wires, and what they hook in to, can kill you, even with the main panel 50 amp breaker off.

[bycrackey]

rgatijnet1 wrote:

dan-nickie wrote:
I would say unplug the RV ande turn generator off to be sure.

And turn off the inverter, which is still going to produce 120 volt power from the batteries.

Switching off the main breaker does turn off power to that breaker BUT, you have to remove the panel cover to pull the breaker. Once you pull the cover off of the panel, even with the main breaker turned off, there is still points that you can touch that have power. Better to stop power from getting into the panel than to trust that you will not touch anything that is hot with your hand or screw driver.

True but the chance of the Op touching the live area on the hot side of the 50amp breaker are very unlikely but its good to make him aware because as u said hes never done this sort of thing before

[rgatijnet1]

dan-nickie wrote:
I would say unplug the RV ande turn generator off to be sure.

And turn off the inverter, which is still going to produce 120 volt power from the batteries.

Switching off the main breaker does turn off power to that breaker BUT, you have to remove the panel cover to pull the breaker. Once you pull the cover off of the panel, even with the main breaker turned off, there is still points that you can touch that have power. Better to stop power from getting into the panel than to trust that you will not touch anything that is hot with your hand or screw driver.

[bycrackey]

revump wrote:
I have an 06 Alfa SeeYa. I am going to change #7 double throw in the left panel. It says that it is for the roof AC and Comp #2, but it also shuts off the charging cycle when it trips. It trips when we are on the generator or dry camping and we run the microwave or put anything heavy on the circuit. We are on shore power now. What do I need to shut off when I pull this circuit breaker?

just shut off the 50amp breaker that runs the panel it should be right in front of you when accessing the main panel to change the #7 15 amp one

[dan-nickie]

I would say unplug the RV ande turn generator off to be sure.