Help! !30 amp main, shuts off on shore power.

[Blackdiamond]

I was just at the Colorado River, extreme heat. Plugged into 30 amp shore power, both a/c running and it would trip my main breaker inside the coach. Also running 1 a/c and the microwave it would trip the breaker.

As a work around I ran 1 a/c all day (97F inside) and would run the gen whenever I ran the micro and then at night I ran the gen to cool it down(to run both a/c) until I went to bed. then shut off 1 a/c and back to shore power.

I have an Intellitec ECC, could it be bad or bad power from the pedestal? I know every time the breaker would cut out I would have to turn off power at the pedestal before the breaker would go back on.

What and how do I check? Thanks!

[bsinmich]

You said you had 1 AC on and the microwave. A full size microwave will draw the same as the AC. I did run 2 ACs on my '96 Pace Arrow with no problem. When you run the generator it is probably 5KW or that area so you are producing enough power but your ATS has eliminated the plugged in circuit for any power. You can only draw power from one or the other and the RV will default to the generator. Low voltage at the power pole sounds like the likely culprit.

[wa8yxm]

Blackdiamond wrote:
I have an Intellitec ECC, could it be bad or bad power from the pedestal? I know every time the breaker would cut out I would have to turn off power at the pedestal before the breaker would go back on.

Well, I'm sorry to say the answer is YES.. I know, don't help does it.

You need to monitor current (The ECC should display on 30 amps) Theory has it that a 30 amp breaker should trip at around 27 amps or more sustained should hold at less. the ECC is designed to hold you down below 27 amps...

So either the ECC is not doing it's job, or the Breaker is overdoing it's job.. I have seen the latter happen (Do not have an ECC so have never seen, personally the first but have read about it).

[wildmanbaker]

Blackdiamond wrote:
Water heater was not on, water was already too hot coming out. Fridge was on electric.

I will check the connections. and see if that is the problem.

One thought I had.....I put in a inverter/3-stage charger and the charger can draw up to 40 amps but the batteries were full so it should have been drawing 5 amps, is that something I should check out?

Do you mean it puts out 40 amps? If it draws 40 amps AC, then that is the problem. As mention above, a clamp on amp meter will help pinpoint the problem.

[time2roll]

A clamp-on ammeter is what you need to verify what circuits are drawing what power.

[Blackdiamond]

Water heater was not on, water was already too hot coming out. Fridge was on electric.

I will check the connections. and see if that is the problem.

One thought I had.....I put in a inverter/3-stage charger and the charger can draw up to 40 amps but the batteries were full so it should have been drawing 5 amps, is that something I should check out?

[wildmanbaker]

It is a Fleetwood product, and should be able to operate everything on 30 amp service. The breakers do not trip on low voltage, but high current draw, which causes more heat. If the supply voltage is above 115 volts, then I would suspect that the main breaker is getting week and should be replaced. As mentioned above, check breaker connections, and main feed tie in for tightness, as this will cause excess current draw. We have run ours on 30 amps in 104 degree weather for 5 days before with no problems.
Good luck.

[RLS7201]

Check the breaker screws. They have been known to loosen and cause excessive heat at the breaker.

Richard

[time2roll]

Was the fridge and water set to propane only?

[tommy_g]

I am running both ac's as I type this. The disbelievers can see that my rig is a 30 amp setup. If we turn on the microwave, then the ECC will shed one ac until it gets enough to restart. Check to see if your Intellitec sheds properly while on generator power. If all is well when you run the generator then I would tend to feel that your trouble has to be on the shore power side. My Progressive EMS will usually record any anomaly that would cause problems. Yours is one I haven't experienced.

[hanko]

you can but a neat little volt meter that plugs into an outlet. I have mine in the kitchen. always there to read. camping world has em

[pianotuna]

Get yourself a kill-a-watt meter. That will allow you to monitor the voltage. Kill-a-watt

For now keep on running the generator.

Low voltage kills air conditioners. The damage is cumulative and you won't know it is even happening.

You may want to consider adding an autoformer to your arsenal

http://hughesautoformers.com/

[2oldman]

Blackdiamond wrote:
No, don't know what the real power that was coming from the pedestal.

But you can with a voltmeter.

[Blackdiamond]

Thanks for the replys so far. 5 people in the RV so can't really delegate the a/c in certain area.

No, don't know what the real power that was coming from the pedestal.

Yes it has EMS to allow running both a/c at same time and supposed to shed power off one or the other if needed to manage the current.

[rk911]

2oldman wrote:
2 airs in a 30a coach? Don't see that every day.

With everyone running air, voltage drops, breakers break.

our previous MH, a 30-amp 2000 Itasca Suncruiser, had an EMS that allowed both air conditioners to run on 30-amps. worked well.