AC 20amp breaker trips mid day

[Haycamper]

Just came from Vegas 103 deg with no AC problems. At our new location which is also about 103 deg, the ac compressor would cycle and the fan would stay on with the thermostat on auto. Now it trips the breaker. Last night when it was 90 deg I measured the voltage drop and it went from 120 AC off to 107 with AC on. Before I measured the voltage drop it was running very quiet/slow. Today it's only 80 deg and was able to borrow an amp meter at its drawing 15.1 amps. I can't figure out if it's the campsight voltage or my ac. Any help?

[pianotuna]

Hi myredracer,

Yes and I'm eternally grateful. But there are many members who travel to Mexico so I'm sure one of them may "do the deed" for you.

There is something called an ecowise duo that works too.

http://www.technowisegroup.com/PDF/ECOWISE/ECOWISE_INGLES_BAJA.pdf

https://www.technowisegroup.com/products/ecowise-duo.html

myredracer wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Of course, if you buy the Sola Basic autoformer at 4000 VA, for about 50% of the price of the Hughes, you would get 3 layers of boost, and one of buck.

Isn't that the one you had to "special order" through a contact in Mexico? That's an autoformer I wouldn't mind having.

[myredracer]

road-runner wrote:
"I hate CAPTCHA. CAPTCHA sux. CAPTCHA is evil. CAPTCHA needs fixing."

I just got hooked with this. What's going on? Did I offend some computer? I was supposed to pick pictures with cars and one was a pickup truck. What to do? I'll probably get hooked with this post too.

What? You haven't been victimized by Captcha yet?

It comes and goes for some reason. Can be gone for weeks and weeks and then suddenly come out of nowhere again like it has in the past few days. It's so annoying to have to click on a bunch of photos to be able to post or sometimes even make a one word edit. Only place on the whole internet I've run into it, pffft...

[3_tons]

road-runner wrote:

3 tons wrote:


Thanks for offering up your esteemed Elitist condescension, which recall Sir you intentionally mis-quoted me once before (on a bit different topic) to gain forum points (with your presumed followers I suppose??)...Recall too that I PM’ed you over this cunning slight of hand (a mis-appropriation of my stated words) but only in a courteous and graceful way...(I can reprint PM if your recall has failed)...

I view your approach and arrogant attempt of discrediting the messenger (rather than the dialogue) as patently demeaning and abjectly underhanded, but recognize too that this is the devolved state of affairs that a few ‘claimed to be’ Cloistered Elitist resort to to assuage their own insatiable, self-serving appetites and egos, but at the loss of common decency and decorum (R.I.P.)

Many thanks for this opportunity to uber validate my previous impressions...LOL!

Back to ‘real-ville’ for me -

I dislike "like" buttons on forums, and rarely use them, but if there were a "like" button here I would have pressed it.

This unhappy guy must possess some kinda attitude waiver from the published forum rules regarding ‘Flaming of others’... Demeaning fellow members seems a real disservice to a cogent exchange of open ideas and opinions...Quite frankly, this forum really challenges me to think through my perceived propositions and either support or reject them - this is a win-win for me...One’s parsing of semantics, or of whats meant to be honest debate should not be a regular feature of the decorum...This flagrant abuse is why I finally called “Foul”...I will only add that in the grand scheme of far greater things, he is a non-issue on my seasoned (former - RET) military radar...

3 tons

[road-runner]

"I hate CAPTCHA. CAPTCHA sux. CAPTCHA is evil. CAPTCHA needs fixing."

I just got hooked with this. What's going on? Did I offend some computer? I was supposed to pick pictures with cars and one was a pickup truck. What to do? I'll probably get hooked with this post too.

[road-runner]

3 tons wrote:


Thanks for offering up your esteemed Elitist condescension, which recall Sir you intentionally mis-quoted me once before (on a bit different topic) to gain forum points (with your presumed followers I suppose??)...Recall too that I PM’ed you over this cunning slight of hand (a mis-appropriation of my stated words) but only in a courteous and graceful way...(I can reprint PM if your recall has failed)...

I view your approach and arrogant attempt of discrediting the messenger (rather than the dialogue) as patently demeaning and abjectly underhanded, but recognize too that this is the devolved state of affairs that a few ‘claimed to be’ Cloistered Elitist resort to to assuage their own insatiable, self-serving appetites and egos, but at the loss of common decency and decorum (R.I.P.)

Many thanks for this opportunity to uber validate my previous impressions...LOL!

Back to ‘real-ville’ for me -

I dislike "like" buttons on forums, and rarely use them, but if there were a "like" button here I would have pressed it.

[myredracer]

pianotuna wrote:
Of course, if you buy the Sola Basic autoformer at 4000 VA, for about 50% of the price of the Hughes, you would get 3 layers of boost, and one of buck.

If you are in a 50 amp RV there are other versions that would meet your needs.

Isn't that the one you had to "special order" through a contact in Mexico? That's an autoformer I wouldn't mind having.

[pianotuna]

Of course, if you buy the Sola Basic autoformer at 4000 VA, for about 50% of the price of the Hughes, you would get 3 layers of boost, and one of buck.

If you are in a 50 amp RV there are other versions that would meet your needs.

[3_tons]

Boon Docker wrote:

A Perfect Depiction Sir!

[3_tons]

AllegroD wrote:

wa8yxm wrote:
That's at least a year of collage above you.

I want to take that course! ;-}

I’m sure it would serve one quite well so long as they can retain their own humanity, but then again braggarts are usually unaware of such ‘mortal’ virtues, and I’ve learned often just pretenders.

[AllegroD]

wa8yxm wrote:
That's at least a year of collage above you.

I want to take that course! ;-}

[myredracer]

3 tons wrote:
Myredracer:

“107 volts is getting very low. Low voltage causes an AC unit to draw more current. Anything below 105 volts can result in damage to the AC unit over time. Not what you want to hear, but you should probably stop running it. An autoformer would cure that problem.”

Usually YES, but it’s possible to cite ‘a few’ outlier scenarios where an autoformer might be just a paperweight - consider the low a available potential when operating near the upper limits of a 30a pedestal’s amperage...In this case, I simply reduce my power demands (e.g. shutting off converter charger, etc) to allow the autoformer necessary headroom to function properly... An autoformer is not a substitute for poor power management, and with only 30a to work with..... Can't argue with that, so I won't. 🙂 With autoformers, power in equals power out. The highest boost level of a Hughes autoformer is 10%. If CG voltage happened to be at 100 volts, the max you can get out is 3,000 watts (30 amps x 100 volts) and the most you'd can get after the autoformer is 27 amps *if* 100 volts was boosted up to 110 volts, which is plenty to keep the AC unit going. Not sure what internal losses the Hughes autoformer has?

I also have a Soft-Start installed (as an alternative to a properly sized and functioning capacitor), but in ‘my case’ have found the autoformer a better solution...I would note too that (try as I might), I find it somewhat odd that the manufacturer will not divulge what makes it work...In search of a solution, this admittedly didn’t keep me from trying it though... I looked at that Micro-air soft start starter ($300!) and was also disappointed in lack of tech. info. Would be nice to have seen a time-current graph. I used to work with "soft" start starters in large AC motors and tech. data was readily available. Not sure why the secrecy as it could easily be copied.

No, an autoformer isn't an all round cure but can be a life-saver if you do some energy management along with it as needed. Kills me when some people out there insist running 2 AC units on 30 amps is no problem and they have no idea what the voltage is or what they are doing to the AC units.

[3_tons]

wa8yxm wrote:

3 tons wrote:


In order to make long distance transmission of electricity efficient and affordable Nikola Tesla figured out that AC was the way to go...So when voltage goes UP current is proportionally driven down, and wires that are used get waaaay smaller... So how does use of an autoformer cause the pedestal CB to trigger open, and why does the autoformer ‘make possible’ the use of my honda genny while loafing along under LOAD when in the eco mode??....Maybe Tesla got it awfully wrong...

You have several things. Volts, Amps. VOlt-amps and watts that are all related.

Now do not even ask me to explain the difference between Volt-amps and Watts.. That's at least a year of collage above you.

Thanks for offering up your esteemed Elitist condescension, which recall Sir you intentionally mis-quoted me once before (on a bit different topic) to gain forum points (with your presumed followers I suppose??)...Recall too that I PM’ed you over this cunning slight of hand (a mis-appropriation of my stated words) but only in a courteous and graceful way...(I can reprint PM if your recall has failed)...

I view your approach and arrogant attempt of discrediting the messenger (rather than the dialogue) as patently demeaning and abjectly underhanded, but recognize too that this is the devolved state of affairs that a few ‘claimed to be’ Cloistered Elitist resort to to assuage their own insatiable, self-serving appetites and egos, but at the loss of common decency and decorum (R.I.P.)

Many thanks for this opportunity to uber validate my previous impressions...LOL!

Back to ‘real-ville’ for me -

[Edd505]

Replace the breaker, they wear out & they are cheap.

[Boon_Docker]