Breaker Keeps Tripping

[jmcgeorge]

Hello,

I have a 27' travel trailer, and the circuit breaker supplying power to my water heater and microwave keeps tripping.

When I hook up to shore power, the breaker trips right away, and I cannot reset it because it will trip again. I have unplugged the microwave, still trips. I replaced the on/off switch on the wall, still trips. I replaced the circuit breaker as well and it still trips.

This is occurring plugged into two different 30 amp plugs; the campground and a buddy's house. When camping, I played around resetting the breaker and the on/off switch (switches from microwave/off/water heater), and I blew the pedestal breaker. Resetting the pedestal breaker only tripped the trailer breaker, so I just left it tripped during my last outing.

During my troubleshooting I disconnected the battery to cut out that variable. When on battery power, the hot water heater does not work at all.

I am now not sure what it could be. The converter? Any help you can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Jeff

[Gene_Ginny]

jmcgeorge wrote:
...
There is a water heater/microwave switch, and would assume it supplies both devices. ...

Often the water heater/microwave switch is to select one or the other since they are both high wattage items.

[DFord]

Because both the microwave and water heater are high draw appliances, chances are very high the switch is the only thing on that breaker.

WITH THE POWER OFF (DISCONNECT YOUR CORD FROM THE POST), TAKE THE WIRES OFF THE SWITCH AND TAPE THEM. THEN TURN THE BREAKER ON AGAIN. If it still trips (and it sounds like it will), the problem is somewhere along the wire. You'll need to abandon that wire and replace it with another.

That's a easy test. Try it.

[jmcgeorge]

wa8yxm,

There is a water heater/microwave switch, and would assume it supplies both devices. I'm not sure what else that tripping breaker supplies.

Hopefully, I can find the problem myself; I don't want to pay big $$$ to an electrician, but I might have to bite the bullet.

Thanks,

Jeff

[wa8yxm]

The problem might be "up-line" of one of the outlets First, unless you have a "Water heater/Microwave" switch somewhere in the Unit (Some do) it would be most unusual for a single braker, other than the main, to supply both devices.

But on a guess the problem is between the breaker and said switch

[DrewE]

What breaker is popping? The 30A main, or a branch circuit breaker?

If it's the 30A main, I would start by pulling all the breakers, the main included off the electrical distribution panel in the RV (with the power disconnected, of course!). I'd check that the bus bar in the electric panel is not itself shorted to ground or neutral and that there isn't a loose wire hanging around it and so forth. This is an inspection, not a live test. I would tend to suspect it's not a branch circuit if it's the main breaker tripping repeatedly, but something central in the electrical panel...unless one of the branch breakers is malfunctioning dangerously (by not tripping when it should).

If it's a branch circuit breaker, then that branch circuit is the one to investigate. Unless the converter is on that particular branch circuit, it is not the problem. Your first post hinted that maybe it was a branch circuit breaker supplying both the microwave and the water heater electric element that was tripping, but perhaps I was reading more into it than was there.

[wnjj]

Pull out the receptacle where the microwave was plugged in and check for wiring issues. Temporarily disconnect it as a test.

[jmcgeorge]

I have replaced the breaker. And today, I diconnected the wires to the hot water heater, and the breaker tripped straight away. Converter?

[mikebte]

Breakers are only good for so many resets. Check the breaker as well.
I had a break do the same thing. Turns out the ceramic in the breaker was broken.
Just one more option for ya

[DFord]

If your breaker is tripping when the switch is in either position - supplying power to the water heater or supplying power to the microwave, then the "short" must be between the breaker and the switch. There is no need to look at the water heater or suspect the microwave. The breaker is doing it's job in protecting you from an overheated wire and fire. Take a picture of the switch and label all the wires then take them all loose and see if the breaker still trips. If it does, follow the wire back to the breaker if you can. If not, take the wire off the breaker and find its neutral wire and disconnect it and the ground wire. Then try checking the wires with an ohm meter for a short. When they put your RV together, a screw could have penetrated those wires and shorted them out. If that's the case, you'll need to abandon that section of wire and replace it.

MAKE SURE YOU DO THESE TESTS ON A DEAD CIRCUIT - UNPLUG YOUR RV FIRST!!

[Ranger_Smith]

jmcgeorge wrote:
Thanks for the quick reply!

I will disconnect the water heater element and see if the breaker still trips.

Thanks again,

Jeff

Make sure when you disconnect it the power is off and you tape the leads.

[jmcgeorge]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I will disconnect the water heater element and see if the breaker still trips.

Thanks again,

Jeff

[DrewE]

You have a short circuit somewhere in that branch circuit. You need to find and eliminate it. The circuit breakers that are tripping may well be saving you from a fire.

As Ranger Smith suggested, a good place to start looking would be the water heater element. If that's not the culprit, I think you've eliminated most everything but the wiring itself (after the breaker).

[Ranger_Smith]

Your problem is probably that the AC element in the water heater went bad. Disconnect it or shut off the little switch outside in the water heater panel and it should stop