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taken's avatar
taken
Explorer II
Apr 11, 2015

Can anyone help with a load management center issue?

New RV has three AC's so a load management system is installed with it's monitor panel in the closet near the breaker box. It is a Precision Circuits Inc. unit. I can't find the exact model number on their website. All the units they show are two ac's, hot water, and fridge. Mine is three ac units and HW. Looks mostly like this but with three ac's instead of the fridge:



Anyways, I just noticed that when plugged into 50amp, my panel was showing 30 amp available. I can press the select button and go back and fourth between 20 and 30 but it should show 50. My first thought was the rig was wired wrong and all circuits were on the same leg. (I know my 50 amp service is good as it's at my home.) However after some quick experimenting, I found another oddity. If I turn off the breaker to AC number 2 which is the front bedroom ac, the panel switches to 50 amp. Turn it back on and it drops to 30 Amp. This is with all ac's off. Just turning the breaker on and off. Turning the breaker for ac 1 or ac 3 on or off has no effect. It's only number 2 that changes the readout.

So, I'm very good with electrical and one of my best friends is an electrician but this is beyond my ability to troubleshoot without some guidance as it's more RV system specific than wiring specific. Any help would be appreciated.

PS: I did place a call to the RV manufacturer and to Precision Circuits Inc. but since it was 3 o'clock on a Friday when I noticed this, PCI went to voicemail and the manufacturer's installation tech had gone for the weekend.
  • taken's avatar
    taken
    Explorer II
    Jul 16, 2015
    No problem, if you get hung up, let me know. I'll try and help.
  • rperrym's avatar
    rperrym
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    Thanks very much. I will check this out as soon as it cools down a bit and I can work inside the suite without power.

    Rick
  • taken's avatar
    taken
    Explorer II
    Jul 16, 2015
    No Rick. Each load that can be shed (air conditioner) is on it's own breaker. Since they are AC circuits, they will be 20 amp breakers. They should be marked on your panel's cover so you know what is what and you will know they are the ones to be shed by the management center because on their output wires you will see the round plastic sensor rings I mentioned with small gauge wire coming from them leading to the management system. All the circuit breakers to the left of your main 50 amp breakers are on one leg of the 220 and all the ones to the right of the two main 50 amp breakers are on the other leg. The two circuits that can be shed by the load management system need to be on the opposite sides of the main 50 amp breakers to ensure they are on separate legs (or phases) of your supply. What I did was simply remove the entire circuit breaker for one of my AC's, removed one random circuit breaker from the other side of the panel, and swapped them. I never disconnected the output leads as they were long enough to switch the breaker's positions. Just be sure your power is disconnected before going forward.
  • rperrym's avatar
    rperrym
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    Just to be sure I understand, did you find both wires on one breaker and then take one of them and attach it to the other 50 amp breaker?
    Sorry for the extra question, but I do want to be certain.

    Rick
  • taken's avatar
    taken
    Explorer II
    Jul 16, 2015
    If you look inside your breaker box, you will see plastic rings around the wire coming from the two circuits that are to be shed. If both those circuits are in the same leg of your service (left or right of the main breakers) then the load management system sees 120v instead of 240v. I pulled one of the breakers and swapped it's location with one from the other leg and all was well...
  • rperrym's avatar
    rperrym
    Explorer
    Jul 16, 2015
    Just saw your post. Could you tell me where the wiring error was found. I have the same problem, with 2 a/c's. I would like to know which wire you switched. Thanks,

    Rick
  • taken's avatar
    taken
    Explorer II
    Apr 11, 2015
    Solved! Found that the tech wiring my camper had mistakenly put both circuits to be shed via the management's relay on the same leg. This this fooled the control panel into thinking it was a thirty amp setup as opposed to 50. Moved the circuit to the other leg and all is well with 50 amp showing correctly on the panel...
  • taken's avatar
    taken
    Explorer II
    Apr 11, 2015
    Yes, both legs in camper and like I said, when the breaker for ac 2 is off, the 50 amp indicator lights up. It couldn't without 240v being present at the breaker panel. Yes, I did check with my Vol-Con tester too. 240v coming in...
  • Ranger_Smith's avatar
    Ranger_Smith
    Explorer
    Apr 11, 2015
    Do you have both legs coming into camper. Check with a volt meter for 240 also check between each leg and ground for 120 vac

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