Electrical one way, not the other

[tarnold]

Equipped with TRC surge guard 34730 30 amp. Portable. Coach side 6345 with PD 4645 refitted several years ago. Problem: With surge guard plugged in after wait period, green light comes on NO orange (trouble) light. There is 122v coming out of surge guard(measured with meter). When I plug coach cable into surge guard, no AC plugs, micro etc in coach work. When I plug coach cable in without surge guard, everything seems to work. No breakers tripped that I can find, all fuses in 6345 seem to be good. Haven't tried with generator yet. Where to look next?

[SoundGuy]

tarnold wrote:
This is an older model surge guard.

Here's a pic of the original TRC Surge Guard #34730, later replaced by the #34730-001 with an LCD screen, which in turn has now been replaced by the #34830.

Just don't want to spend another $250 for a new one.

Don't. If you determine your original version Surge Guard #34730 is pooched then replace it with a Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C that includes a lifetime warranty. :B

[wa8yxm]

Does the orange light go out or what does the Surge Guard say when you are plugged in with it..
Suspect list follows
1: Bad outlet on Surge Guard
2: Bad connection within surge guard
3: Bad relay (Solonoid or contactor, goes by all 3 names) in Surge guard

In all the above cases the Surge Guard will display POWER ON and normal voltage by the way.

Continuing: In these cases the Surge Guard will show LOW voltage and reset, You should get a "blink" every not quite 3 minutes but no usable power.

Bad connecter in upper half of Surge guard
Bad plug on Surge guard
Bad outlet on park
Bad connection in park.

High loss wires in park (Man do I see that one in one park I visit).

And of course there are always the popular "other issues" but I think I've about hit the list.

NOTE: Order of list is reverse linier (power out to power supply) not order of suspect. Bad outlet on Surge guard is, however suspect #1.

iF YOU ARE COMFORTABLE working on 120/240 volt power systems you can easily check it out, the box opens easily to access test points, Be careful re-closing it to make sure the gasket is properly set.

If the outlet is defective most RV stores sell female "Pigtails" or you can just cut and splice on a new outlet... As I did. (Very carefully) I will tell you the outlet, in a box, JUST fit.. I recommend a new pigtail type outlet.

[tarnold]

No, molded plug. Taking it apart now.

[time2roll]

Maybe a new connector is what you need. Instead of cutting the old off.... can you disassemble it (cut and rip) to preserve the wire length?


Premium replacement TT-30:
http://www.progressiveindustries.net/tt-30r-connector

[tarnold]

I did have to jiggle the meter probes to get a reading?

[time2roll]

Still seems odd to measure the voltage in the connector but does not contact properly with your cord.

[tarnold]

This is an older model surge guard. No displays or buttons, just indicator lights.
If it is the female plug on the output side, not much slack to cutoff plug and add anew. Opened it once a long time ago because ALL of the nuts that held the relay down came off and one of them jammed the contacts in the big relay. If I knew for sure this was the problem, I would bust it open again and splice in a new female extension. Just don't want to spend another $250 for a new one.
Could it be anything else?

[BFL13]

The light in my surge guard died long ago but the thing still works. Have to play with the buttons to tell what the status is.

[time2roll]

I would have to assume there is a poor connection in the SG female connector.