Newbie Electrical Issue - Advice Needed Please

[brows827]

Hi all - I'm hoping someone can help me out. I bought a 2014 Rockwood Roo 19 a few weeks ago, and I'm having some electrical issues.

At first, I hooked up to shore power from my house (running on 20 amp breakers with a heavy duty extension cord), and it kept on tripping the breaker after 30 minutes or less.

I also bought a 3500 watt inverter generator, as we're planning to do some boondocking camping, and tried it last night and encountered some issues - which is no good as we're planning to take it out tonight for the weekend.

I start the inverter up and plug it into the camper - and it will show that almost nothing is used.

Once I turn on the AC, it runs fine for 30-45 minutes, showing around 14 amps being used -- but then the generator jumps and shows that the camper is needing 25 amps -- (which is the max for the inverter) for no apparent reason - and will trip the 120 volt circuit breaker on the generator if I don't turn off the AC.

What's really odd is that once I turn the AC off, it shows that there's now 12 or so amps that the camper is using -- though there's absolutely nothing in the camper turned on, and the battery is disconnected.

Definitely would appreciate anyone's advice. I've searched for answers and haven't been able to find anything - except that maybe there's an issue w/ the AC? But that wouldn't explain the issue where there's still a draw after I turn it off.

Thank you in advance -

[garyemunson]

X2 on fridge and/or water heater causing the issue. At home, using an extension cord is always a bad idea unless you have an industrial 12 gauge one. Often cords sold as "Heavy Duty" only means they are big around. See if wire size is stamped into the cord. 14g is only good for 15 amps so you are pretty close to limit already with one of those.

[time2roll]

brows827 wrote:
And just to confirm - this switch should only control the water heater, but nothing else like the refrigerator?

Controls water heater electric element only.
You can still have hot water using propane which is probably controlled inside with an illuminated switch.

[wnjj]

brows827 wrote:
And just to confirm - this switch should only control the water heater, but nothing else like the refrigerator?

Correct. It's only for the 120V heating element on the water heater. I've never actually turned ours on in the 13 years we've had our camper. We're usually not on hookups and if we were I wouldn't want to use 12A before running anything else.

You also want to never have it on when the water is drained or the element will go poof. Some of those switches have a hole for a cotter pin to lock it "off" when drained.

[brows827]

wnjj wrote:
Depending upon the water heater model, there may be a little switch in the outside compartment that turns on/off the AC element. The switch inside may only be for gas operation. That’s how ours is.

From what I found online, they use 12A on electric which is exactly what you said you have unexplained.

Search Google images for “suburban water heater outside switch”.

You're a genius! Went outside and found the heater compartment. This looks to be likely what was happening.

Thank you! And everyone!

And just to confirm - this switch should only control the water heater, but nothing else like the refrigerator?

[MrWizard]

re: power converter online: I tried switching the circuit breaker for the converter to off, but that shut off a bunch of stuff. How should I handle shutting it off?

Most things in the TT need 12v , either from the battery or the converter/charger
Fridge controls, lp sensor, lights, water pump, Gauges, water heater control, furnace/heater
Battery should be connected unless RV is in storage without shore power,
You turn off converter with no battery, yes everything is going to stop working
once the battery has reached full charge
The converter will use very little 120v power, to maintain the battery

[wnjj]

brows827 wrote:
These are great responses - I can't thank yall enough for your responsiveness/willingness to help. It's frustrating how little info there is in manuals on this stuff.

I won't be home until this afternoon - but I will check the water heater switch near it (or if I can't find that, will look for the breaker) - that may be part of what was causing the issue, as I have never turned the interior switch for it on - which is why the hot water was surprising. It would make sense that may have been a contributor or the cause (would be really nice if that's all it is), since it seems to intermittently jump on after a while.

I'll also check the voltage in the rig and post my findings.

If you never turned on the water heater and yet you have hot water, I'm sure that's what is causing it and likely nothing else is wrong.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

• Look at your AC panel in the rig. Does it have any additional unused punch outs?
• A/C breakers should have their own dedicated load. The air conditioner and nothing else
• Same for the converter. The fact that you said "A bunch of other things shut off" when the breaker A/C breaker is opened proves this
• What kind of protection does a high amp breaker offer smaller loads? NONE
• You could have the A/C off and a short on the "other" circuits and it will not may, WILL cause a fire
• Are other rigs like this? Designed by Doctor Kevorkian?

[wing_zealot]

If you turn off the circuit breaker to the converter and "that shut off a bunch of stuff", then:
1. your battery is dead, or
2. the disconnect switch on the battery is turned off, or
3. the battery cable(s) are disconnected.
Any of those scenarios will mean the converter is under load and more than likely your 12 amp draw; and causing your overload issues.

[brows827]

These are great responses - I can't thank yall enough for your responsiveness/willingness to help. It's frustrating how little info there is in manuals on this stuff.

I won't be home until this afternoon - but I will check the water heater switch near it (or if I can't find that, will look for the breaker) - that may be part of what was causing the issue, as I have never turned the interior switch for it on - which is why the hot water was surprising. It would make sense that may have been a contributor or the cause (would be really nice if that's all it is), since it seems to intermittently jump on after a while.

I'll also check the voltage in the rig and post my findings.

[RKW]

What is the voltage from the generator? If it's low, than low voltage equals high current (amps). Check the voltage at an AC outlet in the RV.

You got some good responses in this thread. Most of them are encouraging you to perform load management. That's the most obvious and likely problem. Once you are absolutely sure nothing else is contributing to the amp spike, you need to consider the AC unit itself has a problem.

Check out THIS thread of a forum member with a similar problem.

[wnjj]

Depending upon the water heater model, there may be a little switch in the outside compartment that turns on/off the AC element. The switch inside may only be for gas operation. That’s how ours is.

From what I found online, they use 12A on electric which is exactly what you said you have unexplained.

Search Google images for “suburban water heater outside switch”.

[CA_Traveler]

brows827 wrote:
Wow - you guys are awesome, and fast.

Here are some of the answers:

• re: electric water heater on - what is odd is that when I was sanitizing the fresh water tank and running some water through the sink, there was hot water. But the switch for the heater is set to off.
  The water can remain warm for some time.
  
  
• re: battery disconnected and refrigerator on. The refrigerator was off for most of the time when I've been dealing w/ this issue. If I set it to on but use gas, will that still be drawing electricity?
  No AC but all most refers use 12V controls for propane and AC.
  
  
• re: power converter online: I tried switching the circuit breaker for the converter to off, but that shut off a bunch of stuff. How should I handle shutting it off?
  Why do you want to shut if off? It should draw little amps with charged batteries and if not charged that should be the priority not the A/C. But with no switch you'll have to disconnect the wiring.
  
  
• re: was it checked out before purchased? Yes, the seller took it to an RV dealer of my choosing for an inspection, but I wasn't there for it - supposedly they did a complete test...though I noticed a small, slow leak in the freshwater tank last night around the gauge wire, so not sure how thorough it was.
  Not doing your own and complete PDI means you have no idea what was/was not checked. Rarely do dealers PDIs involve complete checks regardless of what they say.
  
  
• re: generator size: it's a Predator inverter with 3500W starting, 3000W running. It has a 30A outlet with a 30A twist lock adapter that I used w/ my 30 amp cord to the trailer. The generator says it shouldn't exceed 25 amps, but it will run for a bit when it has more - but it gets super hot

One A/C and charger should be OK and you need to find out what is causing the 25A+ draw.

Thanks everyone -

[pianotuna]

On the gas setting the fridge draw about 1.5 amps @ 12 volts maximum to operate the gas valve. So the added demand is about 18 watts.

I suggest turning *off* the breaker for the hot water heater before the next test of running the roof air.

I paid for an inspection on my first RV. It was money badly spent because I was not savvy enough to understand the results. If I had understood I might still have purchased the unit--but the testing was not comprehensive, and definitely was written in a "positive" manner.

[brows827]

Wow - you guys are awesome, and fast.

Here are some of the answers:

• re: electric water heater on - what is odd is that when I was sanitizing the fresh water tank and running some water through the sink, there was hot water. But the switch for the heater is set to off.
• re: battery disconnected and refrigerator on. The refrigerator was off for most of the time when I've been dealing w/ this issue. If I set it to on but use gas, will that still be drawing electricity?
• re: power converter online: I tried switching the circuit breaker for the converter to off, but that shut off a bunch of stuff. How should I handle shutting it off?
• re: was it checked out before purchased? Yes, the seller took it to an RV dealer of my choosing for an inspection, but I wasn't there for it - supposedly they did a complete test...though I noticed a small, slow leak in the freshwater tank last night around the gauge wire, so not sure how thorough it was.
• re: generator size: it's a Predator inverter with 3500W starting, 3000W running. It has a 30A outlet with a 30A twist lock adapter that I used w/ my 30 amp cord to the trailer. The generator says it shouldn't exceed 25 amps, but it will run for a bit when it has more - but it gets super hot

Thanks everyone -