Main Circuit Breaker Switch

[retcsgt]

Help Needed!! Do all master circuit breaker switch's throw when all electrical appliances are being used? I have my water heater, refer, TV, A/C, micro-wave, and then small appliances, toaster, coffee maker, iron. And if it is natural, why have it on 30 amp and not 50 amp?

[KD4UPL]

The answer to the question is: Yes.
In your case you're pulling more than 30 amps. You just can't turn everything one at once.
WH - about 10 amps
Refer - around 2 amps
TV - probably 1 amp
AC - Mine pulls about 7 amps running
Microwave - usually around 10 amps
Toaster, coffer maker, iron - anywhere from 7 to 12 amps each.
As you can see, that adds up to way more than 30.

[SolidAxleDurang]

retcsgt wrote:
Help Needed!! Do all master circuit breaker switch's throw when all electrical appliances are being used? I have my water heater, refer, TV, A/C, micro-wave, and then small appliances, toaster, coffee maker, iron. And if it is natural, why have it on 30 amp and not 50 amp?

Simply put, most travel trailers are 30 amp (instead of 50) due to cost... And the fact that most TT do not have 2 air conditioners.

Your 30 amp trailer is not designed to run all "high draw" items at the same time. It's up to you to manage that - or experience a breaker trip.

Generally you can run 2 high draw items at a time. You just have to prioritize which two you need.

[donn0128]

A 30 amp breaker should be sufficient for everything ypu described, unless you have low power feeding the trailer. As the voltage goes down amperage goes up. Get out your volt meter and check the incoming power. Also next chance you get, and with the shore power disconnected open the breaker panel and check all the screws holding thw wires to be sure they are tight.
If your power is OK, then switch the water heater to gas and dont worry about it.

[Farm_Camp]

Actually a residential style breaker will trip at (I'm pretty sure) 80% of the rated capacity. The other 20% is there to allow for starting up larger stuff like the compressor on your AC without tripping but if you think you can pull 30 amps across a 30 amp breaker at all times - that's just not how it works.

There are other factors such as voltage that effect how much current you are drawing (amperage) lower voltage means more amps to do the same work. An AC trying to cool off a hot space will work much harder and pull more current than one that is just maintaining a cooled space in the night.

You could also just have a bad breaker. In my most recent brand new built stick house I've had to replace one breaker and two different GFI outlets in less than three years.