Have I fried My Invertor??????????????

bozo

Active Member
I need some help guys, I put a plug in outside to hook up 21FBS 30amp main. pluged it in and went inside TT and saw smoke coming out of invertor. Ran outside and unplugged the cord. Have I fried the invertor. I checked voltage at plug that I installed with ohm meter it reads 120v across ground and black and 120v across ground and red and 240v across black and red. What have I done wrong. I hope no longer than it was plugged up its not hurt but with my luck its fried.

Thanks for any help

bozo
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hi bozo,

I think you are saying you installed a plug at your home or somewhere to hook up your 21FBS. If you are reading 240v at a 30amp plug,, you have something hooked up wrong.

I am moving this out of ATF to an open area where some of our resident electricians can help you diagnose the problem.

Jim M
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Sounds like a 50 amp circuit wired to a 30 amp receptacle. Not good.

I suggest you unplug your converter from the AC outlet it's plugged into, then use a 30 amp to 15 amp adapter and plug the RV into a standard 110 VAC outlet at home and check your AC outlets in the coach and proper operation of all 110 VAC items (except the air conditioner - not enough power to pull it).

If you're lucky - it's only the converter fried. You can remove the converter and bench test it. Careful with the DC leads connected to the converter with disconnecting it. Be sure to tape them up as they are coming from the battery.

Jim
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
bozo, you should have 120 volts across red and white (neutral), 120 across black and white (neutral), and 240 across red and black only if you have a 50 amp RV receptical. Then you should have a ground.
So to your new 30 amp receptical, you should only have a black, or red wire (one 120 volt), a white wire (ground) and a bare, or green wire for ground.
You may have fried everything that was plugged in.

Peace
Dave
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
30A service is 110V single phase. Your outlet was wired 240V split phase. You're not the first one to make that mistake. Actually has an electrician do that to me once. Cost him the converter, the microwave, the television and some refer repairs.
 

hoefler

Well-known member
If you have a 3 wire 30 amp plug and wired it with 2 hot wire, ( red & black ), you have fried your convertor and possibly anything else you had plug in at the time. Microwave, TV, water heater, refridgerator, etc.. You hit it with 220 volts. The 30 amp plug should be wired 1 black ( hot ), 1 white ( common ), 1 green ( ground ). It is a heavy duty 120 volt plug, not 220 volts.
 

bozo

Active Member
Thanks jbeletti, The wire from my main panel is hooked to a 30 amp breaker which is a double pole. Does that make it a 50 amp circuit? I ran the same thing to my building and I run 110v curcuits off of it out there without any problems.

bozo
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
OK, not trying to get hostile here, but if you haven't understood the last half-dozen posts that told you what 30A RV service is supposed to be, then you should get an electrician before you hurt someone.
 

jbeletti

Well-known member
Bozo,

I can't answer your question with certainty. From what I Googled, a double-pole 30 amp breaker may be for disconnecting the hot AND the neutral (hence, 2 poles). Again, I could be wrong.

Click the 30 amp service link from the menu of this web site: http://www.myrv.us/electric/ to learn more.

Jim
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
If you have a 3 wire 30 amp plug and wired it with 2 hot wire, ( red & black ), you have fried your convertor and possibly anything else you had plug in at the time. Microwave, TV, water heater, refridgerator, etc.. You hit it with 220 volts. The 30 amp plug should be wired 1 black ( hot ), 1 white ( common ), 1 green ( ground ). It is a heavy duty 120 volt plug, not 220 volts.

I definitely agree. I'm not an electrician, but I've done enough of my own home wiring to see what he's got there. The fact that he's been able to run 120V tools off that breaker in another building suggests that the 120V outlet is only connected to one leg of the 240V service. And it sounds like none of it has a true ground in it.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Bozo:
I suggest you study the following link, especially the "50 Amp and 30 Amp Service" section.
http://www.rv-dreams.com/rv-electrical.html

BTW, do you know the difference between and inverter and a converter? Most rigs don't have an inverter, but ALL have a converter.

Remember, electricity was used to execute people.
 

bozo

Active Member
Sorry to get you shorted out branson4020 calm down it will be ok just take a breath. Just joken with ya! Thanks for the concern. I have rewired the corect way and the micro is fried. lights work dont know about the frig yet or the hot water heater but invertor is running I assume it is working. a/c is ok. Thanks for the fast response guys. live an learn.

bozo
 

bozo

Active Member
Sorry wdk450 I meant converter I guess in the sheer panic of it all I mis spoke. Thanks for the help.


bozo
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Hey bozo, if you feel comfortable with checking things out... I think if you remove the outer cover of your microwave you will find a fuse, follow the power cord. Hopefully that is all that is wrong. If you do remove cover and find blown fuse... I think it is recommended that the cover be installed before turning microwave on for safety.

Jim M
 

bozo

Active Member
Thanks jimtoo, you guys are a blast. Im going to work on the microwave next as you can see by the time of this thread its late and ive been at it for a while. Microwave will have to wait until tomorrow oh wait thats today. Water Heater is ok and frig so I thank the Lord looks like Im ok. Hope the fuse takes care of the microwave.

Thanks again,

bozo
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
It sounds to me like you need to get a qualified electrician (not all are familiar with RV hookups) to correct your problem. Also you asked if you fried your inverter. I think you meant to say converter. An inverter changes 12volts DC to 120 volts AC and the converter changes 120 volts AC to 12 volts DC. Electricity can kill if you hook it up wrong or are not positive what you are doing. Please get a professional.
 
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