ATF: North Country - Electrical issues

mittyy

Member
I purchased the Northland in April of 2013. As soon as we used the AC and the Micro wave at the same time it would trip the main breaker. Then when trying to figure out why I had no electric hot water I find a taped bundle of wires in the relay box. The screw cap was only on the one wire the other that was supposed to be attached to it was on the insulation. A little Quality control could have kept me from losing my mind. I replace the main and the AC circuit breaker with a authorized replacement and type. but they still trip no matter what I do. I am so fed up with this TT. It is the third one I have owned and has given me the most issue with service over 140 miles away and I have to pay for a call to have some one come out and service a issue that should have been caught at the factory. I just retired from the Army after 26 years and was in Aviation. If I sent something like this out the door I would have been fired. Don't even get me started on the water leak under the tub that was a drain that was over tightened and cracked, again from the manufacturer. I have called customer support but I feel that the help is not there and the service is not. by the way the so called heated underbelly isn't.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Hi mittyy,

Does your trailer have 30 Amp service or 50 Amp?

The typical Air Conditioner uses close to 15 amps at startup. A 900 watt microwave can pull about 15 amps as well. The Power Converter runs in the background to charge the battery and help run 12V lights and other 12V devices and can pull up to 8 amps.

With 30 Amp service, you may just be pulling too much power.
 

mittyy

Member
30 amp service and we have installed led lights in most of the trailer. Even the hot water heater will trip it when the AC comes on.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Here's some info from the Heartland Manual.
AMP Usage
Listed below are components that might be used in HEARTLAND RECREATIONAL VEHICLES, LLC
vehicles and the typical maximum amperage draw each one has. This chart may help you decide which components you
can safely use for an extended period without damage.

Components Amperage
Roof air conditioners (each) 15
Electric water heater 12
Microwaves 15
Hair dryer 8
TV 1.0
VCR 1.0
Charger 14
Refrigerator 3.5
110-volt lamp 1.0
Changing the lights to LEDs helps reduce the 12V load, but the effect on 110V power drain is indirect since they're powered through the battery and power converter.

If you run the refrigerator and hot water heater on LP, you'll only be using a little 12V current for those devices, slightly increasing the load on the power converter.
 

mittyy

Member
I am just frustrated, was told from a rep that it sounds like a lose ground somewhere. I just hate getting the run around.
 

olcoon

Well-known member
Don't know, but you may not be getting a run around. It's awful hard to diagnose a problem over the phone. Possibly if you call Heartland & talk to them they will approve you to get warranty work somewhere closer to you, or even a mobile RV tech. I know they have done this in the past. It is awful frustrating to have so many issues on a new coach, especially when most of them could have been prevented by better workmanship/quality control. I think that part of the issue with all manufacturing plants in the RV industry is that a lot of them require X about of rigs to be made in a day. When they reach that point the crew can go home, so not only are the employees pushed for production, but they want to go home early, so sometimes they get in too big of a hurry. Personally I feel that Heartland employees probably a better job than a lot of others. One more thing, our Elk Ridge is wired for 50 amp, and when we are plugged into 30 amps, when the AC is running & we turn on the microwave usually it will trip the breaker. I've gotten used to it, reset it & continue on.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
A/C on....microwave turned on at the same time......30 amp breaker. Probably will not work. Drawing toooo many amps. In a CG you are probably not even getting a full 30 amps. Cause everybody is running their A/C's. These are the facts of life. You did say that this has happened on all the TT's you have owned. So maybe a 30 amp TT is not for you. But, I dont think I have ever seen a 50 amp TT. I dont know what it would cost, but you could have it rewired to a 50 amp.
 

Silverado23

Iowa Chapter Leaders
Although it will not fix an existing electrical problem, Installing an eletrical management system with a display can help you better understand how much powee your using. I have a progressive ems and was able to quickly learn how much power each cooking function used in my half time oven along with converter and water heater usage, I can now monitor how much power I am using and shut off a few lights or shut off the water heater and still have AC and other items running. EMS also provides power protection for the entire camper and has save me numerous times from bad power from the parks.
 
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