Power loss

Jgermany

Member
2017 landmark newport having some condensation issues so i purchased a medium size dehumidifier and when i plugged it in i lost all 120 volt power. Checked the pedestal and 50 amp breaker plus the power cord and everything is good. Checked breakers and gfi inside and nothing tripped. Any suggestions would be great.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
2017 landmark newport having some condensation issues so i purchased a medium size dehumidifier and when i plugged it in i lost all 120 volt power. Checked the pedestal and 50 amp breaker plus the power cord and everything is good. Checked breakers and gfi inside and nothing tripped. Any suggestions would be great.


Not sure how familiar you may be with 120V breakers, but unless you fully shut off and then turn one on again, it is not reset. It may look like it's in the on position, but if it will move slightly towards the on position, it's tripped. Check the wattage/amperage requirement for the humidifier, too. Many of the circuits in these trailers are only rated for 15 amps. If another device is operating on the same circuit, the breaker will trip when the humidifier starts. Most electric motors pull a slightly higher amperage at start-up than what the tag may say.
You say you lost all 120V power throughout the trailer. That's a bit odd for overloading one circuit. Reset the breakers on the pedestal or test the pedestal with a VOM (or plug a small lamp into the 120V outlet on it) to be sure there is power there.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
As JohnDar said, plugging in a single device and losing all 120V AC power is pretty unusual. If you're sure that's the situation, the likely failure points are:
1) no power from the pedestal,
2) failure of the automatic transfer switch to fire the contactors,
3) Precision Control System power management failure.
Precision Control System Line Status.jpg

If power on L1 drops below 105V, the transfer switch will not operate and no power will get to the main breaker panel.

You may find our owner-written Electrical User Guide useful in running this down.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
As JohnDar said, plugging in a single device and losing all 120V AC power is pretty unusual. If you're sure that's the situation, the likely failure points are:
1) no power from the pedestal,
2) failure of the automatic transfer switch to fire the contactors,
3) Precision Control System power management failure.
View attachment 60583

If power on L1 drops below 105V, the transfer switch will not operate and no power will get to the main breaker panel.

You may find our owner-written Electrical User Guide useful in running this down.

I keep forgetting that some of you have those transfer switches. Mine is much simpler...no generator, no transfer switch. My home, on the other hand, does have an automatic transfer switch for the 16K generator sitting outside. It does get checked each year, along with the generator function, by the electrical company that installed the system for me. Having your system checked periodically by a professional might be something to add to your preventative maintenance schedules.
 

Jgermany

Member
Not sure how familiar you may be with 120V breakers, but unless you fully shut off and then turn one on again, it is not reset. It may look like it's in the on position, but if it will move slightly towards the on position, it's tripped. Check the wattage/amperage requirement for the humidifier, too. Many of the circuits in these trailers are only rated for 15 amps. If another device is operating on the same circuit, the breaker will trip when the humidifier starts. Most electric motors pull a slightly higher amperage at start-up than what the tag may say.
You say you lost all 120V power throughout the trailer. That's a bit odd for overloading one circuit. Reset the breakers on the pedestal or test the pedestal with a VOM (or plug a small lamp into the 120V outlet on it) to be sure there is power there.
i turned all the breakers off and waited a few minutes then turned them on again. Last time we had a problem like this it was the display wire from the monitor to the board hidden behind the breaker panel. I even took the top off the transfer switch and manually engaged the contacts and still nothing

- - - Updated - - -

I keep forgetting that some of you have those transfer switches. Mine is much simpler...no generator, no transfer switch. My home, on the other hand, does have an automatic transfer switch for the 16K generator sitting outside. It does get checked each year, along with the generator function, by the electrical company that installed the system for me. Having your system checked periodically by a professional might be something to add to your preventative maintenance schedules.
The unit is wired for a generator but doesnt have one.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
i turned all the breakers off and waited a few minutes then turned them on again. Last time we had a problem like this it was the display wire from the monitor to the board hidden behind the breaker panel. I even took the top off the transfer switch and manually engaged the contacts and still nothing

Have you actually checked the pedestal outlets for power? Could be the problem is inside it and not your rig. Depending on where you're at, could be the whole park (or a section of it) has lost power due to a downed line.
 

Jgermany

Member
As JohnDar said, plugging in a single device and losing all 120V AC power is pretty unusual. If you're sure that's the situation, the likely failure points are:
1) no power from the pedestal,
2) failure of the automatic transfer switch to fire the contactors,
3) Precision Control System power management failure.
View attachment 60583

If power on L1 drops below 105V, the transfer switch will not operate and no power will get to the main breaker panel.

You may find our owner-written Electrical User Guide useful in running this down.
the display reads L1: 0 volts L2: 0 volts no service error. I checked the pedistol and have power there. I have power coming in the transfer switch but I honestly dont know much about it to say whether or not it is the problem.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
the display reads L1: 0 volts L2: 0 volts no service error. I checked the pedistol and have power there. I have power coming in the transfer switch but I honestly dont know much about it to say whether or not it is the problem.

I am not familiar with the inner workings of a transfer switch, but if you can SAFELY access the input and output sides of it with your VOM, it may give you an idea of where the problem is. With no generator, why the transfer switch in the first place unless it's an automatic install by the factory. Unless you're comfortable working with electrical equipment and want to rig a bypass, I suggest you contact a mobile tech to come take a look at it.
 

pegmikef

Well-known member
I am not familiar with the inner workings of a transfer switch, but if you can SAFELY access the input and output sides of it with your VOM, it may give you an idea of where the problem is. With no generator, why the transfer switch in the first place unless it's an automatic install by the factory. Unless you're comfortable working with electrical equipment and want to rig a bypass, I suggest you contact a mobile tech to come take a look at it.

John I think the Landmarks all come with the generator preparation. Either that or the dealers are ordering it on their new models. I have a friend who had problems with the transfer switch and he had never touched it or has a generator. Apparently there are some points in there that deteriorate under certain conditions.

That Landmark also has a power management system hard wired in. Might physically check that to see if there are any fuses to blow or something else up with it. Has he tried pulling the fifty Amp pigtail. Maybe the EMS thing has a memory and has to be reset. I liked the old trailer better where we just hooked up to the pedestal and the power worked or didn't and it was usually a breaker (or fuse on older ones).
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
John I think the Landmarks all come with the generator preparation. Either that or the dealers are ordering it on their new models. I have a friend who had problems with the transfer switch and he had never touched it or has a generator. Apparently there are some points in there that deteriorate under certain conditions.

That Landmark also has a power management system hard wired in. Might physically check that to see if there are any fuses to blow or something else up with it. Has he tried pulling the fifty Amp pigtail. Maybe the EMS thing has a memory and has to be reset. I liked the old trailer better where we just hooked up to the pedestal and the power worked or didn't and it was usually a breaker (or fuse on older ones).

Mike, what little I do know about transfer switches is that they are electro-mechanical devices. Contacts may corrode, springs may fail, etc., especially if they never get exercised or moisture gets in somehow. My "antique" of a Bighorn doesn't have all these newfangled devices (of which I'm glad).
 

danemayer

Well-known member
For safety, pull the shore power cord before opening the transfer switch, which is located behind the rear wall of the pass through basement storage.

Pull the top cover off the transfer switch and check that the set screws holding the wires in place are tight. Tighten if loose.

Leave the cover off and plug back into shore power.

If you tightened any screws, see if the problem is resolved.

If you still have a problem, very carefully take voltage reading on L1 on the output side of the transfer switch, with the other lead on the neutral.

If you have 120V AC, your problem is in-between that point and the main breaker panel.

If you don't have power there, check on the L1 wire on the input side of the transfer switch. If you have power there, but no power on the output side, the transfer switch is failing.

If you do not have power on the input side, the problem is likely at the cord reel.

Pages 10 and 11 of the Electrical User Guide will help you with the transfer switch layout. Page 8 has info on the cord reel.

Good idea to unplug from shore power before putting the cover back on the transfer switch.
 

jimtoo

Moderator
Does your Landmark have the power reel for the power cord? A few have had problems with the contacts on the reel,

Jim M
 

Jgermany

Member
John I think the Landmarks all come with the generator preparation. Either that or the dealers are ordering it on their new models. I have a friend who had problems with the transfer switch and he had never touched it or has a generator. Apparently there are some points in there that deteriorate under certain conditions.

That Landmark also has a power management system hard wired in. Might physically check that to see if there are any fuses to blow or something else up with it. Has he tried pulling the fifty Amp pigtail. Maybe the EMS thing has a memory and has to be reset. I liked the old trailer better where we just hooked up to the pedestal and the power worked or didn't and it was usually a breaker (or fuse on older ones).
I removed the display from the wall and unplugged the data wire from it and the other end from the board in the breaker box. Bought a tester from Lowe's and checked it for continuity because one of the connectors on it went out before and we had power loss last summer. It checked out good. The trouble shooting guide for the system said to check the signal/ data wire and another specific wire that i haven't got a chance to check yet but im thinking its not the issue. The monitor clearly says No power source- No service. Im hoping tomorrow is a better day. I already have the cellar open and the panel off the transfer switch so I can go through it again.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
I'm with Jim - although I don't have one, there have been more than a few postings on this forum about failures of the shore power cord reel contacts. The whole bit of how it relates to your dehumidifier seeming to cause the problem is either coincidence, or one of those gremlins from the Electrical God.

One of those non-contact voltage testers might make it easier to make the voltage - No voltage readings to sniff out the problem.

I had something a little similar last week. I have been sitting in the same spot for about 18 months now, and the other afternoon, clear sky, no wind, no stampedes, my 50 amp power suddenly all went off. Contrary to other power outages that have happened at this park, I could hear somebody else's loud stereo going, so I was pretty sure it was just my power. I went out to the service pedestal, and found my 50 amp plug pulled partially out of the socket to the point it didn't make electrical contact. My only guess of how it happened (other than vandalism), was maybe cats or dogs wedging through the cable curve up to the outlet. Anyways, I got out the duct tape and put a wrap all the way around the pedestal and cable.
 

Jgermany

Member
I'm with Jim - although I don't have one, there have been more than a few postings on this forum about failures of the shore power cord reel contacts. The whole bit of how it relates to your dehumidifier seeming to cause the problem is either coincidence, or one of those gremlins from the Electrical God.

One of those non-contact voltage testers might make it easier to make the voltage - No voltage readings to sniff out the problem.

I had something a little similar last week. I have been sitting in the same spot for about 18 months now, and the other afternoon, clear sky, no wind, no stampedes, my 50 amp power suddenly all went off. Contrary to other power outages that have happened at this park, I could hear somebody else's loud stereo going, so I was pretty sure it was just my power. I went out to the service pedestal, and found my 50 amp plug pulled partially out of the socket to the point it didn't make electrical contact. My only guess of how it happened (other than vandalism), was maybe cats or dogs wedging through the cable curve up to the outlet. Anyways, I got out the duct tape and put a wrap all the way around the pedestal and cable.
I checked the power again at the pedistol and its still good. Bought a data cable meter with remote and checked the data cable for continuity and it passed. Checked all wiring in the breaker box and for the power management system and it was good. Checked voltage going in the transfer switch (41260 surge protector) and it was good. Pushed in the contacts on the transfer switch and no power to the breaker box. Removed the 2 hot legs(red & black) and the white common wire from both ends of the shore power contactor and spliced them together color coded alike with split bolts and taped them up really good and leaving the copper ground wires connected to the ground bars that are connected with a factory supplied jumper wire (green). Turned on breaker at the pedistol then the 50 amp breaker in the breaker box and all power to 120v outlets not running through the power management system came on. Left all breakers on and probably 5 to 10 minutes later all 120v circuits controlled by the power management system came on. We shut it down immediately and went to Camper World and bought a 50amp pedistol to rv plug surge protector. So far so good, she's happy now.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Turned on breaker at the pedistol then the 50 amp breaker in the breaker box and all power to 120v outlets not running through the power management system came on.

Can you elaborate on what you mean. What came on and what didn't?
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Are you saying that you have bypassed the transfer switch?

Peace
Dave

Sounds like that’s what he did. Without a generator, it’s excess baggage anyways, especially if it’s defective.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Jgermany

Member
Can you elaborate on what you mean. What came on and what didn't?
All 120v power not associated with the power management system came on first. The appliances and receptacles governed by the power management system came on a few minutes later. It must have a reset cycle because the display showed only 7 volts on L2 for a few minutes then it came online at 120v.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
All 120v power not associated with the power management system came on first. The appliances and receptacles governed by the power management system came on a few minutes later. It must have a reset cycle because the display showed only 7 volts on L2 for a few minutes then it came online at 120v.
I'm interpreting this as the Air Conditioners, Water Heater, Washer/Dryer, Microwave, and Fireplace were delayed but all outlets and TVs worked immediately.

That suggests a problem with the Precision Control System (PCS). I think (but am not certain) that Heartland wires the PCS relays to a normally closed state so that 120V AC power flows even if 12V DC power for the relays is missing. If that's correct, the delay in getting power to the managed devices suggests that the relays were activated by the PCS controller for a short time. That might happen if the controller didn't think it was getting much power - for example if you had set it as though you only had 20 amps.

You might want to call PCS to discuss. 630-515-9100
 
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