Breaker Trip

[fjm039]

Looking for input here. We have tripped the pedestal breaker numerous times and the internal breaker a time or two. All at different campgrounds.

We have the 32BUDS. We just tripped the pedestal breaker with the following on......microwave was on, air was on, and hot water heater was on. Inside and outside fridge were on as well.

This seems like a very reasonable load yet with similar loads we trip breakers at least once per trip.

Dealer couldn't duplicate and now I'm our of warranty.

Anyone experience something similar?

 

[branson4020]

When I use 30A service, I've tripped breakers with exactly the load you described (also refer on electric and converter pulling a few amps to charge the battery.) If the park voltage dips even a little, it'll trip every time.

 

[JohnDar]

That's a 30A rig according to the HL website. Based on my breaker panel, the microwave is on a 20A breaker, water heater is 15A, A/C is 20A, and I'm guessing the refer's are 15A (off a GFCI?). Granted, the breakers are larger than the normal current draw, but even if they're twice the amperage required, you're pulling almost 40A if everythings drawing at once. Things with motors, like the micro and A/C, will draw a current spike when the motors kick on. My guess is that's what your problem is. Do you have a surge suppressor with a line display? That would show you how much current you're pulling at any time. If you're running lights, then your converter is also pulling current. Is the TV on at the same time, too? It's another 120V current draw.

You may need to shut off the A/C when you want to run the microwave, or temporarily shut off the electric element to the water heater.

 

[Tombstonejim]

Hmmmm 30 amps = 3450 watts.

Add that stuff up looks like probably more than 3450 to me. Rough guess AC=1000, Microvave = 1000. hot water = 1000, converter =?.

Plus most RV park pedistal switches have been turned on and off thousands of times wich causes them to trip with less than 30 amps on them.

 

[boatto5er]

If you can run the HWH on propane that would help a lot.


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[jimtoo]

Yep,,, with all that on,,, guaranteed to trip a 30 amp breaker. Micro, 13amp,,, A/C 15amp,,, waterheater, 12amp gives a total of 40 amp.
Jim M

 

[jnbhobe]

I agree, sounds like the problem to me.

 

[TravelTiger]

With our North Trail, even though much smaller than yours, we would trip the breaker if we tried to run AC and micro at the same time. Even now in ER with 50 amp, cannot run 2 AC's and the micro at the same time. We just made a habit, if you are going to run the micro, turn off the AC. it's usually less than 10 min, so no biggie.

E

 

[fjm039]

Ok, I just went and did the math. With that load I would now expect the breaker to trip. Micro is about 11 amps, breaker for AC is 20 so even if it is only half of that it is 10, water heater is 15 and once again if it is half of that I am looking at 27 amps just from those three loads. Add in both fridges and I an there for sure.

It just threw me because that doesn't seem like an unreasonable load combination. Wasn't expecting to have to juggle loads like that. Is it unheard of to have a 50 amp service in a travel trailer?

 

[CliffP]

Our 15K AC and toaster tripped the 30A breaker throughout the weekend. CG replaced breaker twice and tested. AC alone didn't trip it

 

[JohnDar]

We have 50A service and have found that using the wife's curling iron in the bedroom, the coffee pot brewing, and the electric space heater in the living room on that the circuit breaker for the GFCI will trip. Had to give the wife a quick lecture on energy management. Cauterized my hemorrhoids with that curling iron, she did.

Point is, on ANY electrical circuit, you have to be aware of how much current you're trying to draw from it and know what the limits are so you don't overload it. Best case if you do is that the breaker trips. Worst case is if the breaker (defective?) doesn't trip and you fry the wiring and your rig.

 

[wdk450]

Ok, I just went and did the math. With that load I would now expect the breaker to trip. Micro is about 11 amps, breaker for AC is 20 so even if it is only half of that it is 10, water heater is 15 and once again if it is half of that I am looking at 27 amps just from those three loads. Add in both fridges and I an there for sure.

It just threw me because that doesn't seem like an unreasonable load combination. Wasn't expecting to have to juggle loads like that. Is it unheard of to have a 50 amp service in a travel trailer?

You can run the refrig and hot water heater on propane to save on electrical current draw. Or maybe flip these 2 to "OFF" when running the microwave and Air Conditoner. You will never notice a short outage on the refrig and HWH. A lot easier to flip these switches inside, than to go outside to reset the pedistal breaker.

 

[Tumblebug]

I have a new Wilderness 1950RB with 30 amp to a 55 amp service panel converter, I have been tripping the the breaker at the pedestal. I think I have answered the question. The AC (12-16 amps), electric water heater(9-13 amps), converter(1-8 amps), and Refrig(5-8 amps) were all running, well trying to run. Everything was fine until I added the water heater. That tripped the breaker. Looks like when you go over 30 amps you trip the pedestal breaker. Nothing tripped on the trailer distribution panel. Source of information http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformation/rvmaintenance/rv-converters-and-amp-draw.asp.
solution is to use LP water heater or refrig when running AC. That will reduce the amps used.

 

[jnbhobe]

The main don't like it when you overload it.

 

[traveler44]

If you are tripping breakers that should tell you that you are trying to run too many things at a time. The things that use the most amperage are the-air conditioner, the microwave, any heaters-like the water heater on electric mode or room heaters or the fireplace. As long as you don't use more than one major draw at a time you shouldn't be tripping the breakers. Some rv parks don't like for people to use the 30 amp. service because the more the breakers are tripped at the post the weaker they become and then they have to be replaced. I would be more concerned if the breakers didn't trip when I used all of those things at one time because that is when you start frying your wiring and that is a major cause of fires anywhere there is electricity.

 

[wesley1963]

If you are tripping breakers that should tell you that you are trying to run too many things at a time. The things that use the most amperage are the-air conditioner, the microwave, any heaters-like the water heater on electric mode or room heaters or the fireplace. As long as you don't use more than one major draw at a time you shouldn't be tripping the breakers. Some rv parks don't like for people to use the 30 amp. service because the more the breakers are tripped at the post the weaker they become and then they have to be replaced. I would be more concerned if the breakers didn't trip when I used all of those things at one time because that is when you start frying your wiring and that is a major cause of fires anywhere there is electricity.

In our case it isn't the fact that there are many things running, it's the setup. The whole back end, entertainment center, refer, door side slide, kitchen and island are on the same breaker. There are 17 outlets on the one circuit. It's always the same breaker and not the pedestal.

 

[boatto5er]

In our case it isn't the fact that there are many things running, it's the setup. The whole back end, entertainment center, refer, door side slide, kitchen and island are on the same breaker. There are 17 outlets on the one circuit. It's always the same breaker and not the pedestal.

The slide shouldn't be a factor. It runs off 12volts. Try running the reefer on propane. That will take some of the load off the 110 circuit. My reefer runs colder on propane than 110v also.


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[wesley1963]

The slide shouldn't be a factor. It runs off 12volts. Try running the reefer on propane. That will take some of the load off the 110 circuit. My reefer runs colder on propane than 110v also.


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That's true, my mistake, I meant the slide receptacle. Gonna try the propane thing, good suggestion!

 

[jimtoo]

In our case it isn't the fact that there are many things running, it's the setup. The whole back end, entertainment center, refer, door side slide, kitchen and island are on the same breaker. There are 17 outlets on the one circuit. It's always the same breaker and not the pedestal.

Wesley,, is this the 50amp main breaker that is tripping? Can you change the breaker out,, swap with the other one... you may have a very weak breaker.

If you do swap it out,,, be sure your unhooked from the pedestal or supply.

Jim M

 

[wdk450]

In our case it isn't the fact that there are many things running, it's the setup. The whole back end, entertainment center, refer, door side slide, kitchen and island are on the same breaker. There are 17 outlets on the one circuit. It's always the same breaker and not the pedestal.

If this is enough of a problem, a good RV professional should be able to break this extended circuit up into 2 or more circuits, bring wires for these new circuits back to the AC breaker panel, and add new breakers to the panel.