Slideout issue - stops part way, wait, then finish?
- Thread starter Peteandsharon
- Start date
To my way of thinking, if one breaker trips, and the second one is there, there would not be current to operate, since the circuit is open with the tripped breaker. With this thought, having the second breaker there is not the solution. I fixed the problem with the single larger breaker, and it works just fine. I have not had it trip once in many uses, and have grabbed the wires after all the slides are in, and they are not hot, so I know the system is working, and it will not be a fire issue. Now, before I get yelled at here, I am NOT and electrician, so be kind. I just did the work myself, because I'm cheap, and don't want to spend money on an electrician for something as basic as this was. The single 80 amp breaker was only a few dollars more than the 50 amp breaker, so the cost was cheap. My purpose here is to help people make an informed decision for themselves, as I have done. I read other posts, and learn from each of them. I hope someone will be helped by my experiences, as I have been here on the forum.
Thanks for letting me have a say.
Steven
Thanks for letting me have a say.
Steven
caissiel
Senior Member
2 off 50amp breakers are 100amp total protection and 1 off 80 breaker is 80 amps protection.
it takes a load of 101 amps to kick the both 50's and the load will kill both as the first goes the second takes the total load.
so if 80amps take the load it will only take 81amps to kick it thus being a safer load.
i doubt the 2 off 50's will be able to take the load equaly and posibly kick earlier then 101 but the posibility is there on the wires.
it takes a load of 101 amps to kick the both 50's and the load will kill both as the first goes the second takes the total load.
so if 80amps take the load it will only take 81amps to kick it thus being a safer load.
i doubt the 2 off 50's will be able to take the load equaly and posibly kick earlier then 101 but the posibility is there on the wires.
branson4020
Icantre Member
Laurent,
It doesn't work like that at all. Here is something for you to puzzle over. Breakers in parallel:
40A + 40A = 80A
40A + 50A = 80A
40A + 60A = 80A
40A + 70A = 80A
40A + 80A = 80A
It doesn't work like that at all. Here is something for you to puzzle over. Breakers in parallel:
40A + 40A = 80A
40A + 50A = 80A
40A + 60A = 80A
40A + 70A = 80A
40A + 80A = 80A
jmgratz
Original Owners Club Member
All I know is I was told by Lippert the circuit is designed to handle 100 amps but only was breakered for 50. I was told to add a 50 which I did. My coach is a 2007 and the newer ones may be different. I had thought this issue had be addressed by Heartland since it has been occurring since 2005 but I guess not. When will this be fixed? I have no idea.
rick_debbie_gallant
Well-known member
Okay, I am slow. From what I understand I will be safe using a 100 amp breaker? It is a manual reset. My plan is to check the wiring when I reset the breaker should it "POP"
danemayer
Well-known member
Something to think about: in normal operation, the pump motor pulls less than 50 amps, so the breaker has no need to trip, and the wires will not be hot. So feeling wires when things are working right doesn't tell you anything. BUT, if there's a problem causing the pump to draw more than 50 amps, that's when the higher current may overheat the wires and create a fire issue.
The unknown part is how long before you overheat the wires.
branson4020
Icantre Member
The voltage drop of 4 ft of #6 cable at 80A is only about .1V ( one-tenth Volt). It will never get even warm.
Peteandsharon
Well-known member
Ok guys,
So I've read this back and forth debate and it seems to me that nobody is mentioning the most obvious fix. Why not just replace it with the same 50 amp breaker. That's what was originally installed and it worked fine into it's fourth season. Seems to me I try that and if the problem becomes chronic I take the next step up the chain.
So I've read this back and forth debate and it seems to me that nobody is mentioning the most obvious fix. Why not just replace it with the same 50 amp breaker. That's what was originally installed and it worked fine into it's fourth season. Seems to me I try that and if the problem becomes chronic I take the next step up the chain.
I guess that you deduced rather than proved this. I was hoping that branson4020 would reply.
OK. In a parallel circuit, total current(It) = sum of branch currents. It = I1 + I2. Since the breakers have the same resistance, the current in each branch equal each other. Therefore, I1 = I2 = I Substitute in the summation equation, It = I + I = 2xI. Since the 40-amp breaker will be the limiting breaker, it will trip first. That means that the total current is 80 amps (It = 2 x I = 2 x 40 = 80), 40 amps in each branch. Total current will then flow through the remaining breaker. Since the remaining breaker is rated for less than the total current, it will also trip. Therefore, the total current is all cases is 80 amps or 2x40. QED.
Thanks. This is OK but you are assuming that the breakers have the same resistance. I think that breakers (the thermal kind) have a lower resistance as the breaker rating increases. (Of course I may be thinking incorrectly) Thus more current will always go through the higher rated breaker. The relationship may not be linear, as heating is proportional to the square of the current value. Magnetic breakers, and shunt type breakers probably behave in a similar manner as some resistance is required to sense current.
Willym, true, these thermal trip breakers have different resistances. Lacking knowledge of the resistances, I stated the assumption that the breakers have the same resistance. The resistance will change with temperature, so as the higher current carrying breaker heats up its resistance increases. How close will the higher capacity resistance come to the lower capacity breaker resistance as temperature rises? Don't know. Will they more equally share current? Maybe. If the higher capacity breaker carries more current will it trip before the lower capacity breaker? I just chose the simpler example. Time of parctical use is short, so probably close enough. When the lower capacity breaker trips, the higher capacity breaker will not be far behind and trip.
Thanks. With all assumptions (i.e.unknowns), the only way to figure out the behaviour of parallel operation of different breakers would be to test them. Let me know what you find out.
Texasturtle
Texas Turtle
We just had major repairs to our 2007 Bighorn 3400 due to axle damage courtesy the Tulsa highway departments bad road work. Prior to the repairs our slideouts would pause while bringing in the bedroom and then the dining area. During the repairs they realigned all three slideouts.......no more issues. No work was done to the electrical system. We had heard no grinding or rubbing but there must have been just enough to strain the system.
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