EMERGENCY FROM NEW NEWELL OWNER! we keep tripping the pole breakers and they are getting real hot. i am showing a 24 amp draw. one leg showing 0 watts on leg one and 3300 on leg 2. I hate electricity so any help is appreciated! Thx
2005 47'
I would check the plug on the end of your power cord first. First, disconnect for shorepower, see if the situation is normal on generator power. If it is, the power cord (typically the plug) is the most likely candidate to be causing the problem. It may require getting the plug off the cord and purchasing and installing a new one. If you have the same issue on generator power, then the issue is in the transfer switch or in the coach itself.
NOTE: To keep from co-mingling issues, I have moved this post to a new thread.
(08-23-2015, 09:26 PM)Fulltiming Wrote: [ -> ]I would check the plug on the end of your power cord first. First, disconnect for shorepower, see if the situation is normal on generator power. If it is, the power cord (typically the plug) is the most likely candidate to be causing the problem. It may require getting the plug off the cord and purchasing and installing a new one. If you have the same issue on generator power, then the issue is in the transfer switch or in the coach itself.
NOTE: To keep from co-mingling issues, I have moved this post to a new thread.
Thx so much.
Bruce,
Hi - my Newell is a '99, so I don't know how things might be different on your newer coach. But I love electricity, so surely some of what I have to say might help!
First the power available at a perfectly working post is 50 amps per split phase. That is a total of 100 amps at a nominal voltage of 120.
Now, just to keep this easy, I will assume basically resistive loads, so watts are AMPS * VOLTS. So under ideal conditions ( not likely in the real world ) you could get 100 * 120 = 12,000 watts from the post. This could also be written as 12KW.
That is ideal and assumes a perfect load distribution from you coach ( won't happen ) and breakers that deliver their total rated current ( not likely either ). Now you probably know your generator is rated higher than 12KW. Well, that is because your coach can easily exceed the 12KW or less available at the post before its breaker trips. Unless things have changed, you are in charge of managing the load on your coach to stay under the capacity of your available power supply. I think that is one reason Michael suggested running on your generator. It would provide more power before tripping and would also run the loads through the other side of your transfer switch.
Your big power users are: Dryer, Stove, AquaHot ( on electric ), and your air conditioners. Try to do without the first three when on the post until you figure out what is going on. Your A/Cs should be balanced two on one leg and two on the other ( assuming you have four ).
The information you gave on current draw and watts is not making sense to me. Check it again when on the generator. The 24 amps you mention equates to 1680 watts at 120 volts. So I don't know where the 3300 number comes from. More information from you on how the coach meters each leg would be helpful. Pictures are always good!
You say the breakers on the pole are getting hot. Normally there are two breakers ganged together - one 50A per leg and either tripping, trips the other. It is pretty hard to tell if one is hot or not, if either is hot they both seem hot. Now there are only a couple things that can make a breaker hot. One, you are pulling a lot of current through it due to a big load in the coach, or there is a bad ( loose, corroded , etc. ) connection at the breaker. If you can be sure it is not the coach overloading the breaker ( using your metering information ) you may ask the park maintenance person to check the breakers for a bad connection. They will often just replace the pair and remake the connections.
If you really have load only on one leg, your transfer switch or power plug are the prime suspects. Shoot back any questions you have.
Russ - EE
It is also possible that the post supply is not up to snuff on one leg. Easy to check, fire up the gen, is all this then good the problem is somewhere between the transfer switch (including the transfer switch contacts on the pole side) and the campground supply system.
thx to all. been out of pocket in europe and asia but found out it was the pole. wasn't up to snuff. back in the coach this week and can't wait. thx again. b