30amp hookup

Eyephoto · 11-29-2015, 09:35 PM

As I was camp host for a season, I would get this complaint that the pedestal breaker would blow because of the LP gas/electric water heater.

This weekend, my rig, a 50amp pig tailing to a 30 amp was throwing the breaker. It was also raining this weekend. Is there a fix? Maybe an additional ground on the hot water tank?

SuperGewl · 11-29-2015, 09:38 PM

After things dry out, cover the pigtail adapter where it adapts to the 50amp plug with plastic so that you don't any moisture on the connection. It works every time, when done right.

You may also want to add some Dielectric Grease to the connector also.

Eyephoto · 11-29-2015, 09:57 PM

Used vasolene (available) and dried everything. Still didn't work. even stretched to the next site pedestal, same results. Moved to a 50amp site had no problems.

Okiedoke · 11-30-2015, 03:59 AM

Is it a GFI breaker?

twinboat · 11-30-2015, 04:43 AM

You are running a 50 amp X 2 RV off of a 30 amp X 1 service.

Just to much draw.

HHIDan · 11-30-2015, 05:17 AM

Keep in mind, 30 amps is 30amps at 120 = 3600 watts
50 amps is 50amps at 240 = 12000 watts.

Much more than twice the amount of power..

ChasA · 11-30-2015, 05:59 AM

Doesn't your coach have an energy management device? If it does, it should have shut off the power to the water heater before the breaker tripped.

Eyephoto · 11-30-2015, 06:35 AM

I have a switch on the hot water tank and in the rig, also flipped the non used breakers, (IE)eng heat, air cond. water heater. The Ult Free has a power manager, and it sensed the 30 amp. I had power at that point, I tested the draw with the microwave, as soon as I turned it on, it tripped the GFI on the pedestal.

HHIDan · 11-30-2015, 06:56 AM

If it trips the GFI (ground fault interrupt) that has nothing to do with the quantity of current it has to do with current leaking. A GFI measures the current that goes out on the black wire and compares with the current returning on white neutral, if they are not exactly the same then the circuits shuts off. You microwave may be defective and potentially dangerous. I would unplug it and try again to make sure...

twinboat · 11-30-2015, 06:59 AM

So you don't have a breaker problem !!

You have a 30 amp ? GFCI problem.

Very different.

Bigd9 · 11-30-2015, 07:00 AM

I do know in my coach, GIF outlets and refrigerator running on electric just don't mix. It trips the GIF.

I had a problem with my previous coach tripping the GIF. I found when the coach was built, the manufacturer put a screw right through a coax cable shorting the neutral and ground wires. The cable worked fine unless we were hooked to a GIF breaker protected outlet.

70ChevelleSS · 11-30-2015, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HHIDan

If it trips the GFI (ground fault interrupt) that has nothing to do with the quantity of current it has to do with current leaking. A GFI measures the current that goes out on the black wire and compares with the current returning on white neutral, if they are not exactly the same then the circuits shuts off. You microwave may be defective and potentially dangerous. I would unplug it and try again to make sure...

A GFI breaker will trip if it detects a ground fault. It will also trip, like a standard breaker, if you draw excess current. Can't assume it's a ground fault problem with the microwave.

Rockwood27 · 11-30-2015, 07:31 AM

I'm just trying to understand the facts:

You have a 50A MH with a power management system like the one on my Itasca. You're using a dog bone for 30 to 50 amp. You're plugged into a 30 amp outlet and the circuit breaker trips. You state that the GFI on the pedestal is tripping. Question: The 30A CB is a GFCI? This would be rare. Is the 30A CB or the 20A CB tripping? I know when I plug my Itasca into a GFCI, it trips either from the Norcold refrigerator on electric and/or the WH on electric. I don't know which one causes it. I no longer plug into a GFCI outlet.

Eyephoto · 11-30-2015, 07:50 AM

In this state park camp ground, all circuit breakers on the pedestal are GFCI.

mel s · 11-30-2015, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eyephoto

As I was camp host for a season, I would get this complaint that the pedestal breaker would blow because of the LP gas/electric water heater.
This weekend, my rig, a 50amp pig tailing to a 30 amp was throwing the breaker. It was also raining this weekend. Is there a fix? Maybe an additional ground on the hot water tank?

Eyephoto
IMO the "fix" is electrical energy management.
When using a 50A coach connected to a 30A campground receptacle use as little on 120VAC as possible by running the water heater and the refrigerator on propane ....and heating the coach with the propane furnace rather than electric heaters...
(If you do not attempt to draw more total amps through a circuit breaker than the amps the breaker is rated for the breaker will not trip).
Mel
'96 Safari

wa8yxm · 11-30-2015, 08:58 AM

This is called Eva Gabor Disease. Or Mrs. Douglass Disease.. Reference:
TV show.. Green Acres Eva Gabor played Mrs. Oliver Douglass (At least I think it was a double s)

Oliver (Mr. Douglass) had labeled all the appliances according to how much current they drew.. The generator could only put out "SIX" so if you plugged in more than SIX it blew the generator (They did not have "Mains" power save in one episode) Mrs. Douglas could not add so she often plugged in 8 or 9 or 10 worth of things and BANG went the Genny.

Finally they got Mains power.. Well when they connected she overloaded once again.. (This show was on duing the 60's when we had the first half of the nation electrical black out .. That was the producer's theory as to the cause) Hence the name. and a funny memory.

Rules according to Readdy kilowatt
Big ticket items include Air Conditioners, Space heaters, Water heater and in some rigs with low batteries the converter (Mine can draw over 1,000 watts, that's the small one, the other one (Which I keep on standby) is larger).

The Fridge is a "Medium load) at around 250-450 watts.
My Freezer, at 36 watts, is ... Forget about it (Small load)

ON 15 amps you can run ONE big item.. just one, (or all the smaller ones) and you MIGHT not be able to run an A/C.
On 20 amps.. One Item some smaller ones and that one item includes the A/C. You may need to keep Fridge on Propane to use the A/C though.

On 30 amps.. TWO items but only one of them can be A/C So the A/C, and Converter with low batteries, or the A/C with Microwave OR water heater.. This assumes you have good 30 amp service, if the serivce is weak and/or the voltage is low you may not be able to run that much.

50 amp.. All you can eat.

So you need to be aware of your limites and unlike Ms. Gabore on the TV show.. Make sure you do not overload.

Finally.... I am starting to see some 30 amp GFCI breakers in Parks... That's a whole nutter can of fish bait.