Help! Breaker trips with 2 A/C units and 30 amp travel trailer

[CrispyBones]

Originally Posted by Ray,IN

This is interesting reading: https://www.coastalclimatecontrol.co...=default&page=



Create a plus and minus chart before making a decision. This will get you started;
Plus -A/C units start easier, Minus- 2 soft starts cost $600 and you stil have a 30A RV.
The ask yourself, should I spend $600 for 2 soft starts, or spend $600 to upgrade my RV to 50A service?
Only the main breaker panel (RV specific) and wiring from it to the pedestal require upgrading, the present wiring in the RV is adequate for everything else.


OTOH, this Hard Start unit accomplishes the same outcome as a $300 soft start, RV-AC Hard Start Kit

Appreciate the feedback. Some good information here.

[Mbconnolly]

Originally Posted by CrispyBones

Ouch. If I'm not mistaken your rig is a 2021? I'm hoping that since mine is a 2022 that I don't have the same issues. Per one of my prior posts the previous owner used both AC units at the same time without issue.

So, you did not have any luck pursuing the matter with Winnebago is my guess. From what I remember there was one other person (Wdgranger) that did?

It almost appears that the EMSystem may be faulty? I've owned a Starcraft with an A/C and a microwave and was able to run both at the same time on a 30amp system without any issues. The same should apply here as long as the 2nd unit isn't trying to engage.

Hi, yes, we did get them to upgrade it but it took getting a lawyer involved to get resolution.

[CrispyBones]

Not sure why Winnebago is resistant to the upgrade even though they themselves have admitted that the power inside the unit is inefficient. No, they haven't come right out and said it but the new TT's come with a 50amp set up rather than a 30amp EMSwitch configuration. That says everything.

[Mbconnolly]

Oh, completely agree! The owner’s manual says that a second A/C unit requires 50 amp service too.

[Wdgranger]

As I said earlier, Winnebago agreed to convert my trailer to 50 amp. The dealership was able to help me with that, I didn't have to go to a lawyer, yet.
My Minnie has been in the shop since late September and I still have no ETA.
Have you been able to get yours fixed?
Of course mine is also waiting on parts for the fresh water tank. They installed the tank incorrectly and it almost fell out onto the highway when I was 1,000 miles from home. I had to ratchet strap the tank in for the remainder of the trip.
I bought my trailer 225 days ago. It has been in the shop for 154 of those days, with no end in sight.
I'm about to lawyer up and tell them that I either want a new trailer or my money back.

[dkoldman]

There is a time for all things as each reach their breaking point at different times. I don't recall reading many success stories of where a lawyer was engaged with favorable outcome other than the guarantee the lawyers get paid.

There are so many factors and details about each case where is difficulty to broad brush a opinion without knowing. I hopes it works out, but the planned tactic of legal fight may not bode will. You put WBGO in the position to FIGHT your attorneys and not be able to continue to help you even though you are dissatisfied with their help.

[creativepart]

Wdgranger, I agree it’s really horrible that you’ve had problems like this, but we know from other users that it’s not always Winnebago that is the problem getting things repaired. Dealers, in some other cases, have been the hold up. Not Winnebago. Naturally you call the servicing dealer and they put the blame on the manufacturer. But we’ve seen more than once that the dealer is the problem and hasn’t order the parts, orders the wrong parts, even fails to act at all because the repair isn’t a priority to them. This isn’t always the case but many times it is. It’s difficult for you, the owner, to know what the true hold up is.

There is a tendency to see the dealer as “Winnebago,” that’s what we’d assume with an automobile. But RV dealers have much less connection to the manufacturer.

It’s time consuming and not very pleasant but you might try getting Winnebago Towables Customer Support on the line multiple times to become the squeaky wheel that forces the dealer to act and stop making excuses.

In general, the two things you’ve mentioned don’t take a lot of time to complete nor require much in the way of difficult parts to source.

Be aware that vehicle lemon laws in most states don’t cover travel trailers. So, lawyers may not have much success on your behalf. If your brother-in-law is an Attorney and it’s free maybe that’s Okay. But otherwise think carefully about how to proceed.

[Mbconnolly]

Yes, they brought our TT to WBGO to upgrade it, but it blew a tire on the way back here and we are still waiting for it to be fixed. Sigh. Like you, we brought our TT in for this issue in September and haven’t gotten it back yet. The lawyer definitely helped get their attention because we were getting brushed off. We really hated to have to resort to that but didn’t feel like we had a choice.

[Wdgranger]

Winnebago had pretty much admitted that;
A: they were supposed to send the dealer the parts list needed, and then the dealer orders the parts. Winnebago failed to do that until I called customer service to find out what the deal was.
B: Winnebago sent the wrong parts. Again, they admitted that.
C: Winnebago pretty much admitted that the tank was installed incorrectly.

Pretty funny paying a storage facility for the privilege of parking a trailer that I don't have.

[Wdgranger]

Don't hire a lawyer? It worked out for Mbconnolly

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Wdgranger

Don't hire a lawyer? It worked out for Mbconnolly

Is selling an option? No need to continue a new marriage and you have seemingly this much grief up front. If your wife made a few mistakes ( i.e wrecking the car, or garage, forgot to call the roofer, and it rained in the house and admitted to them; but she is trying to fix...

You can
1. Wait until all the issues are resolved in peace and not give her grief the rest of her / your life. ( I have not seen where WBGO said "No" yet?
2. Get a divorce ( sell the trailer)
3. Hire a lawyer who may somehow appear to threaten her to do what she was already trying to do, because in a court that you or the lawyer you hire will never see; any Judge will tell you... you have no case as you have to allow the time for issue to be resolved; which is exact same Option as #1

[Mbconnolly]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

Is selling an option? No need to continue a new marriage and you have seemingly this much grief up front. If your wife made a few mistakes ( i.e wrecking the car, or garage, forgot to call the roofer, and it rained in the house and admitted to them; but she is trying to fix...

You can
1. Wait until all the issues are resolved in peace and not give her grief the rest of her / your life. ( I have not seen where WBGO said "No" yet?
2. Get a divorce ( sell the trailer)
3. Hire a lawyer who may somehow appear to threaten her to do what she was already trying to do, because in a court that you or the lawyer you hire will never see; any Judge will tell you... you have no case as you have to allow the time for issue to be resolved; which is exact same Option as #1

I think the assumption is that consulting a lawyer means going to court. It did not in our case. We consulted a lawyer, he reviewed what happened with us to that point, agreed that it was a misrepresentation of our TT functionality, and wrote a letter to WBGO and the dealer (so that fingers could not be pointed at the other party). We never went to court. Yes, you could wait it out, it we had been given the brush-off by both the dealer and WBGO for months. Getting a lawyer involved was not our first choice…or even our second choice, but I am so glad that we did.

We considered selling, too, but what kind of resale value would we have on a TT that wasn’t performing? We thought we would lose most of its value. ☹️

Best of luck with however you decide to handle this. It is very frustrating and we can relate to paying for an empty storage unit for 6+ months!