Bad Voltage

[Leno]

He did check to see if everything was tight. I watched him do it. He said everything looked good. I will talk to him about checking the outlets themselves, but the problem wasn't just with one or two, it was most of them.
My question now is..should we have surge protectors inside. If the Progressive system only does the job when it's from the outside, shouldn't we have protection inside?

 

[jbeletti]

He did check to see if everything was tight. I watched him do it. He said everything looked good. I will talk to him about checking the outlets themselves, but the problem wasn't just with one or two, it was most of them.
My question now is..should we have surge protectors inside. If the Progressive system only does the job when it's from the outside, shouldn't we have protection inside?

I was researching Whole Home Surge Protection for my new "sticks and bricks" home and all the systems I found, viewed Surge Protection as a 2-stage plan, with stage 1 being to add protection at the "service entrance" and stage 2 being to add protection at the "point of use" for sensitive items (electronics). Should this same approach be taken for RVs? I'm no expert in this area, so I can't say. But it seems to make some sense and it sounds like cheap protection.

That said, I believe what you are wondering is, "did we experience an internally generated power surge?". My sense is that you didn't, as I just don't know how that may have happened - though I have no other theory as to what happened to your TV or Microwave.

I think the current assumption is that there's no way that the EMS allowed a surge through or that it allowed very low voltage through on one AC leg. And I think that's a reasonable assumption. Consideration though, should be given to the theory that the EMS did fail and perhaps should be returned to the manufacturer for testing.

Best of luck to you in figuring this out and please keep us informed on this thread as to your findings as it could be very beneficial to others.

Jim

 

[wdk450]

Leno:
Any switch or breaker switching could have slightly burnished the switch/breaker internal contacts (probably temporarily) curing the problem. I have a posting on another thread about how I discovered that a low-cost electric heater with a pilot light showed bad connection wiring at certain outlets. Connected to a bad outlet the pilot light flickers some while changes in the heat and fan noise are unnoticeable.
If the transfer switch is NOT being used by a generator installation, it would seem to me a good idea to wire in jumper wires around the transfer switch so that you are not relying on those contacts.
I hope your electrical problems are resolved for good.

 

[recumbent615]

with regards to using surge protection at the outlet - I have to agree that this is cheep insurance - I have then installed on my TV since that is the most expensive piece of equipment that "plugs in" in my RV. I also plan on doing the same at the outlet that I will plug in my computer too.

 

[SilverRhino]

Last year when we rewired the house, I added surge suppresion at the service panel........Still kept suppressors on all the AV and computer equipement....including telephone lines that supply internet service. Much cheaper to double up on the protection than to replace expensive electronic gear.

 

[porthole]

Leno - where you in or near any thunderstorms around the time the micro went out?

Are you sure your progressive is still working correctly and not stuck in "bypass" mode?

 

[Leno]

The plot thickens.. This morning, our power went out for a few seconds. Not sure yet if others lost it in the park, we will find that out today. Everything came back on except the tv in LR. We have direct tv and also a vucube for satellite. Went outside to reset the vucube. Still wouldn't come back on in LR. After trying two times, we unplugged the vucube from the RV and plugged directly into the pedestal. Came right on. Now was it just a fluke or is something wrong with that outlet on the RV. Bought an outlet & gfci tester yesterday and checked that outlet with it and seems fine. Also just noticed the light on the gfi in the bathroom was on and reset that.

The progressive seems to be working. Current reading is L1-115, L2-117. However this morning I checked it and it was 105 and 114. Don't really know much about the numbers.

 

[porthole]

The progressive seems to be working. Current reading is L1-115, L2-117. However this morning I checked it and it was 105 and 114. Don't really know much about the numbers.

Your coach has two 120 volt AC lines coming into it through the big 50 amp cord (4 wires in the cord, two hots, red and black, a neutral, white and a ground, green).

L1 and L2 are the voltage readings at the EMS at that moment. There should be a scrolling display that will first show voltage, then current, e.g. how many amps are being drawn on that line. Any error or fault codes should also be displayed during the scroll.

The lower voltage on the one line could have been the water heater, a coffee pot and some other high current draw at the time. Watch the scroll again and look to see what the corresponding amps and voltage are for each line.

Our trailer had an unbalanced load at the panel, meaning the high current loads were all on the same line in.
It is easy enough to move things around to "balance your panel"

 

[Leno]

Ours right now is reading L1-between 113 & 115 fluctuates and 6A. L2- is reading 118 and sometimes 3A, 4A and sometimes OA then 60H, EO
Currently the washer is going and a tv.

Others in the park did lose power this morning also..

 

[Rob_Fla]

Wow Leno, sorry for all the problems.

Hope you get it resolved quickly

 

[2psnapod2]

If I am not mistaken those are the numbers that your coach is pulling. Mine fluctuates also. But kicks off the power if needed. It has done it a couple of times here. I disconnect the coach from the pedestal and reconnect. It clears the faults and then does good until the next time.

 

[wdk450]

One proactive action you can take trying to stop the electrical problems is to pull off the facing on the power panel to where you can see the connecting screws and wires on the circuit breakers. WITH THE TRAILER DISCONNECTED FROM ALL POWER ELECTRICAL SOURCES tighten all wire connecting screws. These things can vibrate loose in travel.

 

[Leno]

Yes Bill, we have checked all that..Thanks everything nice and tight.

 

[Leno]

Someone is telling me that it has to be the inverter..Where would that be on the Big Horn 3670??

 

[jnbhobe]

Someone is telling me that it has to be the inverter..Where would that be on the Big Horn 3670??

Behind the basement wall beside the steps to the bedroom.

 

[2psnapod2]

Behind the basement wall beside the steps to the bedroom.

Unless someone installed a Inverter after market, it does not have a Inverter. It does have a converter.

 

[JohnDar]

Someone is telling me that it has to be the inverter..Where would that be on the Big Horn 3670??

Unless you installed one or ordered one installed, you don't have an inverter. You have a converter. It takes 120V power supplied from the breaker panel, via a dedicated circuit (see circuit breakers) and make 12V from it. That supplies the lights and other 12V devices in the trailer, along with charging the battery. It has nothing to do with 120V systems. An inverter does the opposite, converting 12V power into 120V power.

Someone is telling you something they don't know anything about. The converter is normally located behind the basement wall in a 3670, mounted on the floor extension above the black tank. Below is a photo of mine, which I relocated to a more accessible mounting.

.View attachment 17793

 

[jnbhobe]

Opps!! I didn't see that right just read converter. Old age I guess

 

[Leno]

Thanks for this info...

 

[Leno]

We have made an appointment at Camping Connection near Clermont for March 2nd. Sure hope they can help us and will post our findings..