RESOLVED - Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

[TxCowboy]

We tripped the pole breakers in the RV park again this morning. It is hot and humid here and everybody was running their ACs today, including us.

We have the Progressive Power Management System that comes standard on the 2015 LM Key West. We're also running a good surge protector at the pole.

When we lost power, it was all AC current items. After we lost power from the pole, the Power Control System monitoring system showed No 50 Amp Service -- which is, I believe, what it should be showing. When we reset the pole breakers, this PCS monitoring system showed that no systems had been shed. It is showing that I have L1 & L2 both at 118 volts with L2 dipping occasionally to 117 volts.

Is there a problem with power at this pole?

if not, then somehow I'm tripping the pole breakers without exceeding 50 amps which, if I understand correctly, should have had the Progressive PCS shedding systems, right?

Which part is the likely culprit here?

 

[jnbhobe]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

Maybe the breaker at the pole.

 

[danemayer]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

As voltage drops, amps go up. If everyone is running 2 or 3 air conditioners, the park may not be supplying consistent voltage.

 

[mlpeloquin]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

Progressive protects against over, under voltage, open ground, open neutral, and EMS. It does not shed the loads going through the line or adjust voltage. Have you looked at the connector on the power pole? The connector may be worn and or oxide build up could be causing a problem. I have been spraying the power connectors with a cleaner every time I plug in. The power pole's circuit breaker could also be worn and tripping with lower than rated current in high heat. The rating current is most likely at 25C, or 77F.

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

My unprofessional explanation of the Power Management System...
I believe the Power Management System is to manage the draw from the coach. You usually don't have any problems on 50amp service. But if you were on 30amp service or Gen power, and trying to run more then the 30amp can provide, it will shed the lower priority devices.

 

[ram_1955]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

I would guess a bad breaker at the pole. A couple of years ago with a smaller trailer with 30 amp service we tripped the breaker a couple of times moved to the second plug on a separate breaker and had no further trouble.

 

[donr827]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

I would guess a bad breaker at the pole. A couple of years ago with a smaller trailer with 30 amp service we tripped the breaker a couple of times moved to the second plug on a separate breaker and had no further trouble.

X2 you might measure the voltage at another site, not on same circuit, and see what it measures. If you are the only one tripping it probably is the pedestal breaker.
Don

 

[lynndiwagoner]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

The breakers at the pole have been flipped on/off so many times that they are more than likely defective.

 

[TxCowboy]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

X2 you might measure the voltage at another site, not on same circuit, and see what it measures. If you are the only one tripping it probably is the pedestal breaker.
Don

Don, this is my guess -- a weak pedestal breaker. There are four RV on this same circuit and I'm the only one who tripped a breaker yesterday.

Also, I just read the Progressive PCS monitor and L2 on this pedestal is still showing 117 volts. L1 is at 120.

 

[mlpeloquin]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

We tripped the pole breakers in the RV park again this morning. It is hot and humid here and everybody was running their ACs today, including us.

We have the Progressive Power Management System that comes standard on the 2015 LM Key West. We're also running a good surge protector at the pole.

When we lost power, it was all AC current items. After we lost power from the pole, the Power Control System monitoring system showed No 50 Amp Service -- which is, I believe, what it should be showing. When we reset the pole breakers, this PCS monitoring system showed that no systems had been shed. It is showing that I have L1 & L2 both at 118 volts with L2 dipping occasionally to 117 volts.

Is there a problem with power at this pole?

if not, then somehow I'm tripping the pole breakers without exceeding 50 amps which, if I understand correctly, should have had the Progressive PCS shedding systems, right?

Which part is the likely culprit here?

I think I figured out what you are referring to. Do you mean Precision Circuits Power Control System? (http://www.rvtechmag.com/showcase/61_PCI_EMS.php) Progressive Industries does not make a power control system that sheds power.

If it is, then you still might want to check, if you have one, the connections at the power reel. We tripped the pole breaker several times in the desert with one slightly loose, and one loose, connections at the power reel, but only when we drew a lot of power. The internal breakers did not trip, only the pole breaker.

 

[TxCowboy]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

Yep, bad breakers at the pedestal. Camp Host is replacing them now.

 

[jbeletti]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

Yep, bad breakers at the pedestal. Camp Host is replacing them now.

Cool - let us know if that fixes you up and we'll mark this thread SOLVED.

By the way - for all those reading, when you see the Mods append SOLVED to the front of a thread title, it's let readers know that a solution / resolution can likely be found in said thread. This is handy as many of us have similar issues at one time or another.

 

[TxCowboy]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

Replacement breakers returned the voltage from the twin 50 amp breakers back to the 119 to 120 range. Also, according to the Camp Host, the RVs in the front of the park, like us, are all having similar issues with breakers and under-current issues. We're also all running off the original 1985-ish electrical connections -- nothing has been updated in this section of the park since the wiring, plumbing, etc., was originally installed.

Anyway, Jim, you can probably marked this thread as SOLVED!

 

[wdk450]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

A couple of comments.
It has been my experience that AC breakers that trip due to legitimate overcurrent conditions repeatedly will start to trip at currents LESS than their rating. This is probably the best failure mode to have in an electrical current overprotection device. I don't know about the using a breaker as a switch part of the question, as this is not a common use outside of RV parks.
My Progressive HW-50C Electrical Management System sheds the load when unsafe incoming AC voltage conditions are encountered, such as low or high voltage, reversed polarity, open neutral, etc. It also has electrical spike protection. The OP mentioned his readout of voltages and currents. When the power came back on were there any "PE" (Previous Error) codes displayed on the readout?

 

[TxCowboy]

Re: Tripped the breakers at the park pole -- again

A couple of comments.
It has been my experience that AC breakers that trip due to legitimate overcurrent conditions repeatedly will start to trip at currents LESS than their rating. This is probably the best failure mode to have in an electrical current overprotection device. I don't know about the using a breaker as a switch part of the question, as this is not a common use outside of RV parks.
My Progressive HW-50C Electrical Management System sheds the load when unsafe incoming AC voltage conditions are encountered, such as low or high voltage, reversed polarity, open neutral, etc. It also has electrical spike protection. The OP mentioned his readout of voltages and currents. When the power came back on were there any "PE" (Previous Error) codes displayed on the readout?

None whatsoever. Also no error codes when the pedestal breakers tripped previously.

 

[Jesstruckn/Jesstalkn]

I believe the EMS is to catch any current problems. The week breaker was tripping because it was week. Not a electrical problem, that the EMS could detect. As it was happing before the EMS.
Just my thoughts anyway.

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

 

[mlpeloquin]

The Progressive EMS is the same as mine. It does not shed loads. It opens the circuit to protect your rig. Power management systems that shear loads are like http://www.precisioncircuitsinc.com...8/00-10020-000-PowerControlBrochure-Rev-B.pdf

 

[wdk450]

The Progressive EMS is the same as mine. It does not shed loads. It opens the circuit to protect your rig. Power management systems that shear loads are like http://www.precisioncircuitsinc.com...8/00-10020-000-PowerControlBrochure-Rev-B.pdf

I apologize for my poor terminology. Of course, the EMS relay opening to protect the load devices (as the system was designed to do) also is shedding the entire load.