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05-15-2011, 05:49 PM
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#1
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saint Charles
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #10832
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Upgraded my power converter to 55 amps
I still have a 30 amp breaker for all of my breakers which seems to trip off when 2 of anything is on. Kind of a low amount considering the other breakers add way more then 30 amps. Just turning two heaters on low is enough to trip it.
I haven't done my homework with my ampprobe yet but figured as long as I'm here I'd get some common sense from some of you experienced users. Is the wiring just done wrong with the two breakers that aren't on the ground fault sharing one breaker and once the water heater goes on the main trips too.
Thanks... Gary
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05-15-2011, 06:00 PM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Gardnerville
Posts: 749
M.O.C. #2165
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Gary, what model, what year?
Bob
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05-15-2011, 06:14 PM
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#3
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saint Charles
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #10832
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2000 Montana, 3150 I think. Don't have it here right now...
Thanks... Gary
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05-16-2011, 01:42 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: corning
Posts: 694
M.O.C. #6635
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Let's add up your loads.
Two heaters on low could be 15 amps.
Water heater could be 10 amps.
Fridge could be 5 amps.
Converter could be 1 to 6.
Other loads?
So, with that, you can see how the 30 amp breaker could blow under your described.
The heaters could actually draw even more, depending on thier size.
You may have other issues but IMHO you are pushing the limits of a 30 amp system.
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05-16-2011, 02:38 AM
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#5
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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I'm curious why you upgraded the converter? I would have upgraded the AC panel and feed wiring instead. That converter is gonna draw more current than the old one, assuming you had a 45 amp.
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05-16-2011, 05:31 AM
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#6
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saint Charles
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #10832
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I upgraded the converter because it was out. Didn't see the opportunity to change out the entire thing but that sure would have been easy enough. I have both heaters running on 750 watta and not full 1500 watts. They still blew. As I said before, I didn't bring along my ampprobe or I would have been more on this. Just kind of wanted to float this out to see what others were doing. I'll probably put a heat pump in as that will also fix the bedrooms lack of air conditioning. Mine isn't pre wired apparently as I don't see a cover up there near the vent so I'll have to figure out where to run the wiring. But getting back to the wiring I'll put the amprobe on it. I would easily agree that the two heaters on full and the water heater or the microwave would take out a small 30 amp breaker. But I'm not running the heaters on full so I was kind of surprised that everything on trips it even on low. I might just have a weak breaker since the heaters on are low.
Any suggestions as to where to find the upgraded 115 volt panel which will fit exactly where my panel is now?
Thanks... Gary
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05-16-2011, 05:55 AM
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#7
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saint Charles
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #10832
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I did a little looking and found a Parralex power center combination of a 50 amp 120/240 VAC service panel, DC Distribution panel and 55 amp DC converter. I'm wondering though if I can use a two pole over there or it's just one side of the 230 vac on that converter combination I have now.
Any knowledege on that?
Thanks.. Gary
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05-16-2011, 06:11 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Santa Fe Springs
Posts: 4,189
M.O.C. #639
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Gary I also have a 30 amp service in my 2980 rl, in cold weather if we ran a electric heater and any magor appliance it would trip the braker, then I tried it with the 50 amp pigtail then I would pop the main braker in the Monty, so what I ended up doing is putting in a 30amp Sub Pannel in the basement to run two circuts one duplex in the bedroom and one in the front room for heaters only, I made a aditional power cord that exits through the exterior wall of the basement most rv service towers have a 50 amd a 30 amp plug, I use the 50 amp pigtail for the new sub pannel because they have 2, 15 amp brakers for each plug in the Monty I was able to use it last cold spell and it worked great no popping brakers we ran a heater in the bedroom and one in the front room with no problems.
My set up is the frugal way to get aditional power into the monty safely and cheap if you want pictures I'll have to take some and then attach them to this post.
Don
this is where I put the cord through for power.
extra cords for the trailer and sub pannel
here is the sub pannel with 2 15 amp brakers installed.
I have another duplex at the TV entertainment center.
__________________
Pulling a 2004, 2980 RL an oldie but goodie.
Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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05-16-2011, 07:30 AM
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#9
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saint Charles
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #10832
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Send pictures.. Thanks a bunch.
Gary
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05-16-2011, 10:25 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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What distribution panel do you have? I know some of the old Keystone trailers used the WFCO 30 amp panels. They look to be the same size physically as the 50 we have.
My neighbor just bought a 2005 Mountaineer TT. It has the 30 amp panel I mentioned above. I don't think it would be that big of an ordeal to pull the heavier wire to the panel. Of course, get your checkbook ready when you buy that dang 50 amp plug for the RV. Oh, and they don't give that copper wire away either.
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05-16-2011, 11:17 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Eastern
Posts: 1,155
M.O.C. #7270
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Jim Fisher can anwser better than me but a 30amp breaker will only maintain 80% for very long so you are looking at maybe 24amps total. 2 heaters on 750 watts pull 12.5 amps. WH the same so that is 25amps rite there.JMHO
Bobby
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05-16-2011, 02:34 PM
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#12
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Seasoned Camper
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Saint Charles
Posts: 86
M.O.C. #10832
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I have the Magnetek with the 45 amp converter recently upgraded to 55 amps. I will probably will look it over with my amprobe since I'm not clear if that is only 115 going over to that panel anyway and the 50 amp apparently has two 115 volt legs which doesn't do me much good without re-wiring it. It's not a big deal to rewire it so I might do it depending on how hard it is to get into the main power coming in. Any advice on that would be great.
Thanks... Gary
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