Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > MOC Technical Forums > Maintenance
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 06-12-2022, 06:01 PM   #1
twindman
Montana Master
 
twindman's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Mesa az
Posts: 2,925
M.O.C. #5651
Question Need fuse panel help

My bedroom A/C quit (after blowing the breaker). I think the voltage got down to 104 on that leg even with little amp draw. I reset the breaker and the AC won't even run the fan.

I wonder if the breaker is bad and now the question - Can I pop out a 20A breaker with power still on the rig - and nothing on the breaker turned on???? Otherwise I can power everything off and do it. I could then swap the other 20A breaker and try out the AC to see if the breaker is bad.
Thanks in advance.
 
__________________

Tom and Gail
2013 Mountaineer 362
2012 Silverado 2500
twindman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2022, 09:43 PM   #2
rohrmann
Montana Master
 
rohrmann's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,676
M.O.C. #12947
It's possible if you are careful, but to prevent damage to the panel and to yourself, I would at least suggest turning off the double 50 amp main breaker. I'm guessing you have checked the breaker for power with a voltmeter? If there is power at the wire terminal at the breaker with it turned on after a proper reset, then the breaker is good. No power with it turned on, then replace it. A proper reset of a breaker is a full movement of the handle to the off position followed by moving it to the on position.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
rohrmann is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2022, 07:12 AM   #3
Daryles
Montana Master
 
Daryles's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,654
M.O.C. #24086
Buy a multimeter, then you don't have to remove the breaker. Just check for voltages along the way and at the AC unit itself.

Using a multimeter
https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electric...-meter-basics/

Basic uses of a multimeter for RVers


Be aware the 120vac power goes from the breaker to a "Power Sharing Switch" behind the basement wall on the ceiling under the stairs. This Switch is for the 3rd AC unit to share the circuit breaker with the bedroom AC BUT only allows the 3rd unit to run IF both are turned on at the same time.
__________________
Daryl and Marianne,
2019 3130re 20th Anniversary Edition
2016 F350 Lariat
Daryles is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2022, 08:41 AM   #4
BB_TX
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,133
M.O.C. #6433
Can you pop out the breaker? Yes, if you are careful and know what you are doing. But unless you have a reason you need to leave power on I would turn power off.

I had the 20 amp breaker for my bedroom A/C start tripping a number of years ago. Replaced the breaker and it never tripped again.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
BB_TX is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-13-2022, 10:44 AM   #5
AZ Traveler
Site Team
 
AZ Traveler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Oro Valley
Posts: 3,898
M.O.C. #20477
Tom and I swapped his breaker this morning. It appears he has a bigger issue with his a/c as it did not correct the issue.
__________________
Zack and Donna plus Millie and Ranger
2018 3160RL

"Life is too short to stay indoors, enjoy the ride!"
AZ Traveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2022, 02:18 PM   #6
BobStack
Montana Fan
 
BobStack's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2020
Location: BUZZARDS BAY
Posts: 113
M.O.C. #25753
How long did you run it on low voltage? At that low of a voltage your compressor would’ve been running extremely hot there is a possibility that you could’ve done damage.
__________________
2020 Montana 3781RL
2020 GMC 3500 Denali HD Diesel SRW
20k Demco slider hitch
BobStack is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2022, 09:55 PM   #7
rohrmann
Montana Master
 
rohrmann's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Box Elder
Posts: 4,676
M.O.C. #12947
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daryles View Post
Buy a multimeter, then you don't have to remove the breaker. Just check for voltages along the way and at the AC unit itself.


Be aware the 120vac power goes from the breaker to a "Power Sharing Switch" behind the basement wall on the ceiling under the stairs. This Switch is for the 3rd AC unit to share the circuit breaker with the bedroom AC BUT only allows the 3rd unit to run IF both are turned on at the same time.

Just to make others aware, the rig in question is a 2013 model, and those do not have any "Power Sharing Switches. This feature would only be available on much newer rigs, so on these "old rigs", each A/C unit has it's own dedicated breaker and does not share with any other loads.
__________________
Bob & Becky
2012 3402RL
2012 Chevy 2500HD D/A CC 4WD
rohrmann is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-22-2022, 10:53 PM   #8
firestation12
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Mesa
Posts: 277
M.O.C. #24588
Since you state that even the blower fan doesn't turn on, and the breaker has been replaced, your focus should be on determining if there is both 12 volt and 120 volt power at the a/c unit. A trip to the roof is where you will probably have to look. Without proper knowledge or test equipment, your investigation will be limited to looking for and smelling for, burnt wiring.....or the start run capacitor (which is usually a dual type that supplies a starting circuit to both the compressor and the blower motor) can sometimes give tell tale signs that it has failed by manifesting a domed top where the wires are connected. Poor voltage and voltage spikes are capacitor killers.
firestation12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2022, 09:30 AM   #9
richeyb
Montana Fan
 
richeyb's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Mountain Home
Posts: 121
M.O.C. #22661
I have a Progressive EMS that protects my Montana electrical System. When it detects low voltage it turns off the electrical circuit. of Course this cuts power to our AC, once the EMS cycles and turns on the power the AC will kick on. This will continue until the low voltage issue is solved. Bottmline it’s an electrical issue not an AC issue.
__________________
Idaho, 2017 Montana HC 380, Cummins Onan Gen,Step Above Morey steps, Progressive 50 amp surge protector
Winegards Playmaker Satellite Dish,Anderson Hitch, Solara Slide-out Toppers
richeyb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-23-2022, 09:51 AM   #10
firestation12
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Mesa
Posts: 277
M.O.C. #24588
Not so fast

Quote:
Originally Posted by richeyb View Post
I have a Progressive EMS that protects my Montana electrical System. When it detects low voltage it turns off the electrical circuit. of Course this cuts power to our AC, once the EMS cycles and turns on the power the AC will kick on. This will continue until the low voltage issue is solved. Bottmline it’s an electrical issue not an AC issue.

Other than a loss of freon, an A/C failing to work IS and electrical issue. The electrical issue may be internal to the unit itself such as: shorted or open compressor winding= electrical issue, blown start/run capacitor= electrical issue, low voltage thermostat circuit/fuse blown= electrical issue, circuit board failure= electrical issue. The OP may very well find his problem outside of the A/C unit itself, but there is no smoking gun here that says to eliminate looking for the problem under the A/C bonnet.
firestation12 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:29 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.