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03-30-2010, 03:26 PM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pensacola
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #10275
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Wiring Setup in 2000 3555RL
Has anyone had this problem before? We purchased a 2000 Montana 3555 in September. It had a 50 amp cord and plug on it. The unit had a W/D hookup, single A/C and electric/propane water heater. We had a 1500w ceramic heater to help in colder weather and wired it with the microwave circuit. Only could use one or the other. No Problem! With propane going out of sight we had a Duo-Therm 15000btu heat pump installed. Trouble started with the breakers blowing. Checked out and found a 30A main, 20A piggy back, and 2 double 15A breakers. This came through a 45 Amp converter. In the rear by the 50A cord plug was a double pole 30A breaker. Decided to change the converter to a 60A with 18 12V circuits. When I took off the rear breaker it was connected to a 10-3 and a 10-2 romex. I did research and found the 50A service needed 6ga wire so I installed new 6ga copper stranded wire to the front converter panel complete with 8ga ground. Now I feed the panel with 2 120v hot wires, 1 6 ga neutral and 1 8ga ground wire. This is what I feel should have been done to start. After getting the new wires hooked up I never did find the 10-3 wire anywhere in the wiring up front. I still do not know what they did with it. Everything works, all the plugs and circuits have proper voltage and it is a mystery to me.
Has anyone else had this problem?
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03-31-2010, 02:44 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Posts: 2,710
M.O.C. #7992
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I never owned a 2000 Montana so this is speculation. If I am following what you found my guess would be that a previous owner did some modifications to fit his/her own needs.
__________________
2006 3000RK
2009 Ram 2500
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03-31-2010, 04:50 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Casa Grande
Posts: 5,369
M.O.C. #6333
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Mystery wires aside, don't you love it when a plan comes together? I really envy you guys with the electrical smarts, However, having said this, I CAN CHANGE A LIGHT BULB....
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03-31-2010, 05:39 AM
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#4
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pensacola
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #10275
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jimcol
I never owned a 2000 Montana so this is speculation. If I am following what you found my guess would be that a previous owner did some modifications to fit his/her own needs.
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Thanks for the reply. Looking things over it seems that this was done at the factory. I feel this because of the way the wires were run. Since I posted I think that I may have found where the other 10ga wire goes. I think it could possibly go to the bedroom for a second AC unit. That could explain why I never found it around the load center.
Jack
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03-31-2010, 05:52 AM
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#5
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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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Sounds like you got your Monty dialed in for Electric, as for problems in poping brakers, It happens to me when we put in the 1500 watt heaters in cold weather, we have to turn off the Frig and run it on Gas along with the water heater.
I'm not picking on Keystone so dont take this wrong ALL RV manufactures are guilty of the same thing Low grade wiring systems, example are running multiple plugs and having an appliance hooked to that circut (coffee pot) and most of them are 900 to 1200 watts, and a good one is 1500 watts, they put this worthless sticker on saying they meet all code regulations ( for a trailer maybe ) if it was a stick house it would be rejected by the inspector. they have 14 ga wire in my Monty for the plugs which are mostly all hoocked together with a few GFI plugs.
I would pay extra for a good electrical system in a newer rv, but that day has not come to the RV industry yet.
__________________
Pulling a 2004, 2980 RL an oldie but goodie.
Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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03-31-2010, 12:44 PM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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We have a 2000 3555RL which we bought new in May 2000. Except for the circuit running through a 20-amp breaker in the back (for washer/dryer), the power was connected through a 30-amp breaker to power the converter (another 30-amp breaker). This breaker was main power for all the circuits in the rig (except washer/dryer) including the A/C.
When I had solar installed, I disconnected the input power from the converter and disconnected the converter.I rerouted the A/C to the back of the rig to a spare 20-amp breaker which allows the A/C to operate only on shore power.
The input power goes directly to the 2000-watt inverter. The output power from the inverter is then routed back to the 30-amp breaker in the unused converter to power the rest of the rig.
Reason we did this is because it was most difficult to operate some appliances with the A/C running without popping breakers.
I guess I don't quite understand what jadinolfi's problem is/was but this is what we did.
Orv
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03-31-2010, 01:49 PM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,376
M.O.C. #6575
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jadinolfi
Checked out and found a 30A main, 20A piggy back, and 2 double 15A breakers. This came through a 45 Amp converter.
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That confuses me. The only thing that comes through the converter is DC for the battery and DC circuits.
Also, I simply cannot see the factory wiring a trailer for 30 amps, and supplying a 50 amp cord. Me thinks someone altered the wiring.
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03-31-2010, 02:49 PM
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#8
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pensacola
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #10275
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by SlickWillie
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jadinolfi
Checked out and found a 30A main, 20A piggy back, and 2 double 15A breakers. This came through a 45 Amp converter.
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That confuses me. The only thing that comes through the converter is DC for the battery and DC circuits.
Also, I simply cannot see the factory wiring a trailer for 30 amps, and supplying a 50 amp cord. Me thinks someone altered the wiring.
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03-31-2010, 02:51 PM
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#9
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New Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Pensacola
Posts: 6
M.O.C. #10275
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Sorry for the confusion. I was just relaying what I found and what I did to correct it. This electrical was not aftermarket it was factory. I can tell this because of the way the wires were run inside the walls. Also my converter and my service panel are all part of the same unit. One side is 240v and the other is 12v. This is all new along with the new 6ga supply wires I ran. Hope this clears up what I was saying.
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