Replacing Circuit Breaker

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
IowaNomads

IowaNomads

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2017
Posts
52
Location
Iowa
Last night my wife blew a circuit cooking supper. After trying to reset them all and we still couldn't get power back I tried to reset the circuit in the box outside but still no luck. The owner of the park we're at said one of the circuit breakers in our rv needs to be replaced. There are 3 breakers with two switches on each. How do I tell which one is bad or is it best to replace all 3? We have a 1995 Fleetwood Bounder Class A.
 
Before you do that, you need to find out if that outlet is on a circuit protected by a GFCI. Outlets which are outside and near sinks have to be protected by GFCI's.

Did you shut off the breakers all the way then turn them back on?

Is your rig a 30 Amp or 50 Amp?

Did you check the breakers at the campground pedestal.
 
I assume you are saying that you have checked all the AC outlets in the RV with a lamp or hair dryer and no power.  Also you tried to run the air conditioning and microwave and they don't work either.  Additionally the owner of the park took a meter and measured the voltage at the power post.  Even if the park owner says the parks power is good, I would want to plug into another campsite to be sure.

If all the above is correct then you have truly lost all power.  It could be your main CB the pair marked main and are labeled "50" or a single CB marked "30". It depends on if you have a 50amp or 30 amp RV.  However it could be your power cord. 

Bottom line you really need to have a volt meter and measure the voltages at the shore power post and in the CB panel before replacing any parts. If you have never worked with AC power, you need to have assistance.  Working with 120V AC power is dangerous.
 
Rene T said:
Before you do that, you need to find out if that outlet is on a circuit protected by a GFCI. Outlets which are outside and near sinks have to be protected by GFCI's.

Did you shut off the breakers all the way then turn them back on?



Is your rig a 30 Amp or 50 Amp?



Did you check the breakers at the campground pedestal.
Click to expand...

I have a 30 amp rig. When the circuit blew it turned off the air, microwave, computer and TV. None are on yet. The owner did check it with an voltage meter and it did show power. I'm hoping to find an electrician that works on RVs as the only dealer can't look at it until mid December.
 
Do you know how to use a volt meter? It's an invaluable tool for a RV'er. The next step would be to see if you have voltage at the circuit breaker then with the breaker on, check for voltage coming out of the breaker.
 
"Blew a circuit breaker cooking Supper"

Likely in the bath is a GFCI. that may have tripped (Kitchen outlets are GFCI protected)

Also if you have an INVERTER. Could be the tripped breaker is on the Inverter. 

Seen both of those situtations many times.
 
John From Detroit said:
"Blew a circuit breaker cooking Supper"

Likely in the bath is a GFCI. that may have tripped (Kitchen outlets are GFCI protected)

Also if you have an INVERTER. Could be the tripped breaker is on the Inverter. 

Seen both of those situtations many times.
Click to expand...
The OP is saying the microwave and air conditioner are not working.  I don't see how the bath and kitchen GFCI would cause those two high current devices not to work.  The A/C should not be wired through the inverter so that should not be the problem.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions and possibilities. The problem has been solved. The offending breaker was extremely tight and it wasn't being shut off all the way to reset. Had to push down hard and it reset itself. I am going to invest in a volt meter and have the owner show me how to use it.
 
Was the breaker actually sticking or is it just the way it pops? I'm not sure about my camper but in my house if a breaker kicks, it only kicks half way. To turn it back on, you have to turn it off first and then turn it back on.
 
That was the problem. It was halfway but it didn't seem to go down any further so it wasn't resetting. I had to force it down then it worked. It will be changed out ASAP.
 
IowaNomads said:
That was the problem. It was halfway but it didn't seem to go down any further so it wasn't resetting. I had to force it down then it worked. It will be changed out ASAP.
Click to expand...

IMHO, I don't think you need to change it out. It did trip when needed to. The only problem was it sounds like you had to push it hard to shut off then you just positioned it on. To me it worked like it's suppose to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 770 (members: 8, guests: 762)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,928
Posts
1,387,649
Members
137,676
Latest member
traxster
Back
Top Bottom