Electrical issues on a 1990 Fleetwood Southwind

[smittythebear]

Hello,
This is a new problem for my Southwind.  I have 30 amp service, am running my refrigerator and (new) AC on electric, as well as computer, radio, etc. when wanted.  For the past couple of weeks, the main breaker has been popping off, and, when powering back up, we ease into using the air.  It will run for a while, then do it again.  Monday, the breaker would not stay on, even with nothing apparently plugged in and running.  We have replaced all the breakers, checked the voltage on all the wires, breakers, etc., and found that one wire coming out of the top of the power center has no power nor does it light up the continuity tester.  All other wires and breakers show continuity.  I isolated the wire, and it goes into the floor right behind the power converter (2 separate boxes in my RV).  When I plug in the shore line (which shows continuity, the box shows 30 amps, and the wires going from the shoreline connection to the RV show continuity) the only thing that gets power is the new AC.  I have called RV repair shops, trusted RV repair companies, and my handy-dandy brother in law.  I seem to think that the cable without any continuity to it is the culprit, but I have no way to get to it (sealed in at the bottom and runs under the floor) or know whet it even goes to.  Help!!!!!! I am a campground host for the summer and do not want to live off batteries during the night and a potential mess with the electrical when I run the AC.  Any ideas, suggestions, etc. would be more than welcome.  Oh, I forgot that one side of the power center does not show continuity, but all the fuses are good.  I am ready to take the back off the power center to determine if there are broken wires there, but it doesn't solve the unknown wire that shows there is no circuit. 

 

[cbeam2]

Did the issue start with the new A/C you put in or did it develop later? Could the wire be going to the generator?


chuck

 

[smittythebear]

We bought the RV used, but the air had been put in within a year.  I can't find any wiring diagrams for the RV, nor can I find out what are the main wires that are in the top of the power center - one in the main and it is connected to one side.  The other is??? and is connected to the otherside.  The unknown wire shows no continuity when I test it.  The generator breakers are god, the fuses are intact, but it won't start, although it did start earlier this week.  I am prepared to go buy a new power center/converter combo and install it, but I still do not know what the other wire is for.  I looked at the genny and there are 5 white wires plugged into it where I can see it.  Any ideas?

 

[seilerbird]

We bought the RV used, but the air had been put in within a year.  I can't find any wiring diagrams for the RV, nor can I find out what are the main wires that are in the top of the power center - one in the main and it is connected to one side.  The other is??? and is connected to the otherside.  The unknown wire shows no continuity when I test it.  The generator breakers are god, the fuses are intact, but it won't start, although it did start earlier this week.  I am prepared to go buy a new power center/converter combo and install it, but I still do not know what the other wire is for.  I looked at the genny and there are 5 white wires plugged into it where I can see it.  Any ideas?

I cannot understand what you mean by a wire with no continuity. Could you take a photo and post it here?

 

[smittythebear]

I am using a 110v continuity checker.  You put one end on the side of a non live wire and touch the other wire with your finger.  If the instrument lights up, the circuit is complete.  One wire that is wired into the top of my converter has no continuity - there is a break in the circuit somewhere and I do not know where this wire goes.  The other wire is the main power wire, and I just replaced the shoreline (I just got back in from doing that), there is a complete circuit coming into the camper from the shore line, but when I attach it to the power  converter wires, there is nothing - nada, zip, zilch, except a faint clicking when the outside power is plugged in - actually just one click.  Does this sound like a power panel problem?  I noticed when I replaced the shoreline that the ground had melted where it was connected to the ground that goes into the camper.  Sorry I don't have a picture - I have been working on this for 4 days, tried all the fixes recommended to me as well as those that I thought of, and I am whipped.  There are no traveling repairmen that come out this far, and I have had to drive 2 hours each time I went to get a part.  Now I'll go get some cheese to go with that whine !    Any, and I mean any hints, etc., are welcome because I am at the point where I am gong to drove 3 hours tomorrow to get a new power centre and shoreline and get them put in and if that doesn't work - I will probably be out of money as well as patience.  Thanks for letting me vent, too.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I don't understand how that method could check continuity, but it could be checking for voltage on that wire (a different thing altogether). In any case, I don't see what that wire has to do with a circuit breaker tripping. Breakers trip when the amp load is excessive, which means something is drawing too much power.

You say the main (30A) breaker now trips even with nothing running? No a/c, no fridge, etc.?  That does indeed sound like a problem in the power center (perhaps the converter/charger portion) or its immediate wiring (a short, not an open circuit).

That unknown wire could be a feed from the generator, or it could even be the +112v for starting the generator.

 

[Alfa38User]

Do I understand correctly that you have 2 distinct problems, 1: the Generator will not start  2: a power centre problem of a blowing the main c/b???  They may or may not be related but the c/b has to be solved first. Try disconnecting the generator output at the point where it actually connects into the RV, i.e. power cord connector or ATS output. That will eliminate any problem related to the generator for the moment.

Can you get your hands on a diagram online, or even installation instructions, for that particular make/model power centre? Or even a more recent model may give you a clue. That may help you identify what the unknown wire is for and reveal whether it may or may not be a problem.

The click is likely a relay operating. with some help you might be able to localize it and get a clue. The melted ground seems to indicate a short to the ground wire at some point, not a good thing!. Did it look old or recent?? Sure seems to tie in with a c/b trip and the more often it trips, the less current it will require to trip again. Now likely far from the original 30 amps when new.

The continuity test he is using is likely a capacitance test reflecting the charge/discharge of the wire + finger.
Any and all continuity tests I have had to do involved metallic connections in order to prove the case. (All except very long telephone cables where the DC charging and discharging of the long cable could reveal open pairs. They are, effectively, a huge capacitor.) The two wires you are using in your test may not be connected or are only connected after a relay operates etc, hundreds of possibilities. I wouldn't put much credibility on that particular test without a diagram to back it up.

Unless you can find an identical power centre, you will likely run into problems connecting a new one without knowing which wire goes where.

 

[jmerritt]

Are you sure that you didn't take the 30 amp supply and run it through the A/C breaker since that is the only one that works? What color is the wire that you say doesn't show continuity? Does your generator work, and if it so does everything work? Sounds like it could be a trnsfer relay problem but without seeing the whole electrical center it is hard to troubleshoot.

John