Main breaker keeps tripping and other problems

[deerhunter]

I own a 2004 Fleetwood Caravan that is 26 ft. When I run my ac and have my water heater set to electric the main breaker will trip. I also notice a real bad smell coming from the breaker and converter area. It smell's like crabs. I even get the smell when I only run the ac and nothing else. I'm also having an issue with the ac unit when I put it on high. It dosnt get cold. I had it serviced for these issues last year where I bought it from but the issues has come back. Any help would be great.

 

[glen54737]

Sounds like the converter is going bad it may be drawing too much power and combined with your 2 biggest loads it trips the breaker. I would suggest replacing the breaker also.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Which main breaker is tripping? One on the RV or the one on whatever source you are plugged into?

 

[deerhunter]

Which main breaker is tripping? One on the RV or the one on whatever source you are plugged into?

The breaker on the rv.

 

[hleap]

I am assuming this is a 30 amp service. Have you checked you line voltage? It could very well be a low voltage condition. You can cause damage to your AC and other appliances if the voltage falls much below 108 volts. Is there anything else on  in the trailer besides the water heater?

 

[deerhunter]

I am assuming this is a 30 amp service. Have you checked you line voltage? It could very well be a low voltage condition. You can cause damage to your AC and other appliances if the voltage falls much below 108 volts. Is there anything else on  in the trailer besides the water heater?

Microwave....Yes it is a 30 amp service. But like I said before if I only use the ac on low I get cold air but not when it is on high. And the crab smell is noticeable when only the ac is on low. I'm thinking I have a converter issue and the ac unit may need recharged if that is possible.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

My first check would be of the incoming voltage. Low voltage can cause this sort of problem because the amps go up as the voltage falls. Loose wires at the main breaker could also do it.  I'd also check for loose or corroded wiring at the a/c itself.

This is a 30A main breaker, I presume?

 

[John From Detroit]

I agree you may have a converter going south, or you might have a shorted cell on a battery.

On my coach (yours will be different) the converters can draw over 10 amps at full output.. Your A/C is about 10 amps as well and your water heater is like 12, so that's 32 amps. on a 30 amp breaker that = CLICK and darkness

If the battery has a shorted cell, it will draw the max out of your converter.

Of course some converters. draw a lot less. Where as mine can put out 80 amps, some only do eight (or less) to the battery

 

[Carl L]

Get yourself a plug in voltmeter -- most RV stores sell a cheap analog version.  Turn off the A/C and the water heater.  Just the converter should be running.  Note the voltage.  Turn on the water heater.  Note the voltage.  Turn on the A/C low.  NtV.  Turn on the A/C high.  NtV.  If at any point the voltage drops to 105VAC back off.  You may simply may have loaded too much on the 30 amp circuit.  Consider running the fridge and the water heater on LP while the A/C is running.

As Gary implies, the problem may vary with the shore power you are using.  A lot of campground wiring is marginal or has seen better days, and you can be starting with marginal voltage levels especially on a hot day when a lot of A/Cs are running.    A plug in voltmeter is really a required item for RVing.  Buy one and plug it into a easily visible outlet.  Mine is in a kitchen counter outlet.  Give it an eyeball before turning on the A/C.

 

[cattech]

Mine was doing this to. I found the inverter was going bad. It was drawing 29.8amps and putting out up18vdc into the batteries.

 

[deerhunter]

Thank's for all the reply's and advice everybody. But what about the crab smell that is coming from the converter area ? I'm almost 100% sure I have a bad converter. Gonna give all the advice a try and thanks again.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

A "crab smell" sure does sound as though something electrical got extremely hot for some reason, but the a/c unit has nothing to do with the converter, whose only purpose in life is to make 12v DC from 120V AC.  If you have an integrated 120V load center (circuit breakers) and 12VDC fuses + converter, then there may be a loose wire or perhaps a dead animal (mouse?) in that unit.  If you are comfortable working on 120v electric, you can dig inside and see what's up. If not sure of what you are doing, a professional electrician is recommended.

 

[deerhunter]

New update. We are at the same campground but on a different site. No more crab smell and the main breaker isnt tripping anymore. Havent changed a thing other then buying a inline voltage meter.

 

[DonTom]

New update. We are at the same campground but on a different site. No more crab smell and the main breaker isnt tripping anymore. Havent changed a thing other then buying a inline voltage meter.

That makes me wonder if whatever was shorted completely blew out, such as your converter. Do you know if your charging voltage is normal?

-Don- SSF, CA​

 

[Pierat]

Or there are no crabs at that site.

 

[Bobandpamlemay]

Deerhunter...boy does your problem sound familiar.  I spent about 2 months in south Texas this year at an older campground for older folks. We had power surges several times but no big deal until I started experiencing problems like yours. For no reason, we would blow a circuit as well as the main. I'd reset it and it would be fine for a few days although we did get a burning smell. I don't know about crab smell but it was not pleasant. When we returned from Texas, I opened up the panel on my converter only to find that all 7 of my neutral wires were fried about 2 or 3 inches back from the bus bar. This was an Atwood panel and of course out of warranty by about 2 months. I called the company and was told that the bus bar was not replaceable and that they only sell to dealers. I have some electrical experience so I decided to replace the bus bar with one that I bought at an electrical store. After splicing new wires on everything worked great. I then tested all on the plugs and found everything was perfect.

Hope my experience helps you.

Bob

 

[Carl L]

New update. We are at the same campground but on a different site. No more crab smell and the main breaker isnt tripping anymore. Havent changed a thing other then buying a inline voltage meter.

Hmmm.  You may have been suffering line voltage problems in your campground's wiring and by shifting to a new site you may have moved to a better leg in the CG's wiring system.  See if your voltmeter agrees.

 

[herd]

This is coincendental, I had exactly the same problem last week while camping. My main breaker would trip with no other breakers tripping. MY son-in-law suggested to turn off the HWH breaker, which I did and had no problem after that.

He thinks my anode is bad since I do not get much hot water on electric only and that the bad anoded cause too much draw to support everything else. I don't know if he's right or not but gotta this this fixed before next trip. I was reading a full 110 at my outlets.

 

[007]

Herd your anode rod is in place to collect minerals in water to protect the tank. The circuit breaker tripping could be caused by heating element shorting out after heating for a while, may have to change your heating element.

 

[Ned]

Herd,

The main breaker will trip if you're drawing more power than it's rated for.  What other appliances were running at the time?  Is yours a 30A service?

The anode rod has no affect on the power draw of the water heater.  It's purpose is to prevent corrosion of the tank and uses no power.