HELP me please - electicity issue

[pjhalata]

Hello, I am a newbie and need some help please. I have a 2000 Windsor and have been plugged into my house for the past month with no electrical problems. I just moved to a park and plugged into their 50 amp box. After ~24 hours of service (12 hours continuous tv service) the power to my front end tv and dish box started surging and then stopped. After the third cycle of surging over a one hour period, I lost power completely. I had power to the microwave, but now none anywhere. My "block heater" breaker tripped and will not reset, but all the others appear to be okay. The park replaced their breaker, but still no power, even when running the generator. Any ideas? Thanks in advance to all....

[westek]

I am assuming that you checked the circuit breakers in your unit and all except the block heater are OK, right. What about your plug into the park power service. Do the prongs look like they are melted or overheated? Just a thought. But you said you don't have power with the generator running? I know that there is a box usually where your shore power goes into that has a contactor that switches from gen/shore power. Maybe something in that box like the contactor has gone bad. Just some thoughts I had. Someone that has a better idea will be along and help. Hang in there.


William & Boo

[RJay]

It's possible that something may be wrong in the automatic transfer switch like westek said. Do you have a surge protector??

[Dr4Film]

Well, it certainly doesn't sound very good at all. First off, do you have any type of surge protection? Do you have a Progressive EMS Protection system?

I would start first by checking all of the circuit breakers from the pedestal making sure they are all good. Then if you have a VOM meter, you can use that to verify that you have voltage from the pedestal all the way to your coach and through your coach. Also check the inverter/converter to make sure it is working correctly. it has circuit breakers too. Then there is also the transfer switch that channels your electric from either the shore power or the generator, that should be checked to make sure it is working properly. There may be fuses that will need to be checked too.

Worst case scenario is that you may have toasted the electrical system with the surges you experienced. If so, then it isn't going to be cheap to repair and replace.

Once you have all of this figured out and have corrected the problems, if you don't have it already, I would invest in a Progressive EMS system for around $350. It will save you a lot of headaches and grief.

Dr4Film ----- Richard.

[pjhalata]

thank you. I will open the engine compartment tomorrow in the daylight and see what I can find. The park said they will get an electrician out tomorrow. Unfortunately I have no manuals for this coach and don't know what to look for.

[RVhauler]

Sounds like primary cause could have been a 'floating" ground on the park side. Have electrician check voltage on pedestal both to pedestal ground and neutral and from "earth" ground. This may have "fried" a number of items in MH. A quality surge protector is a "must have" item.

["007"]

Welcome to irv2 pjhalata.
Your transfer switch will be located in your electric bay where your shore power cable enters.
Your 30 or 50 amp shore power cable will enter the TS along with feeds from the Gen and your load center inside your coach.
Here is a link explaining your power systems both 12v & 110v.
Your TV and dish box maybe off a small inverter located in a outside compartment and may have a GFI controlled outlet on it. The inverter will feed off your house batteries.
Unless you are in real cold weather you do not need your block heater on its just adding more current drain on your electrical system.
When you find your transfer switch open off cover, disconnect all power into coach, check the wire connections especially the shore power cord for any loose wire connections the screws should all be tight. Check the Gen & load center cables also.
If you find any loose the wiring on them may have melt insulation and fused the wiring together.
Let us know how you make out and we will work from there.
One caution do not cross your screwdriver to the circuit board in TS.

While I can't give you a Monaco Manual try this one for 2000 dp.
General description of items may be similar.
May find this of use also.

[ArmyEOD]

Check your inverter/converter box (maybe close to your house battery bay or under your bed) It will be a Box with large wires wires going in and out. Anyway if it is anything like mine it will have fusing/breakers on it. Be sure they are good and or set. When mine trips it will shut everything down.

Also check breakers on Gen set!

If it is the transfer switch you can get a 30 AMP for around 100.00 or 50 AMP for around 200.00. Easy to put in just besure you are unplugged from shore power and no gen set. It shoulld be located on the other end of you shore cable in the coach.

Besure to get a surge protector for you rig also.

Hope this helps let us know.

[RJay]

I took this information out of my Iota Automatic Transfer Switch owner's manual:

FAILED TIME DELAY CONTROL MODULE: It is possiblefor a voltage spike, etc. to cause the time delay module to fail: if this happens the switch will no longer transfer. Transfer Switch models have a diagnostic LED mounted on the control module circuit board. If the module is receiving 120 VAC input and is operating properly, the LED will be lit. This means the control module has timed for the 20-30 second delay and is now providing power to the coil on the relay. If the module input is energized and the LED does not light after 30 seconds, the time delay function in the module has failed, and the module should be replaced. To verify this, try setting the time delay switch on the board to the delay bypass position; the switch should transfer with no delay. Note that this position will allow emergency operation until the module can be replaced; however there will not be a 20-30 second delay for generator start-up. All repairs should begin by unpluging and replacing the control module first. However, if the LED is on and the switch is not working, then the control module is functioning properly and the switch has other problems, such as a failed relay or contactor, and the entire switch should be returned for replacement.

[Monacoach]

I doubt that the time delay would result in no power from any source.

[pjhalata]

OK, I called Monaco tech support - talked to both
chris and Jason - they are both great help - they walked me through things - I have power coming into converter, but no power out, so the problem is in the converter. I will take it out and take to a local rv place to hopefully just get a circuit board replaced.......

thank you all for your help - it was very useful - however I did not locate the transfer switch - yet, but that is not the problem. I look forward to asking more questions in the future and I will let you know about the inverter....

nomaste,
Paula

[westek]

Hi Paula,
Isn't it great when you can get help from a forum and tech support like this?! I am so glad it worked out for you. Good Luck and Have a great Christmas.

William & Boo

[pjhalata]

fyi, if anyone is interested...I did buy a surge protector and it will not allow power to my rig. Upon further investigation, I found 133v on one leg of pole and 106v on other leg (surge protector allows 102v to 132v) ONE time and 117v and 120v 15 minutes later! A definite issue with power supply!!

Is it possible and safe to adjust my 50 amp TRC surge guard to allow 133v?

[KIX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjhalata Is it possible and safe to adjust my 50 amp TRC surge guard to allow 133v?

In my opinion, no.