50amp main - half working?

[Cougarkid]

So, we came home Thursday night, after dinner, and went into the rv. Lights are working, but the microwave is off, tv is powerless, laptop (left on) is in "critical" battery state and the 110v outlets aren't working.

I check the 50amp main on the rv and it is on. Off and on and still no power.
Go check the 50amp breaker in the garage and it is on. Off and on and still no power.
Pop the basement door and the converter is not running.
Grab the mutimeter, take the covers off the boxes and start checking everything. None of the breakers have power.
Power coming into the main box, but I only have power coming out of one side of the 2-pole 50amp main.

So................................................
I pull the 50amp main out of the box, swap the 2 large wires going out (they feed the sub-breakers and a secondary breaker box) and pop the main back in.

Tada - power to the rv again.

Go inside and start checking everything out. All the outlets work. TV's work. Microwave is on. Coffee maker works. Frig is on (using elec).

All is good!

Well, we have been using the heat strip in the rear ac as suppliment heat to the propane furnce. Last night I noticed that it had not been coming on. (we have had a warm spell, but got colder last night).

Today I turned the thermostat WAY up, and it didn't come on. Switched it to ac, cranked it down and nothing (well, the relay would click, but no heat or cool). Fan will not run. I did not check the rear ac when we initially lost power.

Is the main rv and front ac using half the breaker and the rear ac wired to use the other half? Rather than swap the wire again and see what happens, I an going to buy a new 50amp breaker and install it (only about $15).

Is it possible that half of the double pole 50amp breaker is bad?

[KIX]

Yes sir, that is possible

[mgscott4]

Check out this writeup about 50 amp power.

RV Electric

[Cougarkid]

Mgscott4, thanks for the link, great stuff.

Bought a new double pole 50amp breaker for $7.98 at Sutherlands. Went out and swapped it out with the old one. Put the 2 wires back on the original posts.

Went inside and the rear ac worked but no other 110 in the RV.

Put the slide in half way (to get to the plug) and checked the power at the outlet. 110v On one pole and 32v on the other.

Took the old breaker and went onto the garage. Tested the 50amp breaker in the box and it was giving me 110v and 32v.

Swapped out the breakers and now 110v on both poles. Back to the RV and EVERYTHING works now.

Right idea to start with, just wrong breaker that was bad. Luckily both breakers were SquareD.