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dulin · 05-13-2009, 04:35 PM

Help!!!! We own a 2004 Terry Travel Trailer. When purchases we got a second ac installed, which they didn't install on a separate power sources. First summer in Lake Havasu breakers blowing like crazy. Got second ac put on a separate power source. But to this day we are still blowing breakers. We have replace the breaker and are about to replace it again.
If main ac is on, and we put on coffee pot or tooster, blow dryer, Just about anything. We blow. We have a small fan also that blows right on breaker panel with the door open. I am so tired. Help

EngineerMike · 05-13-2009, 05:07 PM

Do you have a 30A or a 50A service?
If 30A, the service should have been upgraded to add the 2nd A/C (and would have required a new AC panel if the orig was a single bus type).
RV air conditioners vary from maybe 10A to 16A. Add a 1500w blow dryer (12.5A) & you are at 22.5-28.5A. Add maybe 3A misc loads (TV, converter, etc., i.e. stuff that is always on) and you go to 25.5-31.5A, i.e. at or over the 30A main limit.

If you add up the connected loads and know you are under the breaker limit, then I'll guess you have a poor connection that is causing heat and drawing current to overcome it. For that you'd need to start checking from the pedestal and check the cord head for heat, then the cord end where it connects @ coach (probably to a transfer switch if you have a gen), then at the coach side of the xfer switch, then at the panel. Usually I'd just go in and tighten down the connections at each point then see if the condition still exists. At the pedestal if the plug blades are getting hot then the pedestal's outlet spring clips are no good, but since it sounds like you've had this trouble elsewhere, that probably isn't the issue.

TXiceman · 05-13-2009, 05:40 PM

As discussed above, but check your voltage in the trailer as well as at the pedestal. All of the power rating for appliances are generally at a full 120 vac. The A/C will try to produce the same amount of power whether at 120 volts or at 108 volts. At 108 volts, you will draw about 10% more current. A heater type device will just produce less power and take longer to heat. So be sure and check the voltage in the RV with the appliances running.

A simple thing to do and pick up a couple of volts during low power conditions is to switch the frig to gas and the water heater to gas.

Also are you tripping the RV or the pedestal breakers?

Ken

GaryKD · 05-13-2009, 06:03 PM

Hi dulin,
Welcome to iRV2. The previous posts offer good advice. Besides letting us know if your RV is 30 or 50 AMP service, could you tell us how you go about connecting the second service for the second A/C? I'm interested in knowing where you are plugging in the RV power cords.

"007" · 05-14-2009, 11:00 AM

Welcome dulin to irv2.
Good info above.
If you have 50 amp service each AC should be on its half of load box not doubled up on same side as the other. Most likely you have 30 amp service and may have to supply one AC on a power cord to pedestal for its own service feed.