electrical plugs

[hrthiessen]

I plugged into shore power while generator was running. I blew the circuit breaker on shore. Now I have no power at any of the plugs that are operated by the inverter. Any suggestions

[toneumanns]

Originally Posted by hrthiessen

I plugged into shore power while generator was running. I blew the circuit breaker on shore. Now I have no power at any of the plugs that are operated by the inverter. Any suggestions

Reset your GFI outlets including the outlet on your inverter. Also switch all your CB's on & off a few times without power applied to insure that they have reset.

[BFlinn181]

Your Auto Transfer Switch probably protected you from doing any real damage, even though I wouldn't make a habit of it. The imbalance between ground, neutral, and hot probably tripped all your GFI's, as toneumanns suggested.
Your transfer switch should have a delay built in, to allow your generator to stabilize before connecting. The delay is also to give your A/C a chance for pressure to equalize before restarting the compressor. Without that delay, you could blow circuit breakers or do damage to the starting circuits in the A/C. You can't instantaneously switch from one 120 v source to the other. You also shouldn't start gennie or plug in shore cord with loads on the circuits. A/C, heaters, etc. should be off to prevent problems.

You'll just have to reset the clock on the microwave!

[historyljc]

Welcome to the forum. The above advice should get you through. If not, it's probably time to call someone.

[GaryKD]

Without knowing the year and brand/model of coach many assumptions are being made. If the coach has a transfer switch, it should default to the generator position. Therefore connecting to shore power with the generator on would have no effect on the coach. Shore power would enter but not leave the transfer switch. We need additional information about the coach and the situation.

[Old Scout]

Unless your transfer box is faulty [or missing], plugging in shore power while on genset should not be a problem--genset has priority over shore power in the xfer box so it will switch immediately. If no power to your inverter by-pass circuit, fuse botton on inverter may have tripped. However, if plugging into shore power caused the breakers to trip, you need to find out why x-fer switch didnt flip.

[nbounder]

First lesson: be sure all breakers are OFF before plugging in. I have known a number of folks who purposely turn the breakers ON before plugging in. I have looked at their plugs when they were breaking camp (with their permission, of course) and the tips of both hot lines were visibly burnt from the arcing that occurs when plugging into a hot outlet. Bad practice - avoid live receptacles.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by nbounder

First lesson: be sure all breakers (in pedestal) are OFF before plugging in. I have known a number of folks who purposely turn the breakers ON before plugging in. I have looked at their plugs when they were breaking camp (with their permission, of course) and the tips of both hot lines were visibly burnt from the arcing that occurs when plugging into a hot outlet. Bad practice - avoid live receptacles.

I added the part in RED to make it clear, you aren't suggesting turning off all the CBs in the RV before plugging in.

On my first trip to Australia I was fascinated that ALL outlets have an on/off switch to shut off power before plugging or unplugging cords.

[wa8yxm]

You may have a serious issue.

In your RV there is a device called a transfer switch (Full name is normally automatic transfer switch) The job of this switch is to "TRANSFER" the "loads" (read that every electrical device in the RV, or if you like the entire RV) from "Shore" power to Generator power when the generator is running, it is supposed to COMPLETLY disconnect the shore cord under these conditions.

Thus. if you plug in with the generator running it should be like plugging in an extension cord with nothing on the other end of the cord.

HOWEVER when you shut off your generator,, If you have, say Air Conditioners running.... Then there is one heck of a load when the A/C's cut out and immed cut back in, this leads to a "Stalled rotor" condition on the motor and maximum current draw which can easily exceed 50 amps for an average roof A/C.. This will do two things.

1: Trip the shore power breaker
2: Fry your auto-transfer switch (If you do it once too often)


NOTE: how completly does the Transfer switch Transfer....

Let me describe what I (And a few others) call a "Poor Man's Transfer Switch" This is common on many trailers that use portable generators by the way.

You physically UNPLUG from the park and physically TRANSFER it to the outlet on the Generator.

That is how completly the ATS is supposed to transfer as well.

[nbounder]

BFlinn181 - the clarification was well written. Thanx...I should have thought of it myself. but I shall use age as the excuse this time. -

[hrthiessen]

Thanks, it was the ground fault in the bathroom.