Community Forums

meffrig · 03-02-2014, 08:48 PM

Camping World just installed a hard wired Surge Guard (model 34560) on my 2014 Thor Windsport class a motorhome for me. I am visiting a friend and have plugged in to 110 outlet from his garage. I have the proper adapters (50 to 30 to 20 amp) and have power coming into the coach- however the red caution light on the Surge Guard continues to flash. Line 1 and Line 2 light up green as in good to go. I realize I won't be able to run everything in the coach since I am on limited power. Should I be concerned about the flashing caution light? Thanks!

94-Newmar · 03-03-2014, 03:45 AM

The caution light can mean 1 of 2 things:

1) When first plugging into shore, the red caution light blinking means that the SurgeGuard is in a 2 minute countdown mode before passing the shore power onto the coach. After 2 minutes the caution light should go out, 120v power should be present in the coach.

2) If after the 2 minute delay and you have 120v being passed into the coach, a red caution light blinking can mean a wiring problem by seeing any AC voltage to ground.

Triker56 · 03-03-2014, 07:40 AM

If Camping World didn't give you a owners manual with it.
Download a PDF Here

is.chowa · 03-03-2014, 02:50 PM

So you have a 50A service in your coach and are connecting to a 110 15-20A service if that is correct then possibly you are supplying power to 1/2 of the coach. A 50A service from a pedestal uses the red-white-black and bare ground wires. The voltage between the red(hi) and white (neutral) is a nominal 110V. The voltage between the black (hi) and white (neutral) is a nominal 110V. The voltage between the red and black is 220V so it seems the adapter is feeding only one leg from the house to the coach. The bare ground wire prevents your coach chassis from being at anything other than ground potential (0 volts). The GFIC also uses any leakage between the (neutral) and bare ground wire to trip it off. GFIC= Ground Fault Interrupt Circuit. Hope this helps.

Steve

docj · 03-03-2014, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by is.chowa

So you have a 50A service in your coach and are connecting to a 110 15-20A service if that is correct then possibly you are supplying power to 1/2 of the coach. A 50A service from a pedestal uses the red-white-black and bare ground wires. The voltage between the red(hi) and white (neutral) is a nominal 110V. The voltage between the black (hi) and white (neutral) is a nominal 110V. The voltage between the red and black is 220V so it seems the adapter is feeding only one leg from the house to the coach. The bare ground wire prevents your coach chassis from being at anything other than ground potential (0 volts). The GFIC also uses any leakage between the (neutral) and bare ground wire to trip it off. GFIC= Ground Fault Interrupt Circuit. Hope this helps.

Steve

I hope you aren't trying to say that a 20A adapter would only provide power to half the coach since that isn't correct. We use both 30A and 20A adapters routinely without problems. Yes, it is possible that his adapter isn't providing power on both legs, but then he wouldn't get a green on lines 1 and 2 and I believe the Surgeguard will shut down if it only gets power on one leg.

JC2 · 03-03-2014, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

I hope you aren't trying to say that a 20A adapter would only provide power to half the coach since that isn't correct. We use both 30A and 20A adapters routinely without problems. Yes, it is possible that his adapter isn't providing power on both legs, but then he wouldn't get a green on lines 1 and 2 and I believe the Surgeguard will shut down if it only gets power on one leg.

We've plugged into our 15-20a outside house plug many times without nary a problem. The blinking red light is indicative of something that is amiss.

docj · 03-03-2014, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JC2

We've plugged into our 15-20a outside house plug many times without nary a problem. The blinking red light is indicative of something that is amiss.

I agree, but that 50A model should shut off power if the Caution light is on for any reason and the light should be "on" not flashing. It says it also can be illuminated if the input side of the device is miswired? I have the same Surgeguard and have never seen this behavior.

JC2 · 03-03-2014, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by docj

I agree, but that 50A model should shut off power if the Caution light is on for any reason and the light should be "on" not flashing. It says it also can be illuminated if the input side of the device is miswired? I have the same Surgeguard and have never seen this behavior.

I think that under the circumstances, the original poster might benefit from a direct call to Surge Guard and hopefully let us know what their response is.

WILDEBILL308 · 03-03-2014, 07:43 PM

It shouldn’t be a problem check and see what your load center is telling you. I think the flashing light is telling you that you don't have 50 amps.
Bill

CampDaven · 03-03-2014, 07:49 PM

I do not know what Surge Guard checks for or shows to you. Help me out!

I do know that my PI unit shows codes for open ground and any other pedestal issue.

daveandcarol · 03-03-2014, 09:06 PM

I have a similar problem with the 30A unit I installed in the MH last Fall. Surge Gard suggested I turn off my breakers 1 at a time to see if a particular circuit is causing the problem. You might try that to see if the SurgeGard doesn't like something in your MH wiring and possibly narrow down the problem. (In my case, it was the Microwave and Misc. circuits that were causing the red LED to flash. When (if?) it ever gets warm enough to get back outside and work on it, I need to trace/check those circuits for problems.)

is.chowa · 03-04-2014, 01:22 PM

Meffrig

The first question I should have asked was : did you ever plug in to a 50A service? If yes and every thing worked as designed you are good to go. If the same symptoms appeared go back to CW.

Docj:

What I am saying is that a standard connector for a 50A service has 4 blades, the standard 30A connector has 3 blades, a standard house socket has 3 connections- the wide slot is neutral, the narrower slot is 110v and the round slot is safety ground. The stick house wiring is usually fused at 15A if a 20A circuit is used in the stick house the socket should have different looking neutral slot like this |-- so that a 20A plug as well as a 15A plug can be accommodated. The stick house wiring according to code should be heavier to handle the 20A. This outlet supplies one half of the 220V (split) ie 110V coming in. So if the 30A adapter connects both red and black lines together so the coach receives power to its distribution system on both (split) sides, only 15A is available for both from the stick house wiring.

The suggestion in post 11 is a valid trouble shoot procedure as well as calling SureGuard.

Also CW should have a look in case there is a miswired installation.

Steve

docj · 03-04-2014, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by is.chowa

Meffrig

What I am saying is that a standard connector for a 50A service has 4 blades, the standard 30A connector has 3 blades, a standard house socket has 3 connections- the wide slot is neutral, the narrower slot is 110v and the round slot is safety ground. The stick house wiring is usually fused at 15A if a 20A circuit is used in the stick house the socket should have different looking neutral slot like this |-- so that a 20A plug as well as a 15A plug can be accommodated. The stick house wiring according to code should be heavier to handle the 20A. This outlet supplies one half of the 220V (split) ie 110V coming in. So if the 30A adapter connects both red and black lines together so the coach receives power to its distribution system on both (split) sides, only 15A is available for both from the stick house wiring.

I am well aware of NEC wiring requirements for household outlets, but thanks for the tutorial.

Your previous post made it sound as if you were saying that the adapter was only providing power to half the coach and I was simply trying to clarify that this was not the case.

meffrig · 03-04-2014, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by is.chowa

Meffrig

The first question I should have asked was : did you ever plug in to a 50A service? If yes and every thing worked as designed you are good to go. If the same symptoms appeared go back to CW.

Docj:

What I am saying is that a standard connector for a 50A service has 4 blades, the standard 30A connector has 3 blades, a standard house socket has 3 connections- the wide slot is neutral, the narrower slot is 110v and the round slot is safety ground. The stick house wiring is usually fused at 15A if a 20A circuit is used in the stick house the socket should have different looking neutral slot like this |-- so that a 20A plug as well as a 15A plug can be accommodated. The stick house wiring according to code should be heavier to handle the 20A. This outlet supplies one half of the 220V (split) ie 110V coming in. So if the 30A adapter connects both red and black lines together so the coach receives power to its distribution system on both (split) sides, only 15A is available for both from the stick house wiring.

The suggestion in post 11 is a valid trouble shoot procedure as well as calling SureGuard.

Also CW should have a look in case there is a miswired installation.

Steve

Yes- I plugged into 50 amp at a campground and all was OK. I do have power but the light is still flashing- I will check it out when I get home to see if I get the same results and will post the results.