Community Forums

Spittman · 08-18-2021, 06:44 PM

installed new surge protector and new freedom invertor 2000 CC intrigue. everything work fine when i run generator,but if i switch to shore power doesnt charge batterry and a/c wont work. when generator is running all lights are good on surge protector. however if plugged into shore power, it has a red light on line 2 which means fault. i checked voltage with gen running and all is good all the way through...but when shore power is hooked up power doesnt run through but comes right up to input side of surge. I am by no means an electrician,but learning alot. STUMPED .. any help will be appreciated. rv tech busy until october..

Ljwt330 · 08-18-2021, 07:28 PM

One line from your shore power is out or disconnected. Could be the pedestal, cord plug, cord reel, connections in the Automatic Transfer Switch for input, connections at the output, or the contacts.

Testing with a voltmeter with power on, will be required.

jacwjames · 08-19-2021, 06:58 AM

I assume the problem just started with the installation of the surge protector, if so I'd go back and check that installation. Depending on where you installed the surge protector in relation to the transfer switch it may be letting the generator power go through but the shore power is being disabled by the surge protector.

Spittman · 08-19-2021, 05:31 PM

i tested power cord and followed all the way up to input side if protector. had 123 volts right up to inlet side,but nothing coming out.. only on shre ,works perfect on generator. generator putting out 122 volts. im going to email southwire surge guard and hopfully they can help. thanks for your input ..

Spittman · 08-19-2021, 05:32 PM

yes. checking with mfg. thanks

eyecando · 08-19-2021, 06:05 PM

If you have 123 volts going into the suppressor, you should have about the same voltage going out. Either it contains a breaker or it is defective if you are measuring the correct output terminals.

Remove the surge suppressor and reconnect without it to verify everything but the surge suppressor.

Spittman · 08-23-2021, 06:32 PM

SURGE PROTECTOR ADVICE and Problem follow up.... i talked with Rv expert and he is convinced the problem is in the Surge Guard made by southwire. its really frustating as its less than a month old. they have a 800 number on there troubleshooting page where you get a recording to send an email which i did three time only to get nothing .. no phone call . no email. Horrible customer service. Im going to try and return it , but Ive got a feeling that's going to be an uphill battle . did I mention horrible company ? Anyway if anyone has advice on a different surge protector i would like to hear it 2000 country coach Intrigue 32 foot Cooks delight. thanks in advance,..

Ljwt330 · 08-24-2021, 10:00 AM

Here's what is confusing.

In your OP, you state, "when generator is running all lights are good on surge protector."

That makes it sound like your surge protector is wired in after the ATS so input from both shore and generator is monitored. Is that correct?

If it is, then the surge protector cannot be the issue because it allows power from the generator through.

Can you clarify please? Where in the system have you wired in your surge protector?

Spittman · 08-24-2021, 07:08 PM

Ok ,I think Im getting this figured out and thanks so much for your help cause i think you are correct. I actually had a mobile RV guy look at it . i was having problems that the A/C wouldn't come on and the batteries weren't charging when shore power was plugged in . he installed the surge guard and that got the A/C working .when i came to get the Rv the generator wouldn't start because of dead battery .. so i left without Rv so he could diagnose it and he said my invertor was bad and he would order one. by this time he had it for four weeks. i wasn't getting a warm and fuzzy he actually knew what he was doing so i took it home . i installed a new xantrax invertor only to find the same problem ... However did work on Generator .. was driving me crazy. I know almost nothing about electric. I tried several time to reach surge guard ,but they will not get back to me. so yesterday i emailed progressive asking which model i needed . they got back to me already stating that the mode 35550 can only have one source AHA !! However i have no idea what was in there or how it was wired originally . don't really want to fool with mobilRV guy again . So im looking for maybe a picture if anyone till has original setup //mine comes in together Shore and generator next to each other. Goes into switch and then into surge Guard . Thanks for any help John and Susan 2000 CC intrigue 32 foot cooks delight.

Ljwt330 · 08-24-2021, 09:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spittman

Ok ,I think Im getting this figured out and thanks so much for your help cause i think you are correct. I actually had a mobile RV guy look at it . i was having problems that the A/C wouldn't come on and the batteries weren't charging when shore power was plugged in . he installed the surge guard and that got the A/C working .when i came to get the Rv the generator wouldn't start because of dead battery .. so i left without Rv so he could diagnose it and he said my invertor was bad and he would order one. by this time he had it for four weeks. i wasn't getting a warm and fuzzy he actually knew what he was doing so i took it home . i installed a new xantrax invertor only to find the same problem ... However did work on Generator .. was driving me crazy. I know almost nothing about electric. I tried several time to reach surge guard ,but they will not get back to me. so yesterday i emailed progressive asking which model i needed . they got back to me already stating that the mode 35550 can only have one source AHA !! However i have no idea what was in there or how it was wired originally . don't really want to fool with mobilRV guy again . So im looking for maybe a picture if anyone till has original setup //mine comes in together Shore and generator next to each other. Goes into switch and then into surge Guard . Thanks for any help John and Susan 2000 CC intrigue 32 foot cooks delight.

Here’s what I am understanding from the last post.

Your rv has a transfer switch (ATS) that has both generator and shore power entering. Normal.
From the ATS, one line enters the surge guard. Normal for one line to exit the ATS, not typical for the surge guard to be wired in next, but perfectly acceptable and many prefer it.
The surge guard passes power through from the generator, but not from shore power due to a fault. Normal for the surge guard. It is doing its job.

The problem has to be with shore power, possibly inside the ATS since you checked voltage all the way to the surge guard outlet.

Inside the ATS, both generator and shore lines enter, but the ATS only allows one at a time to exit through the single output line. That outlet line is the only input to the surge guard. Generator power passes through. When the ATS switches to shore and sends that power through the output line, the surge guard rejects it because it senses a fault.

I suspect a wiring issue inside the ATS, assuming your previous tests are complete and accurate.

Is your shore power 50 amp?
Have you checked the shore outlet for polarity?

Ljwt330 · 08-25-2021, 10:28 AM

One other thing to add.

Your power outlet, or anything between it and the surge guard, may indicate 120vac on your meter, but there may be a voltage drop once a load is applied.

I asked the questions in the previous post because it is important to know if you are using any adapters to connect to the rv. It is also important to know if the outlet is one you've used before with no issues.

Spittman · 08-25-2021, 04:34 PM

you are very helpful . im understanding more all the time . my shore power is 50 amp ,however i have an adaptor down to 30amp. not sure what you mean check for polarity. i thought maybe that my 30 amp service was bad so i took it to fairground where i had the same results.As far as i know RV guy did not tamper with transfer switch . I really hope I dont have to work on it as its hard to get to and alot of wires. Thanks for your help

Spittman · 08-25-2021, 04:36 PM

yes adaptor and the line i was using never had any issues .

Ljwt330 · 08-25-2021, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spittman

you are very helpful . im understanding more all the time . my shore power is 50 amp ,however i have an adaptor down to 30amp. not sure what you mean check for polarity. i thought maybe that my 30 amp service was bad so i took it to fairground where i had the same results.As far as i know RV guy did not tamper with transfer switch . I really hope I dont have to work on it as its hard to get to and alot of wires. Thanks for your help

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spittman

yes adaptor and the line i was using never had any issues .

Okay help me out a bit.

I assumed from your firs post that your coach was 50 amp, am I correct?

Your stated your shore power is 50 amp, correct? Yet, you state, " i thought maybe that my 30 amp service was bad." So, which is it that you are using, a 50 amp outlet, or a 30 amp outlet?

Why, then, are you using adapters down to 30 amp if you have a 50 amp outlet?

If you have used the same outlet before with no issues, did you use it as a 50 amp source? Can you plug your 50 amp cord directly into the outlet and eliminate the adapters?

See why I'm confused? LOL.
I'll wait for your answers to clear up my confusion, but in the meantime, here is where my thoughts are.

Any adapters used in the connection between the shore outlet and coach can be the cause of a fault. When you use a 50 to 30 amp adapter, only one line from the outlet is fed to the 30 amp female connection of the adapter so the hot power slot will be reading the voltage from a single line from the 50 amp source. If using a 30 amp outlet, the adapter plug splits the single hot from the outlet and sends it to both slots of the 50 amp female end of the adapter.

The tech had no reason to open the ATS, but that does not mean he did not do so. Regardless, you can easily check to see if any wires have become loose on the shore side, and also measure voltage at the ATS outlet lugs to see if you have full voltage on both power wires from the contactor shore switch. Those lugs are the last connection before entering the surge guard. Low voltage on a wire at the outlet lugs means a contactor may be faulty, if the voltage is good on both wires at their entry point of the ATS.