Shoreline Tripping A/C Circuit Breakers

[S3d]

Whenever I connect our rig to the shoreline to run the A/C it trips the A/C circuit breakers. (Works fine while on generator power)

Amperage is around 20-22 while on shoreline and 15-17 on generator power.

Called Airstream and Dometic.

Still couldn't figure out what's wrong.

[SCOTTinNJ]

Are you plugging into a 30 amp service?

[Protagonist]

Since I seem to be an expert at stating the obvious, please allow me to state the obvious…

The problem may be at the shore power pedestal rather than in the Airstream. Check that connections are tight, dry, and of the correct polarity.

[SteveH]

Originally Posted by S3d

Whenever I connect our rig to the shoreline to run the A/C it trips the A/C circuit breakers. (Works fine while on generator power)

Amperage is around 20-22 while on shoreline and 15-17 on generator power.

Called Airstream and Dometic.

Still couldn't figure out what's wrong.

You've stated the problem in your post. "Amperage is around 20-22 while on shoreline". The breaker on the A/C is 20 amps, and it is doing just what it was designed to do. You most likely have low voltage which causes the current demand to go up.

A lot of people don't understand these appliances don't run on voltage, and the don't run on amps, they run on watts. Watts are determined by multiplying the volts by the amps, so if the volts go down below rated 120, the amps must go up to supply the appliance the needed watts to run.

[S3d]

Originally Posted by SteveH

You've stated the problem in your post. "Amperage is around 20-22 while on shoreline". The breaker on the A/C is 20 amps, and it is doing just what it was designed to do. You most likely have low voltage which causes the current demand to go up.

A lot of people don't understand these appliances don't run on voltage, and the don't run on amps, they run on watts. Watts are determined by multiplying the volts by the amps, so if the volts go down below rated 120, the amps must go up to supply the appliance the needed watts to run.

Voltage coming in is 118-120. According to Airstream, anything above 110 should be fine.

Shoreline is wired for 30 amps

[Bikerbill]

S3d, I see your listing shows Kuwait. Is that where its plugged in? Has it worked before at that electrical outlet? Also affecting electrical appliances is the cycles per second of the AC current. Do you know if you are receiving 60 cycle/second? Some European countries use 50 cycles and that also has an effect on devices, especially motors, that are built to operate on 60 cycles.

I'd also make sure the electrical connections in the outlet box are tight. Make sure the power to the outlet is turned off before checking it.

Also circuit breakers are known to go bad. Does the breaker that is tripping get very warm? That would indicate an overload causing it to trip.

[J. Morgan]

How long does the a/c run before it throws the breaker?

From your description so far I say you have a problem between your home circuit breaker box and your rv circuit breaker box.

If it will run long enough you will need to look for what is getting hot. Losing that much electricity, SOMETHING IS getting hot.

Are you running off an extension cord? Is it properly sized?

[S3d]

Originally Posted by Bikerbill

S3d, I see your listing shows Kuwait. Is that where its plugged in? Has it worked before at that electrical outlet? Also affecting electrical appliances is the cycles per second of the AC current. Do you know if you are receiving 60 cycle/second? Some European countries use 50 cycles and that also has an effect on devices, especially motors, that are built to operate on 60 cycles.

I'd also make sure the electrical connections in the outlet box are tight. Make sure the power to the outlet is turned off before checking it.

Also circuit breakers are known to go bad. Does the breaker that is tripping get very warm? That would indicate an overload causing it to trip.

No idea if it is 60 or 50.

I bought a 5000W 240/120 converter and had an electrician wire the converter to our main circuit board with a 30 amp switch.

[S3d]

Originally Posted by J. Morgan

How long does the a/c run before it throws the breaker?

From your description so far I say you have a problem between your home circuit breaker box and your rv circuit breaker box.

If it will run long enough you will need to look for what is getting hot. Losing that much electricity, SOMETHING IS getting hot.

Are you running off an extension cord? Is it properly sized?

30 to 45 mins. Sometimes 15!

No extension cord. A 30 amp plug straight to our main switch board.

The A/C's circuit breakers tend to get pretty warm during those few mins. Also, fan speed is noticeably slower than when on generator power.

[J. Morgan]

Check the voltage in your trailer while the A/C is on, my guess is that it is going to be way low.

Something is restricting power. Again, check for hot components, maybe the transfer switch?

[Ron_CA]

First thing I would try is plugging it in somewhere else.

[J. Morgan]

Good call Ron. That will be a huge tell.

[Airtandem]

I have a post under electrical(no AC power). After 3 trips, we might have found it. "pinched/shorted DC power wire at load center. The RED wire had burnt through the insulation and was shorted at the wire clamp as it enters a junction box. Also had a weak gfi as it tripped when some load applied. This did NOT happen all the time. It took much multimeter time to find it.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by S3d

No idea if it is 60 or 50.

I bought a 5000W 240/120 converter and had an electrician wire the converter to our main circuit board with a 30 amp switch.

If you are not in USA/Canada you could be on 50 Hz power and that would explain difference in current draw between shore power and your generator.


- - Mike
2013 AS Interstate on 2012 MB Sprinter

[J. Morgan]

Excellent point on the 50 HZ, induction motors will operate at 5/6 speed and this will cause stress.

[BAB]

Having lived in Europe twice (first time Netherlands for 4 years, second time in Belgium for 3 years), I can attest to the difference that 50 cycle current has on US appliances. Anything with a US electric motor in it will usually cause a problem (60 cycles). The step-down transformers that you can buy (and there are huge differences in transformers as well), do NOTHING to accommodate the difference in cycles...only volts. It could be very funky going from one appliance to another. The washer would work, the dishwasher wouldn't. Then there was the fun of a US dryer which used 220 for the heating element, but 110V for the motor and timer unit.....because our 220 and their 220 are most assuredly different. If you were using one of the inverter generators (e.g., Honda EU type), I'll be your problems would be solved.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by BAB

If you were using one of the inverter generators (e.g., Honda EU type), I'll be your problems would be solved.

It's an Interstate, with a built-in Onan propane-fueled generator. But that sucker is LOUD when you're trying to sleep with it located right under the bed. I'm sure that's one reason why the OP wants to be plugged in to run the A/C. Not to mention the Onan only produces 20 amps, not 30.

[S3d]

Originally Posted by Bikerbill

S3d, I see your listing shows Kuwait. Is that where its plugged in? Has it worked before at that electrical outlet? Also affecting electrical appliances is the cycles per second of the AC current. Do you know if you are receiving 60 cycle/second? Some European countries use 50 cycles and that also has an effect on devices, especially motors, that are built to operate on 60 cycles.

I'd also make sure the electrical connections in the outlet box are tight. Make sure the power to the outlet is turned off before checking it.

Also circuit breakers are known to go bad. Does the breaker that is tripping get very warm? That would indicate an overload causing it to trip.

You're right. Our country uses 50 cycles and found an electrician who fixed that issue. Everything works fine now.

Thanks!

[Boxster1971]

Thanks for the follow-up. I was sure that 50 Hz power was your problem.


- - Mike
2013 Lounge EXT on 2012 Sprinter