Blown Outlet Fuses?

[SuzairMcD]

... And this is my third post to the forums (the first = brakes, the second = plumbing and now, electrical!)

Living and learning in my 1978 Sovereign Excella.

Apparently, I overloaded the outlets (two heaters, my computer and a tea kettle.) All the outlets lost power. The lights are fine and probably switched over to my battery.

Went for the usual quick fix of throwing the 4 breakers at the back wall in tambour cabinet next to toilet. That had no effect. Went outside to RV Park electric connection and flipped breakers there. No effect.

Went back in and unplugged EVERY plug from every outlet. Then flipped interior breakers again. Plugged one thing in and then another. No effect.

The lights work but I think that they must be running off battery. But wouldn't the outlets be, too?

I have no idea. Do You? Thanks in advance for your response. I'd like some heat and to power my computer. Looking forward to suggestions!

Suzanne

[TG Twinkie]

Your lights are 12 volt. If you have a good battery and are somewhat conservative, they will work for a while.
Are you sure you have power at the RV park panel?
When you reset the breakers. Are you turning them completely off, then back to the on position?
By the sounds of it, you have overloaded the circuit. Typically not all of the outlets are on the same circuit. Do you have power at any of the outlets?
If not, I would suspect the RV park power source.
If there is a duplex outlet at the RV park box. You can test for power there by using a table lamp (if you have one). Even your adaptor for charging your phone or laptop will tell you if the power is present.
Do you have neighbors in the RV park?
Check to see if they lost power.

[SuzairMcD]

Thanks, TG. My lights are working fine as I have a brand new battery. However not one of the outlets is working.

My initial impression was that I overheated the circuits. Yes, I turned all the breakers completely off and on again both inside and at the outside park source (each lot has its own unit.)

I went outside to the park source and plugged a kettle into the regular outlet and there is electricity from the park. However... when I turned the breakers off and on again at the power source, the main breakers were fine but the two other separate breakers had a funny crackly sound when I turned them on. So I left them in the off position until I can contact the park in the morning.

Otherwise, being a worrier and having to contact a repair man in the a.m. anyway, please tell me that I didn't mess up the wiring or anything.

[overlander63]

This is the time when a plug in volt meter and a couple of 30-15 and 30-50 amp adapters would be really handy. You could plug the adapters into the campground outlets and plug the voltmeter into hem and see if ny of them have power. These things are available at ny RV parts place.

[SuzairMcD]

Thank you Overlander 63. That's a bit beyond my ken right now.

[ROBERT CROSS]

SuzairMcD,

Some inexpensive electric stuff for the AS tool kit.....

120v AC....


12v battery state of charge, plugs into any power port...


Charge chart...


Bob

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by SuzairMcD

Apparently, I overloaded the outlets (two heaters, my computer and a tea kettle.) All the outlets lost power. The lights are fine and probably switched over to my battery.

Your trailer is wired for 30a service, and so you shouldn't try to run more than two large loads at once. Heaters, air conditioners, and any electric cooking appliance are all large loads -- you were running three, which was the immediate cause of the problem.

The lights work but I think that they must be running off battery. But wouldn't the outlets be, too?

The lights, fans, and stereo run on battery. The outlets don't.

I have no idea. Do You? Thanks in advance for your response. I'd like some heat and to power my computer. Looking forward to suggestions!

The most likely trouble source is the main breaker in your trailer, which you can identify by either the word "MAIN" written next to it or by the fact that it is marked 30 while the others are marked 20 or 15. Or, the breaker on the campground power pedestal might have tripped. Again look for the one marked 30.

Often breakers tripped from an overload will not reset until they are given a few minutes to cool.

If that isn't it you'll probably need a qualified person to figure out what's going on.

[SuzairMcD]

Wow. Thanks everybody! I'm grateful for all of the helpful information (and the pics, too, Robert!) Jammer, thanks for the lesson in 30a.

The matter has been resolved. There was a broken breaker (!) on my park power source breaker.

Now I just need to catch up on sleep. Cheers and Happy Thanksgiving!