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TomW · 02-19-2007, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john hd

you guys do know canadian trailers are wired diffrently than US standard. ...

No John, I did not know that.

How is a Canadian trailer different?

Tom

john hd · 02-19-2007, 05:51 PM

neutral and ground are bonded on the panel as it is in your house.

i would post the pages from my manual but they are with the trailer in storage about 100 miles away.

if he is plugged into a gfi or has a funky adaptor, and/or the phase and neutral are reversed it will trip.

that is not to say he doesn't have a US spec trailer.

more info needed.

john

davida · 02-19-2007, 05:54 PM

The trailer was born in the US and had no modifications on import, so that doesn't apply.

It is plugged into a GFI circuit (just to confirm: an outlet w/ a pair of test/reset buttons).

john hd · 02-19-2007, 05:58 PM

so, to repeat tom's original question.

can you plug it in with ALL of the breakers in the trailer open without it tripping?

cord ends not laying in the snow?

john

ps, yes. if it has buttons it is a ground fault interuptor circuit.

markdoane · 02-19-2007, 06:36 PM

That happens all the time on mine when I cross a neutal to ground.
Even with the breakers off it will trip the GFCI.

Doesn't trip the breaker though.

bibbs · 02-19-2007, 09:03 PM

David

I think your neighbors outlet is a GFIC protected circuit if there was moisture in

davida · 02-19-2007, 09:05 PM

John: yes, I believe it did trip the gfci even with all breakers off. I only tested it once and I could have missed a breaker but I don't think so.

Mark: thanks for piping up!

I need to read up on the difference bw a gfci and a breaker...

bibbs · 02-19-2007, 09:13 PM

David

I think your neighbors outlet is a GFIC protected circuit ,if there was moisture in the conections of the airconditioner it could trip,because the white[neutral conductor] could be leeking electricty to the ground.I would look at the conections in the roof top unit first.

good luck

Doug

boatdoc · 02-20-2007, 03:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davida

I'd love to plug in to real shore power, but for that I have to build a shed, get the electric co to setup a meter and run a line from the pole, etc, and that'll take a couple of months =)

I get to the trailer only every few weeks, so I'm trying to "store up" as much info between visits as I can, especially since I don't have good net access there.

So far, I plan on checking each of the breakers, and testing for shorts between the suspicious lead and whatever wires I can get my ohmmeter on.

Oh, one other thought that could explain why my breakers don't trip but the neighbor's does is that it could be his is rated lower, so his trips first, no?

Hi David; First of all, instead of driving yourself to drinking go one step at the time. Arm yourself with polarity tester [looks like a cord plug with 3 indicator lights in it]. They are inexpensive and every electrical store has them. Sooner or later you will need one, since you may be faced with reversed polarity at some off the norm campgrounds. Check the outlets polarity first. Check the polarity at the end of the cord. It is very possible that your neighbor may be back feeding the neutral or ground. Any appliances that he may have plugged in on that line may not be grounded and with reversed polarity in that circuit, you will blow circuits in your properly wired AS, while he may not have that problem. While your power cord is unplugged affix temporarily a female extension cord plug to the end of your disconected AC line. Plug in your polarity tester. Plug in the cord, turn the AC breaker on. If it blows you have a short in your AS circuit. If the short exists you will need to replace the AC line and that means lots of work. This is where I like a Marine stranded AC wire, because is soft enough to pull it through to replace it, instead of hard wire. This is why you must make sure first where the problem is, before you do a lot of useless work. If you care to further check your neighbors circuit capability plug in temporarily a electric heater to the plug at the end of the line to your AC unit. Just be sure that cord is unplugged while making connections. If the heater works fine, your AC has a short. Thanks David, "Boatdoc"

Beginner · 02-20-2007, 03:27 AM

Let me get this straight.
All is well until you wonnect the white wire in the breaker pannel in the trailer to the white wire buss strip?
If that is the case, go to the AC unit where the electrical wires hook into the wires of the AC unit and see if there is anything amiss. If every thing looks alright disconnect the black, white and green wires from the AC. Tape the black white and green wires comming from the breaker panel(in the trailer).
Hook the white wire back up in the breaker panel (in the trailer). Plug the trailer back in to your power sourse and see if every thing is alright.
Let me know what happens.
Beginner

Moonstruck · 02-20-2007, 03:54 AM

Hi Davida,
me again! Lol! It's tempting to suspect a short and when my own Sovereign developed a fault I did too. However, I think you're circumstances are the same as mine. You arrive at the trailer in the cold, close the door behind you and put the furnace and the kettle on. Get relaxed, have a nice warm shower and drift off to bed. If there's two of you that will have put about nearly a gallon of moisture into the air that settles as condensation. The question is: do you need the AC unit at the moment? I suspect not. Wait until you can leave the door and windows open for two days on the trot and then power it up again.
I was very embarrassed when the sparks turned up at my AS, threw the breaker and charged me $120. I'd already solved the problem by having a de-humidifier on for 10 days.
Marc

jimmickle · 02-20-2007, 08:10 AM

Does the neighbor's line have a GFCI (ground fault circuit interupter) breaker? It doesn't take much to trip one of them. Moisture might be the problem, and will go away as soon as things dry out.

davida · 02-20-2007, 10:00 AM

Thanks all for the advice. I'll post here when I've figured it out, but it'll probably be weeks.

Dugger10 · 03-19-2007, 08:59 PM

Would love to hear more about your electricial troubles. I work for the local electric company, 28 years. This could be an open neutral problem. In other words the source neutral from your neighbor. But when dissconnected its seeking another neutral thats not open and the current(amp) level is normal. Just a thought, I trouble shoot this kind of problem all the time. One other thing to check, disconnect the black and white wire from the trailer breaker box and also at the ac unit, completely isolating the wire at both ends. Then use an ohm meter, see id you get a beep. Hope this helps somewhat, Doug