Breaker a-blowin'

[Getahobby]

Hello,
Using a 2011 25ft flying cloud for the first time. When ac is on breaker blows when using kitchen,bathroom,or outside outlets or microwave. Breaker box says ac should be by itself on #1 and microwave should be by itself on #3. Only #1 trips. Factory wiring screw up? Any ideas?
Thanks
Dave

[daveswenson]

The #1 breaker is probably your 30 amp main breaker. It will trip if you try to use too much stuff at the same time.

[xrvr]

Ware heater on? Converter running? Fridge on electric? What power source are you using? Generator or 30 amp shore power? Jim

[xrvr]

That's water heater. Jim

[rodsterinfl]

You are pulling about 15.3 amps with the AC on a circuit once running after initial start if it is a Dometic 13.5K unit. The circuits are 20 amp. You have a short in circuit #1 for sure or a heavy load. You will need to take an amp meter and read the circuit draw while each item is on individually. The ac wiring can be accessed behind the removable panel where the trip switches are. My wiring is at the bottom of the switches. This will tell you what the load is on the circuit. Try each electrical appliance one at a time. This will also indicate what outlet or appliance is on what circuit- as you hunt for circuit draw on the circuit.

Once you find the draw, you will know several things. An AC unit, when going bad will over draw too. There is also the possibility that other things are on that circuit.

[Getahobby]

Ok the first one is the main. A little disappointed we can't run a crockpot and the ac together. Would shutting off the electric water heater help?
Thanks

[rodsterinfl]

Another thing you can do on the AC side of your power center is to switch off all the breakers except the one that says air conditioner. If you find that other items work on the switched on circuit, then you know what shares that circuit. Like others have shared, make sure you are privy to pumps, converter charger, etc.

[rodsterinfl]

If your main breaker is tripping then you are probably pulling too much power at once- somehow. A crock pot only uses about 250 watts of power. The microwave is a hog as is anything with a motor - blow dryer, curling irons, mixers, etc. You only have a grand total of around 3500 or so watts to do everything. The AC unit is pulling around 1700 or so.

[daveswenson]

Originally Posted by Getahobby

Ok the first one is the main. A little disappointed we can't run a crockpot and the ac together. Would shutting off the electric water heater help?
Thanks

Definitely, When running the AC I run the water heater and the refrigerator on propane. Then just be cognizant of the electric load you are using on other stuff. Microwave? maybe turn off the air when you need it? Hair Dryer? Toaster? Any high draw items will probably trip the main breaker. You'll figure it out as you go along, now that you know that the main breaker is probably the issue.

The crock pot and the Air should be ok if you minimize the other demands.

Others have discussed swapping the position of the Air Cond Breaker with a circuit with less draw so that the heat of the Air Cond Breaker does not heat up the main breaker. I haven't tried that yet.

[switz]

Do not overlook that the converter is keeping your battery(s) charged and often draws from 5 to 7 amps (per other threads). I replaced the OEM single stage with a multistage upgrade kit from:

Magnetek/Parallax 6300/7300 Upgrade Kit

and have not fried the batteries while the unit is in storage. In our unit, the converter is located under the fuse panel on the side of the bed at the end of the hallway. That took about 90 minutes to do as I double checked as I went along. I did have to work the input cable for an extra inch or two of wire inside the box as one new connection point was farther from the edge of the box.

[Getahobby]

Originally Posted by daveswenson

Definitely, When running the AC I run the water heater and the refrigerator on propane. Then just be cognizant of the electric load you are using on other stuff. Microwave? maybe turn off the air when you need it? Hair Dryer? Toaster? Any high draw items will probably trip the main breaker. You'll figure it out as you go along, now that you know that the main breaker is probably the issue.

The crock pot and the Air should be ok if you minimize the other demands.

Others have discussed swapping the position of the Air Cond Breaker with a circuit with less draw so that the heat of the Air Cond Breaker does not heat up the main breaker. I haven't tried that yet.

Thanks,
I had a 2003 classic with factory convertor and I was able to run hot water, ac, and fridge with no tripping. Wonder what the difference is?

[KJRitchie]

I had similar issues on my 2008 Classic 25fb trying to run AC and electric water heater. Fridge was an AC too

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...se-104839.html

I ended up moving the AC from the 30/20 breaker to the last breaker. I also moved the water heater so its not next to the new AC breaker location. I'm now able to run the water heater and AC together. It appears the 30/20 breaker was getting warm to hot and causing the 30 amp side to pop. I may get a new breaker anyway.

I could probably run the microwave to heat up a cup of water but not to cook anything much longer, I haven't tried it. When the AC is on and we need to use the microwave to cook something I turn the water heater electric to off or use propane to heat water.

I haven't had any fuses blow if the wife is using a hair dryer etc while running the AC.

Kelvin