tripped breakers

[geoloz]

Hi I just bought a basecamp 16x. Everything worked via eletrict line plugges to house. When hooked to honda 1000w genertator. breakers in converter box tripped, smoke came out! NOTE generator was runinning full out..power surge?

I opened and inspected converter...no visible signs of burning etc. all 12v systems work off battery still.

Problem: Breakers in converter will not re set to see if shore line to converter still functions. When I switch them on they snap back off

help?

[Bill M.]

I guess if I saw smoke coming out of the converter box and the breakers would not reset I would conclude that the converter box is shorted somehow and order a new one. Are the breakers actually in the converter box or are they in the wall electrical box? And why would there be breakers, plural, in or for the converter?

I have no idea why the generator caused that. Is it an inverter generator? Should not matter how fast it is running. A converter could draw full generator output from that generator if the batteries are depleted. So far I have not often run my generator through the EMS system but after reading this I might start.

I think maybe the root problem was that you were drawing too much power for the generator and the voltage dropped drastically. If you were on a 20 amp circuit the 1000 watt generator would only provide less than half of that much power.

[geoloz]

Hi Thanks for helping! yes the breakers are in the convereter behind the cosmetic panel. there r 6. 4 which function seem to go to microwave, ac, outlets etc. the 2 tripped ones i suspect are for incomeing 120 power. one is 20 amp one 15 amp. i don't know what an inverted generators is this is a honda 1000 thanks

[Bill M.]

Okay. I do not have a Basecamp. But I think that what you are looking at is the main distribution box, not the power converter which is a device to convert the 120 volt to 12 volt and is probably in a different location. Yes, you may have blown the main incoming breakers. To reset these breakers you need to first switch them all the way to the off position and then switch them back to the on position. You should be able to feel how they work. And if you had smoke coming out of that distribution box you need to check it carefully. It sounds like a loose wire and a short of some type. These are the kinds of things that cause trailers to catch fire and burn. Maybe the breakers just did their job. I do not think we can do this long distance. You need to get someone with knowledge to check it out or find the burnt wire or connection yourself.

[geoloz]

thanks Bill I was able to reset the breakers just now. Last nite they would trip eventhough there was no eletricty connected. This morning they stayed until I plugged in the 120 then they tripped. this converter and main distrubtion box are all inone. so I am going to call the wfco help line (https://wfcoelectronics.com/) when they get back to work..they make the converter happy thanksgiving!

[geoloz]

OK I started this problem by connecting a generator that pit too many volts into basecamp system . It surged to 160 volts maybe more.

The converter burned out. I talked with a tech at WFCO and bought a new one.

I installed it and the converter does work! so does the AC. All 12 volt systems work off battery or converter.

But the 20 and 15 amp circuit breakers will not stay on. I reset them and they trip off.

the 20 amp runs the furnace and hot water

the 15 amp runs fridge and all the outlets.

I read an old post that said to turn everything off, incl 12v system.disconnect furnace, hot water everything. plug in to shore power 110, then turn on 30 amp main

no luck

any ideas out there?
thanks
geo

[JayOhBee]

Sounds like you still have a short in your system. The breakers are doing their job. I would have a professional look at it.

[Wheelshed]

Sounds like you had a power surge problem I would start taking wires off until the breaker stays in you might have fried something in some of those devices? It’s a process of elimination now.

Get yourself a good RV surge protector like a Huges watchdog next time!

[geoloz]

thanks everyone problem solved. I isolated breakers from all load except pigtail wire which powers gfi at 5 mili amp. that allowed me to try and reset breakers. they would not reset. bought 2 new eaton brn breakers installed (first I checked each plug with a tester to make sure there was no short) all is good now. The surge burned out the breakers. will get surge protector many thanks