Pops breaker

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 12:27 AM

Hi I am new to this Forum. I bought a used 2018 Thor Freedom Elite over Christmas in Florida and just now got it home to Pennsylvania.When I try to plug it into the 110 outlet at my house it pops the breaker at the house. I have used this outlet for other campers before with no problems. But I never had a motor home before.Any help would be appreciated.

**16ACE27** · 04-17-2022, 12:38 AM

Does it "pop the breaker"? or trip the GFCI"?

If the RV has the ground and neutral busses bonded in the MH tripping the GFCI is the result.

If you have too much turned on in the MH and try to plug it into a house receptacle on an already loaded circuit the breaker may trip on overload.

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 12:58 AM

I have tried it with out anything turned on in the MH I have even tried it with the main power switch turned off and it still trips the GFCI on the house.

**16ACE27** · 04-17-2022, 01:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shreck

I have tried it with out anything turned on in the MH I have even tried it with the main power switch turned off and it still trips the GFCI on the house.

Then, as I said above, your neutral and ground are bonded in the MH. They should not be. This was either done by an incompetent technician when constructed or there is a fault causing these busses to be shorted together. You can probably plug in to a NON-GFCI receptacle until you get it fixed.

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 01:18 AM

I have not plugged into electric since I bought it at the dealer I have only used the onboard generator. Is It possible that when I can get somewhere to plug into a 30 amp receptacle that it will work.

**16ACE27** · 04-17-2022, 01:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shreck

I have not plugged into electric since I bought it at the dealer I have only used the onboard generator. Is It possible that when I can get somewhere to plug into a 30 amp receptacle that it will work.

Yes, most 30 amp RV receptacles are not GFCI protected.

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 01:50 AM

Thanks

Elite Washington · 04-17-2022, 04:04 AM

Ia there anything else plugged into outlets that are attached to the GFI? Depending on how much you have plugged into that circuit just plugging in the coach to that GFI will trip the outlet. Try a none GFI outlet or unplug everything that is on that circuit.

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 11:00 AM

There is nothing else plugged into that circuit. I confess I am totally ignorant on electric circuits. If I plug into a non GFI outlet and there is a short in the MH it will throw the breaker in the house correct?

Grumpy Grampa · 04-17-2022, 12:14 PM

Same thing happened to me, turned out I still had both A/C units on.

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 12:40 PM

I will check that out but I don’t think that’s it. It pop CFI even when all power is turned off. I will try plugging in to a non CFI outlet this afternoon.

lwmcguir · 04-17-2022, 12:46 PM

Should it trip a breaker plugging in on the non GFCI, check your cord/plugs, and then ATS

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 01:09 PM

What are you referring to as the ATS?

lwmcguir · 04-17-2022, 01:14 PM

Automatic Transfer Switch

All your 120v power passes through it

Should be where your power cord terminate

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 07:23 PM

Ok I plugged it into a non CFCI outlet and it does not throw the breaker but the refrigerator kicks to propane and the microwave doesn’t even light up. Is It designed so that it has to be connected to a 30 amp for them to work? And how do I tell if it is charging the batteries? Thanks in advance.

**16ACE27** · 04-17-2022, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shreck

Ok I plugged it into a non CFCI outlet and it does not throw the breaker but the refrigerator kicks to propane and the microwave doesn’t even light up. Is It designed so that it has to be connected to a 30 amp for them to work? And how do I tell if it is charging the batteries? Thanks in advance.

So I assume this is the first time you have tried to power this used RV with SP?
I assume it is a 30 amp RV?
Using the proper 30 to 15 amp dogbone should allow all AC appliances/loads to operate just like in your TT, but of course, you can't operate the Air Conditioner (A/C) unless plugged into a 30 amp outlet.

Things that could be wrong:
Bad power cord/plug
Bad Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS)
Bad/Broken wiring

In the interest of troubleshooting, have you tried running the generator?

Shreck · 04-17-2022, 10:40 PM

Everything seems to work well with the generator. I was not there when the did the walk through with my wife but she says everything worked when plugged into their SP. I do not have a 30 amp receptacle at the farm (but I soon will) and thought I should be able to at least operate The refrigerator on 110 But as I said it goes straight to propane. And the microwave doesn’t even light the clock and I have no way of knowing if it is charging the batteries or not. I am going to drive up to a friend of mine next weekend who has a30 amp hookup for his camper and make sure everything works on mine.

JimOIB · 04-17-2022, 11:17 PM

Thinking out loud…everything works fine on genset so the generator to ATS to power center to alternating current (AC) stuff is a good electrical path.

Hook up shore power cable to GFCI outlet or regular outlet and AC stuff doesn’t work. Genset provides 30 amp and GFCI/regular outlet provide 15amp. So a few things come to mind:

1). Shore cable to ATS is wired incorrectly or a wire is loose inside ATS. Wired incorrectly could be due to ATS being replaced by incomp tech. Loose wire due to wire nut in ATS working out - mine did.

2). Something is on in the coach that is tripping your 15 amp “shore power” breakers at home. Make sure every AC circuit is off, check that the main on the power center hasn’t tripped and try again. I forget to turn the AC off on the water heater and it trips when I connect at home.

3). You have a bad 15 to 30 dogbone.

4). Your 30 amp shore power cable was replaced at sometime and wired incorrectly.

I would focus on 2. Make sure every AC device in the coach is actually off. Double check then try again. It might help to turn the “main” breaker off in the power center, then plug into shore power, then turn the main on.

If that doesn’t work then turn off all the breakers in the power center, plug in to shore power, turn the main on then one by one turn on the other breakers. If something was left on you will know what it was by doing this.

Shreck · 04-30-2022, 11:48 PM

Ok I finally got where I could plug into a 30 amp receptacle and everything works like it should but when I use the 110 adaptor it still pops the breaker on the receptacle. I know the wishbone is good because it works on my friends camper. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Wiley1 · 05-01-2022, 07:43 PM

Let me see if I understand:
1. Everything seems to work nicely when your 30A coach is powered by generator.
2. Likewise, all is good when the coach is connected to shorepower using a 30A non-GFCI receptacle.
3. But, when you connect to SP using a 15A dogbone, a 15A breaker trips in the panel inside the house.
Do I have the symptoms correct?

Do we know if that 15A breaker is GFCI? In most cases, there is no way to tell whether a breaker of that type tripped because of overcurrent or because of a ground fault. It might also be one of those awful "arc-fault" breakers.

Here is how I would proceed:
1. Generator is, of course, OFF. Shore-power cable is unplugged.
2. Turn off the MAIN breaker in the coach. It will be marked MAIN in the breaker panel.
2. Turn off every remaining breaker in the coach breaker panel. You can ignore any 12V fuses.
3. Connect your 30A-to-15A dogbone (and 20A extension cord, if needed) to the nearest 20A outlet. A good place to find one of those is behind the washing machine. It is best to avoid any bathroom or kitchen outlets because those are almost always GFCI.
4. If a 20A breaker trips in the home panel, you have a wiring problem with extension cord or dogbone.
5. Connect the coach shorepower cable to the dogbone. If anything trips, you have a problem in the coach, probably in the ATS, but possibly in the shorepower cable or breaker panel.
6. Turn on the MAIN breaker in the coach. If either breaker trips, something is wired incorrectly in the coach.
7. Turn on a breaker in the coach panel that serves a receptacle somewhere, preferably not a GFCI. The one for the main TV or a bedroom outlet would be a good choice.
8. Go to the energized outlet and test it with a DVM, hand-held outlet tester, a TV, or a small appliance like a lamp. The DVM is preferred because it will give you a voltage reading.
9. Next, find the breaker that serves the microwave oven and flip it ON. If any breaker trips, your microwave oven is to blame.
10. Continue turning on breakers, one at a time, until you find one that causes a problem. For now, avoid the breaker that serves the A/C unit.
11. At this point, you can try the enabling the A/C unit. It may work, but it will trip the breaker inside the house if it causes a current draw over 20A.

If you get everything up and running without tripping any breakers, we have to assume a problem with that 15A circuit you were using before. Or, your coach is somehow drawing more than 15 amps, but less than 20 amps, which isn't likely.

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