2023 Chateau only 15A not 30A

[N6MJS]

I have a 2023 Thor Chateau 28z. I went to use it this past week and plugged into the 30A outlet at the campground. I got the red light indicator on the panel calling out "flt" or fault. So not having my multi meter with me I ended up just using 15A (using a 110V plug) for everything but the A/C and went without that for a few days. I thought my power cord was damaged so when I got home I did a continuity test on each or the 3 wires - all good. I checked all the fuses in the panel - all good. All the circuit breakers were in the closed position and none tripped.
I also changed camp sites thinking the power was not good at that one site - same problem at the new camp site. I don't have 220V at the house to try here. Any ideas what else I can try?
Thanks in advance - Mike

 

[Jimbo57]

How close was the new camp site. May be that camp ground had a bad connection in there wiring so everyone on that circuit would be affected or you were at the end of overloaded circuit

 

[N6MJS]

The new site was directly across the driveway from the old one.

 

[ducksface]

Great first posting.
Nice detail and Info.
Low voltage, 108v instead of 115+ is pretty common in rv parks.

What does 220v have to do with it all?

 

[Chateau_Nomad]

Note... 120v & 240v are standards today (as opposed to 110v & 220v). Those are the target voltages you should expect today.

 

[16ACE27]

I have a 2023 Thor Chateau 28z. I went to use it this past week and plugged into the 30A outlet at the campground. I got the red light indicator on the panel calling out "flt" or fault. So not having my multi meter with me I ended up just using 15A (using a 110V plug) for everything but the A/C and went without that for a few days. I thought my power cord was damaged so when I got home I did a continuity test on each or the 3 wires - all good. I checked all the fuses in the panel - all good. All the circuit breakers were in the closed position and none tripped.
I also changed camp sites thinking the power was not good at that one site - same problem at the new camp site. I don't have 220V at the house to try here. Any ideas what else I can try?
Thanks in advance - Mike

You do have 240 VAC at the house, but with a 30 amp RV your connection is 120 VAC 30 amp, not 240 VAC 50 amps.

Since the "fault" could have been anything from low voltage to miswiring to over frequency, it's hard to troubleshoot at this point.

Plug in your RV to an inside the house 15 amp receptacle using the appropriate adapter. If no fault shows up, there is no problem with your RV.

And stop by Harbor Freight and pick-up a cheap multimeter for the RV and maybe Lowes or Homedepot and get a receptacle tester. it works on the 30 amp receptacle with your adapter.

 

[N6MJS]

Thanks guys for all the feedback. I plugged into a house 110VAC, 15A and no fault indicator. I have several multimeters and I'll throw one in the RV. I also have to purchase a surge protector. Now I understand the importance of having additional devices.

 

[N6MJS]

Oops 120V. Sorry, not a BSEE here.

 

[craigd853]

I have a 2023 Thor Chateau 28z. I went to use it this past week and plugged into the 30A outlet at the campground. I got the red light indicator on the panel calling out "flt" or fault. So not having my multi meter with me I ended up just using 15A (using a 110V plug) for everything but the A/C and went without that for a few days. I thought my power cord was damaged so when I got home I did a continuity test on each or the 3 wires - all good. I checked all the fuses in the panel - all good. All the circuit breakers were in the closed position and none tripped.
I also changed camp sites thinking the power was not good at that one site - same problem at the new camp site. I don't have 220V at the house to try here. Any ideas what else I can try?
Thanks in advance - Mike

Hello sir and sorry for your issues. I see where you are talking about 220 volt, your system should be 120 volt/ 30 amp or 50 amp service . I would not be trying to plug a 220 volt system into your rv as you could possibly do some serious damage to your electricals. Not being familiar with your type of set up the plug from the rv going into the electrical hook up of the site you are staying at will differ in size from 30 amp to 50 amp but still I am almost certain that you have a 120 volt system as you are in the US and not in Europe. Problem could be either the camp site you stayed at or your converter/inverter. Others with more knowledge of your particular rv will be alng here shortly to help and offer suggestions. Good luck

 

[Number Three]

"FLT" likely is indicating a GROUND fault. From my armchair here, I feel like there might be some "gremlins" causing differences between both sides of the 240VAC at that campground, most likely, through their shared grounds.

 

[N6MJS]

Hello sir and sorry for your issues. I see where you are talking about 220 volt, your system should be 120 volt/ 30 amp or 50 amp service . I would not be trying to plug a 220 volt system into your rv as you could possibly do some serious damage to your electricals. Not being familiar with your type of set up the plug from the rv going into the electrical hook up of the site you are staying at will differ in size from 30 amp to 50 amp but still I am almost certain that you have a 120 volt system as you are in the US and not in Europe. Problem could be either the camp site you stayed at or your converter/inverter. Others with more knowledge of your particular rv will be alng here shortly to help and offer suggestions. Good luck

Hi and thank you for the post. Yes, it is 120V not 240 as I first mentioned. Thanks again.

 

[Allen White]

I have a 2023 Thor Chateau 28z. I went to use it this past week and plugged into the 30A outlet at the campground. I got the red light indicator on the panel calling out "flt" or fault. So not having my multi meter with me I ended up just using 15A (using a 110V plug) for everything but the A/C and went without that for a few days. I thought my power cord was damaged so when I got home I did a continuity test on each or the 3 wires - all good. I checked all the fuses in the panel - all good. All the circuit breakers were in the closed position and none tripped.
I also changed camp sites thinking the power was not good at that one site - same problem at the new camp site. I don't have 220V at the house to try here. Any ideas what else I can try?
Thanks in advance - Mike

Camp sites especially Thousand Trails are notorious for having bad pedestals. You need a surge protector that does a diagnostic. I learned that the hard way ($180 just to have a mobile repairman tell me there was low voltage at the pedestal)

 

[N6MJS]

Thank you Allen. I will definitely purchase one prior to my next trip.

 

[RetiredTorng]

The new site was directly across the driveway from the old one.

I have a Chateau 22E. Twice in my 6 weeks and 10 weeks trips I had the same problem that camp site shore line didn't give me the 30 AMP power, had to turn on the engine to generate power for the batteries (generator is too loud in the night.) But before and after those sites the shore power had no problem. I believe it's not my MH's problem, it's the sites that were the problems. Hope when you move to a different RV park, the problem will go away.

 

[ducksface]

https://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-815-3012-Freedom-Inverter-Charger/dp/B0BN7XVZ37?th=1&psc=1

(Weighs 75ish pounds. "...let me tell ya boy, it ain't no toy.")

This inverter will measure shore supplied amps and volts and if the shore power is out of parameters it will steal from the batteries to add to shore power as a cure.

I can turn it on and watch volts go from 108 to 115 in a blink.
And
It is concurrently(ha!) charging the batteries so it can supply this boost all but indefinitely.

 

[MCP-THOR]

https://www.amazon.com/Xantrex-815-3012-Freedom-Inverter-Charger/dp/B0BN7XVZ37?th=1&psc=1

(Weighs 75ish pounds. "...let me tell ya boy, it ain't no toy.")

This inverter will measure shore supplied amps and volts and if the shore power is out of parameters it will steal from the batteries to add to shore power as a cure.

I can turn it on and watch volts go from 108 to 115 in a blink.
And
It is concurrently(ha!) charging the batteries so it can supply this boost all but indefinitely.

So is that like a Hughes Autoformer but built into the inverter/charger? Sounds like a nice setup if one runs into occasional (or routine) shore power issues.

 

[16ACE27]

So is that like a Hughes Autoformer but built into the inverter/charger? Sounds like a nice setup if one runs into occasional (or routine) shore power issues.

No, it operates nothing like an autoformer. It is an AC load and AC power source and a DC load and DC power source. On the AC end it is always in parallel with your additional AC power source (SP or the generator) and has the ability to compensate for reactive load which will allow drooped AC voltage to go up.
It can do this without assuming any real load so it can still supply DC loads concurrently.

If you also install the Xanbus AGS module it can also assist with real AC load using battery power (and inverting) to temporarily assist power loads with large start-up demands such as air conditioners, microwaves, etc. In that case it's just another AC generator operating in parallel with your generator or SP.