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converter / battery charger

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10-02-2006, 08:32 AM
Jim & Barb
converter / battery charger
Hi to all and HELP......
Barb & I are getting ready to take a trip. We were going to leave Tues morning. So yesterday I plug in the shore power, to use the ac and turn on the frig. and have no 110ac. The Triad-Utrad is not mumming (I'm not mumming). I checked the breakers all are in the on mode. I even threw them back & forth to make sure.
All of the 12 volt system is working. Also all my batteries are new and fully charged.
Is there something else I should check? a reset button? or does it appear the unit is dead.
If the thing is dead, can it be serviced or should I buy a new one and what do you suggest for a replacement. It doesnt appear to be difficult to exchange it or should I let a rv service guy do it.
It was working fine about a month ago. I guess it is possible it just died.
Jim
10-02-2006, 10:53 AM
olroy
Make sure you're getting juice from your shore power. Could save you some effort, expense, & embarrassmant. Been there, done that.
10-02-2006, 11:05 AM
Jim & Barb
Additional info.
I have checked a little further and found I have no power to the converter.
I plug into my garage with a 30amp cord into an adapter to the 50amp cord. I have power from the garage thru the 30amp cord into the adapter from that point it appears I have no power into the breakers. Don't know if the 50amp breaker is bad or there is a problem with the 50amp cord connection into the coach or in the adapter. I'am not an electrician so I need some advice. Maybe it's time to go to the rv shop.
Also I did clean all the plugs and put some electric grease (prevents corrosion)on the fittings.

Jim
10-02-2006, 11:23 AM
Bill N.Y.
quote:
Originally posted by Jim & Barb Rustige:
Don't know if the 50amp breaker is bad or there is a problem with the 50amp cord connection into the coach or in the adapter. I'am not an electrician so I need some advice.
One of the legs could be dead in the cord. Bring your cord with you and have it all checked out. Try plugging your cord into another outlet like the electric dryer (if equipped) to lessen the chance of your house supply.

Bill N.Y.
10-02-2006, 11:47 AM
Jim & Barb
I am getting ready to take it to the rv repair shop.
I thought you could not plug into a dryer outlet because that is 220 volts.
My garage has it's own electric panel and where I plug into is a 50amp breaker.

Jim
10-02-2006, 12:12 PM
Medic37
I lost half of the power in my coach a few months back.

Removed the end of the 50 amp power cord which plugs-into the vehicle and found one of the wires had come completly out of the terminal connector.

From the looks of it, the previous owner might have had a traumatic incident of pulling the whole cord from it's plug [maybe moved the coach without unplugging?].

...when it was all put back together, it was not done well.

So, I took the whole thing apart, stripped a little more insulation, cleaned-up the copper and twisted the bare wires with a pair of pliers in order to get them in a small-enough diameter to slide-back into their terminations, then tightened all the screws and put it all back together ...no problems since.

That's a heavy cord which is continuously fighting gravity while plugged into the coach. There's bound to be something come loose eventually.


~Mac~

1990 31 Foot Regency
Spartan Chassis
Cummins 6CTA8.3
Alison MT643, 4-speed
8905-0123-31RDS-A2
10-02-2006, 07:59 PM
Jim & Barb
I took the Barth to the Rv repair shop and left it. I checked back later and was told everything was working fine. The guy working on my it said he could not find anything wrong but did tighten up the wires coming in and found the common a little loose.
He will be checking it again tomorrow just in case it still has a problem.
He has no idea ,nor do I, why it wasn't working and it is now.

Robin when I get back from my trip I'll share with you ,and others of the Barthmobile site, how I converted to LED taillights. All that I can say is WOW what a difference. I'll take some pictures.
Jim
10-02-2006, 09:40 PM
bill h
I don't know Regencies, but could a sticking transfer relay do that?


.

84 30T PeeThirty-Something, 502 powered
10-03-2006, 12:54 PM
Medic37
Jim...

I would really like to see some photos of your LED conversion, products that you used, and where you purchased the items that you switched to.

Between replacing 2 front tires, a treadle valve and a few other odd and end, miscellaneous items this summer, I never got around to converting to LED this season [nor being-able to afford the products].

The rear tail-light configuration is assumably the greatest challenge.

I still might like to start that transformation B-4 I go into winter storage ...unfortunately, that's not too far away in Minnesota. I will probably winterize between November 1st and the 15th.

Please post some PHOTOS!

Thanks!


~Mac~

1990 31 Foot Regency
Spartan Chassis
Cummins 6CTA8.3
Alison MT643, 4-speed
8905-0123-31RDS-A2
10-03-2006, 05:47 PM
Bill N.Y.
quote:
Originally posted by Jim & Barb Rustige:
I thought you could not plug into a dryer outlet because that is 220 volts.
I'm a little out of my element with this. I have rewired my basement and did the electrical in the garage. My father worked for ConEd and he could talk circles around whatever I write here. So here goes...

You can use your dryer outlet to power up your RV as long as the outlets look identical it will work.

A 220v/240v power supply is nothing more then two 110v/120v legs.

Your coach is using each side of the leg to get 120v at each circuit. By doubling up the power on two different legs you would get 240v.

If you go out to your electrical outlet and check each leg to ground or neutral you will have 120v - if you check across both legs you will have 240v.

There are different power supplies for a house. You could have a single phase transformer that will deliver 120v-240v. If you have a three phase transformer you will have 110v-208v. A three phase transformer is rare in residential but common in a business district.

If your outlet looks like this
--.O
I-----I
---I


Then it is a 50amp 240v outlet.

Bill N.Y.
10-03-2006, 08:24 PM
Jim & Barb
Thanks for the info Bill.
The dryer outlet for our house looks like this:

0
\ /
The guy at the rv center said use caution in trying this as they have had converters, inverters and complete coach electric systems fried because incorrect voltage going into the unit. My dryer plug in looks just like the 30amp cord connectors.
Anyway after extensive testing, they did not find anything wrong.
I took my adapter and the cord and checked all of them. I could find nothing wrong after checking each phase of the plugs.
I have the Barth back and tomorrow I will be trying it again from the garage.
It was working fine about a month ago from the garage
but because of the adapter you can only use one ac unit.
Maybe God had a hand in this as while they where testing the electric, one of the techs and the owner noticed some bad cracks in the side wall of the left rear tire, (they are over due for replacement)anyway the shop owner said I would not risk going out of town towing a vehicle with that tire. I don't know how I missed it. This side of the Barth is aways in the shade. Anyway I bit the bullet and Thursday I am having 4 new tires put on the back. I had two new front tires put on two years ago so I should be in good traveling shape now.
If I have time tomorrow I'll try to take pictures of my LED taillights so Robin can think about doing his.
Thanks to all,
Jim
10-03-2006, 08:25 PM
Rusty
quote:
Originally posted by Bill N.Y.:
quote:
Originally posted by Jim & Barb Rustige:
I thought you could not plug into a dryer outlet because that is 220 volts.
I'm a little out of my element with this. I have rewired my basement and did the electrical in the garage. My father worked for ConEd and he could talk circles around whatever I write here. So here goes...

You can use your dryer outlet to power up your RV as long as the outlets look identical it will work.

A 220v/240v power supply is nothing more then two 110v/120v legs.

Then it is a 50amp 240v outlet.

Bill N.Y.


Best NOT to use the dryer outlet. The dryer is wired 3-conductor - +120V, -120V, and ground (NOT neutral). Although ground and neutral are at the same potential, the functions are different, which is why the 50A connector has that 4th wire (neutral). Using the dryer ground wire as neutral is asking for trouble, as it could be subjected to overcurrent, and it's not protected by a fuse or circuit breaker, nor is it likely large enough to carry the maximum possible current.

Worse yet, the outlets in the coach would not be properly grounded. Best to use a UL listed 50A-15A adapter or a 50A to 30A to 15A.


Rusty


MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP; built-to-order by Peninsular Engines:  Hi-pop injectors, gear-driven camshaft, non-waste-gated, high-output turbo, 18:1 pistons.  Fuel economy increased by 15-20%, power, WOW!"StaRV II"

'94 28' Breakaway: MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP

Nelson and Chester, not-spoiled Golden Retrievers

Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not.
In either case the idea is quite staggering.
- Arthur C. Clarke

It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I've been searching thirty years to find her and thank her - W. C. Fields
10-03-2006, 09:27 PM
Bill N.Y.
quote:
Originally posted by Rusty:
Best NOT to use the dryer outlet. The dryer is wired 3-conductor - +120V, -120V, and ground(NOT neutral).
The way my house is wired and the way my coach is wired takes that into account.

My 50 amp service and my dryer outlet looks like this.



After your post I did a search and came up with this.

http://users3.ev1.net/~crossstitch/RVWiring/wiring.html

A very detailed explanation.

I think you might be a little off on your statement that it's wired without a neutral.



Bill N.Y.
10-03-2006, 09:37 PM
Bill N.Y.
quote:
Originally posted by Jim & Barb Rustige:
The dryer outlet for our house looks like this:

0
\ /
That's a 30 amp service.

If it was like mine then it would be ok to use.

If you go to a campground some places don't have a 50 amp service. Then you would have to use an adapter plug.

Bill N.Y.
10-03-2006, 09:59 PM
Rusty
Your dryer outlet is different from the typical. Most use a three-prong hot-hot-ground, 30 amp receptacle. The photo is the receptacle I disconnected (wired 10-10-14) and replaced it with one wired 10-10-10 (mainly to shorten the run from the old breaker box to the new) when I redid the house service.

One like yours is totally acceptable (did your Dad wire it? Someone who was thinking ahead did...)




Rusty


MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP; built-to-order by Peninsular Engines:  Hi-pop injectors, gear-driven camshaft, non-waste-gated, high-output turbo, 18:1 pistons.  Fuel economy increased by 15-20%, power, WOW!"StaRV II"

'94 28' Breakaway: MilSpec AMG 6.5L TD 230HP

Nelson and Chester, not-spoiled Golden Retrievers

Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not.
In either case the idea is quite staggering.
- Arthur C. Clarke

It was a woman who drove me to drink, and I've been searching thirty years to find her and thank her - W. C. Fields