Campground Power Posts keep Popping

The_Lynnes · 07-20-2020, 05:05 PM

Got a 2011 Jay Feather Ultra Light Travel Trailer. Been using it with no issues until last fall. The power posts at the 3 state parks i have been to since last fall all trip the moment I turn on fan/ac and/or microwave. I have gone to three state parks and have tried multiple electric posts in the parks. Trailer is 30 amps. Have plugged in direct to post and tried extension cord to post. Have also tried cheater to 50amp post. Breaker on posts all pop. Have had it to the RV center twice now, they are unable to find any problems.

When the trailer is plugged into my garage and at the RV center everything works fine.

ANY IDEAS???? Desperate to go camping!

TaftCoach · 07-20-2020, 05:42 PM

They trip only when you start a high usage appliance, not immediately when you plug in?

houstonstroker · 07-20-2020, 07:07 PM

Are you also heating your water with electricity?

curver900 · 07-20-2020, 08:20 PM

questions to help trouble shoot
1. Did you make any changes to the trailer before it quite working?
2. Did it work in state parks before last fall? i.e. did you plug in and everything worked at the parks? and then the last few times you went it just quite working.

3. Did you put in new batteries?
4. Does the post trip when you plug it in and nothing is on in the trailer?
5. if you go again to a park turn off all your breakers and plug it in does it trip the post?
6. turn on each breaker one at a time until it trips the post
7. SHut off all the breakers again and then start with the one that caused the post to trip, did it trip the post by itself?
8. If you can't get to the park then you need to get a ground fault wired up at home and test there
A good EMS can help you as well to determine if it is the trailer or the posts.

My gut says polarity issue..

I find it odd you would trip a breaker at the park especially a 30amp one and/or a 50 amp one.. something does not add up...

Grumpy · 07-20-2020, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by curver900

My gut says polarity issue..
..

That would trip his breaker at home and at the dealer too, not just in a campground.

Riich · 07-21-2020, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Lynnes

When the trailer is plugged into my garage and at the RV center everything works fine.

That is the puzzler right there. I'm scratching my head.

Please keep us posted when you find out what is causing this.

The_Lynnes · 07-21-2020, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaftCoach

They trip only when you start a high usage appliance, not immediately when you plug in?

Yes only when high usage appliance is used.

The_Lynnes · 07-21-2020, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by houstonstroker

Are you also heating your water with electricity?

Yes we use electricity to heat water. But we don't even get as far as turning on the water heater.

Bullitt6283 · 07-21-2020, 08:58 AM

Fridge heating element bad? Wouldn't necessarily be running at home or the RV center.

.

Grumpy · 07-21-2020, 09:00 AM

Were all the parks full? If so there could be a low voltage issue in the park and when the voltage is down the current draw goes up.

The_Lynnes · 07-21-2020, 09:10 AM

Responses to the misc questions in the thread.

RV dealership said they checked "everything"
Fridge works fine.
Nothing on camper was changed.
Have camped at the parks in past with no issues. The park was pretty empty so no big draws in campground.

The whole thing makes zero sense.

The_Lynnes · 07-21-2020, 09:12 AM

Frustrated beyond belief

EA37TS · 07-21-2020, 10:52 AM

Could be GFCI being plugged into GFCI at the park pedestals.

Many folks have experienced similar issues when they try plugging their RV into a GFCI protracted outlet in their garage.

Vicr · 07-21-2020, 11:03 AM

OP: are you plugging in to 30a receptacle at the pedestal?

TxLoser · 07-21-2020, 11:25 AM

We had a 30amp pop on us recently. I was puzzled. Just one AC running, fridge, and water heater. Pretty normal SOP for us on 30amp. Then I looked up how many amps my son’s PS4 was pulling. It’s like another AC running. Point is I was focused on trailer systems popping it. Didn’t occur to me right off that something plugged into an outlet could do it.

curver900 · 07-21-2020, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grumpy

That would trip his breaker at home and at the dealer too, not just in a campground.

if they had ground fault right? I am guessing the post has a ground fault and home and the dealer just plugged in to a normal outlet. I don't know how they are wired obviously...

If you are popping a 30 amp breaker then it may be adventitious to get an EMS or a way to measure the draw as you must be exceeding 30amps... or you were extremely unlucky and plugged into a bunch of 30amp breakers on their way out...

Bullitt6283 · 07-21-2020, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Lynnes

..... trip the moment I turn on fan/ac and/or microwave.

You're describing an instantaneous trip. That tells me there's a short.

(A trip due to overload may take a bit of time.)

Another thing...
In your trailer, are the neutral and ground bars bonded together in the breaker box? They shouldn't be. There exists a possibility that another camper's neutral-fault is trying to find a way to ground through your wiring.

.

Vicr · 07-21-2020, 05:06 PM

FYI: there is no such thing as a 30 amp GFCI RV Receptacle.

EA37TS · 07-21-2020, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicr

FYI: there is no such thing as a 30 amp GFCI RV Receptacle.

There are 30 Amp GFCI breakers which could be at or downstream from the pedestal.

JimD · 07-21-2020, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EA37TS

There are 30 Amp GFCI breakers which could be at or downstream from the pedestal.

If that were the case how would they be reset if tripped? You would think these pedestals would be GFI protected since they are outside and easily near water. Just not sure how it would be done.

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