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Electrical Wierdness


SpaceNorman

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So, we pulled in on Friday. Prior to connecting to campground power - I checked the pedestal (30 amp source) using a Surge Guard (50 amp) surge protector connected to the pedestal thru a 50-30 "dog one". All 5 LED ,indicator lights on the Surge Guard showed green. I figured I've got a good power source and finished hooking up the coach.

 

This morning - I look at the Magnum EMS within the coach and decided to check the battery charging status by turning on the charger. It immediately went into "bulk charging" mode. Great - I figured I'd let it charge.

 

I happened to walk by the pedestal and noticed that the Surge Guard had a red LED showing. According to the LED matrix - the Surge Guard says that "L1 and Nuetral Reversed" and/or "L2 and Nuetral Reversed" (both messages apply to the same "Red-Green-Green" LED pattern.)

 

I immediately turned off the charger - and the Surge Guard immediately show "green" across the board. I disconnected from the pedestal, reset the pedestal breakers, rechecked the source with the Surge Guard (all "green") and reconnected the coach. After a little fiddled - I realized that I can turn the Red LED on the Surge Guard by turning on the charger on the EMS control panel.

 

Has anybody encountered this? I'd like to think this is related to interplay between the Surge Guard and the EMS and not a "real" problem - but just don't have the electrical knowledge to be able to explain why. Anybody have an explanation? Do I have a "real" problem?

The Spacenorman

2012 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 43' DFT

2012 Jeep Liberty

Our Travel Website: www.penquinhead.com​

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I need to work through to insure Im following you:

 

The 30 Amp Pedestal Receptacle has only one hot Ungrounded Line Conductor (L1 or L2)

The 30 to 50 Dog Bone ties the single 30 amp hot Ungrounded Conductor to BOTH the L1 & L2 on the dog bones Female receptacle. (L1 & L2 outputs are

simply spliced together even though there's only one hot feed via the 30 amp pedestal receptacle)

When that's done and results in L1 & L2 (as seen in the dog bones receptacle) are in phase and NOT 180 opposite as if it were a 50 amp service THAT MAY BE

CAUSING THE EMS AND SURGE GUARD TO BE CONFUSED.

 

The charger only requires one hot ungrounded L1 or L2 conductor plus a Grounded Neutral Conductor so perhaps when its seen as a load by the Surge Guard

or EMS it thinks Hot and Neutral are reversed since you're on L1 or L2 and they aren't 180 out of phase with each other???????????

 

I don't think I can figure it out unless I had the wiring diagrams but I tend to agree it may NOT be any real problem that will cause harm. It sees L1 and L2 as in phase versus 180 opposite and thinks Hot and Neutral are reversed OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT?????????????????????????

 

Anyone got more ideas????????????? That's the best I got absent any schematics

 

John T Live from crowded and expensive San Diego although not near as bad as LA

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...are in phase and NOT 180 opposite as if it were a 50 amp service THAT MAY BE

CAUSING THE EMS AND SURGE GUARD TO BE CONFUSED.

 

...but I tend to agree it may NOT be any real problem that will cause harm. It sees L1 and L2 as in phase versus 180 opposite and thinks Hot and Neutral are reversed.

 

In a nutshell.. you've got it... with the exception that the EMS shouldn't be confused and should be charging normally. The "check" is upstream in the surge guard but has no affect on the downstream current. There are some other factors in play, but they are inconsequential to normal operations.

 

You're good to go, Norman. Good instincts.

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When that's done and results in L1 & L2 (as seen in the dog bones receptacle) are in phase and NOT 180 opposite as if it were a 50 amp service THAT MAY BE CAUSING THE EMS AND SURGE GUARD TO BE CONFUSED.

I have used a 50A Surge Guard on a 30A adapter many times and never once had that cause any problems. But what we do not know is what sort of charger he was using so that must be causing some sort of issue for the SG. I have used an ordinary 12V battery charger from the 120V side of a 50A Surge Guard connected as Norman's and with no problems.

 

Based upon what little we actually know, there seems to be some sort of problem created by what Norman calls "the Magnum EMS within the coach."

Good travelin !...............Kirk

Full-time 11+ years...... Now seasonal travelers.
Kirk & Pam's Great RV Adventure

            images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqFswi_bvvojaMvanTWAI

 

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Pull the circuit breaker panel and check the wires for any thermal clues, especially the neutrals. .

RV/Derek
http://www.rvroadie.com Email on the bottom of my website page.
Retired AF 1971-1998


When you see a worthy man, endeavor to emulate him. When you see an unworthy man, look inside yourself. - Confucius

 

“Those who can make you believe absurdities, can make you commit atrocities.” ... Voltaire

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Thanks for all the input! OldJohnT's explanation of how the "dog bone" functions to tie together the single "hot" made sense to me. As did Kirk's comment that there seems to be some sort of problem created by what Norman calls "the Magnum EMS within the coach."

 

We've since moved twice. The first evening, we were in a campground with 50 amp service. My Surge Guard showed "green" across the board - and more importantly, remained "green" across the board when the charger was on.

 

We're now "moochdocking" with some great friends - who during our last trip, graciously added a 30 amp circuit breaker and a Nema TT-30R receptical off the power panel in their pole barn so that we could power the coach whenever we stop by for a visit - so now I'm connected to 30 amp shore power (a different power supply than the one involved in my original post) using the identical setup (50-30 amp "dog bone", 50 Amp Surge Guard). The Surge Guard shows "green" across the board with the charger off. It shows "green" across the board with the charger on.

 

This being the case - I'm going to assume that my equipment (dog bone, surge guard and coach charger) is functioning as intended - and that I simply experienced an undetermined issue with the campground power that only because apparent when the coach's battery charger was switched on.

 

Thanks again for the responses to my issue!

The Spacenorman

2012 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 43' DFT

2012 Jeep Liberty

Our Travel Website: www.penquinhead.com​

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