electrical problems

[bubblerboy64]

The 30 amp cord is pretty much a standard 110 with a funny plug on it
then? I knew that 220 was essentially two 110 hot wires but did not
know that the 50 was similar. Having been in a RV store not long ago
I noticed they had a featured item up near the check out a 50 amp
plug with a distinct pull handle on it. I think they also had 30amp
plugs similar. Didn't impress me at the time nearly as much as it
does now. I don't have 50 amps into my coach but I learned
something. I also did not realize the risk involved in the battery
campartments. I was informed last year at the Maxton rally about
that. I guess the low voltage stuff can be rather nasty as well.
Perhaps some one will review and explain what the risk with the low
voltage. Does make a rather nasty spark if you short the positive
against the metal I know that. All kinds of ways a fellow can get
hurt. I was up on the roof of my bird this morning and I was VERY
careful. I remember seeing Don's X rays. I don't much like it up
there but once a year I go up to check it over and see that all is
well. Lets see. The thing can crush you, electrocute you, you can
fall off, and then there is the road risk. I guess we can say it can
get you coming and going as well as a couple ways in between.

John Heckman
central Pa
1973 FC



>
> I may not have been clear: It was the coach end of the shore cord,
not the connector that is part of the coach. The pole end is a molded
connector, but the coach end is not; don't know if that is original?
>
> There is a plastic ring cinched down to the cord, just behind the
connector. I never gave it much thought, but now I wonder why that is
there. It lends itself to be the point that is grabbed to pull the
connector out, but that puts strain on the wires in the connector.
Clearly I should grab the connector body to pull it out, not the
wires.
>
> On 8/28/2008 at 8:31 PM Curt Sprenger wrote:
>
> >Don,
> >
> >Great Post...Everyone...All of us with our older coaches need to
do what
> >Don
> >just did, check our coach connectors. I'll add that we should also
check
> >our
> >shore cord coach ends.
> >
> >.On Thu, Aug 28, 2008 at 5:34 PM, Don Bradner
> >wrote:
> >
> >> I've experienced two serious electrical problems on our
current trip.
> >> I'm hoping the second problem (solved) was the cause of the
first, but I
> >> can't get my head around exactly how it would be, so I'm hoping
someone
> >with
> >> more RV electrical experience than I have will have a clue. I
will rest
> >> easier if I know what caused the first problem.
> >>
> >> The first problem I talked about here earlier, but will run
through for
> >> clarity:
> >>
> >> With a lot of draw going on, I had the 50-amp breaker on the
park pole
> >> blow, plus the main inside breakers, plus the breaker for the
inverter.
> >> Power was lost on the inverter circuit, and did not return when
breakers
> >> were turned back on with reduced draw. The inverter, a ProSine
2.0, is
> >toast
> >> - burnt components obvious when opening the case. I removed the
inverter
> >and
> >> wired input/output together for power on the inverted circuit
when on
> >park
> >> power, and bought a small charger to keep the batteries up while
parked.
> >>
> >> Xantrex sent out a new ProSine 2.0 (half-price, well out-of-
warranty)
> >and I
> >> will get it tomorrow. I've been worrying about hooking it up
without
> >knowing
> >> what caused the failure.
> >>
> >> Problem number 2: Yesterday I moved, and on arrival at a park in
Ogallala
> >> the 50-amp park breaker blew as soon as turned on. After turning
off the
> >> internal main breakers I was able to get the park breaker to
hold after
> >one
> >> more failure. The breaker was "spongy" so I wasn't sure if it
was just
> >weak.
> >> Turning on the main breakers inside worked fine.
> >>
> >> Moved again today, and the problem repeated except that nothing
would
> >make
> >> it work. In trying various things I found that my 30/50 cord
worked fine.
> >>
> >> So, I took the coach connector apart and found:
> >>
> >> Screw for black wire fell out, and was quite black on the end.
White and
> >> Red attached, but screw not tight. Green was not attached at
all - screw
> >all
> >> the way in, and wire laid across the top. Contacting case, but
who knows
> >how
> >> well.
> >>
> >> It is amazing I had power at all. I cut the end off and rebuilt
the
> >> connector, and had no problem turning on the power.
> >>
> >> It would seem to be an odd coincidence if problem one was not
caused by
> >> problem two, but since the ProSine 2.0 should in theory work
regardless
> >of
> >> what occurs on the input side I'm not sure what the connection
is.
> >Anybody
> >> have thoughts on this?
> >>
> >> Don Bradner
> >> 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> >> Posting today by satellite from Grand Island, Nebraska
> >> My location: http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user2.cfm?user=1
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
> >--
> >Curt Sprenger
> >1987 PT38 8V92 "MacAttack Racing"
> >Anaheim Hills, CA
>