Another Almost Catastrophic Failure!

[Paul & Deb]

So, we arrived at our night stop at the KOA in Cheyenne and I plugged into the power post and went about setting up. I went into the trailer to reset the fridge to "auto" (we have been boondocking for 9 days and I had it set to LP) and I noticed it wouldn't switch. I wasn't getting any codes so I assumed there was a problem with my 120. I keep a night light plugged in the island GFI outlet as an immediate visual check for 120 and sure enough, it wasn't on. So I went out to the power post to check my SurgeGuard and it was off. Huh? Why would that be? I checked the breaker and it was on. I fooled around some more and it appeared the outlet was cracked and when I jiggled the plug it would power the SurgeGuard and then it would go out again. So, I saw a KOA employee in a cart and asked him to come over and I showed him the plug. His comment was that they needed to do some repairs in the off season. I tried plugging the SurgeGuard back in and it seemed to work and stay on.

WHAT A DOPE I AM!

Anyway, I go back into the trailer to try again to switch the fridge and it worked for a second then stuff inside started beeping as though power was coming on and going out, like the microwave and a ipod charger that is plugged in and, of course, my night light.

I SHOULD HAVE PULLED OUT OF THE POWER PST RIGHT AWAY BUT NO!

I kept fooling around checked fuses and breakers in the panel and all of a sudden I smelled smoke and I pulled the bottom drawer out of the hutch and sure enough, there was smoke and that distinctive electrical short smell.

Finally I shut the main breakers and ran out and pulled out of the power pole.

Jim and I pulled everything apart ans tested everything we could think of and no "smoking" gun!

The results of all this sounds so reminiscent of my problem almost exactly 1 year ago (https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...ical-Help-ASAP)

I ended up tracing that to a faulty Camco Dogbone connector that, when my power cord was plugged into, resulted in an open neutral.

The only thing I can think now is the busted power post outlet may have caused the same condition.

BTW, this even again cost me a burned out fireplace and coffee maker but my television survived.

I spent the night with everything out of my pass through and the wall off and the power panel pulled out and 2 fire extinguishers standing by (thanks Jim).

I ended up plugging into the 30 amp outlet on the post and everything seems okay but I'm really, really pissed right now and I can't prove anything!

I'm mostly venting but if anyone has any thoughts, I'm happy to hear them.

Paul

[RamGunner]

I'd leave a review on their site at the least, and include the comment about needing to make some repairs in the off season. Maybe folks will stay away until then, and they will have a nice empty park giving them plenty of room to fix things.

[Second Chance]

Back in the '70s there was a "Christian comedian" named Mike Warnke. He claimed to have been a Navy corpsman attached to Marine LRP (Long-Range Patrol) units. He told a story about hunkering down during a particularly fierce firefight that had escalated to incoming mortar fire and calling in air support. As he was laying face down in the dirt next to the Gunny all the high-tech stuff going on everywhere, his arm was pinned to the ground by one of those poop-covered arrows the VC used to launch en masse. The Gunny looked over at him and said, "Only you, Mike - only you." So... "Only you, Paul, only you..."

Rob

[J&G garage]

Doesn't the SureGaurd detect open neutral?

[LCBoyer]

Doesn't the SureGaurd detect open neutral?

Yes, but not intermittent.

[Paul & Deb]

Doesn't the SureGaurd detect open neutral?

Yes, but not intermittent.

That's what I have been trying to research. I wondered if I should dump it and get a Progressive EMS-50C, like Jim has (I guess they're now 50X) but I can't really tell if they are that much different.

I'm really sick of this because it makes me nervous and I keep having to buy new electronics!

I already bought a new coffee maker.

One thing I did after the last incident was to add a surge protector outlet "on top of" the trailer outlet behind the television where it plugs in. I'm wondering if that's what saved the TV this time? Anyway, I bought a couple more and now have one at the hutch where the coffee maker plugs in and when I find a replacement for the fireplace, I will use one there as well.

[offtohavasu]

Paul,

Rob (Cate & Rob) and I had long conversations about your setup when you had the last problem. Since you're both going to be at the rally, I'd hit him up and go over some of those things for verification on some stuff. We both went back to the the switching method for the generator and inverter. He can get more in to in person when you talk to him, if he's up for it.

[Paul & Deb]

Paul,

Rob (Cate & Rob) and I had long conversations about your setup when you had the last problem. Since you're both going to be at the rally, I'd hit him up and go over some of those things for verification on some stuff. We both went back to the the switching method for the generator and inverter. He can get more in to in person when you talk to him, if he's up for it.

I welcome Rob or anyone with far greater electrical knowledge than I certainly have, to go through anything and everything in order to verify that my problems don't originate from the trailer.

I stubbornly feel none of my mods are complicit but am open to anyone with the proper knowledge who is willing and able to troubleshot my setup.

Unfortunately, I doubt anyone would be willing or want to spend the time at the rally to do this.

[Cate&Rob]

Paul,

Rob (Cate & Rob) and I had long conversations about your setup when you had the last problem. Since you're both going to be at the rally, I'd hit him up and go over some of those things for verification on some stuff. We both went back to the the switching method for the generator and inverter. He can get more in to in person when you talk to him, if he's up for it.

Hi Paul . . . sorry to hear about this.
Building on Curtis' comments . . . the neutrals and grounds are not switched when your inverter is connected in. This could be creating unexpected neutral/ground paths. Why this might happen some times but not other times . . . I can't explain. We should be able to find some time to work on this at the Rally.

Curtis . . . your thoughts on this would be most appreciated.

Rob

[offtohavasu]

Rob, you're absolutely on the right path. As we discussed, the grounds don't need to be switched because they're bonded anyway. The neutrals on the other hand do. To answer your question about why some times but not other times might be a simple explanation - variables. Electricity is always looking for the easiest path. If he was having connection problems at the post, then the electricity might start using the inverter neutral. In fact, as I was typing this, I'm thinking that might be the reason SureGuard didn't trip, because it saw a neutral path because of the inverter. Anyway, Rob, you're abosultely right that those neutrals need to be isolated, IMHO.

Bring "the book" for more casual reading, and share with Paul. You guys can have it finished by the end of the rally. Just funning of course. If you guys need anything while you're there, don't hesitate to hit me up!