30 amp plugged into 50 amp, main breaker pops

[rosede]

I have a 30 amp camper and the only available space in the campground was a 50 amp. I bought a dog bone and plugged in. I fired up the AC, refrigerator and hot water heater. After a few minutes, the main breaker pops. This goes on a few times, so I moved both the hot water & fridge to gas. The main stayed on, so that told me something with one of those items was causing the issue.

I first looked at the hot water. I had replaced the heating element earlier this summer. I noticed a wire that I failed to plug back in. After plugging it back in, I put the fridge back on AC, but kept the HW on gas. Things ran fine for several hours, so I put the HW back on AC.

Things continued to run great until this morning. My daughter decided to dry her hair with her hair dryer. The main popped again. After a couple of attempts, she stopped with the hair dryer and all is good again

To the best of my knowledge, there isn't anything else loose and I can't image a hair dryer drawing that many amps that will pop the breaker.

Any thoughts on what else to look for?

Thanks.

Daryl

[chuckster57]

If your trailer is 30A, it doesn’t matter that your plugged into a 50A pedestal. You still only get 30A TOTAL. I suspect your going over that with all that AC stuff going.

[rosede]

If your trailer is 30A, it doesn’t matter that your plugged into a 50A pedestal. You still only get 30A TOTAL. I suspect your going over that with all that AC stuff going.You think that the AC is drawing to much?

[xrated]

You think that the AC is drawing to much?

No, what I think is that your total current draw (amps) is too much when you have that much stuff in use. 30Amps is 30 amps and if you exceed what the breaker is rated for, you are going to trip it.

And BTW, a typical hair dryer will use 1500 Watts of power.....that a little over 12 amps. Your A/C unit is pulling about 14-16 amps when the fan and compressor are running.....throw in the just one more item and you are most likely over the 30A breaker's trip point.

[chuckster57]

No, what I think is that your total current draw (amps) is too much when you have that much stuff in use. 30Amps is 30 amps and if you exceed what the breaker is rated for, you are going to trip it.

And BTW, a typical hair dryer will use 1500 Watts of power.....that a little over 12 amps. Your A/C unit is pulling about 14-16 amps when the fan and compressor are running.....throw in the just one more item and you are most likely over the 30A breaker's trip point.


Yup! Total draw is too much. Sorry I meant total AC draw not A/C draw.

[rosede]

Yup! Total draw is too much. Sorry I meant total AC draw not A/C draw.I see. I guess since I don't need a hair dryer, I didn't know how much it drew.

Thanks for the information.

Daryl

[sourdough]

Have to agree. 30A isn't much. Think about it....your home has 20A breakers in a large quantity. One 20A breaker plus one more EXCEEDS the 30A that the RV can pull. So, feel lucky if you can get the AC to run and another appliance hog...microwave, hair dryer, coffee pot, etc. You are just trying to use too much and pull too much current. You will have to learn to manage power usage...another reason for a 50A trailer.

[travelin texans]

Also, if you don't have a surge protector/ems, GET ONE ASAP & use it EVERY TIME you plug in!

[stolly23]

every 30 amp 5er I have had has tripped when wifey runs the hair drier with the air on. Microwave as well. Just pulling too much

[RagingRobert]

Lets not forget the converter which can continually draw 5 amps and up.
Surge protection is a great idea to protect the electrical system as mentioned @#8

[rosede]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Thinking back on past outings, the only time I can remember having a situation like this was when we were at a remote location and I had borrowed an under powered generator from a friend. The only thing that we could do was run the AC. And that was the most important of all. So I guess that's why I was a bit surprised when we had this little issue. Actually, as long as the AC keeps running, we're good.

I'll look at getting a surge protector.

As i sit here this beautiful morning enjoying my first cup of joe, I want to say thanks once again for all of the replies.

Daryl

[xrated]

Yup! Total draw is too much. Sorry I meant total AC draw not A/C draw. :thumbsup:

[mazboy]

30 amp is 30 amp, simple math. so, if you use the a/c, no hair dryer.

[ctbruce]

A way to avoid the breaker tripping is to manage the power used. If DD is going to use hair dryer, turn off the WH on electric. If you are going to microwave, turn something else off. When done, turn it back on. It just takes some planning to manage the 30 amps you have. Kind of like your checkbook/debit card 2 days before payday!

[JRTJH]

AMPS is an ambiguous term for most people, especially since most appliances are rated in watts. So, let's look at the wattage for some RV things.

Air Conditioner: 1500 watts to run and 1800 watts to start
Water Heater: 1100 watts when heating water with electric element 0 on propane
Refrigerator: 325 watts
Converter/charger: 650 watts (or more depending on charge status of battery bank)
Microwave: 1100 watts typical (magnetron 900, light and motor 100 + control circuits)

The 30 amp RV power is really 3600 watts of available power.

Doing the math, with the A/C 1500 watts and the water heater 1100 watts, the total is 2600 watts. Add 650 watts for the converter and the total is 3250. So, even turning on the refrigerator (325 watts) may be enough to open the 30 amp breaker. Certainly, turning on a 1500 watt hair dryer would draw far more than the 3600 watts maximum.

Conversely, a 50 amp trailer is really 2 legs of 50 amps. Each leg is 6000 watts, a total of 12,000 watts available power. Quite a significant difference when compared to the 3600 available on a 30 amp system.

[geeman]

YUP, and all of this is the first thing we all do......
Air Conditioner: 1500 watts to run and 1800 watts to start
Water Heater: 1100 watts when heating water with electric element
Refrigerator: 325 watts
Converter/charger: 650 watts (or more depending on charge status of battery)

THIS ALONE IS 3575 watts.... and we all do this so we don't waste our PROPANE and since we paid for electric already :)

The 30 amp RV power is really 3600 watts of available power. Get a somewhat weaker breaker or turn on any other device, even the radio or tune in the TV and we are busted till things get caught up. :cool:

[hankaye]

rosede, Howdy;

IF, and only IF the hair dryer is absolutely necessary you can go shopping here,
https://teardropshop.com/collections/12-volt-accessories
(standard disclaimer), :whistling:

hank

[mfifield01]

I have 30a and tend to do what other's have posted. I only run 2 of 3 high wattage items. If A/C is on I only run the microwave or water heater.

I tested wattage at home (watt meter) and got a little higher numbers on some of the items:

Converter with 1 week between power - 101w and dropping fast
Water Heater with cold water - 1350w
Microwave - 1340-1360w
A/C with Auto - After the initial startup wattage is at 1150, after 15 minutes it's at 1433w
Fridge - 340w

[GrumpyCat]

I have a 30 amp camper and the only available space in the campground was a 50 amp. I bought a dog bone and plugged in. I fired up the AC, refrigerator and hot water heater. After a few minutes, the main breaker pops. This goes on a few times, so I moved both the hot water & fridge to gas. The main stayed on, so that told me something with one of those items was causing the issue.

Is not clear to me what is meant by "the main". Others seem to assume it is the trailer's master circuit breaker but when I read it I thought he was talking about the RV park's 50A breaker.

Agree A/C, water heater, refrigerator, microwave, and hair dryer all at once are too much for 120V 30A. The refrigerator and water heater will cycle on/off so seemingly sometimes it works sometimes it does not.

If faced with the option of 50A or 30A for a new RV purchase be informed that 50A 240V service is two 50A's at 120V and not just half again more than 30A.

[apachewolf]

That info can be found right on the hair dryer.

[BadmanRick]

Just a suggestion. We have the same problem. So when my wife uses the hair dryer or our toaster we shut off the airconditioner. This stops the main breaker from tripping. Hope this helps.

[coop341]

I’ve never looked that closely at a 50 AMP breaker, but I believe what others have said is true that 50 amps is just 2 legs of 120VAC, which would tell me that each leg is 25 AMP. My guess is the 30A to 50A adapter is only connecting 1 leg of the 50A to your cable. If any one leg exceeds 25A on that 50A breaker, it should pop. Add the fact that the more a breaker is popped, the easier it is to pop it, they “wear” out.

[66joej]

Actually I believe 50 amps is 2 legs of a 220 volt service making a total of 100 amps. I stand to be corrected as I'm not an electrician.

[sourdough]

I’ve never looked that closely at a 50 AMP breaker, but I believe what others have said is true that 50 amps is just 2 legs of 120VAC, which would tell me that each leg is 25 AMP. My guess is the 30A to 50A adapter is only connecting 1 leg of the 50A to your cable. If any one leg exceeds 25A on that 50A breaker, it should pop. Add the fact that the more a breaker is popped, the easier it is to pop it, they “wear” out.

The 50A is 2 separate legs of 120VAC giving you 100A or 12K watts. The adapter takes ONE of the 50A legs and splits it going into the trailer so that you don't have 1/2 of the 120V outlets/appliances not working. It is VERY easy to blow a 30A breaker in a 50A trailer using an adapter if you're not watching what you are doing - they are 2 very different animals.

[xrated]

I’ve never looked that closely at a 50 AMP breaker, but I believe what others have said is true that 50 amps is just 2 legs of 120VAC, which would tell me that each leg is 25 AMP. My guess is the 30A to 50A adapter is only connecting 1 leg of the 50A to your cable. If any one leg exceeds 25A on that 50A breaker, it should pop. Add the fact that the more a breaker is popped, the easier it is to pop it, they “wear” out.

Nope....the 50A amp service is 50A on EACH leg, for a total of 100 amps at 120 volts. That's 12,000 watts, vs the 30 amp service which is just one leg of 120 volts, for a total of 3600 watts. So the 50 amp service will provide over three times the available amperage of what the 30A service will provide to you.

[Old Mustanger]

You have some serious tripping going on if you can wear out a circuit breaker :)

[flybouy]

You have some serious tripping going on if you can wear out a circuit breaker :)

Roger that! I've seen them wear out from people using them to turn lights on and off (in the retail and resturant buisness when I was a director of construction) but that took years of daily use.

[n4qpcham]

Everyone seems to be forgetting something: an electrical breaker does not give its fully rated amperage on output. Most will trip at 80% capacity, or 24A for a 30A breaker and 40A for a 50A breaker. Better recalculate those watts!

[xrated]

Everyone seems to be forgetting something: an electrical breaker does not give its fully rated amperage on output. Most will trip at 80% capacity, or 24A for a 30A breaker and 40A for a 50A breaker. Better recalculate those watts!

That 80% capacity is also rated for a "continuous load". A continuous load is considered to be a circuit loaded to capacity for Three or more hours.