Breaker Trips w/AC + Microwave???

[Rvparkkimg]

As the title says when I'm running ac and the microwave at the same time it trips a 15 amp breaker everytime. Or if I'm running my 1500 watt heater by itself. I'm not a electrician but should this be happening or is something wrong? Its the second one from the bottom.

[Festus2]

If you have a 30A circuit, then running the A/C and a microwave at the same time will trip your breaker. Don't forget that if you have your HW heater set on electric, that is a heavy draw on your circuit. The converter, which one doesn't really think much about, is also a draw so it doesn't take much to "run out of amps". In a sense, the 1500W heater isn't really "running all by itself" if you count the converter and the HW heater. You should be able to operate a 1500w heater if you don't have other items going at the same time - coffee pot, frying pan, microwave, etc.

There really isn't anything wrong but having a 30A circuit does place some restrictions on the number of things you can have running at the same time.

[hankpage]

If I am reading the markings on that breaker it is REC/CON or receptacle/converter. As Festus2 mentioned we are limited to what we can use at the same time. Especially on the same circuit. With that breaker off, try to find another outlet that works on a different circuit for your heater. Your converter is supplying 12v for you lights, furnace and other controls. That combined with your heater is most likely more than 15 amps.
I have owned three trailers with 30amp service, only one of them would allow me to use A/C and electric water heater at the same time.. It is just the nature of the beast. WH + A/C + Converter = close to or over 30 amps. JM2¢, Hank .......... Welcome to the forum.

"As the title says when I'm running ac and the microwave at the same time it trips a 15 amp breaker everytime."
The A/C and micro are both on separate 20amp breakers???

[theeyres]

You should be able to run the electric heater by itself, if that's what you mean. I have had no trouble in any trailer doing that even with the hot water heater on. But I cannot add the microwave to that or it will trip the service. I can sometimes run the micro with the a/c but it will trip if anything else is on so I don't try. Here is a list from KOA. A/C alone is drawing 1/2 your total amps. Microwave, the same--so you can see you don't have much left.

120 Volt AC Amp Ratings
Appliance or Electronic Equipment Estimated Amps
Air Conditioner (X number of A/C) 12-16 Amps
Blender 5-6 Amps
Coffee Maker 5-8 Amps
Compact Disc Player 1 Amp
Computer (Laptop) 2-3 Amps
Converter 1-8 Amps
Crock Pot 1-2 Amps
Curling Iron <1 Amp
Drill 2-6 Amps
Electric Blanket 0.5-1.5 Amps
Electric Fan 1 Amp
Electric Water Heater 9-13 Amps
Electric Skillet 6-12 Amps
Hair Dryer 5-12 Amps
Iron 5-10 Amps
Light (60 watt % 120V) <1 Amp
Microwave 8-13 Amps
Microwave (Convection Oven) 13 Amps
Refrigerator in AC mode 5-8 Amps
Space Heater 8-13 Amps
Television 1.5-4 Amps
Toaster 7-10 Amps
Vacuum (handheld) 2-6 Amps
VCR 1-2 Amps
Washer/Dryer 14-16Amps

12 Volt DC Amp Ratings
Appliance or Accessory Estimated Amps
Aisle Light 1 Amp
CO Detector 1 Amp
Fluorescent Light 1-2 Amps
Furnace 10-12 Amps
LP Gas Leak Detector 1 Amp
Overhead lights (Per Bulb) 1 Amp
Porch Light 1 Amp
Power Roof Vent 1.5 Amps
Radio/Stereo 4 Amps
Range Hood (Fan & Light) 2-3 Amps
Refrigerator (LP Gas Mode) 1.5- 2 Amps
Security System 1 Amp
Television (12 volt) 4-5 Amps
TV Antenna Booster <1 Amp
TV Antenna Booster 12 Volt outlet Up to 8 Amps
Variable Speed Ceiling / Vent Fan 4 Amps
VCR Recorder / Player 2 Amps
Water Pump 4 Amp
Hopefully this clears up any confusion on the difference between using amps supplied by the campground electrical source (AC amps), and using amps supplied by the converter (DC Amps).

Happy Camping!

[Festus2]

The standard incandescent light bulb in your RV draws about 1.5 - 1.75amps. If you have 5 single lights on, that will draw about 7.5 to 8.75 amps. Having your heater on at night coupled with a number of overhead lights, will use a fair number of those 30 available amps.

As you can see, it doesn't take much to max out your 30A circuit.

If you haven't yet installed LED lights, it might be something to consider as they require about 1/5 to 1/10 of the requirements of incandescent bulbs.

[Ken / Claudia]

This is just another point made that shows a RV (the common rvs) are not built like a home. How they heat/cool and use water and electricity are different and need to be monitored among other stuff we take for granted in a home.

[Steve S]

Originally Posted by Festus2

The standard incandescent light bulb in your RV draws about 1.5 - 1.75amps. If you have 5 single lights on, that will draw about 7.5 to 8.75 amps. Having your heater on at night coupled with a number of overhead lights, will use a fair number of those 30 available amps.

As you can see, it doesn't take much to max out your 30A circuit.

If you haven't yet installed LED lights, it might be something to consider as they require about 1/5 to 1/10 of the requirements of incandescent bulbs.

So if I have 20 led's running then how many amps am I drawing? Also what does one led draw?

[rnkburg]

On my raptor I was having a few electrical issues but we found out that the wiring wasn't put all the way into some of the breakers and they were poorly connected to the 12v fuses on the side of the panel. It may be worth checking just in case


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[randy69]

Looking at your pannel you could add a breaker just for the microwave. But it doesn't' change your 30amp service. But just might solve your problem.

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by randy69

Looking at your pannel you could add a breaker just for the microwave. But it doesn't' change your 30amp service. But just might solve your problem.

The picture shows he already has a separate 20amp breaker for the MICRO.

[outwest]

My personal experience with 30amp rigs and microwaves is that you can usually get away with running the microwave for 30 secs or so, but any longer than that and the main breaker will blow if the air conditioner is also on.

[bobbecky]

You may have a bad breaker, and you don't say what you have running connected to your receptacles. The first thing to do, with the AC power turned off to the trailer, is remove that panel cover and check every connection to the breakers, including the Main breaker. What may be happening, is a loose connection will cause a voltage drop which will cause an increase in amperage, and will trip a breaker sooner than if the voltage was correct. Like was already said, get everything that can run on propane off electric, the fridge and the water heater. If you are running the A/C, do not run the microwave until you shut down the A/C. With a little planning, you can survive on a 30 amp service, but compared to a 50 amp service, you only have less than a third of the available wattage, 3600 watts on the 30 amp and 12,000 watts on the 50 amp.

[randy69]

Originally Posted by hankpage

The picture shows he already has a separate 20amp breaker for the MICRO.

Ok I'm bad put my glasses on

[hankaye]

Howdy All;

I have a 30amp system, run the A/C all Summer and use the Microwave
all the time for cooking and never had a problems for 3 and a half years
now.
Perhaps if the Op were to switch off the A/C and attempt to run it to see
if it is correctly labeled and breakered. Then try the microwave to see the
same. We all know how well Keystone labels things. I'd also check to be
sure that the connections are snug and show no signs of arcing.

hankaye

[hankpage]

Originally Posted by randy69

Ok I'm bad put my glasses on

I just noticed it because it is written in the same poor penmanship that I possess.

[Larry1013]

Originally Posted by Rvparkkimg

As the title says when I'm running ac and the microwave at the same time it trips a 15 amp breaker everytime. Or if I'm running my 1500 watt heater by itself. I'm not a electrician but should this be happening or is something wrong? Its the second one from the bottom.

I would try replacing/swapping this breaker with another one. Breakers can be "weak" and trip too soon. From experience years ago, the circuit breaker for the home heat unit would occasionally trip early in the heating season. I replaced the breaker and never experience it tripping again the year we lived in that house.

[Lee]

Hi,

Well you do have a strange problem ...

First off there should be no corrolation between running the A/C and Micro, and having the 15A Conv breaker tripping unless your Panel scheule is labled incorrectly. It almost appears that the Micro is on the Conv breaker.

As a test, turn off the Conv breaker and try to operate the Microwave. If it does not operate then the labels are wrong.

If your RV is like mine, the Conv breaker (15amp) has a duel purpose. It not only has to provide power to the Converter but also all Non-GFI outlets in the RV. If you run a 1500W heater (12.5amps) that is plugged into a Non-GFI outlet that only leaves 2.5amps for the Converter before the 15amp breaker will trip. You can confirm this by removing the plastic cover on the Converter and look at the Conv breaker you will probably see 2 wires coming out of it. Whoops: Word of caution first. UN-PLUG RV FROM IT's POWER SOURCE FIRST BEFORE OPENING UP THE PANEL!!!! Work by flashlight.

Notice that all other breakers only have one wire.

Now look and see that one of the 2 wires coming off the Conv breaker will go to a taped up wire nut and then it continues to romex cable that goes to all Non-GFI outlets. If this is the case then it is really easy to fix by installing a dedicated breaker for the Non-GFI outlets. I did this yesterday to my RV.

I picked up a duel 15A breaker from HD for about 15 bucks. Install it in the next location of the breaker panel. It literally just snaps in.....
Now, go back to those 2 wires coming out of the Conv breaker and relocate the one going to the taped wire nut and land it on the new 15A breaker. Walla! dune.

What this does is dedicates the Non-GFI outlets to their own 15A breaker ... same with the Converter... it has its own (original) 15A breaker. No sharing!

BTW: Be careful when adding up "Amps" to compute total usage when including DC (lights, etc) appliances. As an example, you Converter with a 15Amp (AC) breaker has a total of 1800W (15A x 120Volts) capacity. The converter, "coverts" 120V AC to 12v DC to provide the 12V to the RV. Theoretically, 1800W at 12V is 150Amps. Your converter is rated for probably only 55A if it's like mine. What Im getting at is if you add up all of the 12V DC lights amps usage you can easyly surpass 15amps but it won't pop the 15A AC Conv breaker because it's on the output of the converter at 12v.

Anyway, if you dry camp alot like me then "Yes" it's a great idea to replace all bulbs with LEDS. The batteries will llast longer.

Sorry as this post turned out to be MUCH longer than I planned.