Power loss to one side of 50amp breaker

Choplin · 02-05-2023, 08:49 AM

If I have no power to the left side of my 50amp breaker, am I looking at having to replace my converter underneath the panel. Thanks for any help with this issue.

**chuckster57** · 02-05-2023, 09:01 AM

welcome to the forum

If you have lost 120VAC to half of your 50A breaker panel, it means you have lost incoming power. Your converter uses 120VAC to make 12VDC to charge the battery(s) and power the 12V stuff.

I would first cycle the main breakers and see if the power comes back, if it doesnt then you need to look at the receptacle your shore cord is plugged into and the associated breakers.

Choplin · 02-05-2023, 09:24 AM

Where does the power source come from feeding the breaker. I have no power on the red wire feeding that side of the breaker.

**chuckster57** · 02-05-2023, 09:28 AM

look at your shore cord. It will have 4 conductors:

Red: hot
Black:hot
White: neutral
green:ground

IF your comfortable with a meter you can test for voltage on each leg (red and black). I would test at the outlet you are plugged into.

jxnbbl · 02-06-2023, 07:07 AM

Although it can be the outlet, bad cord or even the shoreconnection on the trailer. I just thought I'd throw in there that once I found a RV service on a non-bridged breaker (or it was 2 independent breakers installed together) so one side had tripped. As chuckster stated, testing the outlet would find the results of this.

rhagfo · 02-06-2023, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jxnbbl

Although it can be the outlet, bad cord or even the shoreconnection on the trailer. I just thought I'd throw in there that once I found a RV service on a non-bridged breaker (or it was 2 independent breakers installed together) so one side had tripped. As chuckster stated, testing the outlet would find the results of this.

Yep, after cycling the main in the trailer and the breaker in the pedestal, start at the source. Check the pedestal for power first, then trailer end of cord then incoming side of trailer main breaker.
I have had a couple bad breakers on the pedestal.

wiredgeorge · 02-06-2023, 02:45 PM

Are you using an EMS (electrical management system) or plugged in directly to a 50A outlet on a pole?

Choplin · 02-07-2023, 03:22 PM

Thanks Chuck!! You’re suggestion sent me down the right rabbit hole. It was a bad breaker at the RV park. I only had one hot leg coming from their pedestal. Awesome advice and I really appreciate it.

Choplin · 02-07-2023, 03:26 PM

Thanks everyone for the great advice it all helped!!! It’s nice being in a group that people actually try to help and not be a smart a** while doing it. You all are awesome🍻👍🏻

wiredgeorge · 02-07-2023, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Choplin

Thanks everyone for the great advice it all helped!!! It’s nice being in a group that people actually try to help and not be a smart a** while doing it. You all are awesome🍻👍🏻

I asked whether you were using an EMS and guess you were not as the EMS would have caught this electrical fault and you would have been alerted and known specifically what the issue was.

GlasNav · 02-08-2023, 06:55 AM

EMS fixed or portable are great options, if you intend on keeping the rig long term, fixed is best, if you intend on upgrading, the portable version would be cost effective.
Additionally, many of the new shore tie cable come equipped with a circuit verifier / test indicator built into the park side plug.
One thing about EMS units is they consider power from portable generators that have a floating ground an error and lock out the power. The remedy for this is a neutral to ground adapter plug that is plugged into one of the 110 sockets on the generator which links the neutral and ground circuits making the EMS happy!

travelin texans · 02-08-2023, 09:23 AM

IMHO if you own a rv, 30 or 50 amp, there are 2 mandatory pieces of equipment;
#1 an EMS for whatever amp rating of your rv, portable or hardwired.
#2 an adjustable water pressure regulator, not the little cheap a## restrictor the dealer probably gave you, connectedto the water spigot.
Both of these should be connected every time everywhere you connect up your rv to power & water.

CedarCreekWoody · 02-08-2023, 12:31 PM

Just curious. If you have a 50 amp system with an EMS will it shut down the entire system if you lose L1 but not L2 (or vice versa)?

GlasNav · 02-08-2023, 12:33 PM

Funny part about the adjustable water pressure regulators, no matter how careful I think I've been, so far in the past two years I've frozen and destroyed the pressure gauge during storage, no matter how well I thought the device was drained. Thank goodness cheap replacement gauges are readily available!

**sourdough** · 02-08-2023, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

Just curious. If you have a 50 amp system with an EMS will it shut down the entire system if you lose L1 but not L2 (or vice versa)?

The EMS won't shut down the RV is you lose a leg of power. In that scenario it really doesn't do anything other than tell you if you have power to one or both legs so you know what you have when you look at it. Speaking to the Surge Guard I own. They only shut you down if there is a fault that could damage something; high/low voltage, open ground, reversed polarity etc.

CedarCreekWoody · 02-08-2023, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

The EMS won't shut down the RV is you lose a leg of power. In that scenario it really doesn't do anything other than tell you if you have power to one or both legs so you know what you have when you look at it. Speaking to the Surge Guard I own. They only shut you down if there is a fault that could damage something; high/low voltage, open ground, reversed polarity etc.

Thanks Danny, that makes sense. I have a 50 amp EMS but never experienced a loss of only leg.

**sourdough** · 02-08-2023, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

Thanks Danny, that makes sense. I have a 50 amp EMS but never experienced a loss of only leg.

I have and you will notice because some 120vac items work and some won't. If breakers are all good then I check my EMS and it shows L1 & L2, voltage and amps. If one of the legs has zero volts you can start looking at the power ped first; breaker, receptacle etc. I've been in places where the receptacles were worn out, broken, fried....

markdol1 · 02-08-2023, 08:15 PM

try putting an air line on it and blowing it out when winterizing.

rhagfo · 02-09-2023, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

Thanks Danny, that makes sense. I have a 50 amp EMS but never experienced a loss of only leg.

I have twice had a missing leg. First time before EMS before full timing at a Park Host position. Middle of the 1st night, propane alarm starts going off. No smell of propane. After a little slippy research realized leg with converter had no power, and battery was very low, very dim lights. Truck was close enough to just plug the umbilical back into the truck and stopped. Issue was bad breaker.

Second was also at a hosting position. This one had me thinking my EMS was failing. We have the RV Comfort Systems "Cheap Heat" system, and added the auto power detect unit, this will detect 120 V 30 AMP or 240 volt 50 amp service, it has a relay that changes the electric from 1,800 watts to 5,000 watts depending on power available. The breaker was not hard failed, but going back and forth, that relay makes a pretty good sound when switching back and forth. Thought the EMS was failing until I checked the pedestal breaker and it was sizzling a bit. I switched to the 30 amp outlet for the evening and contacted the ranger in the morning.

Sleeve66 · 02-13-2023, 01:31 PM

I always test the power at the post, even if it is a newer campground. I know I shouldn't, but I have re-wired a couple of posts that I have found wired wrong before I connect our trailer to it. Most people shouldn't do this, but I have the knowledge and ability. Typlically if you are in a good park, let management know so they can take care of the repair on their dime.

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