Battery Power is fine Shore power is not

EricMuench
EricMuench Member Posts: 9
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
Scratching my head here. Perhaps someone else has had this problem. I was working on my fridge in propane mode and only on battery for the trailer(no shore power hooked up). Everything seemed to be ok. Left for an hour and came back and the fridge was not working at all and could not get it lit again. Then read that if its warm and humid that you should run it on AC mode for at least 5 minutes. Plugged in to shore power and turned the fridge on and left it go for an hour or so. Came back to check on it and the whole trailer was dark. Works on battery mode (lights & other 12v stuff) but as soon as I try the AC I am tripping breakers (my house/shore breakers) and have a good circuit protection unit (progressive Industries) that just clicks after the 3 minute timer kicks on. Perhaps a bad converter? All fuses inside are ok by the way. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    When you say "I was working on my fridge" what does that mean? Was your trailer working on 120v before that?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    EricMuench, Did the GFI plug-in next to the converter trip?
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • ScottG
    ScottG Administrator Posts: 5,655
    Assuming you don't have an overload condition on the house circuit, I'd guess a short circuit somewhere. Finding it will be the challenge--it could be in the converter, or anywhere else. Did you try connecting without the surge protector? I would think a short within that unit might cause the house breaker to trip. Again, without a little more to go on, just guessing...
    2015 T@B Max S (320)
    2015 Nissan Frontier SV V6 4x4
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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    ericnliz said:
    EricMuench, Did the GFI plug-in next to the converter trip?
    That shouldn't trip the house breaker. 
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Sharon_is_SAM
    Sharon_is_SAM Member Posts: 10,061
    It has been suggested to make sure everything is turned off, then plug into shore power to avoid tripping the Tab/shore power breakers.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • EricMuench
    EricMuench Member Posts: 9
    I seemed to have narrow it down to the circuit and breaker that controls the AC outlet for the water heater and fridge. Unplugged both and it still trips. Not sureif there is anything else between the breaker and that outlet. When I say I was working on the fridge, Photomom, I installed the aftermarket fan unit from Pleasant Valley. I know, that seems suspect and it may turn out I fried something but that is only DC and I never touched the AC lines. I will get back to you if I figger it out. I hate/love this kind of stuff if you know what I mean.
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  • EricMuench
    EricMuench Member Posts: 9
    ericnliz said:
    EricMuench, Did the GFI plug-in next to the converter trip?
    No, GFI is fine. Air conditioner works. It seems isolated to the breaker for the water heater and fridge outlet. Not sure if anything else in on that circuit anywhere?
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  • EricMuench
    EricMuench Member Posts: 9
    EricMuench said:
    ericnliz said:
    EricMuench, Did the GFI plug-in next to the converter trip?
    No, GFI is fine. Air conditioner works. It seems isolated to the breaker for the water heater and fridge outlet. Not sure if anything else in on that circuit anywhere? It's the third breaker from the left looking at the breaker panel FYI I am referring to.

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  • Photomom
    Photomom Member Posts: 2,217
    EricMuench said:
    I seemed to have narrow it down to the circuit and breaker that controls the AC outlet for the water heater and fridge. Unplugged both and it still trips. Not sureif there is anything else between the breaker and that outlet. When I say I was working on the fridge, Photomom, I installed the aftermarket fan unit from Pleasant Valley. I know, that seems suspect and it may turn out I fried something but that is only DC and I never touched the AC lines. I will get back to you if I figger it out. I hate/love this kind of stuff if you know what I mean.
    If it worked before you did something and it doesn't work after, it is almost always related to what you did. Might you have dropped something metallic into some wiring? A screw or a tool? Or did something inadvertently get pushed into some wiring?
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    Where does the fridge plug into for 110V?  Is it behind the plastic panel to the left of the fridge, or does it go through the wall into the cabinet under the sink?  I know I saw the actual cord plug in in one of those locations. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • Ratkity
    Ratkity Member Posts: 3,770
    Mine goes to the other side of the cabinet under the sink. That's on an early 2015.
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • Nomad
    Nomad Member Posts: 7,209
    edited September 2016
    Same with my early 2015 - Plugs in the back right corner of the upper cabinet.
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    @EricMuench, if your fridge is plugged into the outlet under the sink, and the fridge doesn't work, try taking an electrical appliance (blender, corded drill) and plugging it into the fridge's electrical outlet. Does the other appliance work?
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • FuzzyYanni
    FuzzyYanni Member Posts: 110
    Can you get at the hot water heater and totally disconnected it from the trailer AC and DC? If there's an internal short in the water heater this should stop the tripping
    "I know one thing, I know nothing."
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  • EricMuench
    EricMuench Member Posts: 9
    I found the culprit. The wire that ran from the breaker to the outlet that the fridge and hot water heater had rubbed through on the corner of one of the fridge fins. Since I had the shore power on a GFCI protected circuit of my house, the GFCI was tripping before the breaker of the trailer did. I replaced the outlet with a "multi-strip" hardwired/spliced into the wire to the breaker. All is well now.
    Thanks for all your suggestions!
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  • FuzzyYanni
    FuzzyYanni Member Posts: 110
    Good news Eric !
    "I know one thing, I know nothing."
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  • Ratkity
    Ratkity Member Posts: 3,770
    I moved that wire (along with the burner wire) away from the fins when moving the hoses. 
    2017 820R Retro Toy Hauler from 2015 Tabitha T@B from 2009 Reverse LG Teardrop (but a T@Bluver at heart)
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  • ericnliz
    ericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    Eric, Glad you found and solved your problem! Sounds like a great viable solution.
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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