Voltage problem revisited

Topic: Voltage problem revisited (Read 2889 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #25 – November 20, 2019, 06:06:45 pm

When you have a neutral problem the phase with the least load will have the greatest voltage and the phase with the greater load will have the lower voltage. The problem is everything that is on the phase with the highest voltage will not like the high voltage it sees and you may be buying a lot of new items.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #26 – November 20, 2019, 06:37:54 pm

If all looks good UNTIL we turn on AH switch, wouldn't that indicate something at the AH??

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #27 – November 20, 2019, 06:45:23 pm

Quote from: GleamB – November 20, 2019, 06:37:54 pm

If all looks good UNTIL we turn on AH switch, wouldn't that indicate something at the AH??

No, try your microwave and see if the same thing happens. Any big draw drastically changing your voltage means you have an electrical problem.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #28 – November 20, 2019, 07:00:10 pm

RV Safety | No~Shock~Zone
You still have the same neutral problem. You need to get someone with a strong electrical background to look at it. Neutral problems can be difficult to understand. They will steal voltage from the other phase yet still read correctly. It's just not worth burning up electrical equipment, hurting yourself or someone else.
The Nonshockzone book is in the first post on foretravel safety, well worth the read. IMO.
Scott

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #29 – November 20, 2019, 07:09:27 pm

Just tried the microwave.....no change in voltage
Finding an electrical expert in an RV park in Mexico....not likely

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #30 – November 20, 2019, 07:26:54 pm

Glenn, you could call Erik Kaasgaard at 669-269-6979. He's a Mobile RV Service Tech in Mazatlan.
Cheers, Mike.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #31 – November 20, 2019, 07:55:06 pm

Glenn & Amy,

Generally when one leg of 240v goes high and the other goes low, it is caused by a poor ground somewhere. Drawing high current on one leg can trigger the problem, that looks ok when there is not many amps being drawn.

Measuring things with a load gives a more real world reading.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #32 – November 20, 2019, 07:58:16 pm

Actually, the load on the ground should be zero or close to it.

It is the NEUTRAL that is designed to act as the "reference point" for the two hot legs.

We are back to exactly what was said in the very first post on this thread!

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #33 – November 20, 2019, 10:29:10 pm

As stated before, check all of your neutral (white wire) connections from your power cord to your sub-panel for tightness. The power reel is a likely place for a poor connection. Is seems odd to me that turning on the aqua-hot would make a more drastic voltage swing than the microwave. I don't have aqua-hot so I am not sure of the amp draw but one would expect it to be less than a microwave.

The larger the imbalance of the load between L1 to N and L2 and N, will cause the voltage difference to be higher. They should still read around 220/240 between L1 & L2 and 120V to ground on each regardless of a loose neutral.

Check the neutral buss and conductor very closely in the panel that feeds the aqua-hot..............

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #34 – December 19, 2019, 12:53:20 pm

I was about to open the reel to check voltage, but realized the issue wasn't power at the post, but maybe was from the reel to the transfer switch. The monitor read 110 and 123. Now reading 106 and 132 !?? At the incoming transfer switch it read 115 and 116.
Now I suspect the monitor. Am I missing something ?
Why is the red incoming wire going to the generator side?
Will post some photos

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #35 – December 19, 2019, 01:49:54 pm

Go behind the monitor and read the voltages in the outlets it is plugged into. My monitor goes screwy sometimes.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #36 – December 19, 2019, 01:51:54 pm

Photos

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #37 – December 19, 2019, 02:35:19 pm

When you get those unbalanced readings what are the voltage readings at that open ATS?

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #38 – December 19, 2019, 03:45:53 pm

Glen, remove the inside panel. It has two cords plugged into seperate outlets one for each leg. Unplug them and test the voltage at the outlets and compare to the meter. If the readings match the pedestal, something could be wrong with your inside panel.
John M.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #39 – December 19, 2019, 04:37:59 pm

Glenn I had the exact same problem that I could not figure out for 9 months. If your voltage is above the normal single line/leg voltage you have a (poor neutral). The excess voltage is being robbed from the other leg. And as crazy as this sounds under load it will steal power from the other 220v leg and the voltage will go up on the loaded leg. Unloaded leg drops. This is not normal because generally the voltage drops with higher resistance. Genuinely I couldn't see the problem/understand right up until that's all I could see. You have a poor neutral. Load up the system and see what the leg with the hi load does. Voltage climbs with load? You have a bad neutral. In my case it was a untightened neutral in the city side of the power failing under load only. Read perfect with a meter. New construction I paid them to do.
Scott

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #40 – December 19, 2019, 04:49:25 pm

Glenn,

Here is a description as to how to check your powerline monitor to see if it is the source of the problem from the other thread.
Voltage Problem

Mike

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #41 – December 19, 2019, 04:54:20 pm

Quote from: GleamB – December 19, 2019, 12:53:20 pm

Why is the red incoming wire going to the generator side?

If your generator was to put out 240V then the red wire is needed. If your generator is only putting out 120v then at the generator they have the black and red wires tied together.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #42 – December 20, 2019, 04:32:19 pm

It is the monitor !!!
You think Jim fixes them?

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #43 – December 20, 2019, 06:32:42 pm

I found a place in Canada that fixes them. I got the information off the forum, but not sure where.

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #44 – December 20, 2019, 06:51:22 pm

More work but I replaced mine with a blue seas M2 OLED gauge. Shows both legs versus one. Had to run a wire from the bathroom outlet through the cabinet bottom to access both legs. I think I posted a picture here?

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #45 – December 20, 2019, 07:42:38 pm

Quote from: craneman – December 20, 2019, 06:32:42 pm

I found a place in Canada that fixes them. I got the information off the forum, but not sure where.

Had a friend resolder new led onto mine and whatever else was needed.. didnt look to difficult but I am still working on my Solder so no go for me..

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #46 – December 20, 2019, 08:12:24 pm

Here is a link to where Dave posted about a repair.

Voltage monitor

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #47 – December 20, 2019, 08:17:53 pm

Flight Systems repaired mine about 7 years ago. Still working fine: https://www.flightsystems.com/

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #48 – December 21, 2019, 03:19:44 pm

My celebration might be premature.
Today, the monitor read different numbers all morning. When it read 100 and 142 I went outside to check. Progressive Industries read about 116 each leg, which is normal at this RV park. I flipped off the breaker and turned on the generator. The monitor read 121 on both legs!!?? Turned off gen and went back to power pole. Checked outlet near stove....116.
Can someone decipher this info for me? Is the reel still suspect??

Re: Voltage problem revisited

Reply #49 – December 21, 2019, 03:23:45 pm

When the voltages are reading off, check the outlets that the monitor is plugged into. If voltage is correct in the outlets the monitor is bad. Just disconnecting and connecting power can make the monitor work for awhile.

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