Sanity check on incoming voltage

Topic: Sanity check on incoming voltage (Read 1075 times) previous topic - next topic

Sanity check on incoming voltage

March 09, 2022, 02:19:07 pm

Hopefully the link to these videos work, don't want to type this out.
Basically showing voltage drop as I bring different breakers online.

Microsoft services

Microsoft services

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #1 – March 09, 2022, 02:36:19 pm

Give us more information. What/where are you plugged in at? Do you have surge protector/voltage checker plugged in before your coach at the pedestal that is showing the voltage out there?

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #2 – March 09, 2022, 02:45:57 pm

Yup, we need to know what you are plugged into-- voltage drops can be due to CG side supply issues as well as coach issues.

I am confused by the "line monitor" feed from both main breaker panel (understood-- one from L1, one from L2) AND FROM
the sub panel supplied by the inverter/charger.

What happens when you turn off the line monitor feed from main panel and turn on feed from sub-panel?

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #3 – March 09, 2022, 02:46:17 pm

Quote from: turbojack – March 09, 2022, 02:36:19 pm

Give us more information. What/where are you plugged in at? Do you have surge protector/voltage checker plugged in before your coach at the pedestal that is showing the voltage out there?

Voltage coming in is good, have a 50 amp power watch dog surge protector and manually checked with volt meter

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #4 – March 09, 2022, 02:59:31 pm

Quote from: turbojack – March 09, 2022, 02:36:19 pm

Give us more information. What/where are you plugged in at? Do you have surge protector/voltage checker plugged in before your coach at the pedestal that is showing the voltage out there?

Voltage coming in is good, have a 50 amp power watch dog surge protector and manually checked with volt meter

Quote from: wolfe10 – March 09, 2022, 02:45:57 pm

Yup, we need to know what you are plugged into-- voltage drops can be due to CG side supply issues as well as coach issues.

I am confused by the "line monitor" feed from both main breaker panel (understood-- one from L1, one from L2) AND FROM
the sub panel supplied by the inverter/charger.

What happens when you turn off the line monitor feed from main panel and turn on feed from sub-panel?

Sub panel does not energize unless main panel is hot, so not sure why it's labeled with "line monitor" also...that breaker does produce the most line voltage drop when switched on though.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #5 – March 09, 2022, 03:02:03 pm

Quote from: dlkj07 – March 09, 2022, 02:59:31 pm

Sub panel does not energize unless main panel is hot, so not sure why it's labeled with "line monitor" also...that breaker does produce the most line voltage though.

Actually, sub panel SHOULD be hot if main panel off AND inverter ON (120 VAC power supplied by inverter). What confuses me is that the monitor is being fed by BOTH main and sub panel when on shore power.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #6 – March 09, 2022, 03:03:33 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – March 09, 2022, 03:02:03 pm

Actually, sub panel SHOULD be hot if main panel off AND inverter ON (120 VAC power supplied by inverter). What confuses me is that the monitor is being fed by BOTH main and sub panel when on shore power.

Just to clarify, my inverter is off. Not sure if that matters.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #7 – March 09, 2022, 03:13:42 pm

Here's what's coming out of my plug at the house.10 guage 50' cord connected to a 12 guage 50'

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #8 – March 09, 2022, 03:49:00 pm

So when you are seeing the voltage drop in the coach your Hughes is still showing 124 volts?

How is your power cord connected to the coach? Cord reel? Where is your Hughes located in your system? When the gauges are showing the low voltage do you have a volt meter that you can plug into an outlet to verify that the coach meters are working correctly?

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #9 – March 09, 2022, 05:04:30 pm

Just got to watch the video all the way through.
How far from your dryer plug to the coach?
What are you using as a cord to go from dryer to coach?
You said you have 124v and 240v. In the pictures you posted I do not see where it shows 240V? Are you positive you have 240 volts going to the coach.

Every thing you are showing looks like you are on a small 20 amp120V circuit with a long cord and it is being split coming into the coach so both sides are showing 120 but if you were to check with a volt meter you would be showing 0 (zero) between the two legs.

You also have an inverter/charger It is one item that can do two different things. When you do not have shore power or generator is not running the inverter will take the 12v from you house battery and convert to 120V. It would then be powering the panel you have on the right with 1 main breaker and the 3 circuit breakers. The other part of this device is the charger. When you have shore power or the generator is running the inverter will go into standby mode and the charger will come on to bring your batteries back to full. This is based on both parts are turned on. Not sure exactly which unit you have but most can let you turn on or off either the invertor or charger.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #10 – March 09, 2022, 05:12:01 pm

Just to update, I went away to another project for about an hour came back turned on the sub panel breakers and now it's reading 123 on both lines. Charger is pulling two amps charging the batteries and then there's another one amp of AC load somewhere. I guess I'll just have to monitor this situation. We are going camping this weekend and the park has full hookups, so I'll keep an eye out on the situation. Thanks to all of you who replied and I'll keep you posted.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #11 – March 09, 2022, 06:13:57 pm

If it were me, the first thing to know is how much power is coming in. Unplug the shore power cable from the watchdog and measure from each leg (left and right side) to the neutral (bottom). From your watchdog, it looks to be 124V on each leg. Is that right? When you measure from the left to the right (leg 1 to leg 2) do you have 240V?

Next, if you are comfortable working around this power, find the transfer switch box in the basement, that the shore power cable is wired to. There's a picture of mine in below, but yours may be different. Based on wire color, you can see the two legs of power (black and red), and the neutral is white. Measure from black to white, red to white, and red to black on the IN side of the transfer switch. What do you have there? Different voltage or the same?

Now measure the same things on the output side. What do you have there? In my coach, this is where the line monitor gets it's readings from. In the picture below, you can see the little gray box to the right of the ATS box (with the cover off) that has the gray stripe on it...that's the line monitor.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #12 – March 09, 2022, 06:37:38 pm

Quote from: turbojack – March 09, 2022, 05:04:30 pm

Just got to watch the video all the way through.
How far from your dryer plug to the coach?
What are you using as a cord to go from dryer to coach?
You said you have 124v and 240v. In the pictures you posted I do not see where it shows 240V? Are you positive you have 240 volts going to the coach.

Every thing you are showing looks like you are on a small 20 amp120V circuit with a long cord and it is being split coming into the coach so both sides are showing 120 but if you were to check with a volt meter you would be showing 0 (zero) between the two legs.

You also have an inverter/charger It is one item that can do two different things. When you do not have shore power or generator is not running the inverter will take the 12v from you house battery and convert to 120V. It would then be powering the panel you have on the right with 1 main breaker and the 3 circuit breakers. The other part of this device is the charger. When you have shore power or the generator is running the inverter will go into standby mode and the charger will come on to bring your batteries back to full. This is based on both parts are turned on. Not sure exactly which unit you have but most can let you turn on or off either the invertor or charger.

I checked voltage, this plug may be wired wrong for my RV but when I checked voltage here I'm getting 120v phase to ground and 240 phase to phase. I use this plug to heat up the panel with a generator when power is out.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #13 – March 09, 2022, 06:50:36 pm

That sounds right. Check here for how your socket/outlet should be wired for 50A.

The 50-amp 120/240-volt 3 pole 4

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #14 – March 10, 2022, 07:35:36 am

First, let's verify how your coach is wired. Some coaches use the ATS internal to the inverter/ charger to supply the sub panel. Some have a SECOND ATS. Do you have two ATS's?

Still trying to wrap my head around two different sources for power to the monitors-- one from main breaker panel, one from sub panel. Can think of no reason to have the one from the main panel. Whether on shore power or generator, the sub panel would have power-- either from "pass through" feature of the inverter/charger OR through a second ATS. And, if inverter is on, it would provide 120 VAC to the monitor.

So, please try this: Main breaker panel all on except the two that are marked monitor. Does the monitor still read (through the connection on the sub panel? Now, unplug shore power, generator off. Turn on inverter. Does the monitor still read?

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #15 – March 10, 2022, 08:03:08 am

By far, electrical is not my strong suit by any means, but first thing I would do is unplug from house and fire up the generator and see what your voltage is on the panel. You should be reading at least 120 on both legs and if so, this will tell you all is good in the coach, but your issue is at the hookup. Just a thought...............

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #16 – March 10, 2022, 06:17:52 pm

Quote from: dlkj07 – March 09, 2022, 03:13:42 pm

Here's what's coming out of my plug at the house.10 guage 50' cord connected to a 12 guage 50'

There's your problem. Or maybe not.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #17 – March 11, 2022, 06:28:18 pm

10 gauge is rated for 30A and 12 gauge is rated for 20A
Chris

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #18 – March 11, 2022, 08:10:16 pm

I agree that you have way to long and to small extension cords.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #19 – March 12, 2022, 01:35:41 am

Quote from: red tractor – March 11, 2022, 08:10:16 pm

I agree that you have way to long and to small extension cords.

You think so? Pretty beefy cords and I'm not pulling many amps...

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #20 – March 12, 2022, 01:46:45 am

Just an update...been at a park with a 30 amp connection with no issues and reading 120v on both lines and both panels on. Everything has been working great since my update post at 5:12 pm on march 9th. It may be just a bad connection somewhere. When I get home I plan on ordering a new isolator and disconnect & clean all connectors i can get too.

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #21 – March 12, 2022, 01:49:41 am

Yep sounds like too small on the cords. Distance from the panel to your outlet through your cords to your 50' cord reel in the MH, and all the connections in between at least 150' + not going to carry much load voltage drop will be an issue

Re: Sanity check on incoming voltage

Reply #22 – March 12, 2022, 10:12:45 am

Quote from: Chris m lang – March 11, 2022, 06:28:18 pm

10 gauge is rated for 30A and 12 gauge is rated for 20A
Chris

Don't forget about voltage drop because of distance of extension cord !!
The lower the voltage the higher the amps with same wattage.
Just my two cents
Ron