Tripping the circuit

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Pinstriper,

Your battery is not fully discharged as evidenced by its ability to light the lights. Another interesting experiment would be to verify the converter, turned on and operating without the battery, will light the lights. That would verify the converter's OK. The converter can deliver 45A at 12-13V to the battery, but will only draw about 5A from the 120V line doing it. I'm still looking for an answer in the barn. If the 20A breaker is already loaded with other stuff the extra converter load may be enough to trip it. Although infrequent, breakers can get old and tired. It may not be able to handle the full 20A rating anymore. Try another circuit between coyotes.

As to the life and reliability of a mistreated battery, anyone's guess. No easy way to know, but I doubt it's your immediate problem.
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[pinstriper]

Dang. I was really hoping for another solution besides "hire an electrician" or "take the RV in for service"...

I'll do the light check later, and also another circuit.

There's no draw on anything. This is the only thing that's on. Except for the LED spotlights. I figure 20 amps should be able to handle 25w total from the lights.

[daplumbr]

So here's the info so far as I read it:

1.   Camplite used to work fine connected to shore power at both the house and the barn.
2.   Now the Camplite works fine at the house connected to shorepower, but at the barn the shorepower trips an AC breaker in the barn.
3.   The barn AC breaker trips only when the battery in the Camplite is connected
4.   No other draw is on the barn circuit with the AC breaker that trips
5.   No breakers trip in the Camplite, unless the coyotes get inside and pee
6.   The only notable event between items 1 and 2 is that the Camplite was at the dealer with a discharged battery for an extended stay
7.   There are no GFCI circuits in the barn
8.   The battery will still light the lights in the Camplite when on battery power alone

Further tests to come:

1.   Will the converter light the 12V lights when connected to shorepower in the barn, but with the battery disconnected?
2.   Will we get a selfie of Pinstriper in his skivvies doing these tests at night?
3.   Will another AC circuit in the barn work as shorepower without tripping a breaker?
4.   Can the battery be removed entirely, taken up to the house, and fully recharged there to test it out?

Conclusion to date: Gremlins 1, Pinstriper 0, but something is goofy at the barn?

[pinstriper]

[quote source="/post/6925/thread" timestamp="1424221476" author="@sandroad"]So here's the info so far as I read it:

1.   Camplite used to work fine connected to shore power at both the house and the barn.
2.   Now the Camplite works fine at the house connected to shorepower, but at the barn the shorepower trips an AC breaker in the barn.
3.   The barn AC breaker trips only when the battery in the Camplite is connected
4.   No other draw is on the barn circuit with the AC breaker that trips
5.   No breakers trip in the Camplite, unless the coyotes get inside and pee
6.   The only notable event between items 1 and 2 is that the Camplite was at the dealer with a discharged battery for an extended stay
7.   There are no GFCI circuits in the barn
8.   The battery will still light the lights in the Camplite when on battery power alone

Further tests to come:

1.   Will the converter light the 12V lights when connected to shorepower in the barn, but with the battery disconnected?
2.   Will we get a selfie of Pinstriper in his skivvies doing these tests at night?
3.   Will another AC circuit in the barn work as shorepower without tripping a breaker?
4.   Can the battery be removed entirely, taken up to the house, and fully recharged there to test it out?

Conclusion to date: Gremlins 1, Pinstriper 0, but something is goofy at the barn?
[/quote][p]You've got your facts all wrong.[/p][p]
[/p][p](2) I don't know if bringing the CL back to the house if it would still work. [/p][p]
[/p][p](6) It came back from the dealer, worked at the house, then stopped working at the barn.[/p][p]
[/p][p]Tests:[/p][p](1) Unknown, stand by.[/p][p](2) No.[/p][p](3) See (1)[/p][p](4) I dinna hae a charger at the house. I dinna ken how to do the rest in Scottish, so I'm just doing it with scotch.[/p][p]
[/p]

[daplumbr]

Tough to follow this one. I better quit while I'm behind! Be super extra careful when hooked up to the barn until you know what's going on. 

[spot1]

I probably missed this, did you replace the 20A breaker in the barn? Could be a weak breaker.

[charliem]

[quote source="/post/6930/thread" timestamp="1424228612" author="@pinstriper"][p]You've got your facts all wrong.[/p][p]
[/p][p](6) It came back from the dealer, worked at the house, then stopped working at the barn.[/p][p]
[/p][/quote][font size="3"]Unless I missed it, you didn't tell us this before. For me it completely exonerates the battery and converter. Check one more time to verify the battery is not reversed, then to re-quote Merlin: Something goofy in the barn.[/font] [font size="3"]Maybe consult with Jim Beam?
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[pinstriper]

[quote timestamp="1424267023" source="/post/6934/thread" author="@exploringcarolina"]I probably missed this, did you replace the 20A breaker in the barn? Could be a weak breaker.[/quote][p]Negative, I'll do work on an existing circuit, but my electrical work stops before opening the panel.[/p][p]
[/p][p]I do intend trying another circuit at the barn, I just didn't get a chance to.[/p][p]
[/p][p]
[/p]

[djsamuel]

I probably missed this, did you replace the 20A breaker in the barn? Could be a weak breaker.

I've had this happen before.  Definitely try another circuit.

Doug 

[pinstriper]

Finally got the opportunity to try another circuit. All is well on the other circuit, so I guess I'm calling an electrician about the breaker. Sigh.

Oh well. In the pantheon of outcomes that suck, paying an electrician is waaaay preferable to hauling the rig in for service.