Electrically challenged, need help

[SharonM]

Recently bought a 15M/30F Amp Adapter, and today plugged my Scamp 16 (2011) into a normal house socket (used for the washing machine) using the adapter. For 5-7 minutes all the 120 stuff I turned on in the trailer worked fine (A/C, fridge, florescent light). The clock on the microwave turned on by itself.

Shortly thereafter (5-7 minutes) all the 120 stuff turned off. The 12v lights and fantastic fan still came on fine.

Not knowing how/where to track down the problem, I unplugged the trailer from the socket with adapter, pulled out adapter, and plugged the washing machine back in and tried to run it. No dice. Socket "dead."

I went over to the the circuit breaker box in the garage to see if I could tell anything, but I don't really know what to look for. However, taped inside the door was this info my dad must have written down years ago

Light blue (button switches): 15 amp
1 Living room, front porch, family bath
2 Kitchen wall sockets
3 Master bedroom, small bedroom
4 Washer ***
... etc. all the way to 10

Green: 30 amp
1 Stove
2 Oven

Black: 30/40
1 Dryer ***
2 ...nothing there

I guess the washing machine socket was not a good one to use ???? Do I need to call an electrician to repair the washing machine socket???

I then pulled the dryer out to see its plug and socket. The socket was quite large, like on the adapter 15M/30F. BUT, no way to plug the trailer into that socket because while the size matches up with my trailer cord (no adapter needed), the plug prongs are different. The ground plug is cylinder shape on the trailer with other 2 prongs rectangular, whereas the dryer plug has three L-shaped prongs.

I'm totally lost. Can somebody lend a hand on all this?

Sharon

[Jon Vermilye]

It is good that you were not able to plug your trailer into the dryer outlet - is is 240V and would damage the 120V electrical appliances. That is why the configuration of the pins are different even though they are both 30 amp receptacles.

As to the washing machine receptacle, try shutting the breaker (#4) off, then back on to see if it resets. It sounds like the combination of the AC, converter, & refrigerator (if it was running on 120V) overloaded the circuit.

When you are plugged into a standard RV receptacle, you have 30 amps available, which will run both the AC & the refrigerator, plus some other stuff (although both the AC & the microwave might be too much). When plugged into the washer receptacle, you are limited to either 15 or 20 amps. You have to limit the number of high draw appliances (AC, electric water heater, etc). Although the refrigerator on 120V probably only draws a couple of amps, if your battery was down, the converter could draw quite a bit.

[Thomas G.]

I think that you just popped the circuit breaker on the washer circuit. You need to move the circuit breaker lever all the way to one side, then snap it back to the other side.

Edit: Jon is correct.

[SharonM]

Jon, Tom, thank you both so much. I slid the #4 circuit breaker switch over and back and now the washer works. I was sooooo tense that I'd damaged something.

It's sad that I just turned 62 (March 21) and know NOTHING of importance about the real world, have no skills, and soon I must sell/leave this house and live on the road with no clue about a dam*ed thing that matters.

Let the adventure begin!!!

S.

[David Tilston]

Since you will be living on the road, all that house stuff will be unnecessary soon anyway. I expect that you will learn a lot about trailers though.

[SharonM]

I better learn a lot, eh?

[Steve Hammel]

Don't feel so bad I sold a sticky 5th wheel last year to a guy. One night about 10pm, a week later, the guy called me up cussing me out for ripping him off etc., etc. This guy had been calling me daily since I had sold it to him asking every ridicules question you could ask. He even asked me to go out to the closest state park and show him how to empty the tanks, several days after buying it, which of course I did. Anyhow at 10pm he calls and after calming down tells me he was in the trailer with the ac running, the fridge running, and a carpet cleaner running. The power went out and he checked all the breakers in the camper but they were fine and he thus accused me of rewiring it to bypass the breakers etc., etc. I then told him to check his house breaker which he sheepishly did and of course that was the problem. I told him enough is enough and never call again. The next two days he tried again but I just referred him to an RV repair shop. LOL

[Marv]

Hi Sharon,

One huge thing you have going for you: when you are camping, you will be surrounded by the friendliest, most helpful people you can imagine. In the campground, ask most anyone for help or advice and you will have it! Good luck.

Marv

[SharonM]

Steve, that was uplifting, truly. LOL

Marv, I hear that a lot and am very much looking forward to meeting folks, making friends. I've been caretaker for two elderly parents for several years. Mom died in 2010 (lung cancer) and dad died a few months ago (also lung cancer). This new, solo era of my life holds lots of promise. I hope I'm up to the task of reintegrating into the world.

Sharon

[Darrell in Al]

Happy Trails for you and your Scamp, many will help you out with your questions in the RVing.

[Steve Hammel]

Originally Posted by SharonM

Steve, that was uplifting, truly. LOL

Sharon, the truly funny thing is the guy was in his mid 40's and had had several trailers prior. It wasn't like he didn't know most of the stuff he was asking. If he had been courteous I'd probably still be talking with him today. Trailers are really pretty simple. Mostly common sense. The nice thing about this forum is asking and finding the proverbial better way... . Might as well learn from others experience.