Blown circuit breaker at power pole

jimwilly · 10-21-2007, 04:57 PM

DW and I went to North Georgia for a few days and had our first experience with an electrical problem in our previously owned TM3023.

It started when I plugged in the power cord into the power pole at the campsite.

When I plugged in, the circuit breaker at the pole immediately tripped. The asst. manager of the campground was helping me set-up, since it was dark, and we determined that the problem was with the water heater. I apparently left the water heater electrical switch in the on position when we last camped. He thought that if I turned it off, which I should have already done when I left camp the last time we were camping, that might solve my problem. I did turn it off and the circuit breaker did not immediately trip.

I then proceeded to set up the TM with no problem. However, when I turned on the A/C the circuit breaker at the pole immediately tripped again. I tried the other outlet on the power pole, thinking I might be hooked up to a bad power connection. Same problem- the circuit breaker at the pole tripped.

I then connected the TM power cord to another power pole, just to confirm the problem was with my TM and not the power source. Again, same problem. Every time I turned on the A/C the breaker at the power pole would trip.

I might note that when I turned on the fan, not the A/C but the fan only, it took longer than usual for the fan to get up to speed...........almost like it did not have enough power to pull the fan. Then when I put the dial on A/C the breaker would immediately trip.

Also of note, never once did a fuse in the TM blow or did a breaker trip.

As you might guess I am by no means knowledgeable about things electrical, thus my post.

Anyone have any suggestions as to where I might begin to solve my problem?

A fellow camper suggested that I might have a bad capacitor in the A/C unit. Or a bad starter.

I would love to hear from someone that might have any suggestions as to how to correct my electrical problem.

Thanks for your time in reading through this post.