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Tripping circuit breaker
Yahoo Message Number: 86091
This past week while camping in cooler weather we ran or attempted to run a couple of electric 1500 watt heaters. One in the front and one in the rear.
 We ran them on the low heat setting and I don't know what that wattage would be. In any event a few times the 15amp GFI breaker tripped. In reading the manual I noted that this controls the interior and exterior outlets and the frig.

Does this sound normal?

Jim

Re: Tripping circuit breaker
Reply #1
Yahoo Message Number: 86093
"This past week while camping in cooler weather we ran or attempted to run a couple of electric 1500 watt heaters. a few times the 15amp GFI breaker tripped.
Does this sound normal?"

Jim

Yes.
A 1500-watt heater draws a minimum of 12.5 amps. Two would draw 25 amps, 10 amps more than what the 15 amp GFI circuit breaker is rated for.
You need to run one of the heaters on a separate circuit, assuming that you have a 30-amp hookup.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: Tripping circuit breaker
Reply #2
Yahoo Message Number: 86095
Quote
"This past week while camping in cooler weather we ran or attempted to run a couple of electric 1500 watt heaters. a few times the 15amp GFI breaker tripped.
Does this sound normal?"
Since you were running them both on low, you need to know what 'low' really is. E.g., if 1000W, then the breaker would be expected to trip.
However, even if they are rated lower, the actual wattage draw depends on the resistance of the heating element, which is temperature dependent. If the resistance is lower 'cold', then if both heaters were to cycle on at nearly the same time, that might draw enough extra to exceed 15A.

Finally, breaker contacts do develop pitting with age, and this increases contact resistance, and localized contact heating. This will cause the breaker to trip at a lower value than spec.

Steve
2004 FL
2013 Honda Fit

Re: Tripping circuit breaker
Reply #3
Yahoo Message Number: 86101
This is in an 06 LD. Are there any other circuits I could plug into? Since this one runs all the interior and exterior outlets seems there aren't any other choices. The inverter is only rated at 400 watts.

Jim

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Re: Tripping circuit breaker
Reply #4
Yahoo Message Number: 86104
The microwave is on a separate circuit and plugged into a duplex outlet. I plug electric heaters into there and another outlet for a load when I exercise the generator.

Ray


Re: Tripping circuit breaker
Reply #6
Yahoo Message Number: 86148
"We ran them on the low heat setting and I don't know what that wattage would be. In any event a few times the 15amp GFI breaker tripped."

Chceck your manual for the wattage on low power. In most cases it's half of maximum, but yours could be different.

Also bear in mind that your fridge draws about 350 watts, so if you have two 750 watt heaters plus a 350-watt fridge all on at the same time, you have 1,850 watts, and your 15A/1,800W breaker will trip.
 Solutions: plug one heater into the outlet used by the microwave oven, as Larry suggested... or run your fridge on propane.

Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"

A long note on exterior finish care
Reply #7
Yahoo Message Number: 86151
Our LD is only two months old, so we have zero experience in carrying for the finish. I also admit that in over four decades of car ownership I don't have much experience in choosing or applying waxes.
 The gleaming appearance of LD's was one of the things that attracted us to them. The exterior appearance of most five-year old SOB's is lackluster, while the finish on many elder LD's are in nearly mint condition.
 When we picked up our LD, we loaded up on supplies at the Mothership store. Our reasoning for buying what they were selling is we figured they had some level of expertise with what worked well with the paint they use. Plus if, Ed's hand was in the store, there was nothing there that you did not need. Right?
 We bought their "Big White" wax and Ultra Polymer Sealant. We have now used both, first the wax and then the sealant as directed by the Mothership. We can report that both are easy to apply and buff off with a micro-fiber rag. The wax produces a quality sheen. But, the sealant made the finish silky smooth. The effect is more dramatic on the colored areas. The sealant is supposed to prevent oxidation. [For a chuckle, see the description of the sealant at the end of this post]

We are not asserting that the Mothership products are as good or better than any others. As stated, we have precious little experience with exterior finish care and these are the only products we have used on the LD.

I am wondering if others have used these products then switched to other products and had better results???

The ultimate way to settle what is the best finish care we need a grant to purchase as many LD's as there are waxes. Each rig would be the same color and experience the same environment and level of care.

Recapping what has been covered in this thread:

Ever popular, with the LD cult is "Finish First" from
www.seeitshine.com
 However, one user that had used "Finish First" got a sample of Ace It and liked it better than Finish First! And went on to say "One thing we liked about Ace It is that it can be used as a waterless wash".

Mother's and Meguiar's wax were also mentioned as good products.
 Another person said the "most "tolerant" wax I have found over several decades of trying many brands is NuFinish in the plastic bottle, available everywhere.
 Another wrote, "In all the suggestions I've read so far, none included DriWash Solutions.  It came highly recommended on the AllaboutRVing mailing list past year. I bought some and am quite impressed with the ease of application as well as the results.
The link is: http://www.driwashsolutions.com
 In retort, someone else posted "For less the 1/4 the cost, I'll stick with Protect-All, available both in a dry wash style and in a no rinse low water use version (one capful to 3 qts of water does a car nicely."

I think that about covers the subject?

***   ***   ***   ***   ***

For those that read labels. This is on the Ultra Polymer Sealant. I have no idea what it means. Perhaps, written by one who took a Chem course and majored in writing restaurant menu's and blurbs for hair conditioners?
 Description: Designed particularly for TODAY'S CLEAR COATED FINISHES with blended polymers and amino functional anti-corrosion resistant resins. A built in cationic effect that actually plates the protective film to all painted, plastic or chrome surfaces, cross linked with a low molecular heat resistant resin for extended durability.  Contains exclusive ANTI-ACID resins to protect from ACID RAIN and other environmental contaminants.  Ultra Polymer Sealant contains our patented ANTI-STATIC agents which eliminate the attraction of dust particles to the surface.

***   ***   ***   ***   ***

"Big White" contains Aluminum Silicate, Amphous Silica, Oleic Acid, Mountan Acid Wax, Amino Functional Resin. None of which sounds very tasty to me

Home is where you roam Don & Dorothy Koko & Pelli
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy

Re: A long note on exterior finish care
Reply #8
Yahoo Message Number: 86153
Quote
Our LD is only two months old, so we have zero experience in carrying for the finish. I also admit that in over four decades of car ownership I don't have much experience in choosing or applying waxes.
Let me pass on the single advice I had from Ed Himself a while back:

Wax the colored parts twice as often as the white.

John

Re: A long note on exterior finish care
Reply #9
Yahoo Message Number: 86154
On Tue, 20 Nov 2007 21:21:18 -0000, jpwoodruff no_reply@yahoogroups.com> wrote these inspiring words:

Quote
Let me pass on the single advice I had from Ed Himself a while back: Wax the colored parts twice as often as the white.
Dear no_reply, Sionce that is in the directions we got with the products. Perhaps, Ed did have a hand in choosing items for the store?

Cheers, Don
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy

Using Big White and Ultra Poly Wipe?
Reply #10
Yahoo Message Number: 86156
I'm confused. Our LD is also only two months old and we are getting ready to wax it.

I was told at orientation and I also read
2007 MB

 
Re: A long note on exterior finish care - Redacted
Reply #11
Yahoo Message Number: 86158
The first paragraph of the Mothership's directions for use of "Big White" and Ultra Polymer Sealant states to use "Big White" ONLY when the finish is oxidized. We missed that paragraph.

My regrets for the confusion.
Cheers, Don
Don & Dorothy
Sold our LD in June of 2023

Our boring always non-PC travel blog
Traveling Dorothy