Electrical help

[ThePrez]

I have a 2014 Sandsport 25FBX. Cannot find any real information on it which is how
I stumbled upon this website. Owned it for a few years with no real problems other than typical maintenance. Recently noticed my batteries were **** near dead which I thought was odd as it’s ALWAYS plugged in. GFI outlet that trailer is plugged into was tripped. Ok no big deal, I reset. Tripped again. After doing this 4 or 5 times my wife noticed sparks coming out of fuse panel next to fridge under sink. No breakers are tripped. No fuses are blown. There is a piece of hardware underneath that is wired into breaker and has burn marks on it where is sparking. What is this thing and what does it do? Obviously has something to do with batteries charging and fridge.
Any ideas or advice? I don’t know how to post pics on this off my iPhone.

Thanks Prez

[nayther]

to the OP, there should be a breaker labeled "conv." or similar for the converter. Turn it off and plug in the trailer. if there are no problems then It's your converter, replace it; it's a simple job.

bestconverter.com talk to Randy He'll set you straight.

[ScottG]

cavie wrote:

ScottG wrote:

cavie wrote:
Not so. Some do, some don't. Many RV'ers had discovered this problem. I proved it for myself with 2 of my trailers parked side by side. 2002 5th wheel and 2011 Keystone. Neither would work when plugged into a GFI circuit. Trip the GFI outlet in either trailer and the shore GFI would stay activated. It seams to be within the quality if the GFI outlets.

I'm sorry but you're wrong. Do a little google searching and you will see exactly how they work. None of them will have problems playing with another. Some reading
In your case something was rightfully tripping the GFCI and it wasn't because they were in series.

This is from your link "Some reading"

"A GFCI plugged into another GFCI will tend to result in false trips. But this is true only of full GFCI units, not the units they put in hair driers.

The reason for the false trips is probably that at least some GFCI units put a phantom voltage on the neutral to detect neutral-ground shorts, even with no load. This somehow buggers up the situation.

Whether it will happen, though, depends on the design and sensitivity of the unit."


As a 50 year Master Electrician I know how they work and how to test them. Like I said two different trailers. Same exact problem.

Nice picking and editing there but no.
And this is from a retired EE.
But I'm not going to argue with you anymore so go ahead and have the last word.

[cavie]

ScottG wrote:

cavie wrote:
Not so. Some do, some don't. Many RV'ers had discovered this problem. I proved it for myself with 2 of my trailers parked side by side. 2002 5th wheel and 2011 Keystone. Neither would work when plugged into a GFI circuit. Trip the GFI outlet in either trailer and the shore GFI would stay activated. It seams to be within the quality if the GFI outlets.

I'm sorry but you're wrong. Do a little google searching and you will see exactly how they work. None of them will have problems playing with another. Some reading
In your case something was rightfully tripping the GFCI and it wasn't because they were in series.

This is from your link "Some reading"

"A GFCI plugged into another GFCI will tend to result in false trips. But this is true only of full GFCI units, not the units they put in hair driers.

The reason for the false trips is probably that at least some GFCI units put a phantom voltage on the neutral to detect neutral-ground shorts, even with no load. This somehow buggers up the situation.

Whether it will happen, though, depends on the design and sensitivity of the unit."


As a 50 year Master Electrician I know how they work and how to test them. Like I said two different trailers. Same exact problem.

[opnspaces]

joebedford wrote:

cavie wrote:

opnspaces wrote:
It might be your arc reactor going out. ;)I would flip the breaker that it is connected to an see if the GFCI still trips. If all is well with the breaker off then look for a name or number on the unit that sparks and we'll see if we can help.

Please tell me what an "Arc reactor" is! FYI RV's do not use Arc Fault breakers.

joebedford beat me to it. Just a little humor, hence the winking smilie on the original post.

[ScottG]

cavie wrote:
Not so. Some do, some don't. Many RV'ers had discovered this problem. I proved it for myself with 2 of my trailers parked side by side. 2002 5th wheel and 2011 Keystone. Neither would work when plugged into a GFI circuit. Trip the GFI outlet in either trailer and the shore GFI would stay activated. It seams to be within the quality if the GFI outlets.

I'm sorry but you're wrong. Do a little google searching and you will see exactly how they work. None of them will have problems playing with another. Some reading
In your case something was rightfully tripping the GFCI and it wasn't because they were in series.

[joebedford]

ThePrez wrote:

Like I said in an earlier post, your converter is toast and that's why your battery is dead and why you fridge doesn't work (it needs 12V).

[joebedford]

cavie wrote:

opnspaces wrote:
It might be your arc reactor going out. ;)I would flip the breaker that it is connected to an see if the GFCI still trips. If all is well with the breaker off then look for a name or number on the unit that sparks and we'll see if we can help.

Please tell me what an "Arc reactor" is! FYI RV's do not use Arc Fault breakers.

[deltabravo]

ThePrez wrote:
Whatever it is power is traveling from cord (either direct plug in or generator) going through this circuit board deal and traveling out the other end to batteries fridge and tv? Ac microwave and everything else is unaffected

Power going to that board simply supplies power to the converter (battery charger).

That board shouldn't act as a pass through for power to other circuits.
It's likely that the breaker supplying power to the converter also supplies power to the fridge and the TV.
RV manufacturers are famous for running multiple devices on the same circuit breaker.

I touch on that subject in this video where I move the converter to its own breaker.

[enblethen]

Looks to be the circuit board for the converter. Battery charger.
looks a lot like this. Not sure about your numbers.
Circuit board
Look on the enclosure fore make and model of converter.

[ThePrez]

I get off work at 3 I’ll post some better pics. Thanks for your help guys. I really appreciate it!
Prez

[ThePrez]

[ThePrez]

Numbers on unit are

AC04W138607996

Whatever it is power is traveling from cord (either direct plug in or generator) going through this circuit board deal and traveling out the other end to batteries fridge and tv? Ac microwave and everything else is unaffected

[ThePrez]

No I do not check water levels in my batteries. They are sealed gel batteries (x2) and my trailer does not have an inverter. This “hardware” looks like a big chip board. One side has green and white wires going to breaker #2 marked “general” other side of board has red and white wires, thick gauge going to a bus bar looks like. If I flip the #2 breaker off than it doesn’t spark as there is no power obviously. But my fridge tv and batteries are receiving no power. This is not an issue of being plugged into a gfi. Had no problem the last 4 years. No name or branding on chip board other than some numbers. Punched them in google and didn’t find much. Let me figure out this photo bucket ****. Who woulda thought the 30 yr old is struggling with photos lol

[cavie]

opnspaces wrote:
It might be your arc reactor going out. ;)I would flip the breaker that it is connected to an see if the GFCI still trips. If all is well with the breaker off then look for a name or number on the unit that sparks and we'll see if we can help.

Please tell me what an "Arc reactor" is! FYI RV's do not use Arc Fault breakers.