Even I need help now and then SPARKY (1 Viewer)

slobadoberbob

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I have an RV as all you know.... I have lost my 230v side.

OK for those with an RV... they will know what I am on about....

The 230v mains goes into the RV and arrives at the transformer... It then I presumes steps down to 110v .. I have power to the fridge, the micro wave and the Sterling Combi Charger / investor, which is on the 110v side.

The trip switch has gone down (live is up in a yank) .. the 110v is OK but it it keeps tripping out... as it is on EHU to the house the house blows.

I have tried a second mains cable and it still happens.. there are no inline fuses I can see just the wires in and out of the transformer.. the trip on the side of the transformer is OK and the second RCD type switch turns everything off when it an attempt to push the switch to on...

Any ideas please...

Worked OK when I was at Star Spangled Spanner as I was connected to the mains and had the TV on and was charging my apple Mac via the 230v floor plug.

Help please...

Bob
 

TheBig1

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have you tried pushing the trip down first before pushing it up, as some versions need this to reset

if its your house supply tripping on the ring main, that can be a symptom of the 110v transformer starting to fail, showing as earth leakage. try turning everything off in the RV and plugging in. Then turn one thing at a time back on till it trips. this will indicate the area of the fault

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slobadoberbob

slobadoberbob

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It is tripping the house

have you tried pushing the trip down first before pushing it up, as some versions need this to reset

if its your house supply tripping on the ring main, that can be a symptom of the 110v transformer starting to fail, showing as earth leakage. try turning everything off in the RV and plugging in. Then turn one thing at a time back on till it trips. this will indicate the area of the fault

It is tripping the house as soon as anything is turned on in the RV.. the 110v side of the transform is working OK.. but as soon as a 230v socket (any is activated then it cuts out everything).....

As I said it was fine at Lincoln and all it has done since is had it's MOT and travelled home.. it was when Sue went to plug the 230v hover in that everything tripped.

It just seems to go as soon as the RCD switch is activated.??????


Bob
 

chrisgreen

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have you been parked up anywere wet lately?could be damp,as RV's suffer with damp electrics as they are not built to very high spec like a proper euro van/motorhome:Smile:
 

Geo

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Or have you been using any fast charging equipment such as little petrol engined alternators
Completely bugger up 240v systems they do:Doh::Doh:
 

chrisgreen

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could be one of these,slowly chewing his way through your RV:ROFLMAO:

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slobadoberbob

slobadoberbob

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no Geo ... just mains or the genny

Or have you been using any fast charging equipment such as little petrol engined alternators
Completely bugger up 240v systems they do:Doh::Doh:

Just mains via the Sterling or the RV genny.

Bob:Blush:
 
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slobadoberbob

slobadoberbob

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Have 110v via the transformer JIM

Sounds like the transformer is kaput Bob.

I have 110 v via the transformer ... fridge / microwave / and the Sterling works.....

But none of the 230v sockets works... the RCD type switches if moved from the off position just trip and knock out the house EHU.. I cannot power anything. Even the Sterling will not power the electrics.. just charging the batteries but at a lower voltage than normal?

Could it be my Sterling that is causing the problems?

Duncan - Star Spangled Spanner felt that the transform would be receiving 230v (as it is from the EHU) and dropping it down to 110V

I have the RV booked in to VanBitz next Thursday for the Alarm issues I have but they have no workshop time to have a look at the issue for me.

Can anyone recommend a company or someone in the South that may be able to resolve the issue for me?

Bob

Bob
 
Dec 10, 2010
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Hi Bob I had same problem as that and its was the transformer, as soon as I switched any thing on 230v it blew the r c d, I switched everything off 110 then operated 230 & it was OK
hope this helps

regards
tony

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slobadoberbob

slobadoberbob

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so did you have to change the transformer

Hi Bob I had same problem as that and its was the transformer, as soon as I switched any thing on 230v it blew the r c d, I switched everything off 110 then operated 230 & it was OK
hope this helps

regards
tony

So Tony did you have to change the transformer? I have the fridge on 110v and the microwave is also 110v are you suggesting I unplug those and switch back to 230v?

Or not question is where do I get a 230v / 110v transformer fitted in the South?

Bob

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Dec 10, 2010
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just completed 6th year

Sorry Bob, yes I had to have a new transformer, got from Alec at Calder lessure and fitted it myself, sorry dont know any one in the south who could help you,
hope this is of help
regards
tony

 
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slobadoberbob

slobadoberbob

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thank you


Sorry Bob, yes I had to have a new transformer, got from Alec at Calder lessure and fitted it myself, sorry dont know any one in the south who could help you,
hope this is of help
regards
tony


Thank you Tony.. may give Alex a call tomorrow.. I was advised to contact Airlink Transformers.. in Harlow Essex and they do up or down at up to 4,000 watts.. (3,000 watts is £170.00 with wires going inside).... I presume I need 3,000 as I have a fridge/freezer and the aircon is 2kw and the microwave is 1700 watts start up and the Sterling is 1700 watts... I presume it is 230v to 110v


Do you know what sort of watts you had to get?

Bob
 
Feb 27, 2011
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Thank you Tony.. may give Alex a call tomorrow.. I was advised to contact Airlink Transformers.. in Harlow Essex and they do up or down at up to 4,000 watts.. (3,000 watts is £170.00 with wires going inside).... I presume I need 3,000 as I have a fridge/freezer and the aircon is 2kw and the microwave is 1700 watts start up and the Sterling is 1700 watts... I presume it is 230v to 110v


Do you know what sort of watts you had to get?

Bob

If you do go for a new transformer please note Transformers are rated in VA which is not quite the same as Watts. You will need to speak to someone who knows their stuff to ensure you get one rated high enough (or read the label on the existing one)

If it is when you switch 240V sockets on that the trip goes. But everything is ok on the 110V side it suggests that it is not the Transformer but something on the 240V side. I am not familiar with your vehicle but from what you describe

Mains comes into the van to a breaker. It then splits off with one side going to a 240->110V step down transformer and the other part going to a 240V distribution panel.

Is your fridge working ok on 110V and it is only when you turn the breaker on the 240v side that the house trip goes?

If I have assumed correctly then you need to unplug all 240V gear then try to turn it on. If this still trips then it is a problem with the wiring somewhere shouldn't be hard to track down. If it doesn't trip then it is a piece of 240V equipment. Turn these on one at a time until the trip goes.

PS: isolate any 240V gear that is not plugged into sockets as well. For example if you have a 240V fast charger make sure this is not connected before the test.

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slobadoberbob

slobadoberbob

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thanks Tony & Gromet and Alex of Calders

If you do go for a new transformer please note Transformers are rated in VA which is not quite the same as Watts. You will need to speak to someone who knows their stuff to ensure you get one rated high enough (or read the label on the existing one)

If it is when you switch 240V sockets on that the trip goes. But everything is ok on the 110V side it suggests that it is not the Transformer but something on the 240V side. I am not familiar with your vehicle but from what you describe

Mains comes into the van to a breaker. It then splits off with one side going to a 240->110V step down transformer and the other part going to a 240V distribution panel.

Is your fridge working ok on 110V and it is only when you turn the breaker on the 240v side that the house trip goes?

If I have assumed correctly then you need to unplug all 240V gear then try to turn it on. If this still trips then it is a problem with the wiring somewhere shouldn't be hard to track down. If it doesn't trip then it is a piece of 240V equipment. Turn these on one at a time until the trip goes.

PS: isolate any 240V gear that is not plugged into sockets as well. For example if you have a 240V fast charger make sure this is not connected before the test.

Thanks Gromet and Tony and Alex of Calder...

I telephoned Alex on his mobile at home and as usual Alex has been very helpful.. he confirms Gromets view 100%... Alex suggests I check the slide out (that was put out today for cleaning) also he has talked me through some checks to do where the transformer is.. he says if I have 110v then it is unlikely to be the transformer.. so... tomorrow Sue will take some photos of the area for me as it is in a cupboard (well below) just inside the RV and I cannot balance long enough (on the one leg .. which has a shot knee) .. but I have got someone (friend of Sue's at work.. her son) to come over on Saturday and start hunting the wiring for me while I use the photo' Sue will take and email to the IPAD so I can at least tell the chap where to look and what to undo...

Alex gets his from the Airlink .. he suggested it would be a 4,000 unit. But at this stage I will hunt the wiring before I go to Harlow and get a new transformer.. But thanks to all for the suggestions and the idiot that joined in.. still need them to help keep my spirits up.. following on from Peterborough I have had not a good week. ... anyone want to buy a well cared for Winnebgago:cry::Doh::Sad:.. but that is the way I feel at the moment. Getting to old for this crawling all over the RV.

But tomorrow is another day.... but it will be Saturday before I get a chance to have a proper look as I have interviews to conduct tomorrow for the housing association... oh joy.

But thanks one and all... let you know when it is fixed.

Bob
 

TheBig1

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it still sounds like it could be the transformer beginning to fail. basically it goes high resistance, and draws more current to compensate, plugging anything else 240v in overloads the trip,

if you can, switch off the transformer, it should have an isolater switch. this will show if it is the transformer at fault, however experience makes me think it is

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mick noe

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Grommet is I feel correct if your 110v equipment is working ok. then I feel sure its on the socket side of things and as mentioned in another post even a bit of damp in a socket can give rise to tripping.....did you say socket in floor? lots of water mud and damp dog.... maybe wind heating up for a few hours and try again. Hope you sort it easily and cheaply:thumb:
 
Feb 27, 2011
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it still sounds like it could be the transformer beginning to fail. basically it goes high resistance, and draws more current to compensate, plugging anything else 240v in overloads the trip,

if you can, switch off the transformer, it should have an isolater switch. this will show if it is the transformer at fault, however experience makes me think it is

Just curious but I can't see how a transformer can go high resistance??

Used to work in a Transformer factory and faulty ones that came back were usually due to a failure of insulation causing a short or some kind of mechanical failure of connectors. They did occasionally come back due to noise caused by varnish defects on the laminated core or high temperature from eddie currents due to badly installed laminations. Never had one come back with high resistance though.

PS: Just noticed something else. If it went high resistance surely that reduces the current not increases it as an increase would require an increase in voltage to produce it. Ohms law?
 
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aba

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i had a transformer go high resistance in an amplifier and its resistance went so high it was open circuit.
:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

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Feb 27, 2011
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i had a transformer go high resistance in an amplifier and its resistance went so high it was open circuit.
:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:

did the current increase at all though:reel:
 

TheBig1

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you are of course correct gromet, that should of been low resistance:Blush:

i put it down to age or a brain fart:ROFLMAO:
 
Feb 27, 2011
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Low resistance is usually cause by the insulation breaking down, providing a single coil doesn't short then the transformer should operate within spec. If a coil shorts it will cause an extremely high current to flow within that single loop and raise the local temperature. This usually causes a cascade failure and is accompanied by an unpleasant smell. Well unless it is a hermetically sealed transformer or is encapsulated in epoxy or similar.

If you ever want to see what happens when a single coil shorts and you have a variac. Get a small transformer and wrap a single loop of wire round the primary, close the loop. Switch on and slowly wind the variac up and get ready to switch off quick:winky:::bigsmile:

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Geo

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Karl I hope your not blaming our very own eddie eating currents in his van full of bitz for this blow up:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
G
 
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jhorsf

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Have you tried giving Glyn a ring ?

well thats what Peter always says
 

pappajohn

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Bob, if its anything like mine the 230v cable simply loops into and out of the 110v transformer providing power to the transformer as it passes through......could get the same result by putting a 3 pin plug on the transformer and plugging into a 230v socket.

could possibly be a neutral earth fault after the transformer.

until you plug something in there is no current being passed through any wire.
basically the leccy is present in the live wire but stagnant.

the neutral effectively becomes a return live when something is plugged in so plug an item in and the current is flowing to earth rather than neutral return.
the house breaker (RCD) is sensing the difference between live and neutral (which should be equal current in both) so should trip.

if all 230v sockets are on the same breaker then plugging into one will make all neutrals effectively live so the fault could be anywhere in the 230v circuit AFTER the transformer.

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