Breaker/fuse box fan

[yoopercab]

I have an RPod 179. I don't know how many trailers have a fan for the electrical box. The first time we used it 4 years ago, we didn't know why it ran off and on rather often during the night(had nothing running as the mother board was bad/ended up with a new one). Now we don't hear it go off at all except when we plugged the trailer in when we got home. (only when we plugged it in. On recent trip, water heater breaker flipped and wouldn't go back on. It was 90degrees in the trailer; we did have the air conditioner on BY ITSELF for about 20 minutes and no fan went on. We, obviously weren't using the water heater. Without using micro, that breaker flipped but could be reset after a few minutes (air conditioner, nothing else on). One authorized service shop said (4 yrs ago) that there is a thermostat whereby the fan goes off and on. The place we just took it to, said that the problem was a bad breaker. They replaced it. I told him we never hear that fan go on like it did the first time. HMM. He said it won't unless there is a load on the circuits, something electrical is being used. I am asking about that discrepancy, where it regularly went off and on and was told that's normal to KEEP box cool and another who says it only runs when there is a load on.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

The fan in the "electrical box" is to cool the converter. That converts 120 VAC to 12 VDC in order to charge the battery and supply lights and other items requiring 12 VDC. If the fan is running then the converter requires cooling. When the converter is lightly loaded, and not charging the battery, it is normal for the fan to switch off. It is thermostatically controlled internally and thus runs as needed.

The AC runs off of the 120 VAC shore power only. The water heater {by your description of circuit breaker flipped} has an electric heating element which is also powered by 120 VAC shore power.

If by chance the water heater was not full of water and the heating element on, then likely the heating element is now defective as evidenced by the flipped breaker. NEVER turn the water heater ON either electric or LP without it being full of water.

 

[yoopercab]

I have an RPod 179. I don't know how many trailers have a fan for the electrical box. The first time we used it 4 years ago, we didn't know why it ran off and on rather often during the night(had nothing running as the mother board was bad/ended up with a new one). Now we don't hear it go off at all except when we plugged the trailer in when we got home. (only when we plugged it in. On recent trip, water heater breaker flipped and wouldn't go back on. It was 90degrees in the trailer; we did have the air conditioner on BY ITSELF for about 20 minutes and no fan went on. We, obviously weren't using the water heater. Without using micro, that breaker flipped but could be reset after a few minutes (air conditioner, nothing else on). One authorized service shop said (4 yrs ago) that there is a thermostat whereby the fan goes off and on. The place we just took it to, said that the problem was a bad breaker. They replaced it. I told him we never hear that fan go on like it did the first time. HMM. He said it won't unless there is a load on the circuits, something electrical is being used. I am asking about that discrepancy, where it regularly went off and on and was told that's normal to KEEP box cool and another who says it only runs when there is a load on.

Thanks for responding and correcting the function of the fan for us. Neither place said that. First place just said to keep the breaker and fuses cool. The water heater was tested and works perfect. We surely do make sure the heater is filled and do not leave it on if using propane.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

In some installations, the water heater can be supplied with 120 VAC to power a heating element. One can also use LP to heat the water. In general, one can use both systems, if so equipped, to heat the water faster. Otherwise using LP will be faster than electricity used by itself.

One must realize the electric element will consume about 1/3 of the capacity of the electric system. A 30 amp system supplies 3600 watts and the electric element of the water heater will consume 1200 to 1800 watts of that 3600. Thus one must take care in regard to power management.

Unfortunately, I find many "technicians" are not properly prepared to accurately diagnose many issues. Also, in many cases, they aren't prepared to provide a proper and clear explanation to their customers. In many cases, I find they just give an answer to "get the customer out of their face". Sad state of affairs today.

Bob