We are conducting almost 3 weeks of touring visiting Eril's sister and hubby in Adelaide then a bit of a tour around the Yorke Peninsular. They have not been able to visit us as John is on Dialysis 3 times a week waiting for a kidney. Eril's sister gave him one 15 years ago and now in trouble again.
This afternoon the 240 stopped working and I found the van circuit breaker tripped but would not reset. Turned off ALL power points and still would not reset. Had to bring 240v lead in through one of the hatches to keep us going with a spare power board and a couple of short extension leads I carry " just in case". Turned fridge and hot water to gas and started head scratching.
At the input to the van socket with the circuit breaker reset I get the following readings.
Brown to blue 1.3 kilohm
Earth to brown .46 meg ohm
Earth to blue .2 meg ohm
Have to ask at reception in the morning if they have a sparkie.
Not long after we got the used van AND had conducted several trips the same thing happened and as van was in Jayco for something else they found that a screw had pierced the insulation.
Aussie Paul.
iana said
10:49 PM Aug 26, 2018
Have you got an air conditioner?
aussie_paul said
11:02 PM Aug 26, 2018
iana wrote:
Have you got an air conditioner?
Yes Ian, so going to unplug the "plug and play" loom to the aircon even though we are not using it this trip.
Aussie Paul.
iana said
11:12 PM Aug 26, 2018
When we took delivery of our van, the 240 went, they first checked the air con, but it was traced to the main faulty RCD/circuit breaker unit.
aussie_paul said
10:31 AM Aug 27, 2018
iana wrote:
When we took delivery of our van, the 240 went, they first checked the air con, but it was traced to the main faulty RCD/circuit breaker unit.
Nope Ian, disconnected aircon and still the same, will have to work away from the circuit breaker unplugging the "plug and play" sections. Not a job I really want to have to do on holidays. Now to put the bloody aircon back together.
Aussie Paul.
aussie_paul said
02:17 PM Aug 27, 2018
There are 3 circuits from the CB,
1) Microwave and aircon.
2) Fridge, bed, HWS, & external.
3) Ensuite, washing machine, & Kitchen. This is the problem one!!!!!!!!! So, going to begin tracing back from the last socket.
Now can operate without too much difficulty as I run a lead and power board from second outlet on the fridge socket, and still protected.
Aussie Paul.
Smithy said
09:07 AM Aug 28, 2018
Well I have a problem with my van I have no 240v id plug in to the house tripped the safety in the house I plugged it in to next doors house same I went and bought a Adfimian thingie used that on the house and it tripped the houses I used a gennie the other day to see if I could get power nope so I will have to get a sparkie in but its not tripping the switch in the van mmmmm
Thanks
daffyfrancis said
11:53 AM Aug 28, 2018
Hi Smithy
I am not a techie but I believe that the standard RCD is inoperable & won't trip when using a gennie - be careful it seems like your rig needs an urgent electrical check over.
David
-- Edited by daffyfrancis on Tuesday 28th of August 2018 11:53:45 AM
JBDUBBO said
08:05 PM Aug 28, 2018
RCD,s and all power points are double pole in a caravan. So when checking for a fault better unplug all items then if RCD stays on plug in items one at a time. Some times RCDs break inside and won't relock.
For personal safety Gennies need a Residual Voltage device not a Residual Current device as do inverters.
Retired but still a Licensed electrician.
-- Edited by JBDUBBO on Tuesday 28th of August 2018 08:08:13 PM
Warren-Pat_01 said
08:50 PM Aug 28, 2018
Sorry to change the subject, slightly.
We had an interesting fault on the way back to Toowoomba (heading for home early next week).
At Bourke, we plugged our "shorter" 10m cord into the van - had used it a at few other places before. Nothing! Pulled the plug out & reinserted - one end at a time. Nothing. The wiring "looked" ok. So our long cord had to be used.
At Toowoomba yesterday I checked the lead - found the active wire open cct! Instantly thought the fault would be at either the plug or the socket ends. Nope, cut 6 of 3" pieces off each end, testing everytime - still open cct! I could see me ending up with lots of short pieces of cable & it still being open circuit!!
Will leave it until I get home & will use the 240v non-contact checker to see where the fault is (out of curiosity). Meanwhile will go to the Green Shed & get a new cord!
We are conducting almost 3 weeks of touring visiting Eril's sister and hubby in Adelaide then a bit of a tour around the Yorke Peninsular. They have not been able to visit us as John is on Dialysis 3 times a week waiting for a kidney. Eril's sister gave him one 15 years ago and now in trouble again.
This afternoon the 240 stopped working and I found the van circuit breaker tripped but would not reset. Turned off ALL power points and still would not reset. Had to bring 240v lead in through one of the hatches to keep us going with a spare power board and a couple of short extension leads I carry " just in case". Turned fridge and hot water to gas and started head scratching.
At the input to the van socket with the circuit breaker reset I get the following readings.
Brown to blue 1.3 kilohm
Earth to brown .46 meg ohm
Earth to blue .2 meg ohm
Have to ask at reception in the morning if they have a sparkie.
Not long after we got the used van AND had conducted several trips the same thing happened and as van was in Jayco for something else they found that a screw had pierced the insulation.
Aussie Paul.
Yes Ian, so going to unplug the "plug and play" loom to the aircon even though we are not using it this trip.
Aussie Paul.
Nope Ian, disconnected aircon and still the same, will have to work away from the circuit breaker unplugging the "plug and play" sections. Not a job I really want to have to do on holidays.
Now to put the bloody aircon back together. 
Aussie Paul.
There are 3 circuits from the CB,
1) Microwave and aircon.
2) Fridge, bed, HWS, & external.
3) Ensuite, washing machine, & Kitchen. This is the problem one!!!!!!!!! So, going to begin tracing back from the last socket.
Now can operate without too much difficulty as I run a lead and power board from second outlet on the fridge socket, and still protected.
Aussie Paul.
Thanks
Hi Smithy
I am not a techie but I believe that the standard RCD is inoperable & won't trip when using a gennie - be careful it seems like your rig needs an urgent electrical check over.
David
-- Edited by daffyfrancis on Tuesday 28th of August 2018 11:53:45 AM
RCD,s and all power points are double pole in a caravan. So when checking for a fault better unplug all items then if RCD stays on plug in items one at a time. Some times RCDs break inside and won't relock.
For personal safety Gennies need a Residual Voltage device not a Residual Current device as do inverters.
Retired but still a Licensed electrician.
-- Edited by JBDUBBO on Tuesday 28th of August 2018 08:08:13 PM
We had an interesting fault on the way back to Toowoomba (heading for home early next week).
At Bourke, we plugged our "shorter" 10m cord into the van - had used it a at few other places before. Nothing! Pulled the plug out & reinserted - one end at a time. Nothing. The wiring "looked" ok. So our long cord had to be used.
At Toowoomba yesterday I checked the lead - found the active wire open cct! Instantly thought the fault would be at either the plug or the socket ends. Nope, cut 6 of 3" pieces off each end, testing everytime - still open cct! I could see me ending up with lots of short pieces of cable & it still being open circuit!!
Will leave it until I get home & will use the 240v non-contact checker to see where the fault is (out of curiosity). Meanwhile will go to the Green Shed & get a new cord!