microwave tripping breaker...what to look for?

[Sand crab]

20 amp outlets have that horizontal groove next to the vertical ones like in that pic of the adapter. If it ain't got the groove then it's only designed for 15 A.

[Sand crab]

Like this.

[a64pilot]

Since it was the main breaker that was popping earlier and it's not popping now that you have changed outlets, that means something was wrong with the original circuit as of course both draw power from the main breaker, unless of course there is another main breaker as in maybe two shorepower cords, each having a different circuit?
My guess is it's a loose wire on the original circuit causing an excess electrical draw, the excess is of course dissipated as heat, which can cause a fire in the future. Need to look into this.

[Sand crab]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Since it was the main breaker that was popping earlier and it's not popping now that you have changed outlets, that means something was wrong with the original circuit as of course both draw power from the main breaker, unless of course there is another main breaker as in maybe two shorepower cords, each having a different circuit?
My guess is it's a loose wire on the original circuit causing an excess electrical draw, the excess is of course dissipated as heat, which can cause a fire in the future. Need to look into this.

Nailed it. I'd just pull out that outlet and look at the backside for starters.

[a64pilot]

I'm betting the continued cycling of high amperage loads has caused heating / cooling cycles of the wire, causing it to loosen at either end, either at the plug or the panel.
This continued heating cooling that causes wire to loosen is the reason aluminum is not a good idea for inside wiring, aluminum I guess has a higher thermal expansion rate? I know you don't have aluminum wire, I'm just trying to show that high cyclical loads can cause a wire to loosen, a loose wire causes a high resistance where it's loose, further driving the heat up.

[Jcolman]

I'm going to have an electrical expert take a look at my entire system. This morning my batteries were nearly drained despite a new charger installed a few years ago. Something is amiss.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Jcolman

Right now I have my refrigerator and space heater plugged into one of the starboard outlets. They both work fine but I'll replace the breaker in the panel anyway. What puzzles me is why the PO labeled a specific port outlet "110 AC". Perhaps it's the only outlet designed to carry 20 amps while the others are 15 amps?

Before replacing your starboard main 30-amp breaker...

I think you're saying you've got fridge and space heater (maybe a heavy AC consumer) on your starboard side... and when you run the microwave on that same side, the main 30-amp breaker trips.

??

Perhaps the combination of space heater especially and fridge maybe (possibly both on different sub-breakers??) and microwave is what's tripping the main 30-amp breaker?

Have you tried the microwave with the other stuff turned off?

Or perhaps I've mis-understood, or read too quickly...

-Chris

[Jcolman]

Originally Posted by ranger42c

Before replacing your starboard main 30-amp breaker...

I think you're saying you've got fridge and space heater (maybe a heavy AC consumer) on your starboard side... and when you run the microwave on that same side, the main 30-amp breaker trips.

??

Perhaps the combination of space heater especially and fridge maybe (possibly both on different sub-breakers??) and microwave is what's tripping the main 30-amp breaker?

Have you tried the microwave with the other stuff turned off?

Or perhaps I've mis-understood, or read too quickly...

-Chris

Hey Chris,

I unplugged the heater and fridge before using the microwave and it still tripped the breaker.

I'll have the electrician at the yard take a look at my whole system.

[US1Fountain]

Originally Posted by Sand crab

20 amp outlets have that horizontal groove next to the vertical ones like in that pic of the adapter. If it ain't got the groove then it's only designed for 15 A.

15A receptacles are rated for 20A pass thru and can be installed on 20A circuits providing there is more than 1 outlet on that 20A circuit. A standard duplex outlet counts as 2 outlets. If it was just a single socket outlet, then it would need to be a 20A outlet.