Quote:
Originally Posted by DCHitt
20 amps and didn't trip. I don't think there was ever more than 20 amps being drawn thru the twist lock plug on the side of the van.
Although this connector is rated at 30 amps here is a picture of the melted connector. It was not possible to get them apart after they melted together.
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Totally reminds of an experience when I was sailing across the Atlantic. Mid-Atlantic, sitting at the Nav station at midnight after coming off my watch, I hear a buzzing sound coming from the electrical panel. The sailboat had a 220V big generator running at the time. I opened the panel and could hear the arcing in the barrel switch used for selecting Shore/Generator. Immediately shut down the genny and told the next watch person to not use the generator and I would deal with it when I woke up.
Next morning I dissected the barrel switch, found terminals that were pretty smoked and went hunting for a spare. This 80 ft. boat had spares for everything - except a barrel switch! Took the whole thing apart and found contacts that head become high resistance points due to age and the arcing. The worst contacts were unusable, so I cleaned up what I could and reassembled so it would work with genny power, since the shore power cord was not 1500 miles long to reach land
. Interesting experience!
Had something similar to your situation happen with our power boat. Shore power was 2 x 30 Amp sockets and I found one that looked like yours. The wire connections to the terminals showed signs of corrosion/oxidation. It was a salt environment, similar to what an SMB might see on wet salted winter roads. That moisture getting into the shore power connector housing is going to do some damage to the copper and metal which is going to result in resistance and heat well away from the breakers as it is mid connection. It would likely not be until the wires crossed that the breaker would trip. In the meantime the plastic may have reached a smoldering state.
Definitely worth an inspection as part of a Spring Check Out of the systems. One way would be with an Ohm meter. There should be
very little resistance on a large gauge wire used for shore power. With shore power disconnected, Inverter/transfer switch OFF - check ohms from each of the male plug terminals on the outside the van to a the corresponding wire end where the wire connects inside of the van. Make sure to do the visual inspection on the back of the connector, as well. And while you are at it, check your shore power cord, too!
Glad you caught this before a fire occurred. Scary!