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Old 11-21-2016, 06:10 PM   #1
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Mystery Grease

I put my trailer in cave storage for 5 days since we had a few nights below freezing but just picked it up to go to the Ozarks over Thanksgiving. I just used the trailer the end of October at my new property there.

Two problems in that short amount of time!
1. Why on earth would there be a big glob of grease between the wall and floor under the dinette?? I've already cleaned it up but there was at least a tablespoon worth along that seam highlighted by the flashlight.

2. I had an outlet installed on the side of my house (just 20 amp since there was no room in the box for 30 amp according to the electrician) and before trips I plug in to get my refrigerator up to temp. Electricity is not coming on in the trailer. The outlet tests fine. Maybe my cord? or the 20 amp adapter on the cord? All breaker switches are on. Maybe a fuse?

Thank you for any help!
Linda
The River Rendezvous Lug Nut Torque Queen
(I can still milk that, right?!)
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Old 11-21-2016, 06:22 PM   #2
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Do you have the Progressive EMS option, it delays the current for 2 minutes or if there is a misfiring issue, no electric to enter the trailer. If not try another outlet to hook into.
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Old 11-21-2016, 06:33 PM   #3
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If you have or know somebody with a multimeter you can test for electricity along
the way. Is there a reset on the refrigerator?
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Old 11-21-2016, 08:51 PM   #4
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Jim - yes, I do have the Progressive EMS with the delay but it still doesn't come on. I don't have another outlet within reach of my power cord. I did plug my small heater into the outlet and it worked.

Dave - haha, that's funny. I do have a multimeter, part of my prize package, and will test it tomorrow morning to see if the cord is my problem. I don't know if there's a reset on the refrigerator or not but the first thing that usually comes on with the power is a beep on the microwave and then the time flashes. I got no juice to anything.

Ah, my brother the mechanical engineer just volunteered to come over and take a look.
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Old 11-21-2016, 09:24 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nindy View Post
Ah, my brother the mechanical engineer just volunteered to come over and take a look.
Think he might admit that the grease came off of his shoe?
I can't imagine where it would have come from otherwise.
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Old 11-21-2016, 09:34 PM   #6
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Old 11-21-2016, 10:14 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nindy View Post
I put my trailer in cave storage for 5 days since we had a few nights below freezing but just picked it up to go to the Ozarks over Thanksgiving. I just used the trailer the end of October at my new property there.

Two problems in that short amount of time!
1. Why on earth would there be a big glob of grease between the wall and floor under the dinette?? I've already cleaned it up but there was at least a tablespoon worth along that seam highlighted by the flashlight.

2. I had an outlet installed on the side of my house (just 20 amp since there was no room in the box for 30 amp according to the electrician) and before trips I plug in to get my refrigerator up to temp. Electricity is not coming on in the trailer. The outlet tests fine. Maybe my cord? or the 20 amp adapter on the cord? All breaker switches are on. Maybe a fuse?

Thank you for any help!
Linda
The River Rendezvous Lug Nut Torque Queen
(I can still milk that, right?!)
Hi: Nindy... Check your "Kill switch". Shut it off then turn it back on!!! As for the "Greasy spoon" issue I can't comment. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 11-21-2016, 10:19 PM   #8
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Okay, power started working before my brother even got here. I unplugged and plugged back in a few times and it finally fired up.

What we've figured out is that I either have the wrong 30 amp cord (came with the trailer) or they mounted the receptacle too far in. I have suspected something was wrong from the beginning since the cord seemed to fit too loosely. Apparently it's supposed to twist to lock and it does not because the interior end part with the holes in it isn't long enough. It's 3/4" and needs to be more like 1".

My first trailer - what did I know! I will go to the RV place just down the road and compare cords. I don't really need it this trip since I'll be boondocking.

Still don't know where that grease came from.
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Old 11-22-2016, 05:22 AM   #9
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Yes, I found the newer Escape power cords need to be pushed in further and with the little blue light it tells you when there is a connection. Glad it worked out.
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Old 11-22-2016, 08:40 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nindy View Post
I put my trailer in cave storage for 5 days since we had a few nights below freezing but just picked it up to go to the Ozarks over Thanksgiving. I just used the trailer the end of October at my new property there.

Two problems in that short amount of time!
1. Why on earth would there be a big glob of grease between the wall and floor under the dinette?? I've already cleaned it up but there was at least a tablespoon worth along that seam highlighted by the flashlight.

2. I had an outlet installed on the side of my house (just 20 amp since there was no room in the box for 30 amp according to the electrician) and before trips I plug in to get my refrigerator up to temp. Electricity is not coming on in the trailer. The outlet tests fine. Maybe my cord? or the 20 amp adapter on the cord? All breaker switches are on. Maybe a fuse?

Thank you for any help!
Linda
The River Rendezvous Lug Nut Torque Queen
(I can still milk that, right?!)
You probably should be glad that the "electrician" couldn't fit a 30 amp breaker in your breaker panel. A 120v 30 amp breaker takes up the same space as a 20 amp. If there was room, I suspect the electrician would have wired your 120v 30 amp receptacle with a 2 pole, 30 amp 240V breaker, (typical of a clothes dryer) which would have made a very unhappy trailer!
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Old 11-22-2016, 02:27 PM   #11
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...
2. I had an outlet installed on the side of my house (just 20 amp since there was no room in the box for 30 amp according to the electrician)...
As Bob explained, if there is an available slot for a 20-amp breaker, a 30-amp could be installed in that slot - assuming it is a panel using typical breakers - and an electrician would know that.

Another potential limitation of a distribution panel is that there is a limit of the total of the breakers for the branch circuits. While a valid concern, it seems strange that you would be so close to the total that 30 amps would be too much, yet 20 amps is okay. Fortunately, a 20-amp circuit works fine, too, if you don't need all of the possible power.

Any of us in the forum are just speculating about this, but if it were my house - and if it would be valuable to me to have the higher capacity - I would be having a good look at exactly what can be done.
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Old 11-22-2016, 03:25 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nindy View Post
I put my trailer in cave storage for 5 days since we had a few nights below freezing but just picked it up to go to the Ozarks over Thanksgiving. I just used the trailer the end of October at my new property there.

Two problems in that short amount of time!
1. Why on earth would there be a big glob of grease between the wall and floor under the dinette?? I've already cleaned it up but there was at least a tablespoon worth along that seam highlighted by the flashlight.

2. I had an outlet installed on the side of my house (just 20 amp since there was no room in the box for 30 amp according to the electrician) and before trips I plug in to get my refrigerator up to temp. Electricity is not coming on in the trailer. The outlet tests fine. Maybe my cord? or the 20 amp adapter on the cord? All breaker switches are on. Maybe a fuse?

Thank you for any help!
Linda
The River Rendezvous Lug Nut Torque Queen
(I can still milk that, right?!)
Hi: Nindy... During the reno to our kitchen I made a deal with my electrician. Traded off one 9watt LED fixture in the center of the kitchen ceiling for a 30Amp line & plug to my garage for the trailer. Boy what a deal... but then we also changed out the entire old fuse panel for a 60 breaker panel!!! Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 11-22-2016, 05:41 PM   #13
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Kitchen looks nice Alf....
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Old 11-22-2016, 05:57 PM   #14
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Kitchen looks nice Alf....
Hi: cpaharley2008... Thanks!!! Just glad there's no "Mystery grease" in it!!! The electrician said I'm probably happiest with the new 30 Amp plug in the garage. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
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Old 11-22-2016, 06:44 PM   #15
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As Bob explained, if there is an available slot for a 20-amp breaker, a 30-amp could be installed in that slot - assuming it is a panel using typical breakers - and an electrician would know that.
Note: the other issue is that a 30A circuit requires 10 gage wire instead of the 12 gage on a 20A circuit. The breaker is to protect the wire so if the breaker is sized too large for the wire size, it won't trip before the wire overheats. Possible fire hazard.

Arnie
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Old 11-22-2016, 07:13 PM   #16
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Note: the other issue is that a 30A circuit requires 10 gage wire instead of the 12 gage on a 20A circuit. The breaker is to protect the wire so if the breaker is sized too large for the wire size, it won't trip before the wire overheats. Possible fire hazard.

Arnie
When we wired in a dedicated circuit for the Escape in the Escape Garage, we went with a 30 amp breaker, #10 wire we pulled through a 1 inch conduit along with a wire pair #12
for a separate circuit for lighting and service in the garage. The receptacle is a 30 amp RV receptacle on the down line side of a disconnect switch. This has given us good, safe and reliable service for the past two years. My brother is a licensed electrician, he
works for me for craft beer, paid after the job is done.
Dave
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Old 11-22-2016, 07:26 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Nindy View Post
I put my trailer in cave storage for 5 days since we had a few nights below freezing but just picked it up to go to the Ozarks over Thanksgiving. I just used the trailer the end of October at my new property there.

Two problems in that short amount of time!
1. Why on earth would there be a big glob of grease between the wall and floor under the dinette?? I've already cleaned it up but there was at least a tablespoon worth along that seam highlighted by the flashlight.

2. I had an outlet installed on the side of my house (just 20 amp since there was no room in the box for 30 amp according to the electrician) and before trips I plug in to get my refrigerator up to temp. Electricity is not coming on in the trailer. The outlet tests fine. Maybe my cord? or the 20 amp adapter on the cord? All breaker switches are on. Maybe a fuse?

Thank you for any help!
Linda
The River Rendezvous Lug Nut Torque Queen
(I can still milk that, right?!)
Maybe the grease is actually some kind of floor or other glue?
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Old 11-22-2016, 08:15 PM   #18
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My brother is a licensed electrician, he works for me for craft beer, paid after the job is done.

Dave

Dave,

When is your brother planning to visit Houston? I have all the craft beer he can drink (after my trailer ckt is installed).

Rich
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Old 11-22-2016, 09:21 PM   #19
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My brother is a licensed electrician, he
works for me for craft beer, paid after the job is done.
Dave
Dave, If a parade of Escapees make their way to Iowa, you'll need to charge a finder's fee, so your brother doesn't have to drink alone......it's not healthy!
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Old 11-22-2016, 09:30 PM   #20
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Note: the other issue is that a 30A circuit requires 10 gage wire instead of the 12 gage on a 20A circuit.
Yes, every part of the circuit must be appropriate for the higher current rating, but the reported issue was that "there was no room in the box for 30 amp". I assume that meant the distribution (or circuit breaker) panel. Running 10 gauge cable - instead of the 12 gauge which was presumably used for the 20-amp circuit or the 14 gauge which would be used for a 15-amp circuit - doesn't appear to have been the issue.
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