DVR fried

[oldbird]

I got to a camp site and plugged in. While the surge guard was counting down I went inside. As soon as the power kicked on the DVR started smoking big time. My wife is real sensitive to smoke etc. so I just grabbed it and put it outside. I looked at the plug and it was 120v so I started checking every plug. The two in the peninsula were dead, the one by the bathroom sink and the outlet in the basement. In other words all the GFI were out and the breaker for them will not reset. I don't understand why, the DVR is on another circuit and a different circuit gets knocked out? Does anybody know how to figure out the GFI circuit being out of commission? Thanks!

[ilpuller]

The GFCI (GFI) breaker has to be pushed down as far as it will go to reset and then pushed up to set on. The GFCI protected outlets should now be powered. As far as the original issue, there can be many causes. I will let a more knowledgeable person weigh in. John

[oldbird]

Thanks John, I have pushed it down all the way but no go. The yellow push in button doesn't seem to do any thing either.

When the DVR was smoking it also surprised me that the breaker for that plug in didn't trip? When I pulled it out of there it was sparking and smoking. I should have just killed the power but my first concern was my wife and the smell it was making. As to why it failed, I'm going to guess it was our wonderful smooth roads we all drive on! lol

[golf_bears]

Your statements, "the DVR started smoking big time" and "so I just grabbed it and put it outside". What started smoking and what did you grab and put outside???

[ilpuller]

Sorry, that didn’t do the trick. In our DRV, I had to push down on the breaker handle so hard I thought it was going to break. The yellow button will do nothing until the breaker is reset. If you can’t get it to reset, the breaker is probably bad. Are all other electrical items working? Did you look inside the outlet where the DVR was plugged into to see if there might be a short in the box? Was there any other item plugged into the same outlet? If so, are they still working? Good luck. John

[ilpuller]

He stated DVR for digital video recorder, not DRV. I had to read his original post a couple of times. I couldn’t image trying to pull the DRV plug from the pedestal with sparks and smoke. Yikes....John

[golf_bears]

OK ilpuller, got it now. Thanks for the explanation.

[oldbird]

Your statements, "the DVR started smoking big time" and "so I just grabbed it and put it outside". What started smoking and what did you grab and put outside???

Sorry about the confusion. The dish network receiver was smoking so I just grabbed it and pulled all the wires until they broke or became disconnected. HDMI, coaxial cords, etc, I know that sounds extreme but my wife 24 hours later is still smelling burnt electrical. I hope its not something in the walls? Breaker didn't do any good on the DVR circuit.

Sorry, that didn’t do the trick. In our DRV, I had to push down on the breaker handle so hard I thought it was going to break. The yellow button will do nothing until the breaker is reset. If you can’t get it to reset, the breaker is probably bad. Are all other electrical items working? Did you look inside the outlet where the DVR was plugged into to see if there might be a short in the box? Was there any other item plugged into the same outlet? If so, are they still working? Good luck. John

I just tried pushing down hard and it didn't work. Your probably right, the breaker is probably bad. All other electrical items are working OK except we can't get the micro to work. Also a little alarm clock to the left of the TV isn't working. The TV and DVR receiver were both plugged into the same plug and the TV is still working. I had a spare DVR and its working fine plugged into the same outlet.

He stated DVR for digital video recorder, not DRV. I had to read his original post a couple of times. I couldn’t image trying to pull the DRV plug from the pedestal with sparks and smoke. Yikes....John

LOL, outside like that I would have tripped the breaker.

OK ilpuller, got it now. Thanks for the explanation.

With everything normal now except the GFI's not working makes me wonder if I got hit with some surge and my surge guard didn't stop it?? Does anybody know if the GE micro-convention oven has a reset? Thanks

[wingnut60]

Sorry to ask this, but did you check the CB for the micro in the breaker panel? Is it tripped also?
Sure is a strange occurrence.
Your surge guard counts down?

[oldbird]

Hi Joe, yes I did and the plug for the micro has power. Count down, count up, something like that. I just know there is a delay while its checking for any problems at the pedestal. I still believe that there wasn't a problem at the pedestal and all the beating this camper goes thru something shorted out in the receiver. Its a mystery but at least we are still moving. Anybody try out I80 thru Chicago lately? Its hard to believe this camper is still in one piece!

[fjr vfr]

The surge guard checks what's coming into the trailer. If the problem is after it won't know. Since the GFI is not reading currant, it reads potential between the two sides, I might guess you have a bad neutral or ground connection after the surge protector. The circuit breakers might not trip as they are sensing currant, but the GFI might sense it and not reset. When the DVR burnt up just maybe it caused a loose connection were it connects to the neutral/ground bar.
I would unplug power and go in and tighten all your connections inside the power supply unit. It sounds like you could us a multi meter. I also have a little volt meter that plugs into any outlet.

Best of Luck with it.

[wingnut60]

Hope you get it figured out.
I will go miles out of the way to avoid major metro areas. And, yes, I’ve been in the Chi/Gary too many times w/o the trailer—it’s rough just driving solo.

[oldbird]

The surge guard checks what's coming into the trailer. If the problem is after it won't know. Since the GFI is not reading currant, it reads potential between the two sides, I might guess you have a bad neutral or ground connection after the surge protector. The circuit breakers might not trip as they are sensing currant, but the GFI might sense it and not reset. When the DVR burnt up just maybe it caused a loose connection were it connects to the neutral/ground bar.
I would unplug power and go in and tighten all your connections inside the power supply unit. It sounds like you could us a multi meter. I also have a little volt meter that plugs into any outlet.

Best of Luck with it.

I have checked every outlet for power and they all have power except the four GFI outlets. Day after tomorrow I'll be in one spot and I'll tighten all the connections. Thanks for the suggestions.

[oldbird]

Update for whatever its worth. Got some time so I took the fuse panel apart. All connections are tight. I removed the GFI breaker and the black and white wires had continuity to the nearest GFI plug. With the GFI breaker removed from the breaker box the on off switch operates normal. I'm guessing the GFI breaker is OK but also guessing I have something that goes to ground when power is applied tripping the GFI breaker. Also I have continuity on the breaker when the switch is closed and not when the switch is open. I don't know enough about electricity to figure this out. We can live without these four plugs until we get back to our winter home in AZ where there is a DRV dealer there. Thanks for any help!

[fjr vfr]

These kind of problems are sometimes hard to trace to the root cause. They can drive you crazy. I once had a GFI in my house that would trip all the time. I disconnected each outlet one at a time and found one that would trip the GFI each time it was in the circuit.
Anyway good luck with it. Hope it turns out to be something cheap and simple.

[oldbird]

One at a time, good idea! Thanks

[porthole]

One at a time, good idea! Thanks


And, GFCI receptacles go bad. If in doubt, just replace it.

[Cummins12V98]

Personally I would replace the GFI.

[oldbird]

And, GFCI receptacles go bad. If in doubt, just replace it.

Personally I would replace the GFI.

I think I'll do that Ron, easier then disconnecting five receptacles to isolate the problem. Of course, if the new breaker doesn't do the trick then I might have to anyway. Thanks guys!

[oldbird]

Thanks again guys, the new GFI breaker did the trick. All five receptacles are now working. I guess the reason why is going to remain a mystery. The Dish Network DVR goes up in smoke and I don't remember if I mentioned it but the micro/convection oven doesn't work either. Those two items are on a different circuit, not the GFI circuit. The DVR wasn't rented, I owned it so the insurance company will get a bill for that and the micro/convection oven.

[Notanlines]

'Bird, careful with those insurance claims. Sometimes its better to just suck it up and cover it yourself.

[paiceman]

I had a similar issue last year. Turned out to be a bad surge protector I had used for only two weeks with success, then it tripped the GFI only and would not allow the GFI back on. Changed back to an older surge protector and everything has worked fine since - nine months now.

[Lewin Kuster]

If you had plugged into a 240 volt 50 amp outlet, then you probably have a problem of a "lost neutral". The white wire in the circuit. A common occurrence where the neut has burned free in the cord cap, or in the power pedestal. If the latter is at fault, the RV park is liable for your repairs.

[oldbird]

I had a similar issue last year. Turned out to be a bad surge protector I had used for only two weeks with success, then it tripped the GFI only and would not allow the GFI back on. Changed back to an older surge protector and everything has worked fine since - nine months now.

Wish there was a way to test the surge protector but now that the new GFI breaker fixed that problem I'll just keep that in mind, thanks.

If you had plugged into a 240 volt 50 amp outlet, then you probably have a problem of a "lost neutral". The white wire in the circuit. A common occurrence where the neut has burned free in the cord cap, or in the power pedestal. If the latter is at fault, the RV park is liable for your repairs.

I checked my plug and its ok and as far as the overnight stay it was 'get there late, leave early' kind of deal. If it was the power pedestal then my surge guard protector is at fault. Everything has been OK since then though. Thanks