Electrical System Overview; Electrical System Overview; Power Center; Circuit Breaker Protection - Airstream Rangeline 2023 Owner's Manual

Interior

Electrical System Overview

Power Center

The Power Center is a self-contained 120 Volt AC
(VAC) power distribution center utilized in recreational
vehicles� It houses the coach's circuit breakers
and fuses� Its primary function is to provide circuit
protection for all the 120 VAC loads in the touring
coach and is central to the overall electrical system�
The Power Center distributes 120 VAC power to
appliances and receptacles� Converter/Inverter output
is routed through the breaker box to provide load safety
protection� It also distributes 120 VAC to the converter,
which converts 120 VAC to 12 Volt DC (12V) to power
12V systems�
The Power Center distributes incoming power from
three sources: Shoreline power when connected to an
external 120 VAC power supply (city power), onboard
generator power, and the 270Ah 12V LiFePO4 Deep
Cycle House Battery via the 12V DC to 120 VAC AC
inverter�
The Power Center is located next to the wardrobe on
the face of the roadside bed base� Open the decorative
door to access 12V fuses and 120 VAC breakers�
The power center is a centralized power switching,
fusing, and distribution center. The potential
of lethal electrical shock is present in this box.
Inadvertent shorts at this box could result in
damage and/or injury. All servicing of this box
should be done by a qualified Service Technician.
Disconnect/De-energize all main power service,
shore power, generator power, and inverter power
prior to servicing the breaker panel.
5-10
WARNING
WARNING

Circuit Breaker Protection

Standard residential-style (resettable) circuit breakers
provide circuit protection for all 120 VAC loads�
Airstream has installed breakers per RVIA (NEC) listing
requirements for the touring coach�
The 30 amp main breaker feeds individual branch
breakers� The branch-breakers protect individual loads,
which are identifiable by the affixed labels. Shutting off
the main breaker will remove power to all branch loads
(except for outlets/receptacles on the inverter circuit
when the inverter is enabled, see GFCI this page)�
A circuit breaker's ON/OFF switch function operates
like a light switch: up is ON, and down is OFF� If an
overload or short occurs, the breaker will snap to the
OFF position to protect the connected circuit� As a
result, any device running on the circuit will lose power�
Before attempting to reset the breaker, consider the
cause� If a connected device is faulty or uses a higher
amperage than the circuit breaker's capacity, turn it off
before resetting the breaker�
Before resetting the breaker, you need external AC
power going to the breaker box� Firmly push the
breaker switch to the OFF position and back to the ON
position� If the breaker snaps back to the OFF position
while resetting, a fault condition still exists and should
be serviced by a qualified Service Technician. Suppose
the breaker stays ON but snaps back OFF after turning
on a possibly faulty appliance� In that case, a fault
condition may exist in that appliance that will require
service by a qualified Technician.

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI)

The GFCI breaker provides reliable overload and
short-circuit protection� GFCI breakers protect
against ground faults and provide additional safety
to the occupants of the touring coach on all outlets/
receptacles� A ground fault occurs when current travels
along an unintended path to ground, possibly through
water or a person, which may result in an electric
shock� The GFCI compares the amount of current
going to and returning from the device plugged into the
circuit's outlet/receptacle� When the amount of current
going to the device differs from the amount returning,
the GFCI interrupts the current within a fraction of
a second, removing power from the circuit, and
protecting the user�
Each GFCI circuit breaker is calibrated to trip with a
ground current of 5 mA or more� Since most people
can feel as little as 2 mA, a shock may be felt� The
shock should be of such a short duration that the
effects would be reduced, less than what would
normally be a dangerous level� However, persons with
2023 Rangeline