50 to 30 adapter + 50 amp 220 shore receptacle + 110 RV = NOT GOOD!

[jlbreaux]

Well I will start off by saying I learned a valuable lesson this past Friday setting up our camper at a campground in Holly Beach, La. I WILL check voltage on EVERY 30 and 50 amp shore power receptacle from now on no matter what campground I am at! We arrived at the campground Friday afternoon, did my normal set up routine outside. When we started the inside routine, my wife plugged in the scentsy the light bulb burnt, well I plugged in the TV in our room and let’s just say I got all the smoke out of the wires as soon as I plugged it in!

Well long story short we started checking for the problem. I got my meter out and checked the voltage from the 50amp shore receptacle and instead of 110V it was wired for 220V. We lost the TV in the bedroom, satellite receiver, chargers for our Swiffer vacuum and sweeper, converter, microwave, control board on refrigerator, and water heater element. The dealer may find even more damage, I hope not but I know it is a reality.

Well the owner was out of town and would not be back until Sunday, so we got a battery charger and put a trickle charge on the battery so we would have lights and a “fart fan” in the bathroom. Sunday afternoon the owner comes and plugs his meter into the receptacle and says, yea something is not right, but I can rewire it to fix it. I asked him if he had insurance to cover something like this he said no. I then asked him how we were going to resolve this issue since I checked several other 50amp receptacles in his campground and they all had 110V. He started to crawfish, we went in the camper so he could see the microwave was damaged and he offered me $500 and used parts from FEMA campers he has. I was willing to work with him and agreed to eat my TV and I would accept a microwave from him if it was the same as ours. Well we went back and forth and I told him I was not spending a single dime out of my pocket because of the fact the receptacle was wired wrong. He tells me it is not wired wrong it is wired for a “double 50 that has 220” and “it’s not my fault” and he walked out.

Well needless to say that lit a fire in my rear end, after we hooked up we went meet him again and I told him I would not agree to any of his parts, and I will not absorb the cost of the TV and I will bring my camper to the dealer, get it repaired and I will send him the bill. I told him if he chooses not to pay it I would see him in court. He said “it is what it is”, I tell you he sure is a fine example of a great business man. We took several pictures as well as video of me checking the voltage at our site as well as the site next to us. Since he said it was a “double 50 that has 220” I also have pictures showing that it was not labeled 220V. Let the fun begin!!

[TURBS]

Sorry this happened to you.
Be a great time to invest in a progressive industries surge guard with remote display.
It would have saved your bacon.
If incoming voltage is not correct the pi unit wont let power in your camper.


Also you should do a review of this camp ground in the review section so others might benefit from it.

Good luck and keep us informed on how this goes.

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

[Herk7769]

Most likely that pedestal had a bad neutral. If the neutral is corroded or broken, there is no way to get 110 volts from the 220 service.

Every pedestal is wired using 220 and a single neutral to make 110 on each leg.

A power monitor (like the Progressive Industries, Surge Guard, or Franks Auto-transformer) Would have detected the missing Neutral and not allowed a pedestal to camper connection.

[dcheatwood]

Man I hate that for you. I know its too late but, did you consider calling local law enforcement just to document it. Many people would never think of that but I was called out on several instances where accidents had caused damage to personal property and the victim asked for an officer to act as witness to the damage. I've taken photos, written statements, interviewed witnesses etc. Don't know if it ever helped but an unbiased witness can't hurt.
Good luck.

Sent from my XT907 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[ChooChooMan74]

All 50 Amp has 220 between the 2 hots, and 110 between each hot and ground. You get a total for 100 Amps at 120 volts. Sounds like a bad neutral. A voltage monitor, either built in or external, would have prevented power to go to the RV.

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[Ford Idaho]

Oh man what a hard bite!

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Most likely that pedestal had a bad neutral. If the neutral is corroded or broken, there is no way to get 110 volts from the 220 service.

Every pedestal is wired using 220 and a single neutral to make 110 on each leg.

A power monitor (like the Progressive Industries, Surge Guard, or Franks Auto-transformer) Would have detected the missing Neutral and not allowed a pedestal to camper connection.

Sorry lou,
Next time I'll remember to plug Frank's autoformer......

The op would greatly benefit from both. "After the fact"

TURBS
Sabre owners united!

[jlbreaux]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

Man I hate that for you. I know its too late but, did you consider calling local law enforcement just to document it. Many people would never think of that but I was called out on several instances where accidents had caused damage to personal property and the victim asked for an officer to act as witness to the damage. I've taken photos, written statements, interviewed witnesses etc. Don't know if it ever helped but an unbiased witness can't hurt.
Good luck.

Yes I did, when I read your post, LOL. I showed the gentleman that was "watching" his property while he was out of town how our pedestal had 220 and the other 2 right by me had 110. I do not know if he will admit to what I showed him if it has to go to court or not but I took pictures and video so that should be plenty proof. Well I won't have a need for a surge protector since I carry a multi meter in my tool bag in my truck and I will check voltage before I plug into any shore power. I just hope the owner pays for it and I don't have to hire an attorney and take him to court.

[Broadway Joe]

The surge protector will help if there is a surge or low voltage due to heavy use in the campgrounds. Lightening is also a possibility which a voltmeter wont prevent. Its is cheap insurance considering how much everyone has in their RV.

[jlbreaux]

Originally Posted by joenic53

The surge protector will help if there is a surge or low voltage due to heavy use in the campgrounds. Lightening is also a possibility which a voltmeter wont prevent. Its is cheap insurance considering how much everyone has in their RV.

Well you do have a point!

[AquaMan]

I'm a bit confused on the title of your thread. Were you using an adapter to plug a 30amp RV into a 50amp socket? As states previously, all 50 amp sockets are 220v. It does sound like the socket was possibly wired wrong. Your video and pictures would help.

[jlbreaux]

I have always used a 50 amp male to 30 amp female adapter and plugged my 5th wheel into the 50 amp shore power. I understand how the 30 amp and 50 amp are wired, I am no electrician but I have wired a few things at my camp, my deer lease and at my shop at home. No 50 amp RV receptacle should put out 220, this one did because it was wired wrong. I have owned 3 campers over the course of several years and this is the first time this has happened. I know the receptacle was wired wrong, what I have an issue with is the owner came with his meter and said "yea it's not right but it is an easy fix" and when I started asking him how he will pay for the damage it went to it is a dual 50 and it's not my fault. Not a very good business man.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by jlbreaux

I have always used a 50 amp male to 30 amp female adapter and plugged my 5th wheel into the 50 amp shore power. I understand how the 30 amp and 50 amp are wired, I am no electrician but I have wired a few things at my camp, my deer lease and at my shop at home. No 50 amp RV receptacle should put out 220, this one did because it was wired wrong. I have owned 3 campers over the course of several years and this is the first time this has happened. I know the receptacle was wired wrong, what I have an issue with is the owner came with his meter and said "yea it's not right but it is an easy fix" and when I started asking him how he will pay for the damage it went to it is a dual 50 and it's not my fault. Not a very good business man.

And as I said please go to the review section and post your review of his camp ground for all to see !!!!!!!!
You don't want a fellow frog having the same thing happen to them!

[SKnight]

Huh? Your 5er isn't 50A already? And if it's 30A why are you plugging into 50A?

Just wondering what the advantage is to what you're doing.

[jlbreaux]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

And as I said please go to the review section and post your review of his camp ground for all to see !!!!!!!!
You don't want a fellow frog having the same thing happen to them!

I will do it between sipping my ice cold Shiner Bock and stirring my pot of okra, sausage and tasso gumbo!

[jlbreaux]

Originally Posted by SKnight

Huh? Your 5er isn't 50A already? And if it's 30A why are you plugging into 50A?

Just wondering what the advantage is to what you're doing.

Don't know the exact # but 30 amp 110 gives you about 4 to 5000 watts, 50 amp 110 gives you about 10 to 12000 watts. I can pull a few more watts without faulty 30amp breakers tripping when the coffee pot and ac are on at the same time, which I am sure most have expierenced.I also have a friend that has his own private campground and all he has is 50 amp shore power. As long as it is wired for 110 all is good.

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by jlbreaux

I have always used a 50 amp male to 30 amp female adapter and plugged my 5th wheel into the 50 amp shore power. I understand how the 30 amp and 50 amp are wired, I am no electrician but I have wired a few things at my camp, my deer lease and at my shop at home. No 50 amp RV receptacle should put out 220, this one did because it was wired wrong. I have owned 3 campers over the course of several years and this is the first time this has happened. I know the receptacle was wired wrong, what I have an issue with is the owner came with his meter and said "yea it's not right but it is an easy fix" and when I started asking him how he will pay for the damage it went to it is a dual 50 and it's not my fault. Not a very good business man.

In fact, EVERY 50 amp RV outlet should put out 220v, it just depends on which legs you are measuring across. NO 30 amp RV outlet is 220.

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by jlbreaux

Don't know the exact # but 30 amp 110 gives you about 4 to 5000 watts, 50 amp 110 gives you about 10 to 12000 watts. I can pull a few more watts without faulty 30amp breakers tripping when the coffee pot and ac are on at the same time, which I am sure most have expierenced.I also have a friend that has his own private campground and all he has is 50 amp shore power. As long as it is wired for 110 all is good.

Gotcha, and in fact it has happened to me before. Warming something in the microwave, coffee going and the AC tried to kick in. Oops, in the dark! I never thought about plugging into 50A actually.

[Jerry01]

So sorry to hear about your misfortune! It definitely sounds like you have a case if it goes that far. I certainly hope it doesn't. We just bought our second RV and for the first 11 years, we never used a surge protector. Most of the time we dry camped, but occasionally had hook ups. When we bought this RV, I told the wife that as much as these things cost, a surge protector is cheap insurance. We bought this one from Amazon. Amazon.com: Progressive Industries SSP50 Smart Surge: Automotive . I really hope this all works out for you. Have you gotten a quote from your insurance company yet? Jerry.

[grayfox]

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