RV Park Power Pedestal Wiring

Wildkats66 · 02-03-2013, 11:54 PM

Do the pedestals at the parks have 1 50A feeder that serves the 50A-30A and 20A by pig-tailing the wires. The reason I ask is I am buying a Prime Products 12-4058 AC Power Line Monitor that has a 20A plug-in. If I test the 20A wiring and all is good does that mean the 30 and 50 are ok. I use the 30A plug on my MH. OR do I have to get a 20-30A converter and plug into the 30A plug to test the circuit.
Thanks in advance.

**wmtire** · 02-04-2013, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildkats66

Do the pedestals at the parks have 1 50A feeder that serves the 50A-30A and 20A by pig-tailing the wires. The reason I ask is I am buying a Prime Products 12-4058 AC Power Line Monitor that has a 20A plug-in. If I test the 20A wiring and all is good does that mean the 30 and 50 are ok. I use the 30A plug on my MH. OR do I have to get a 20-30A converter and plug into the 30A plug to test the circuit.
Thanks in advance.

Not all parks have 50 amp service, or if they do, they may not have it at all the sites.

You may also find out, that not every park has their pedestals wired the same way.

probably, the best thing to do since you have a 30 amp trailer, is to get the 30 amp male-15 amp female adapter cord you talked about. Then you can test all the 30 amp outlets with the 12-4058.

The following link tells how to make up an outlet tester using an analog gauge and a circuit tester. Since you have the 12-4058 that combines the circuit tester and gauge into one, you only need it.

30-amp RV outlet Tester

Personally, I have both setups. I have one like in the link to test the outlets at the campgrounds before plugging in (I bought this first).....and have a 12-4058 (bought later) that I keep plugged in to an outlet inside the trailer so I can see at a glance if the voltage is dropping.

If something happened to my first setup, I could always use the second in it's place if needed.

AquaMan · 02-04-2013, 07:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildkats66

Do the pedestals at the parks have 1 50A feeder that serves the 50A-30A and 20A by pig-tailing the wires. The reason I ask is I am buying a Prime Products 12-4058 AC Power Line Monitor that has a 20A plug-in. If I test the 20A wiring and all is good does that mean the 30 and 50 are ok. I use the 30A plug on my MH. OR do I have to get a 20-30A converter and plug into the 30A plug to test the circuit.
Thanks in advance.

I've been to campgrounds that had the 20amp wired correctly, but not the 30. I wouldn't assume that if one is correct, they all are.

**Herk7769** · 02-04-2013, 08:24 AM

The few campgrounds I actually got to look into had a 50 amp dual breaker that powered the 50 amp outlet and it also fed the 30 and the 20 amp services through separate breakers (each connected to a leg off the 50 amp).

They were parasites off the 50 amp "main"

VinceU · 02-04-2013, 09:25 AM

On the other hand I saw one opened by a drive away, could see all internals. It was d fed by a cable set at least two hundred VAC amps @220 Volts for the 50amp breaker and set up as a parallel bus so each circuit had full capacity. Not sure what NEC recommends for this app. Seems risky to have the circuits downfeed rather than parallel.

FR28footer · 02-04-2013, 09:31 AM

I carry a 30 amp and 50 amp progressive industry power/surge protectors. You plug it and it runs a test for voltage, ground and amps. If there is a problem it will generate an error code telling you what the problem is. So no need to monitor anything. It does it for you.

youroo · 02-04-2013, 09:43 AM

Test every time (Before) you plug in! I dont care if a Rig just pulled out from using the Elect. Testers are (Cheap) compared to the damage that (May) happen. State Parks,privite campgrounds,Trees with a box on them,(Brand New Homes wired up for RVs). You can (Guess) or you can be (Sure)!

Youroo!!

caper · 02-04-2013, 09:46 AM

The post come wired for the 30 amp and 15/20amp service. The wires run from the main panel to the post to wire the 50 amp service. It is wired with one red one black for the hot side and one white for the common side and a ground. When wiring you have to make sure that you attach the wires the same in all of the post. The 30 amp and 20 amp are fed from one of the 50 amp wires. Not all cg do the wiring in this manner. I have been at some cg where the main breaker for the 50 amp post is 70 amps.

Wildkats66 · 02-04-2013, 06:11 PM

Thanks all,

I think I will just have a tester for the 20 and the 30. Can't see my Class C ever needing a 50 since we usually only run the AC when necessary. Our 1992 Carriage Cashey fiver never had any problems with just a 30. Then again all we had was the AC, lights, and a portable MW.

awwall · 02-04-2013, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FR28footer

I carry a 30 amp and 50 amp progressive industry power/surge protectors. You plug it and it runs a test for voltage, ground and amps. If there is a problem it will generate an error code telling you what the problem is. So no need to monitor anything. It does it for you.

X2 on the PI Power Monitor. I don't plugin without mine...period. I learned the hard way. Cost me 2 TV's and a microwave from a surge.

**Herk7769** · 02-04-2013, 06:55 PM

Lots of pertinent information in this article.

itat · 02-04-2013, 08:20 PM

I know very little about electrical circuits but how can you have reverse polarity on an AC circuit? And what are the other conditions that the meter is testing for?

caper · 02-04-2013, 08:56 PM

Reversed polarity is caused when the hot and common wires are reversed. The new two prong plugs have a blade that is larger then the other. This is so you can only plug the cord in one way. You can also have a bad ground or no ground. The post could also have high or low voltage.

**Herk7769** · 02-04-2013, 09:08 PM

Here is an article that will explain it better than I can.

itat · 02-04-2013, 10:41 PM

Thanks, guys. I found the BoatUS site and got lots more info on this topic. I've ordered the Prime Products 12-4058 AC Power Line Monitor and I'll use it before connecting every time.

Can I use it at the power pedestal to check polarity before connecting and then plug it in inside to monitor voltage?

What's your experience when you find a problem with a pedestal, either with the polarity or voltage?

**Herk7769** · 02-05-2013, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

What's your experience when you find a problem with a pedestal, either with the polarity or voltage?

Polarity has been usually OK.
I have had many problems with incorrect voltage (both low and high).
My Franks unit has saved my bacon on more than one occasion.

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