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Old 12-16-2017, 04:52 PM   #1
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Exclamation RV Park Power Testing

We have been having some power issues with 'Park Power', (I think)?

I have tested the voltage on both the 30 amp and 50 amp receptacles at the pedestal and it looks good, (both wiring and voltage).

We are using a Hughes 30 amp 'Auto-former' which is keeping the voltages fairly constant.

However, I am looking for a way to test the RV Power under both a 30 and 50 amp load to see if the Park Power under load is the problem.

Is there a way to test the load ability of the Park Power at the pedestal?
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Old 12-16-2017, 04:55 PM   #2
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If you had a power monitor to plug in to that would work.
Only way is to load the circuit and check voltage drop

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Old 12-16-2017, 05:01 PM   #3
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If you had a power monitor to plug in to that would work.
Only way is to load the circuit and check voltage drop

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I have a voltage monitor plugged in and I also have a 'Kill-A-Watt' tester to test the amperage draw of our appliances. Neither one will test the incoming power at the pedestal.
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Old 12-16-2017, 05:10 PM   #4
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check the voltage at the at the pedestal with no load. Turn on your A/C and check the voltage again.
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Old 12-16-2017, 05:44 PM   #5
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check the voltage at the at the pedestal with no load. Turn on your A/C and check the voltage again.
I am not looking for voltage drop but whether or not the Park Power can actually provide the required 30 or 50 amps at the pedestal.





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Old 12-16-2017, 05:57 PM   #6
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I believe what Cavie was saying that if the pedestal voltage dropped significantly it would show the inability to source the desired 30 or 50 amps. You will always get some voltage drop. The question is 'how much'?
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Old 12-16-2017, 06:01 PM   #7
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If you are not seeing a voltage drop, it is unlikely there is a problem providing the stated number of amps. If the current drawn is too much for the infrastructure, the voltage will drop.
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Old 12-16-2017, 06:12 PM   #8
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If you are not seeing a voltage drop, it is unlikely there is a problem providing the stated number of amps. If the current drawn is too much for the infrastructure, the voltage will drop.
Are you saying that if I have 120 VAC incoming and I plug in a 13 amp heater there should be no voltage drop and I should still have 120 volts?
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Old 12-16-2017, 06:19 PM   #9
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This is one of my favorite RV electrical sites that may have some good suggestions for you.

RV Electric

Once there, click on the "outlet testing" tab on the left hand side.

After reading that page/links..... there is another hyperlink at the very bottom of that page call "under load" that may give you some ideas on testing.
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Old 12-16-2017, 06:26 PM   #10
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Are you saying that if I have 120 VAC incoming and I plug in a 13 amp heater there should be no voltage drop and I should still have 120 volts?
You must always have no less than 5% of 117-125 volts. Things will work with fewer volts but not well. My camp in MA has only 108 volts at my site. I use a step-up transformer. My Meter shows 120 with no load. Wiring in the park is too small. They did not allow for voltage drop because of distance.

Butch. 45 year licensed Master Electrician.
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Old 12-16-2017, 08:08 PM   #11
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You must always have no less than 5% of 117-125 volts. Things will work with fewer volts but not well. My camp in MA has only 108 volts at my site. I use a step-up transformer. My Meter shows 120 with no load. Wiring in the park is too small. They did not allow for voltage drop because of distance.

Butch. 45 year licensed Master Electrician.
Thanks Butch. I am beginning to believe that this Park, (Days Inn), is under-wired.

It may very well be that our FR Sunseeker 3050S is also under-wired for the Maximum load as we frequently trip the 30 amp breaker with the microwave and one appliance.

.
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Old 12-16-2017, 08:26 PM   #12
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I once had that same problem tripping the pedestal breaker. Solved that by plugging into the 50A outlet using a 50 to 30A adapter. Now if it is the RV breaker that is tripping my solution won't make a difference.
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:12 PM   #13
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Thanks Butch. I am beginning to believe that this Park, (Days Inn), is under-wired.

It may very well be that our FR Sunseeker 3050S is also under-wired for the Maximum load as we frequently trip the 30 amp breaker with the microwave and one appliance.

.
you coach is probably just fine. Problem is probably with the park. Now if the microwave is 1500 watts and the appliance is 1500 watts, your breaker is just fine and doing it's job. 3000 watts divided by 115 volts=26 amps. Devide it by 110 volts = 27 amps Add a fridge......you got the idea?
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:32 PM   #14
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I am no electrician but I am certain my fridge is the same as yours ( 4 door Dometic). Frequently I see a 5 amp draw with just the fridge and the converter. Depending on the park power running the convection microwave and the air conditioner, it can push 31 amps. If I see this I just put the fridge on gas until the microwave is done.

On more than one occasion I have tripped the breaker on the pedastal. Hooking the dog bone up to the 50 amp receptacle has always solved that problem. The 30 amp plugs get used more frequently and I think a lot of the breakers are worn out.

I now also carry a can of Hosa D5S-6 CAIG DeoxIT 5% Spray Contact Cleaner since I ruined my power cord at a campground due to a poor receptacle. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 12-16-2017, 11:47 PM   #15
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you coach is probably just fine. Problem is probably with the park. Now if the microwave is 1500 watts and the appliance is 1500 watts, your breaker is just fine and doing it's job. 3000 watts divided by 115 volts=26 amps. Devide it by 110 volts = 27 amps Add a fridge......you got the idea?
Yes, fortunately, it is the coach 30 amp breaker that trips and so I don't have to reset the pedestal breaker, when it's 22 degrees.

I may have a soft 30 amp breaker.

RV's unlike homes are 30 and 50 amps instead of 100-300 amp service so the RV'er has to act like the traditional "Load Center", (switch this one off while running that one).

I can't do much about the shore power and using the 50 amp side of the pedestal may only help me trip the coach 30 amp breaker more often!
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Old 12-16-2017, 11:47 PM   #16
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Originally Posted by GL1800Rider View Post
I am no electrician but I am certain my fridge is the same as yours ( 4 door Dometic). Frequently I see a 5 amp draw with just the fridge and the converter. Depending on the park power running the convection microwave and the air conditioner, it can push 31 amps. If I see this I just put the fridge on gas until the microwave is done.

On more than one occasion I have tripped the breaker on the pedastal. Hooking the dog bone up to the 50 amp receptacle has always solved that problem. The 30 amp plugs get used more frequently and I think a lot of the breakers are worn out.

I now also carry a can of Hosa D5S-6 CAIG DeoxIT 5% Spray Contact Cleaner since I ruined my power cord at a campground due to a poor receptacle. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks for the information.
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Old 12-17-2017, 04:36 AM   #17
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Yes, fortunately, it is the coach 30 amp breaker that trips and so I don't have to reset the pedestal breaker, when it's 22 degrees.

I may have a soft 30 amp breaker.

RV's unlike homes are 30 and 50 amps instead of 100-300 amp service so the RV'er has to act like the traditional "Load Center", (switch this one off while running that one).

I can't do much about the shore power and using the 50 amp side of the pedestal may only help me trip the coach 30 amp breaker more often!
Before you condemn your 30 amp breaker, add up your load when it trips. That is: add up all the wattage being used by everything electric in the RV. Think A/C, converter, Refridgerator, microwave, lights (this is minimal but turns on the converter if you using 12 lighting. ), Crockpot on?? Wife using blowdryer is a biggy. A common 1500 watt blowdryer will draw 12.5 amps all by itself. Water heater on Electric at the time??? All your appliances have a nameplate with the wattage printed on it. You have to learn these things and understand how to manage them. Because you have only 30 or 50 amps, you can not expect to use thing like you do at home. Divide the total wattage being used by 120 volts and you'll get an approximation of the total amperage needed to be supplied. If you don't have it the breaker will trip to prevent the wiring from heating up and starting a fire. Put your Water Heater and refrigerator on gas and I'll bet you will never trip the 30 amp breaker again.

Butch 45 year master electrician.
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Old 12-17-2017, 07:48 AM   #18
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Better yet use a clamp on amp meter and see how many amps your rig is actually using, or install an electrical management system with a display.
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Old 12-17-2017, 01:33 PM   #19
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Before you condemn your 30 amp breaker, add up your load when it trips. That is: add up all the wattage being used by everything electric in the RV. Think A/C, converter, Refridgerator, microwave, lights (this is minimal but turns on the converter if you using 12 lighting. ), Crockpot on?? Wife using blowdryer is a biggy. A common 1500 watt blowdryer will draw 12.5 amps all by itself. Water heater on Electric at the time??? All your appliances have a nameplate with the wattage printed on it. You have to learn these things and understand how to manage them. Because you have only 30 or 50 amps, you can not expect to use thing like you do at home. Divide the total wattage being used by 120 volts and you'll get an approximation of the total amperage needed to be supplied. If you don't have it the breaker will trip to prevent the wiring from heating up and starting a fire. Put your Water Heater and refrigerator on gas and I'll bet you will never trip the 30 amp breaker again.

Butch 45 year master electrician.
Yes, you are right, we need to be our own, 'Load Controller', and to do that we need to understand the amp requirements of each appliance.

Putting the WH and Refer on gas is certainly an option, however, we would have to watch the extra propane consumption as it is not easy, in the dead of winter, to have to go out to get propane more frequently.
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Old 12-17-2017, 01:35 PM   #20
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Better yet use a clamp on amp meter and see how many amps your rig is actually using, or install an electrical management system with a display.
Got it CCW, just ordered a clamp on amp-meter, thanks.
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