Electrical question - Reverse Polarity

[donhillphoto]

2nd time out. My surge protector shows our 30amp is using reverse polarity. Is this okay and should everything run normal? If not, what to do? I don't know enough about electricity.

I ask because everything is running but our fridge is warm now. It was cold in storage and we only drove 40 minutes to campground. The propane was on but it's having a hell of a time trying to get cold again. Freezer is struggling to get cold but fridge is nowhere near cold.

Thoughts? Thanks.

[Ford Idaho]

I plug my fridge in at least one full day before putting anything in it.

Everything is precooled or frozen before hand

My guess is you might have rushed it a bit and now as you know they both are running hard to catch up.

Keep the doors closed after you throw some ice inside.

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

I plug my fridge in at least one full day before putting anything in it.

Everything is precooled or frozen before hand

My guess is you might have rushed it a bit and now as you know they both are running hard to catch up.

Keep the doors closed after you throw some ice inside.

X2, reverse polarity should not affect fridge operation. Here is more info on reverse polarity. You should tell the campground owner about it so they fix the pedestal wiring.

The shocking truth about campground electricity

[donhillphoto]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

I plug my fridge in at least one full day before putting anything in it.

Everything is precooled or frozen before hand

My guess is you might have rushed it a bit and now as you know they both are running hard to catch up.

Keep the doors closed after you throw some ice inside.

It was cold. We keep it running at all times. For whatever reason, it didn't stay cool on the road despite having sufficient propane level. Of course, campground is out of ice sue to demand. Sigh. Will just have to wait and hope it cools.

Thanks

[Ford Idaho]

I see.
Did you just refill the tank before leaving?
If so did you purge the line?

[wmtire]

I'm not sure I'm completely following this. Do you have a surge guard only or what is called an electrical management system (EMS) that has a surge guard. I wouldn't think an EMS would allow electricity from the pedestal to the RV with an reverse polarity.

To make sure, what is it working when you say everything? Does your microwave have it's lights on? Can you let us know exactly what kind of surge guard or EMS you have?

BTW, reverse polarity can be a big or fatal problem with other conditions present and is not OK. I would not ignore this. Our fellow FRF member, Mike Sokol, has some great articles on this RV hot skin condition that can be caused by reverse polarity. I highly recommend and please ask that you read it before something bad happens.

http://www.noshockzone.org/rv-electr...0%93-hot-skin/

[Timex]

MY PI surge protector wouldn't let reverse polarity thru.

[B and B]

Camco wont let Reverse through or Hot on Ground either.

[donhillphoto]

Campground repair guys are here. They see the reading on my 30 amp surge guard protector - this guy: Portable Surge Guard Protectors, 30 amp - TRC 44260 - Surge Protectors - Camping World

Repair guy saying he checked x2 and its wires properly. Yet my surge guard showing red and green meaning reverse polarity. Either my guard is wrong or he's a nincompoop.

All electric running fine. A/C, microwave, etc. just having issue with fridge since we left storage not cooling. Didn't fill propane as they've been fine. Checked and stove lit up fine.

Not sure what's going on. Will just have to wait and see if cools down.

Ice guys just arrived so time to get a couple of bags. Thanks.

[Timex]

Will fridge work on gas?

[donhillphoto]

Originally Posted by Timex

Will fridge work on gas?

Felt like it was while guys fixing outside electricity. But hard to tell. So slow. Fridge not feeling like it as much as freezer. Plugged back in to electricity now.

[jmsokol]

Originally Posted by Timex

MY PI surge protector wouldn't let reverse polarity thru.

I'm Mike Sokol from the No~Shock~Zone. First let me note that what's commonly referred to as "reversed polarity" is actually swapped Neutral and Hot lines in an AC circuit. The polarity actually reverses itself 120 times a second anyways. So appliances that use AC power really don't care if the Neutral and Hot lines are reversed or not. That means that AC "reversed polarity" won't cause your refrigerator to operate less efficiently, nor will it damage power switches or any of of the other dozens of rumors I've read about.

And if everything else is wired properly, swapped H and N wires won't cause a hot skin condition by itself. But that condition is very dangerous for any technician working on it since they may assume the Neutral wires aren't energized, when in actuality they're 120 volts about earth potential.

But, and this is a BIG BUT... swapped N-H (revered polarity) wiring in addition to a bootleg ground is VERY dangerous since it creates a hot-ground condition can't be detected by any standard tester in existence. And as I've noted numerous times, if an electrician can't even wire an outlet with correct polarity, how can we trust that the rest of his wiring is correct?

If your tester/protector is tell you there's a reversed polarity condition, it's possible that your extension or shore power cord has been reversed somehow during a repair. I've not ever heard of a factory built extension cord being built with revered polarity, but I've seen some crazy stuff so anything's possible with imported products.

If you want to learn how to test voltage and polarity yourself, here's a video I made on the proper technique.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5pLlZm8O84

[wmtire]

I just read where Mike gave a very detailed and helpful explanation as he always does.

Don, I have another question, kinda just out of curiosity. Are you using any kind of adapter to maybe plug your 30 amp into a 50 amp outlet or such?

[donhillphoto]

Originally Posted by wmtire

I just read where Mike gave a very detailed and helpful explanation as he always does.

Don, I have another question, kinda just out of curiosity. Are you using any kind of adapter to maybe plug your 30 amp into a 50 amp outlet or such?

Not in this trip. Just the surge guard.

[wmtire]

Thanks for the reply. The reason I asked was that sometimes the adapters can be problematic. Just trying to figure out why you are getting a reverse polarity .

[fonzie]

Originally Posted by donhillphoto

Not in this trip. Just the surge guard.

If you have a chance before leaving campsite you should try your surge guard on another few pedestals, see if you get same reading.....

[Harkerr]

Easy to check with a voltmeter. If hot and neutral are reversed. Check voltage neutral to ground. Should be zero.

[Timex]

Originally Posted by jmsokol

I'm Mike Sokol from the No~Shock~Zone. First let me note that what's commonly referred to as "reversed polarity" is actually swapped Neutral and Hot lines in an AC circuit. The polarity actually reverses itself 120 times a second anyways. So appliances that use AC power really don't care if the Neutral and Hot lines are reversed or not. That means that AC "reversed polarity" won't cause your refrigerator to operate less efficiently, nor will it damage power switches or any of of the other dozens of rumors I've read about.

And if everything else is wired properly, swapped H and N wires won't cause a hot skin condition by itself. But that condition is very dangerous for any technician working on it since they may assume the Neutral wires aren't energized, when in actuality they're 120 volts about earth potential.

But, and this is a BIG BUT... swapped N-H (revered polarity) wiring in addition to a bootleg ground is VERY dangerous since it creates a hot-ground condition can't be detected by any standard tester in existence. And as I've noted numerous times, if an electrician can't even wire an outlet with correct polarity, how can we trust that the rest of his wiring is correct?

If your tester/protector is tell you there's a reversed polarity condition, it's possible that your extension or shore power cord has been reversed somehow during a repair. I've not ever heard of a factory built extension cord being built with revered polarity, but I've seen some crazy stuff so anything's possible with imported products.

If you want to learn how to test voltage and polarity yourself, here's a video I made on the proper technique.

Mike, thank you so much for the post and the YouTube video. The video needs to go into the FRF Library! I have a kit very similar to the one you were using. You made it very easy to understand, whether I'll remember is a different story!

I have a building that I park my TT in. My previous TT lived there for about 5 years before we got our current TT. I have 20, 30, and a 50 amp receptacles. Before I got the PI Surge Protector, (I didn't know the 30 amp was wired reversed) I would plug the cord in and everything was "fine". Got the PI, plugged it into the 30 amp and wahlah! Reverse polarity. No power was allowed thru. Called an electrician friend and he told me to switch the wires and everything works as it should now.

So back to the OP's situation, why would the fridge not be cooling on AC?

[B and B]

OP. Check the thermostat on the right most fin of the fridge. Is it attached? moving this changes he temperature. It is white and has a clip and wire goes to the back of the fridge

[Bill and Margo]

Originally Posted by B and B

OP. Check the thermostat on the right most fin of the fridge. Is it attached? moving this changes he temperature. It is white and has a clip and wire goes to the back of the fridge

X2 - just got back from a trip and ours came loose after hitting a few big bumps. Fridge got warm until I checked the fins. Found the cable had come loose. After fixing, fridge got cold again. Good luck!