We spent the weekend at Santos State Park (Florida) to ride mountain bikes on the trails. We plugged in to the podium and my wife said why won't the A/C work? I went inside to look and my EMS display showed 135 volts (30 amp). The EMS shut the power off because of the high voltage. I went up to camp host to report problem. He stated " just get rid of that surge protector and it will work fine". I explained the purpose of the EMS and the problem wasn't with my unit but their service. We were at the same park in April and there wasn't a problem.To make a long story short we hit the trails and when we got back we found he had contacted someone who sent out an electrician. I spoke with the electrician and as it turned out the whole park was running too much voltage. He was checking the 50 amp services and they were up to 270-280 volts. Before long they had the power company out and they repaired the voltage. I am glad I had the EMS and they were able to fix the problem in a short period of time. I only hope there isn't a voltage reduction when the park is full with the cooler months right around the corner.

I love my Progressive protector. It's saved my butt on at least 3 occasions. I don't leave home without it.

Glad the camp host got smart. His "get rid of the surge protector" comment was really stupid. And it seems like so many actually feel that way.

wny_pat wrote:Glad the camp host got smart. His "get rid of the surge protector" comment was really stupid. And it seems like so many actually feel that way.Sounds like the guy, or the cg operator, could be held liable for damages when putting out info like that.Ron

pusherpilot wrote:wny_pat wrote:Glad the camp host got smart. His "get rid of the surge protector" comment was really stupid. And it seems like so many actually feel that way.Sounds like the guy, or the cg operator, could be held liable for damages when putting out info like that.RonYeah, we can sue the world for every infraction but the good part of this thread is that the campground actually did something that was necessary to provide save electrical service to its clients. I had a similar experience at at COE park some years ago...the assigned sites polarity was reversed at the post. I asked for another site, was promptly assigned another one and the next day an electrician was there fixing the problem. Sometimes a gentle nudge is better than hollering "I'll contact my attorney".

I don't think he initally knew what I was talking about. At least he did the right think.

Dirty electric @ state park | Good Sam Community

popup101
Explorer
Sep 18, 2013
There is nothing wrong, nor out of code, with using aluminum conductors in rv parks. Aluminum conductors had problems in building wiring especially when people used copper rated outlets and switches on aluminum conductors. It is in buildings where aluminum is no longer allowed. Aluminum conductors, when installed properly and sized in accordance to applicable codes, is the same as copper as far as the end user is concerned.
wny_pat1
Explorer
Sep 18, 2013
westernrvparkowner wrote:
wa8yxm wrote:
Some older campgrounds (like the one I'm parked in) were wired with a lot of aluminum wire, which has developed a fairly high resistance
Parks don't have Frankenstein style labratories where they mix and match electrical currents before sending them out to their pedestals.

I think those two points together are a big part of the problem at older parks. Aluminum wire and way to many pedestals on one run. At least today, the aluminum wire will not pass code.
down_home
Explorer II
Sep 18, 2013
Up North we frequently ran into low voltage situations. It might be the winter weather affecting the wiring. A couple of parks we stay at in Michigan, the power bounces around because of so many Campers. One day there might be a quarter of the large park filled. Come Friday evening and everyone is running everything but the ac.
This past couple of years we encountered a lot, of voltages right up at the safe limit and one or two too high. The Surge Protector has tripped two or three times times in Michigan. I hope it hasn't cooke some diodes.
westernrvparkow
Explorer
Sep 18, 2013
wa8yxm wrote:
Some older campgrounds (like the one I'm parked in) were wired with a lot of aluminum wire, which has developed a fairly high resistance (NOTE: we are still talking a fraction of an ohm per a fairly long distance, but it's a bigger fraction these days) so they crank up the voltage so as to get enough to your RV.

Of course, if you are not running air conditioning or electric heat this means you are OVER powered. which is every bit as bad (if not worse).
And how, pray tell, do they do this? Voltage is controlled by the power company at the transformer. The power provider would never permit a lineman to provide a voltage over the code provided maximum to a meter since that would make them liable for over voltage damages. Parks don't have Frankenstein style labratories where they mix and match electrical currents before sending them out to their pedestals.
workhardplayha1
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
crasster wrote:
280V!!!!!! I wonder how many converters it blew out ++ appliances! That park should pay for that if it happened.

135-140 per condutor. High and out of the acceptable limits of the EMS but no reported problems.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Sep 17, 2013
MeandMyLabs wrote:
I had a similar experience this summer at a small city park in eastern Illinois. My EMS said open ground and I could feel a tingle on bare metal on my TH. I got out the multimeter and my TH and about half of the others in this small park had a similar situation but other rigs did not. I approached the camp supervisor and later, a city council member responsible for the park and nothing has been done. They claim there is something wrong with my TH but this is the only park I have been in with this or any electrical problem. I will not stay in that park until the problem is fixed.
I would simply plug in my standard household analyzer with adapters to get their attention. And then when they claim it's that equipment move it to a good site and ask why the difference.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Sep 17, 2013
Some older campgrounds (like the one I'm parked in) were wired with a lot of aluminum wire, which has developed a fairly high resistance (NOTE: we are still talking a fraction of an ohm per a fairly long distance, but it's a bigger fraction these days) so they crank up the voltage so as to get enough to your RV.

Of course, if you are not running air conditioning or electric heat this means you are OVER powered. which is every bit as bad (if not worse).
ShapeShifter
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
crasster wrote:
280V!!!!!! I wonder how many converters it blew out ++ appliances! That park should pay for that if it happened.

Just keep in mind that the 280 was measured on a 50 amp circuit that is normally 240 volts, so that means that it's an average of 140 volts per leg. That's still high enough to be worrisome, but probably not instantly catestrophic, and not quite as bad as it sounds on the surface. It's 17% too high, as compared to the normal +/- 10% limits. (And compared to 133% over if it would be if it were on a 30 amp circuit.)

It's good that it was addressed promptly. And it's distressing that it was suggested to remove the EMS - that's the same mentality that would put a penny in the fuse box becuase the fuse keeps blowing. :S
Pogoil
Explorer
Sep 17, 2013
Yea blame the park for the power company fault. Re-read the OP. post.

Pogoil.
crasster
Explorer II
Sep 17, 2013
280V!!!!!! I wonder how many converters it blew out ++ appliances! That park should pay for that if it happened.

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