Voltage at the pedestal

Tracus wrote:

rgatijnet1 wrote:
An EMS system can protect your coach from damage.

We bought ours after spending a hot five days at a campground in PA when the temps never went below 100 during the day. Thanks goodness our neighbor had a voltage meter and told us to turn our A/C off. His reading showed 90-95 volts. Fortunately, after dinner time it went back to 117 and we could turn the A/C back on. Yes, he checked the voltage after the A/Cs were turned on.

During the day and until I got the meter I watched the readout on the refrigerator; if it went from AC to LP, I knew the voltage had dropped too low and would turn the A/C off. I suppose it was risky, but there was no harm done.

Thanks again,

Chris

I can only say if low voltage was to always kill an ac, then ours would have died long ago and our EMS, although works well for shedding the load, doesn't recognize low voltage.
Not saying that low voltage won't hurt an ac and have always been wary of such.

rgatijnet1 wrote:
An EMS system can protect your coach from damage.

We bought ours after spending a hot five days at a campground in PA when the temps never went below 100 during the day. Thanks goodness our neighbor had a voltage meter and told us to turn our A/C off. His reading showed 90-95 volts. Fortunately, after dinner time it went back to 117 and we could turn the A/C back on. Yes, he checked the voltage after the A/Cs were turned on.

During the day and until I got the meter I watched the readout on the refrigerator; if it went from AC to LP, I knew the voltage had dropped too low and would turn the A/C off. I suppose it was risky, but there was no harm done.

Thanks again,

Chris

DSDP Don wrote:
I've always had one of these meter plugged into an interior outlet that is easy to see. I can quickly check whenever I think there is an issue.

We have one as well, saves me a trip outside in the dark. I'm not sure how accurate it is when compared to the readout on the Surge Guard, but in my book, "It's close enough for government work."

Chris

We have a Progressive Industries Surge Protector on our coach that will shut us down when voltage is low, but I've always had one of these meter plugged into an interior outlet that is easy to see. I can quickly check whenever I think there is an issue.

Dutch_12078 wrote:
114 volts is fine...

Yes it is.. I'd be very happy with 114 in some of the places I park.

Tracus wrote:
I'm using the LP for hot water. I tried switching the refrigerator (a Norcold) to LP, but got an "F" on the display panel. I assume that means there's a fault, so I've switched it back to the electric mode. The refrigerator is turned off when we drive and then we use the sites electricity to run it. The site is dead level fore and aft and port and starboard.

Thanks again,
Chris

The "F" fault code indicates the burner failed to light. Possibly air needs to be bleed from the system, try a couple of times prior to getting service.

Fred

Tracus wrote:
Looks like the end of our six week trip has me asking all sorts of questions.

1. The voltage at our pedestal, according to our Surge Guard, shows 114 volts and 16 amps. Is this a threat to our air conditioner?

2. I'm using the LP for hot water. I tried switching the refrigerator (a Norcold) to LP, but got an "F" on the display panel. I assume that means there's a fault, so I've switched it back to the electric mode. The refrigerator is turned off when we drive and then we use the sites electricity to run it. The site is dead level fore and aft and port and starboard.

Thanks again,
Chris

Your question has been answered, but for an added note and if you don't already have an inverter, install a 400 - 1000 watt model and run your fridge and with it, when going down the road. OK for short stints and stops, without the engine alternator charging, as well and even though your house batteries won't last for long periods, without shore power or your genset running.
However you could spend a Walmart night and have TV, DVD...etc. without power.

The only way to accurately measure the voltage at the pedestal is after you are hooked up and the full load of your coach is in the circuit. You can measure it before you hook up to see if it is close to 120 volts but after you have hooked up, and your AC units are running, you should check it again IF you do not have an Energy Management System(EMS) that will shut things down if the voltage drops too low. Any time a load is applied to an electrical circuit, the voltage may drop, especially if the source and wiring is marginal. That also means that when another coach hooks up to the same branch circuit, the voltage will drop even lower. An EMS system can protect your coach from damage.

Tracus wrote:
Looks like the end of our six week trip has me asking all sorts of questions.

1. The voltage at our pedestal, according to our Surge Guard, shows 114 volts and 16 amps. Is this a threat to our air conditioner?

2. I'm using the LP for hot water. I tried switching the refrigerator (a Norcold) to LP, but got an "F" on the display panel. I assume that means there's a fault, so I've switched it back to the electric mode. The refrigerator is turned off when we drive and then we use the sites electricity to run it. The site is dead level fore and aft and port and starboard.

Thanks again,
Chris

You're fine. Nothing to worry about at all.

I just had this same conversation on the Prevost site. As I'm not an electrician or anything close, I was concerned as our electricity at the park that I store the coach seems to fluctuate.

I was told by 'master-minds' that all is good until it hits 109.

I have i-link with my new i-phone where I can connect with our coach. Anything that I can do on the i-pad in the coach, I can do remotely with the new i-phone. I can check my electrical connection. It's been fluctuating from115-121 on each leg which is acceptable.

I control the air conditioning in the coach from home on my i-phone. Since we have four units, I will run two or three during the heat of the day and then run the fourth 'only' at night and let the others rest. I will turn off the electric water heater during the day and turn it back on at night during lower power usage.

MM.