ford truck guy wrote:
I posted my issue with the Camco ends in another thread….
Long story short, I burnt up 1 lag and had an issue Labor Day weekend… If and WHEN I replace the cable, I’ll look for better connections
Sorry for your troubles, but burned plugs happen a lot with RVs, it isn't just camco brand either, OEM molded plugs melt too.
See
THIS THREADThe problem stems from the fact that campgrounds shore power sockets are often extremely wornout and are in need of replacement.
The constant plug/unplug motions wears the socket contacts, sometimes may weaken the spring action in the contacts along with excessive heating from constant heavy loads, arcing of the contacts because folks do not turn off the main breaker before plugging in or unplugging and natural corrosion of the contacts from moist outdoor air exposure.
You can buy non camco 50A stove plugs in your local Home Depot or Lowes but you will find they are of the same construction as the Camco version. Not to mention the non Camco versions are typically "universal" plugs that cam be configured for several different sockets which I do not care for since it means the pins fit loose in the plastic part of the plug. Just makes it feel cheap (and they are not exactly cheap to buy).
In reality, a RV plug is pretty much sacrificial, it will wear out and replacement most likely will be eventually needed.
There isn't much you can do about the campgrounds socket issues but you can use the best practices of always flipping the main breaker off before plugging in or unplugging. That reduces the wear on the socket and your plug be removing a heavy arc over from a heavy load running.
You can also plug/unplug your plug a few times before turning on the main breaker. This action can help to clean/shine the socket connections some which reduces connection resistance from moisture corrosion and previous arcing.
Internally on any replacement plug, you should periodically check the clamps that hold the wire to the pins, those clamps can over time with heating and cooling and wire movement can creep loose or you may not have gotten them tight enough in the first place leading to a poor electrical connection that overheats under heavy loads.
In reality, 50A plugs and sockets were originally meant for one time plug in devices like electric stoves in a environmentally stable home, not so much for RV use..
