We came home from our 2 week vacation and plugged our rv into the rv plug in our rv port. A few days later my wife told me that we did not have 120 volts. So I unplugged the cord and got my volt meter out and sure enough no volts.....so I went to where it is connected to the master switch and 120 volts there so some where under the concrete the power disappears. Something is amuck.....

Did you pull you outlet and check the wires to be sure they are not burned or damage. Did you also check line to ground to see if the neutral was bad.

I'd guess the most likely problem is a loose connection at either end. Turn off the breaker for the RV circuit and then check each screw connection one at a time. They should all be tight and the wires should not pull loose.If that doesn't locate the problem, you might try a continuity check, one wire at a time. If I'm not making sense to you or you are apprehensive about the procedure, call an electrician. There is no need to risk your safety.Russ

As stated previously, remove the receptacle and check for power on wires.

Get yourself a proper receptacle checker to determine the problem before you take it apart. You may have full power, but no return, so it just sits there, waiting for you to connect and WHAM! you get zapped.

enblethen wrote:As stated previously, remove the receptacle and check for power on wires.There is no power at the bare wires I removed the receptacle and checked the wire ends...I was dreading trying to do a continuity check because the power box is so far from the receptical....

Missing 120 volts | Good Sam Community

31 Replies

enblethen
Nomad
Dec 18, 2013
OP:
Is the same type of wire leaving the power panel getting to the receptacle?
Normally Romex is run in the house and either type UF or is installed in conduit. Either method would have a junction box where it changes.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Dec 18, 2013
Bob Vaughn wrote:
My neighbor who is an electrician came down and we did a continuity check and discovered that sure enough there is a broken wire under ground some where......so now I have to do something I was not wanting to do and that is rewire the rv pedestal ......

Maybe you'll get lucky and find the broken wire at the bottom of the pedestal and not have to dig up too much.
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Dec 18, 2013
enblethen wrote:
Here definition of a "contactor". They are normally used for heavy loads like motors and lighting:
Contactor definition
OP:
What type of shore power do you have? Is it a thirty or fifty amp?
Are you using any adapters?

Thanks, I wonder why he needs one of those?
Bob_Vaughn
Explorer
Dec 18, 2013
My neighbor who is an electrician came down and we did a continuity check and discovered that sure enough there is a broken wire under ground some where......so now I have to do something I was not wanting to do and that is rewire the rv pedestal ......
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 18, 2013
Here definition of a "contactor". They are normally used for heavy loads like motors and lighting:
Contactor definition
OP:
What type of shore power do you have? Is it a thirty or fifty amp?
Are you using any adapters?
CavemanCharlie
Explorer III
Dec 18, 2013
Ya, I'm not sure what a "contactor" is either? I think I'm going with Bipeflier and suggest you get a electrician. What ever the problem is you have tried your best and it must be something to complicated for laymen like us to fix.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 18, 2013
Where is this "contactor" located? What operates it?
What three circuits connect to it?
Terminology is confusing us!
A contactor is a relay, some call them solenoids
A contractor is a person that does work
Circuit breaker is an over current device
Bob_Vaughn
Explorer
Dec 18, 2013
enblethen wrote:
What is a "contractor"?
Do you mean contactor or circuit breaker? Why is there a contactor in the circuit?
Did you check the neutral connections in the eleectrical panel?

spell check, there are 3 separate circuits that connect to the Contactor . The circuit breaker in in the garage......
Bipeflier
Explorer
Dec 18, 2013
Please contact a qualified electrician. You are way out of your element and can get killed.
enblethen
Nomad
Dec 18, 2013
What is a "contractor"?
Do you mean contactor or circuit breaker? Why is there a contactor in the circuit?
Did you check the neutral connections in the eleectrical panel?

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Missing 120 volts

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