Advice needed for electric pedestal tester
I want to get a good tester to use before hooking up at a campground. Is there one that will check for the usual stuff like polarity, open ground, etc. - as well as tell the voltage? Thanks for ...
Forum Discussion
pianotuna wrote:
I generally dial down the input amperage to 80% of the rated value. (24 amps on a 30, 12 amps on a 15). I don't "dial down" when plugging into a 50 amp source, as I have a break out box that extracts one 30 amp and two 20 amp circuit breaker protected outlets.
I always run from a 30 amp campsite drop and do manage our power draw so we never pull beyond 20 amps. This past season I paid particular attention - easy to do with the Progressive EMS monitor panel mounted within easy view inside the camper - and never once saw total draw exceed 18 amps. Runs to the campsite power post here in the Ontario provincial park system are typically quite long so although I carry 140' of main service cable I most frequently find I can reach the post with 75' of cable. With a maximum 20 amp draw that translates to a maximum voltage drop of ~ 3 volts ...
... so assuming a properly sized park electrical system I've got quite a bit of latitude before low voltage becomes an issue. Nonetheless, I have several times each season (usually during July & August when everyone is running A/C) had my Progressive EMS do what it's designed to do - disconnect when incoming voltage under load drops below 104 vac. For me, this occurrence isn't yet sufficiently frequent to justify investing in a voltage regulator ... eventually perhaps, but for now I'm happy to have my Progressive EMS simply disconnect. :B
