Hello campers,I've heard different opinions on this. My Jayco sits permanently on a campground that supplies shore power. I've been told to turn all the breakers (the ones inside, not at the pedestal) off when I leave, but I've been told but many more that they leave their breakers on, and they just turn the air off at the thermostat and the water heater off when they leave.Just curious on opinions here. I turned my breakers off every time but left them on this time so the fridge would stay on. Thoughts?

Never heard of it, but I guess it can't hurt if you're afraid of something blowing up.

2oldman wrote:Never heard of it, but I guess it can't hurt if you're afraid of something blowing up.X2 No idea what you gain over using the switch on the device to turn it on and off.

I cannot imagine any logical reason to turn the breakers off. It makes no sense to me. Why would anyone want to do that? In all the decades I have been camping, I have never heard of doing that.

Despite what you’ve been told and heard, longterm electrical connection when you’re away isn’t the safest course.

Maybe it's the CG requesting it? It doesn't make sense to me. I would ask at the CG office, they could have a logical reason.

Leaving breakers in the camper on while away? | Good Sam Community

36 Replies

kellem
Explorer
Jan 11, 2021
Bobbo wrote:
deltabravo wrote:
kellem wrote:
we leave trailer plugged up

What in tarnation?!?

I though this was an electrical discussion, not plumbing.

I thought more along the lines of needing a laxative. It is the Pharmacist in me.

Rough crowd here so let's rephrase so I don't feel compelled to change my diet.
The wife and I prefer to keep our trailer plugged into an electrical outlet year around and have suffered no consequences by doing so.
BurbMan
Explorer II
Jan 11, 2021
pianotuna wrote:
In theory, if the power is on and mice happen to chew through the wiring it would be possible for a short to occur and a fire might happen.

I would rather the power be on so at least I electrocute the little bugger that chewed the wiring. If the trailer is gonna burn down, better it happen when I'm not there, and not the first night I'm back and the power is back on...
Bobbo
Explorer II
Jan 11, 2021
deltabravo wrote:
kellem wrote:
we leave trailer plugged up

What in tarnation?!?

I though this was an electrical discussion, not plumbing.

I thought more along the lines of needing a laxative. It is the Pharmacist in me.
AJR
Explorer
Jan 11, 2021
Never thought about turning the breakers off, ever.
dodge_guy
Explorer II
Jan 10, 2021
No need to turn anything off. I don't even turn off the water when I leave. At a permanent spot you will want the power to run the fridge and keep the battery charged if the power does go out. If you don't need any of that then just turn off tenpower at the pedestal. The cheap charges they put in can overcharge and boil he battery.
deltabravo
Nomad
Jan 10, 2021
kellem wrote:
we leave trailer plugged up

What in tarnation?!?

I though this was an electrical discussion, not plumbing.
deltabravo
Nomad
Jan 10, 2021
If you turn off the breakers when you leave you will come back to dead batteries because the DC charging system is on one of those breakers.

Food in the fridge will go bad., unless you unload it before leaving.

If someone doesn't want AC power on in their rig when they lave, pull the shore power cord out of the park pedestal.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Jan 10, 2021
pianotuna wrote:
In theory, if the power is on and mice happen to chew through the wiring it would be possible for a short to occur and a fire might happen.
That would be a win win, wouldn't have to deal with mice problems or wiring problems in my new replacement trailer.
colliehauler
Explorer III
Jan 10, 2021
GDS-3950BH wrote:
brianosaur wrote:

Sounds like paranoid old timers

Here? You're kidding right? LOL!
Best post, got a chuckle out of that.
GDS-3950BH
Explorer
Jan 10, 2021
brianosaur wrote:

Sounds like paranoid old timers

Here? You're kidding right? LOL!