Electrical connections

[fuzzbutt]

I hope I am posting this in the right area. We have had electrical problems at 3 different local (within 2 hours) campgrounds. One of them still has a lot of old 15 amp boxes connected to circuit breaker panels that were there when I was a kid 35 years ago. Another has low voltage issues when it's hot and all the AC's are running. Last weekend, I had a 30 amp box and breaker but the breaker tripped any time i put any kind of load on it. My new AC unit draws 16 amps max at full load. I can run it on a 15 amp line at home if thats the only thing running.

My question is, am i wrong for expecting a properly functioning electrical hookup at these places? The low voltage is a known problem at the one place. I figured it out when my A/C tried to come on and only growled. I was getting a voltage reading around 102 or so at the post. I had just installed a new AC unit so I thought maybe my new AC wasn't functioning right and that is what was tripping the breaker all weakend.

What do the people in the newer rigs do that have 50 amp connections?

If I would have complained, do you think they might have been able to fix my breaker? Moving to another site wasn't an option. They were all sold out for the holiday weekend.

THANKS!!!

[beemerphile1]

I suppose the option is for the campground to spend $200,000 to upgrade the electrical and then double or triple the rate you pay.

Or you could go to a different campground which is newer or has upgraded their electrical service.

Keep in mind that only 20 years ago the demands on those systems was much less than it is now and electricians don't work for free.

[magnusfide]

We use a portable surge guard (for both low and high voltage). You can read about them here.http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/portable-surge-guards-with-lcd-display-30-amp/58464

Definitely let the management know too. I have never known management to walk through a campground testing their power posts.

[KD4UPL]

Since you know about this problem, apparently, but continue to stay there I don't know why they would fix it. Only when people complain and/or stop paying to camp there would they likely make a change.

[fuzzbutt]

My plug is good. I replaced it a couple years ago and clean it at the start of every season.
What I seem to find around us is that it's very expensive to upgrade old electrical systems so they just don't and all the campers suffer. In one of the places, all the breakers pop on these old service panels when its hot out. The maintenance guys get run ragged resetting them.

When we stay in Myrtle Beach, we never have any issues and everyones A/C's run constantly.

I will pick up the plug in voltmeter at the shack next time I am in there. I keep a multi meter in the camper but that plug in one is a great visual check.

There should be a minimum standard that these older campgrounds have to meet. The one place told me they know that have a low voltage issue however they didn't warn me when we checked in. Luckily i knew enough to check it and shut down everything but the lights.

[Old-Biscuit]

Yes we have run into problems with the electrical hookups/low voltage etc.

I'm paying for a full hook up site (usually 50A) and the electrical should function properly....if it doesn't I let staff know

One receptacle was broken/exposed/loose.......told office staff. Maintenance guy came and changed it out.
Another was wired wrong......maint. guy fixed

Low voltage.....don't have an 'autoformer' (portable transformer to boost low voltage...Franks' is one brand) but I do have a generator so when the AC Voltage drops below 108V (I don't run motors below that voltage) I fire generator up and use it. And if any complaints I ignore. Call the power company/CG staff and complain to them..I'm not burning up my equipment due to low voltage!!

[the_bear_II]

"What do the people in the newer rigs do that have 50 amp connections?"

We stay at newer RV Resorts.....just kidding

I've never run into a problem at any of the RV Parks we have stayed at.

However I do remember being in my Dad's MH with dim lights due to low voltage on the campground power line.

We have four batteries and an inverter to run off of so I would probably unplug from the campground power and run off of batteries or generator (if A/C is needed) until late at night and then plug back in to recharge the batteries.

[RoyB]

Since you are running your 30AMP Shore Power Cable connected to your garage 15AMP Receptacle using an RV30A-15A adapter you might want to take a look at your 30AMP Male SHORE POWER Plug and make sure it hasn't took on any burn marks due to a poor 15AMP connection at home

This IS NOT what you want to see...


We have one of these RV120VAC VOLTMETERs plugged into a receptacple inside the trailer we can see easy. This has the SAFE ZONE marked in GREEN and if the AC VOLTAGE is not within the safe zone we definitely don't turn on our air conditioner or high wattage microwave. Low voltage can do damage to these unit drawing alot of AC current.