120VAC problems

norwestie wrote:
We plugging in to the 50A on the pedestal at a campground Sunday. Here is what happened right after:

(all related to 120VAC):

Several outlets dead
Vacuum cleaner pitch changed up and down when in use
Tower fan burned out (electrical odor noticed)
Coffee machine burned out, smoked noted
Touching exterior door handle, received mild shock

After the fan died and outlets not working, I reported the issue to the camp host. Maintenance man changed the 50 amp receptacle and checked voltage on all legs. All measured normal. When I reconnected, same problems noticed. I tried using my 50A-to-30A adapter and there was no AC power in the coach at all. I then disconnected shore power and ran the generator. Same lack of AC on various outlets. After I received a shock from the door handle, we ran from battery power only.
Perhaps unrelated but when I connected this RV at my home (before this trip) to a 15 amp 120VAC circuit, my GFCI would trip. My previous RV ran fine on the same circuit.
Do all of these point to one issue? I suspect the transfer switch but trust your input.

Neutral is open and with somewhere in the coach, since the genset is acting the same. The vac varying in speed is a dead giveaway, with the voltage swinging up and down and out of control with no return path. Some appliances, like your coffee maker can't stand this with the voltage fluctuation and peaks that could be well over 200 volts.
You should read a steady 120vac, more or less, between either side of the main breaker and neutral or ground either one. If not, check it in the panel and then for working your way back to the transfer switch. All the neutrals should be tied together there, including the one, going back to the genset and this switch is prone for loose connections, resulting in burning of such and crystallizing the wiring in the immediate vicinity of the affected connections.