Check your Shore Power Plug & RV wire connections regularly!

[lb311]

I've been RVing for 10 years and full-timing for almost 2, but last month I nearly started my rig on fire due to my RV's 110 electrical system going haywire.

My problems started one night last month with circuit breakers flipping when I was running my ceramic heater. I'd been running the heater fine for weeks and my RV is currently parked for the season, so nothing had changed from the day before. Once I reset the breaker the 3rd time, things seemed to work o.k. again, but within a few days I started noticing a slight smokey smell whenever I was running a "high-demand" electrical appliance (i.e. space heater, microwave, hair dryer, etc). The appliances continued to work so I didn't immediately investigate the problem. But a few days later when I finally did, oh good heavens!

Opening the access panel of my power center/converter revealed some severely charred 110 wiring (all of my neutral buss wires were burnt to a crisp!). I stopped using 110 electric immediately, and the next day, the park's electrician came to check my outside power pedestal for any miswiring or other problems. It checked out fine, so the problem was deemed with my RV. The electrician suggested I start troubleshooting from my surge protector all the way to my power center/converter to look for loose or faulty wires.

Long story short, I discovered that the wiring inside my shore power plug had become faulty due to one of the screw posts rubbing against the ground wire's insulation until it finally wore thru. This created a "hot neutral" condition which then burned up the neutral buss wires in my power center as well as the neutral prong receptacle of my surge protector (that the shore power plug was plugged into).

So my tip to all fellow RVers is to inspect your shore power plug regularly (at least annually), and routinely double-check all your power center wiring (and any other RV wiring you can easily access) for any loose connections as well.

I thought my fancy $200+ surge protector would keep my rig safe from any and all electrical problems. Nope! It can't prevent the RV-side electrical problems, it only protects you from those lurking at the power pedestal! I learned a valuable lesson...and dodged a major bullet by getting this fixed before a fire started!

If you're interested in further details and photos of my saga... check out my blog posts here and here.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

We've been down this road and what I wrote did not get translated to a STICKY so I shall refrain.

[j-d]

An OP here lost all power in his Class C. I looked at the wiring diagrams and called him, asking he find the splice box where the hard-wired flexible shore tie cable met the solid interior wiring of the coach. He did, and the connections were burnt out. Re-connected and all was well. Called the RV tech he'd scheduled to come look at it and tech asked if he'd been using portable electric heaters. OP said Yes and RV tech said failure at that splice is very common and heaters are the common cause.

[Lynnmor]

Oasisbob wrote:
I do not believe the people on assembly line installing electrical are certified electricians. It is all about speed not quality so I have seen

You do understand that the folks doing the wiring do not have electricity in their own homes?

[2oldman]

My first clue is heat. Plugs get warm when they are having problems - or sucking too much power.

[siggyd777]

Mchero X2 , check all your electrical connections at least once a year. eg: power cord, auto transfer switch, breaker / distribution panel ! This is very important on NEW Riggs.
Siggy

[RJsfishin]

Oasisbob wrote:
I do not believe the people on assembly line installing electrical are certified electricians. It is all about speed not quality so I have seen

Exactly !!
The annual inspection for loose screws is not going to happen among 95% of RV'ers, (nor does it have to) so we can forget that.
I have run into a lot of loose connections in my life, but NONE that I had ever installed or tightened many years before.
I nearly lost a 200 amp box on my new home, at about 1 yr old, and all installed by a genuine elec tech. Had weird stuff happening under heavy loading,,,,A/C etc. Went looking, and when walking by the main panel, sounded like an arc welder inside,.....all because one allen screw in a buss bar. And don't even try to tell me that it was ever tightened correctly from day one. Did I need to inspect the elec tech's work ?? YES ! And only because the inspector for the electrical permit sure didn't !
My advice,...check all the connections for tightness maybe twice, a few days apart from each other, tighten them correctly,......or as tight as possible ????? They will not come loose, even if you go stump jumpin in your RV.

[SoundGuy]

lb311 wrote:
Wish I had the room in my shore cord storage bay for a hardwired surge protector. Unfortunately I don't, so I need to keep using the portable versions.

I don't either so I put the EMS under the sofa.

[Oasisbob]

I do not believe the people on assembly line installing electrical are certified electricians. It is all about speed not quality so I have seen

[lb311]

Wish I had the room in my shore cord storage bay for a hardwired surge protector. Unfortunately I don't, so I need to keep using the portable versions .

Obviously, hindsight is 20/20. I had very little knowledge of my RV 110 electrical system before this incident, but now that I've replaced the power center and shore plug myself, I am much more aware and educated. Just sharing my story in hopes that others too will become more familiar with their RV electrical systems and the dangers it poses if not inspected regularly.

[SoundGuy]

lb311 wrote:
Long story short, I discovered that the wiring inside my shore power plug had become faulty due to one of the screw posts rubbing against the ground wire's insulation until it finally wore thru. This created a "hot neutral" condition which then burned up the neutral buss wires in my power center as well as the neutral prong receptacle of my surge protector (that the shore power plug was plugged into).

I thought my fancy $200+ surge protector would keep my rig safe from any and all electrical problems. Nope! It can't prevent the RV-side electrical problems, it only protects you from those lurking at the power pedestal!

Ergo the reason I installed a Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C inside the rig, downstream of the main service cable, and the reason I also wired the previous portable TRC Surge Guard that the EMS replaced the same way.

As already mentioned, your mistake here is not taking action sooner when the breaker tripped repeatedly, a sure sign something isn't right ... can't blame that on your surge protector.

[gbopp]

Excellent reminder.
If you're storing your RV for the winter, it's a good time to check everything. You'll be ready to go in the spring.

[Golden_HVAC]

I keep close tabs on my electrical power with a digital display that is next to my kitchen sink. If it goes below 105 volts, I will shut off my A/C unit.

If it is dropping suddenly, like when the microwave is on, then that indicates a loose screw that needs to be found. If not by you, than someone qualified to check it out.

You can buy a 'Kill-A-Watt' for about $20 now, and it not only has a digital voltage display, but you can check the wattage of anything you can plug into it. Yes even the built in microwave if you can find the power cord, and plug it into this device. Check Amazon.com and search Kill-A-Watt - there are several vendors selling the same thing.

Good luck,

Fred.

[Lynnmor]

People just love those detachable cords but how many have checked the wiring on the backside? I know, it's almost impossible. When I hardwired my power cord to eliminate the twist-lock inlet, I found the screws to be completely loose. This could have easily caused a fire. I just don't want a connection right there in a styrofoam and paneled wall.

[mchero]

Just about once/year I open my Xfer switch cover as well as the electrical panel under the bed & check ALL connections. I found mine B4 it started to burn! Great post! Thanks!

[Old-Biscuit]

I started noticing a slight smokey smell whenever I was running a "high-demand" electrical appliance

That should have been your 2nd clue

1st clue was the repeated tripping of CB.

Glad you finally investigated.

RVs fires are FAST and quickly consume the rig.


RVs bouncing down the road is like your house going thru a 4.5 earthquake.....checking all the connections in your AC Power Panel should be a routine.
Unfortunately many folks don't have a clue about the dangers.


Thanks for posting your real world event.