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artrosch · 07-15-2016, 11:55 AM

Thursday night while we slept our rig's power pedestal (the park's 30 amp output to our 50 amp coach) did a series of brown outs and then failed. I woke to see the red fault light on my console. Outside, the surge protector was flickering. I went to inverter until I could get help. The CG manager came down with an adapter that would enable us to hook into the AC outlet on the pedestal. Of course, we must be careful. I'm concerned that our hot water heater is out. Everything else is apparently working. I haven't found a blown fuse. I'm wondering if the heater (it's electrically pwered, haven't hooked it up for propane) has some kind of voltage cutoff. The problem isn't in our coach. The old power pole has failed, that's all. I'm told a repair will be done later today. Meanwhile I'm curious w/r/t the hot water. I know it's a power hog and wouldn't want to have it running when my voltage is maybe 15 amps. Did it get blown or willit come back on when the power is restored to its normal amplitude?

Thanks

twinboat · 07-15-2016, 12:45 PM

If you are tired up to a regular 120 volt outlet, you may be only getting 1 side of your service powered.

Don't get to worried until the 30 amp power is repaired.

A 50 amp RV is the equivalent of 2, 50 amp, 120 volt lines. Total 100 amps.

A 50 to 30 amp adaptor connects your 2 lines together to share ONE 30 amp line.

The CG owner may have only connected one of your 50 amp lines to the regular outlet as a temp fix.

Bigd9 · 07-15-2016, 12:45 PM

My electric water heater draws around 9 amps.

You need to check the voltage you are getting inside the coach. I suspect you will see low voltage and thus the problem.

If you were already hooked up to the parks 30 amp power outlet, what did the park manager bring out to you to use? A converter to use the 15/20 amp socket?

rgvtexan · 07-15-2016, 12:51 PM

Your Entergy Management System may have removed it from the power.

nothermark · 07-15-2016, 12:53 PM

For peace of mind unplug and start your generator. See if the HW heater works then.

artrosch · 07-16-2016, 11:47 AM

The management got a guy here to repair the pedestal. This is a forty year old CG and some equipment has never been replaced. The tech showed me the old pedestal and it seems to have been wired by a moron. It had a 50 Amp switch connected to a 30 amp outlet. Anyway, that part is fixed. The hot water heater was a different story. I took out the tiny 2 amp fuse to check it. Looked okay but tripped one of our inside breakers. When I reset the breaker the heater light came on and we've been good since that event. The whole thing's a little confusing but this campground, though a friendly place, has an infrastructure like a Steam Punk Carnivale. New owners are pouring money into the place, but in increments. Thanks for the helpful advice.

nothermark · 07-17-2016, 04:35 AM

What do you mean by a 50 Amp switch connected to a 30 amp outlet?

artrosch · 07-18-2016, 10:39 AM

I can't really explain that. The tech mentioned it, indicating that something wasn t matched up correctly in the pedestal.

Bigd9 · 07-18-2016, 12:15 PM

Just a WAG here, but since you mention the campground is very "mature", I would guess the owners of the campground, in order to provide a much demanded 50 amp service, someone simply wired a 50 amp plug into the 3 wire 30 amp cable. This can seriously overload the existing old wire. A true 50 amp service will have 4 wires.

In your case, I would bet the supply voltage was very low due to the old plugs and other connections etc. in the campground system. Low voltage will cause higher current (AMP) draw, and the possible tripping of the circuit breaker in the RV.

Low voltages at the campground supply are dangerous in a RV. Lots of electrical items can be damaged by low voltage particularly air conditioners, and other items with motors and sensitive electronics.

JumboJet · 07-18-2016, 05:28 PM

https://www.amazon.com/80-300V-Volta...=rv+volt+meter $10. I had two of them but gave one to a needy friend.

artrosch · 07-19-2016, 09:45 AM

I think BigD9 is right and the tech gave us a properly wired pedestal, at least. Voltage meter would be a good thing to have. I'm always watching our voltage on the rig's meter. Thanks.