Community Forums

Affinityfan · 06-17-2014, 06:41 AM

I'm camping in Florida at camp gulf and getting an occasional reverse polarity alarm. Electrical readings are WNL. Campsite electrician says you can't have a reverse polarity on a 50amp service. Does anyone support or refute this statement. I did check out my surge protector and the reading did show over/under voltage but after disconnecting the 50amp plug a few times everything seemed to level out. Any similar experiences out there with uneventful endings.

FlyingDiver · 06-17-2014, 06:45 AM

The electrician is right. You can't have a reverse polarity between the two hot legs of 50amp service. You could have a miss-wired outlet, but things wouldn't work at all if that happened.

You could have loose connections that might be confusing the EMS. Did you ask the electrician to tighten up all the connections in the pedestal?

What does "WNL" mean?

Affinityfan · 06-17-2014, 08:52 AM

Within Normal Limits
What about a faulty surge protector?

wa8yxm · 06-17-2014, 11:18 AM

I will explain.. This is normal 50 amp power

L-1(120 volt)Neutral(120 volt)L2

Note that Neutral is BETWEEN TWO 120 volt legs.. What do you suppose happens if you measure L-1 to L-2... 240 volts? Actually yes, that is exactly what you get.

Now if you reverse say L-1 and neutral You now have
N 120V-L1=240 volt-l2 and much of what's in your RV is toast.

And yes, I know of a campground where this happened.

This said.. There is an ALTERNATE means for hooking up a park, (2 of 3 phases) (Which 2 depends on what site you are on)

This MIGHT "Trick" a surge protector. epically a cheap one.

NeilV · 06-17-2014, 11:25 AM

It is not uncommon for an electrician to mess up and power up the common on a panel and send 240 to the 120 volt outlets. I only lost the charger to my cordless tools on the last jobsite I was at where they accidently did that. Others lost some pretty pricey saws and other costly 120 volt equipment. Oops!

Timay · 06-17-2014, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NeilV

It is not uncommon for an electrician to mess up and power up the common on a panel and send 240 to the 120 volt outlets. I only lost the charger to my cordless tools on the last jobsite I was at where they accidently did that. Others lost some pretty pricey saws and other costly 120 volt equipment. Oops!

You need new electricians if that is a common problem - having been one for 40 years, getting a hot on the common is not too usual.

However, when I ran a circuit for my 30 amp trailer in the back yard I did wire it up as 240...new converter, new microwave and all is good. Still trying to get the egg off my face!

Tim

mel s · 06-17-2014, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timay

when I ran a circuit for my 30 amp trailer in the back yard I did wire it up as 240...new converter, new microwave and all is good. Still trying to get the egg off my face!

Tim

Tim
I can certainly see how easily that mistake can be made, (even by an experienced electrician like yourself), given that a 30A "RV receptacle" looks very much like the more commonly used 30A "240VAC residential receptacle".
Mel
'96 Safari

Affinityfan · 06-17-2014, 05:07 PM

You guys are making me nervous. I guess I'll have to perform a cursory voltage check on any RV park electrical hookup from now on.

FlyingDiver · 06-17-2014, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Affinityfan

You guys are making me nervous. I guess I'll have to perform a cursory voltage check on any RV park electrical hookup from now on.

That's why I have a Progressive EMS installed. It does that check for me.

Affinityfan · 06-17-2014, 05:08 PM

Thanks for the info though

Lance
2000 Affinity

wa8yxm · 06-17-2014, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Timay

Still trying to get the egg off my face!

Tim

Gee.. when I put in MY 30 amp outlet,,, I wired it for 20 amps at 120 volts... Did I screw up.. YES, there were two existing circuits in the area and had I chosen the other one it would have been a full 30.