On 30AMP power for 13 days, until...

[EMD_Driver]

We've had to extend our stay in SC, because of the nasty weather up north. I almost feel ashamed for enjoying a 79 degree day, when they are going to be getting 5-9 inches of snow at home. That's another story though.

We had a water leak at the WH the other night and the felt under the cabinets was wet. I got everything mostly dry and wanted to run the A/C, so it would draw out more moisture. It ran for 3 hours and then the pedestal breaker tripped. I reset it and it tripped again, in less than a minute. When I checked further, I could smell a bit of smoke.

I found that one pin on the GFCI/surge suppressor and one pin of the power cord plug had gotten pretty hot. I called the CG and told them the plug on the pedestal was smoking. The maintenance guy was here in less than a minute!

He replaced the 30AMP receptacle and the breaker. I'm not real sure what the problem was, since I only had the A/C and the converter pulling power. I guess it was a faulty receptacle.

Attached are a pic of the surge plug and a couple of the inside of the same surge/gfci. You can see how hot it was, by looking at the partially melted wire nut on the ground wire..

[rockintom]

Looks pretty common for a 30 amp plug that has a loose tired/loose female receptacle creating high resistance thus overheating. This is pretty common on 30 amp plugs that have been taxed to the max. Are you sure you only had the only the A/C and converter on? No refer or the WH on electric? If you only had the AC/converter on....you probably had a tired/loose connection at the receptacle. I hate dealing with the puny 30A circuits.

[EMD_Driver]

I forgot about the refer being on, but the WH was off. That was it.. Would it be worth asking the CG to pay for my replacement parts?

[copilot]

Good Luck with that one!! I can hear the reply now-you probably had too many things on and overloaded our supply line (or something to that effect). I know just an old cynic.

[rockintom]

Originally Posted by EMD_Driver

I forgot about the refer being on, but the WH was off. That was it.. Would it be worth asking the CG to pay for my replacement parts?

I don't think that's gonna happen.....this is a common occurrence on 30 amp especially on older cord plug in and less than new park pedestals.

Don't everyone go getting picky on me and my numbers, but here's something to think about.

A/C- 14-16 AMP draw
Converter depending on rate of charge/load- 5-10 AMPS
Refer on electric with heating element on- 5-8 AMPS

Pretty soon you're maxing out a poor old 30 AMP circuit.

Another problem that occurs often is that many folks overload and trip the 30 AMP breakers. When this happening over and over again it makes the breaker "soft" (weaker) and then they trip at less then 30 AMP draw. Over time they get weaker and weaker and frustrating to deal with. Did I say I hate 30 AMP???!!! rockin'

50 AMP breakers are much harder to trip, but if you try....you can do it.
The park I work at in OR, we get some Prevosts that should be using 100 AMP service and we only have 50 AMP service. They try running the 4 roof A/Cs and then try to run something like a microwave. Yeah right........
The park is trying to get the corp. to approve a row of 10 sites for 100 AMP service. The cost is unbelievable, so no....we haven't seen them yet! Hard to justify with such a short RVing season and temps that rarely get into the 90's.

[newbird]

A 50 amp power supply is actually allowing you to pull 100 amps total, a double 50 amp breaker is giving you two legs of 50 amps.
Each leg can carry 50 amps total, most trailers are all using 110- 120 volt appliances connected to one of the two legs in the trailers breaker box.
The trailer manufacturer connects all the required power loads between the two 50 amp legs when you use a 50 amp power cord.

If you use a 50 amp to 30 amp cord adaptor the adaptor is connecting the trailers two power legs from the trailer breaker box together so it can be plugged into the parks 30 amp single leg power supply that only has a total of 30 amps.

[Rob17]

Originally Posted by rockintom

The park I work at in OR, we get some Prevosts that should be using 100 AMP service and we only have 50 AMP service.

What park do you work at in Oregon?

[drfife]

"Work"?.....

[rockintom]

Originally Posted by Rob17

What park do you work at in Oregon?

For 5 summer seasons I worked @ Portland-Fairview RV Park in Fairview, OR. (east of Portland about 12 miles). Worked about 12 to 14 hrs. a week as a night host. We took last summer off to travel and sight see some more. I think we are gonna do the same this year. However, we may not travel as much as it gets real expensive and as all retired folks know.....we are on a "fixed" income! rockin'

Rob, Why do you ask?

I see you are in Graham, WA....we just missed you last summer as we stayed at the Elks in Puyallup, WA. We may be passin' that way again this summer. Don't you owe us a Happy Hour? That's what I thought!!! I can do a safety inspection on your ol' Excel!!!

[Rob17]

Originally Posted by rockintom

Rob, Why do you ask?

We may be passin' that way again this summer. I can do a safety inspection on your ol' Excel!!!

That's what I was wondering.

[wa8yxm]

That is the most common failure on 30 amp outlets.. Your photos showed two views of a 20 amp GFCI outlet, do not know why,, NOTE that a GFCI outlet like that is not a surge progector nor is a Surge protector a GFCI, though you can put both in the same box.

But that is the most common failure.. Clean and polish that pin well before re-connecting.

I keep spare 30 amp plugs on hand (And a 30 amp outlet end as well) cause in some parks I have to use 30 amps.. and I've had to replace and end or 3.

[Deny]

I had the same experience at a campground on the panhandle of Fla this summer.

I have a progressive Surge/EMS that tells me if the Ground or Power connection is bad, and it tells me how many amps my Rv is using- it really works- It interrupts the flow of electricity before low amperage damages anything.

[Wizard]

I've got a couple of old 30amp cords around that look just like the one you pictured. Ones that I replaced on previous 30amp coaches. Was going to buy new plugs and make them into extension cords but you know how that goes.

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by EMD_Driver

I found that one pin on the GFCI/surge suppressor and one pin of the power cord plug had gotten pretty hot. I called the CG and told them the plug on the pedestal was smoking. The maintenance guy was here in less than a minute!

He replaced the 30AMP receptacle and the breaker. I'm not real sure what the problem was, since I only had the A/C and the converter pulling power. I guess it was a faulty receptacle.

Attached are a pic of the surge plug and a couple of the inside of the same surge/gfci. You can see how hot it was, by looking at the partially melted wire nut on the ground wire..

The GFCI receptacle in your photos does NOT have the surge suppressor capability. They are two separate devices that perform different functions and are not commonly found in the same unit.

http://ra.panamax.com/pdf/gfci.pdf

The burnt pin on your 30 amp male plug is your Load Pin. Like others have posted that usually occurs when the female receptacle has gotten old and worn out.

However, I also agree with Rockintom that you were most likely pulling too many amps for the condition of the receptacle.

Is your rig 50 amp or 30 amp?

Dr4Film ----- Richard