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HarleySG · 08-12-2022, 11:23 PM

Thought I would share a recent experience at a local campground.

Temps were in the upper 90s during the day, and we kept tripping the campground’s post breaker. So we called the campground to report it, meanwhile we dialed back our AC usage to use only 2 AC units instead of three. We’ve never had this problem before and felt the campground breaker must be weak. But since the days were hot and the campground was full, I chose not to press the issue and would wait to see what the next day would tell. By the way, the campground told me I was pulling too many amps causing the issue.

The next morning was cool enough that our AC units were not running. The only power hungry device was the coffee pot. Once again, the campground post breaker tripped. So I called again to report the issue. This time the maintenance supervisor paid us a visit and suggested that we were pulling tooo many amps and that no one had complained about power issues at this site except us. After a short conversation and showing the camp maintenance supervisor that my progressive surge protector was pulling minimal amps, he agreed to swap out the 50 amp breaker.

While changing out the breaker he noticed that it was so hot he couldn’t hold on to it, and upon further disassembly, one of the leg wires fell out of the breaker. Basically the lose wire caused excessive heat causing the breaker to trip. Obviously my reaction was, hmmm there’s your problem.

So what I’m trying to pass on to others is, know the electrical usage of your coach and have a good surge protector to show your amperage. It helped me to explain with little argument that the problem was not my coach.

Hope this helps someone else someday.

Cheers!!

brobox · 08-13-2022, 01:03 AM

Great heads up Rusty. We had a similar situation at Markham State park in Ft Lauderdale this year, except it kept shutting down the Progressive with low power. We ran part of the night with AGS as all the other sites were full. When the electrician showed up in the morning, all of the wires going into the circuit breaker were corroded. Welcome to humid, salt air Florida.

Another reason I was thankful for the Progressive.

Toribk · 08-13-2022, 04:33 AM

The problem is not just in Florida, but more prominent along the Eastern Seaboard where heat, humidity and salt air don't play well together with electrical components.

I've had the same thing happen to me in Jacksonville, Florida and in the State of Maine just outside Acadia National Park.

In my case, both times I kept
getting a "Brown Out" message on my control panel and in each instance, the breaker connections inside the campground pedestals were corroded.

It is common here in South Florida where I live especially if you venture down further to the keys.

Just a correction to the previous post....Markham Park is a County Park in Broward County, Florida and not a State Park.....thank you for visiting our neck of the woods.

Gary.Jones · 08-13-2022, 04:49 AM

The campgrund blaming you for drawing too much current is the automatic response of new campground owners or new managers. However, as soon as you said that you were blowing 50 amp circuit breakers with only the coffee pot running, we all knew that the problem was not you and the problem had to be the box.

Temps are sky high all over the country this summer, so power problems are doing to be common and severe.

Gary

brobox · 08-13-2022, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Toribk

Just a correction to the previous post....Markham Park is a County Park in Broward County, Florida and not a State Park.....thank you for visiting our neck of the woods.

You are correct, my mistake about the park ownership. No wonder it is nicer than most State Parks.

They were right on top of the power problem, no questions asked. They had an electrician out first thing in the morning. I have lived in Ft Myers for 33 years and use Markham park when we go over to the other coast.

Toribk · 08-13-2022, 06:35 AM

....and we head frequently "across the pond" (Alligator Alley) on your side as we enjoy both Pelican Lake and Naples Motorcoach Resorts [emoji106]

RVFunlovers · 08-13-2022, 02:27 PM

I just had this issue at Winton Woods Campground near Cincinnati.
After tripping the post breaker three times while pulling about 40 amps spread between two legs. Some I was not even pulling half power. The breaker would work for about 20 minutes then trip.

I finally got out my 50 AMP extension and hooked up to the post for the vacant spot next to us. I reported the issue with our post and got blamed for the problem because I was pulling to much power.

They finally agreed to get an electrician but he did not show up. I told them I believed the breaker was overheating. I stayed on the next spot over’s post all week. When another camper showed up I moved back to my post and of course tripped the breaker. That was the night before we were leaving and it was pleasant out so we just used minimal power.

Voltage was fine at 120 the entire time.

HarleySG · 08-13-2022, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RVFunlovers

I just had this issue at Winton Woods Campground near Cincinnati.
After tripping the post breaker three times while pulling about 40 amps spread between two legs. Some I was not even pulling half power. The breaker would work for about 20 minutes then trip.

I finally got out my 50 AMP extension and hooked up to the post for the vacant spot next to us. I reported the issue with our post and got blamed for the problem because I was pulling to much power.

They finally agreed to get an electrician but he did not show up. I told them I believed the breaker was overheating. I stayed on the next spot over’s post all week. When another camper showed up I moved back to my post and of course tripped the breaker. That was the night before we were leaving and it was pleasant out so we just used minimal power.

Voltage was fine at 120 the entire time.

Nice idea with the 50 amp extension. I keep a 30 amp dog bone as a backup, but may look at adding a 50 amp extension as an option as well. Nice to have options when the campground is slow to react.

brobox · 08-14-2022, 06:26 AM

Rusty, good subject you brought up. I wonder how many new coach owners believe park management that their Entegra's are power hogs. The new models, I just learned, have load shedding. I am still old school Classic and from posts like yours, I learned from Voltdoc that my newer coach has load shedding. It would be hard for newer models to trip circuit breakers unless the breaker was faulty.
As you said, Classic owners need to know their amp usage and not rely on what park management says. I think they all go to the same school of excuses.

HarleySG · 08-14-2022, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brobox

Rusty, good subject you brought up. I wonder how many new coach owners believe park management that their Entegra's are power hogs. The new models, I just learned, have load shedding. I am still old school Classic and from posts like yours, I learned from Voltdoc that my newer coach has load shedding. It would be hard for newer models to trip circuit breakers unless the breaker was faulty.
As you said, Classic owners need to know their amp usage and not rely on what park management says. I think they all go to the same school of excuses.

Hi Chuck, funny you should mention this. I didn’t get into the entire conversation that I had with the campground, but what was mentioned is that “these big rigs draw a lot of power, and one guy had 4 ACs on his roof.” I politely and innocently acknowledge these comments so he would agree to look at the breaker. I’ve heard of the load shedding from a family member that had a newer coach. My initial thought is that I’m old school and want to manage it myself, but I can see where it may benefit those that want an intelligent plug and play type power management system.

On a side note (I guess I’m hijacking my own post) in two years Colorado with have a few state campgrounds open year round. This could be a logistical challenge but someone feels they are missing out on revenue apparently. My ROI question was, how long will it take Colorado to recoup the investment (Change out all the existing water outlets for heated systems, and contract out snow removal). Today, it’s unknown but moving forward anyway. I wish them luck at a time when the parks are short handed as it is.

Cheers

brobox · 08-14-2022, 07:39 AM

Rusty, being from Colorado before moving to FL, I still keep up with a few things there. One thing nice about CO is they are putting the lottery money back into the state parks that bring tourist dollars back the state. The parks we have stayed at while visiting, I can't believe they are he same parks I use to visit. All of the parks have new electrical and paved sites.
FL on the other hand post their lottery money into the schools, never to be seen again.

bevandtomH · 08-15-2022, 06:16 AM

One nice thing about the external PI units. You can see exactly what you are drawing on each leg. Pretty hard for lazy campground management to argue we draw too much. Found the 50ft extension comes in pretty handy, not cheap but works.
We are on our third PI unit but replaced each time by PI.
If I look another it would be Hughes.
On a side note, our coaches electrical panels show what is on each leg. Our friends Tiffin is completely void of what is on each leg. Really hard to shed when chasing problems.

RVFunlovers · 08-15-2022, 08:34 PM

When my coach was tripping the campground breaker I compared the amps per leg on vega touch to my external PI unit. Both were dead on with each other. And way under the current needed to trip the breaker.

The breaker was tripping every so often. Likely a heat issue.

I generally do not have to worry about the power draw but I have tripped my inverter circuit breakers on the 17 coach.

TXiceman · 08-16-2022, 09:38 AM

So many of the older campgrounds are under serviced for the high electrical usage of today's RVs. The newer and larger RVs require a lot more amperage. So, you have to keep eye on the voltage and amps on your RV. One great investment for any RV is the Progressive Industries EMS to monitor power into the RV. IF will shut off on low or high voltage as well as protect the TV from bad neutral and ground wiring as well as off frequency power.

The A/C is an inductive load and when the voltage drops, the unit will draw more amps. DO NOT operate electrical devices below 108 volts.

Also, campground pedestals are mistreated by campers and always check the plug connections at the pedestal. If the receptacle looks worn or hot, ask for another site or get the plug changed. Always check the power before connecting. The PI EMS does this automatically.

Ken