Community Forums

bruceisla · 08-14-2016, 05:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rpierrie

Will that potentially damage the AC unit?

No damage ... I assume Iceman meant higher but still within specs. What you want is 120VAC ... sometimes 1 leg will be (about) 115 and the other will be 118 ... the closer to 120 the better.

TeJay · 08-14-2016, 06:29 AM

Just last month while stopping for a night at a CG in ME we ran into an issue. We stopped plugged in and (it was very hot for ME at 90 degrees) turned on the AC. The coach shut down within about 10 seconds.

I waited for the Surge Guard to time out (2-minute wait) and the same thing happened. Everything inside the RV shut down and we were back on battery power. No circuit breakers had kicked off.

We contacted the owners and she called a local camper who is a retired electrician. He came over and checked the CG power and all his test lights showed that we had power on the 30 and 50 amp circuits. So according to them it was not their incoming power so it had to be something with our coach.

For me that didn't wash. Up until that time we had NEVER had any issues at all. With the electrician standing there I related a story of a missing leg that I had experienced last year while camping with some friends. It was on another 50 amp coach. After I finished my story he said let me get my meter. I had tried to read the voltages but my probes would not go deep enough into the receptacles.

The electrician got his meter and all legs both on the 30 and 50 amp circuits were about 104 to 108 VAC. Why did we loose all power when the AC kicked on??? Our Surge Guard was turning off all power because the voltage was way to low to safely run the AC motors. It was doing its job.

Evidently the power company was doing some work that day in their area and the electrician speculated that they had a weak or damaged transformer somewhere in the circuit. In the CG everybody all around us had low voltages. The problem is it is not a good practice to run any motor with low voltages.

There are several ways to measure the input AC voltages coming into your RV. This experience has alerted me to the fact that just because your lights work does not mean the input voltage is acceptable at all camp grounds. I'll get something that I can plug in to a receptacle to easily check/monitor the incoming voltages.

TeJay

bruceisla · 08-14-2016, 06:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

I'll get something that I can plug in to a receptacle to easily check/monitor the incoming voltages.

TeJay

Both Progressive and SurgeGuard offer models with digital displays .... provides protection and all the information you need.

TeJay · 08-14-2016, 06:58 AM

Thanks for the reminder. We have the SG protector and they do say that there is a remote monitor available. I think they wanted $80 for them so I'll look into it. Using a simple plug in digital meter display in any wall receptacle would also work.

TeJay

olustee bus · 08-14-2016, 07:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

Thanks for the reminder. We have the SG protector and they do say that there is a remote monitor available. I think they wanted $80 for them so I'll look into it. Using a simple plug in digital meter display in any wall receptacle would also work.

TeJay

https://www.amazon.com/80-300V-Volta...+voltage+meter

bruceisla · 08-14-2016, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

Thanks for the reminder. We have the SG protector and they do say that there is a remote monitor available. I think they wanted $80 for them so I'll look into it. Using a simple plug in digital meter display in any wall receptacle would also work.

TeJay

Not really ... the idea is to detect any problem AT the pedestal ... not after it has entered the RV. In the case you mentioned, the voltage was marginal until the A/C went on and then the voltage went below spec. The SurgeGuard worked as designed but seeing the voltage was marginal to begin with would have been helpful. In my case, I have a portable Progressive Unit and plug it in (by itself) and let it run the diagnostic. After I have verified everything is ok, I will attach the RV cord.

lynnmor · 08-14-2016, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TeJay

The electrician got his meter and all legs both on the 30 and 50 amp circuits were about 104 to 108 VAC. Why did we loose all power when the AC kicked on??? Our Surge Guard was turning off all power because the voltage was way to low to safely run the AC motors. It was doing its job.

TeJay

I guess he checked the voltage without the air conditioner running? 104 volts is the absolute minimum, and it would have dropped much lower with the air conditioner on. Sounds like inadequate campground wiring to me.

wajell · 08-14-2016, 09:27 AM

I never plug in without it. 104V is the shut off point.

Progressive Industries RV Surge and Electrical Protection industry lea

wajell · 08-14-2016, 09:34 AM

Back to original question.

As I understand it, the pedestal 50 amp is comprised of (2) 25 amp legs out of phase. What adapter does is "grab" one of the legs. you will probably lose the the pedestal breaker protection but still have your RV's breakers to protect you.

I have a 50 to 30 adapter and only use it when a 30amp plug is not available on a pedestal.

JimBob46 · 08-14-2016, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wajell

Back to original question.

As I understand it, the pedestal 50 amp is comprised of (2) 25 amp legs out of phase. What adapter does is "grab" one of the legs. you will probably lose the the pedestal breaker protection but still have your RV's breakers to protect you.

I have a 50 to 30 adapter and only use it when a 30amp plug is not available on a pedestal.

That would be 2-50 amp legs. If they were only 25 amps that would be a DOWNGRADE from 30 amp service. The Adapter gives you one of the 50 amp legs.

sd75mac · 08-14-2016, 01:06 PM

We had an issue in mid-July at a CG in Branson. Plugged into 30 amp service and one hour later, my EMS-PT30C tripped. Called the office and they were baffled and offered no solution than to use the 50-30 amp adapter. After talking to Prog Ind, the tech said I should always use 50 amp service when available. I've since heeded that suggestion.

wajell · 08-15-2016, 08:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimBob46

That would be 2-50 amp legs. If they were only 25 amps that would be a DOWNGRADE from 30 amp service. The Adapter gives you one of the 50 amp legs.

I don't think that is accurate. If you look closely you will see the 50 amp service is usually protected by (2) 25 amp breakers combined. That would be (2) 25 amp legs. Not (2) 50 amp legs.

wajell · 08-15-2016, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sd75mac

We had an issue in mid-July at a CG in Branson. Plugged into 30 amp service and one hour later, my EMS-PT30C tripped. Called the office and they were baffled and offered no solution than to use the 50-30 amp adapter. After talking to Prog Ind, the tech said I should always use 50 amp service when available. I've since heeded that suggestion.

I'm going to be calling Progressive in the next few days. I'll ask them technically why they would recommend that.

sd75mac · 08-15-2016, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wajell

I'm going to be calling Progressive in the next few days. I'll ask them technically why they would recommend that.

The reasoning I was given is because usually there are higher volts on the 50 amp side.

The reason why I lost power was because the pedestal volts dropped below 104.