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sibe · 10-12-2022, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by permitwriter

Pulled into a campsite yesterday, typical 50 amp pedestal with a 50 amp outlet controlled by 2 50 amp breakers ganged together, a 30 amp outlet, and a 15 amp outlet. Plugged into the 50 amp outlet and went on my merry way thinking I had all the power we needed.

We're camping with a church group and friends pulled in next to us today. She was complaining about the power supply and explained that they were told at check in that those 50 amp outlets only supply 30 amps. What?!?! I checked my power panel. Sure enough, 30 amps.

Why would they do that? I wonder if it meets code? They didn't tell us, we could have overloaded the 30 amp supply. I guess my dual 30 amp to 50 amp Y cord won't help.

The only way you can load test any receptacle and or power source, is by applying that load to the circuit and measuring it by a shunt or CT device etc.. Your power monitoring system can only show what is is currently using or possibly what is is programmed to assume you are plugged into..

twinboat · 10-12-2022, 06:21 AM

If it had a double 50 amp breaker, it has the potential of supplying 50 amps.

If your indicator is showing 30 amp service, then there is no 240 volt power to it.

Could be wired as 50 amp 120 volts, called a cheater 50 amp service. Basically a built in dog bone.

It could also be miss wired, your equipment is acting up or in many cases, one of your circuit breakes is off. The system uses 2 random breakers to sense 240 volts. With a breaker off, the system drops to 30 amp.

Old Scout · 10-12-2022, 07:35 AM

What TB said!

permitwriter · 10-12-2022, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sibe

The only way you can load test any receptacle and or power source, is by applying that load to the circuit and measuring it by a shunt or CT device etc.. Your power monitoring system can only show what is is currently using or possibly what is is programmed to assume you are plugged into..

It does both. It has 4 little boxes labeled 50A, 30A, 20A, and GEN. Whatever the supply is, that's the box that is lit up. It also has a display that shows how much is being used. But that only works on 30 & 20 amp supply. I guess they assume you don't care how much you are using on the generator or 50 amp.

permitwriter · 10-12-2022, 09:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

If it had a double 50 amp breaker, it has the potential of supplying 50 amps.

If your indicator is showing 30 amp service, then there is no 240 volt power to it.

Could be wired as 50 amp 120 volts, called a cheater 50 amp service. Basically a built in dog bone.

It could also be miss wired, your equipment is acting up or in many cases, one of your circuit breakes is off. The system uses 2 random breakers to sense 240 volts. With a breaker off, the system drops to 30 amp.

The CG office told our neighbors that those 50 amp outlets only supply 30 amps. I will stop by the office today and ask about that.

twinboat · 10-12-2022, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by permitwriter

The CG office told our neighbors that those 50 amp outlets only supply 30 amps. I will stop by the office today and ask about that.

If it has a 50 amp breaker but only supplies 30 amps, what circuit breaker is protecting it from you drawing 50 amps ?

Alan_Hepburn · 10-12-2022, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by permitwriter

It does both. It has 4 little boxes labeled 50A, 30A, 20A, and GEN. Whatever the supply is, that's the box that is lit up. It also has a display that shows how much is being used. But that only works on 30 & 20 amp supply. I guess they assume you don't care how much you are using on the generator or 50 amp.

As has been mentioned - that little box merely looks for 240VAC between L1 and L2 - if it sees 0VAC then it assumes you're connected to a 30A supply. If you connect to a 20A supply then you need to press that button to let the box know your supply is restricted even more so it can better determine when to start load shedding.

If the outlet is a 50A outlet, fed from a 50A breaker, then if it is incorrectly wired such that there is 0VAC between L1 and L2 then all the current flowing on both L1 and L2 will be combined on the Neutral line - so you could potentially have 100A flowing on the Neutral - severely overloading the wire.

sibe · 10-12-2022, 11:35 AM

weird gadgets .. I understand the premise and load sharing abilities.. Too much bs IMO.. I guess being a part time electrician way back.. I assume people grasp...

plus there was and is always a wiggy in my bag of tools..

permitwriter · 10-12-2022, 02:45 PM

They said it is a "convenience" outlet so you don't need an adapter. Whatever. There's more to the story than that. In addition, the 110 V outlets are controlled by the 30 amp breaker. That's dangerous also.

This is the oldest part of the CG. I wonder if it's an upgrade gone wrong where they added 50 amp outlets, found out they couldn't supply enough electricity for all that and downgraded them to 30 amps. They said the newer parts supply 50 amps. Those pedestals also have 20 amp breakers for the 110 outlets. But some of those have 1 pedestal with 1 set of outlets for 2 campsites.

We're out of here tomorrow so maybe I'll say something to them.

permitwriter · 10-12-2022, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn

If you connect to a 20A supply then you need to press that button to let the box know your supply is restricted

Understood. Thank you. It was a different system but worked the same way in our previous MH. I've only been connected to 20 amps at home for short periods of time to run the fridge.

sibe · 10-13-2022, 05:57 AM

This thread as spun a bit,,

I can see the confusion so may people can have as some (many) of the RV's have power management systems.. Many are simple .. Many can be limited in function and others need some sort of user input..

I guess my DAD back in the day, always Had a wiggy (tester), being a master electrician and lineman, Many times at a campground he was testing the Pedestal.. in those years there was only a few sties for bigger riggers .. most had simple 20 amps.. Still some worked, some did not, same weird stuff on a simpler scale of the times..

My local buddy who had maybe 20 sites now in a private setting,, has been adding, the remains of the 1970-1980s wiring remains here and there.. on occassion I grab an old site under the trees, no water or sewer but some form of electric.. other weekend warriors also do the same.. I know know way many run there Gennys on the new rigs,, dont even bother trying to plugin.. LOL
Shannon (site owner) .. said to me how is your AC running when I was there this summer..
I said OH, Sorry, I hooked into your panel..
I remembered it was a SQ D, I brought a 30A breaker, and a 25 ft older RV cord I had . chopped of the plug and wired into the 200A panel on the pole.. ..
He said , OH you know how to do that.. I said yeah, I will put it back the way it was,, He said NO NO, leave it just rap the cord up and hang it.. Your stay is free any time you come.. When your not here he can get $100 a weekend in that spot..

Sorry long winded, I am..

Being my RV is old analog, no smart, just plug hope it plays.. I learned more, at this great forum..

Solo_RV_Guy · 10-13-2022, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd727

Hmmm... Guess my double pole 70 doesn't exist for my welder either?

You missed his point. It's not about the existence of a circuit breaker, but which rating is required for the service provided.

saddlesore · 12-17-2022, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlesland

It seems rare that you would have 2 30 amp outlets that close together.

Not really, I have come across many pedestals that have two 30a plugs each on a separate breaker... and occasionally a 50a and two 30amps each on separate breakers..

At a Lakeside campground in NE Washington I managed to finagle a spot that was long & level enough for our coach. The Neighbor had already grabbed the 50a, leaving the two 30amps.. After digging in the basement for an hour or two found the two 30's to a 50a dogbone..plugged it in and Wife was happy she had both of her 15k A/C's running. [Temps were in the 105/110 deg range, 90's at night]

sibe · 12-18-2022, 06:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saddlesore

Not really, I have come across many pedestals that have two 30a plugs each on a separate breaker... and occasionally a 50a and two 30amps each on separate breakers..

At a Lakeside campground in NE Washington I managed to finagle a spot that was long & level enough for our coach. The Neighbor had already grabbed the 50a, leaving the two 30amps.. After digging in the basement for an hour or two found the two 30's to a 50a dogbone..plugged it in and Wife was happy she had both of her 15k A/C's running. [Temps were in the 105/110 deg range, 90's at night]

Luckily the the 2 30A to 50A maintained the split phase BUT in a caution way, if you pulled the 2 30A from the same 120V feeder leg that is very possible, your EMS in RV may get upset or you run the risk of overloading the nuetral or pushing it to a limit..

It worked for you this time , others should use always caution when cross wiring plugs for a feed... you can not assume the wiring feeds to pedestals follow logical wiring ...