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M2D · 05-25-2018, 09:39 PM

We had an electrical problem at a CG a few days ago. We are traveling through Canada on our way to Alaska. Several of the CGs we have had to use have only 30 amp sites. We have an adapter which has worked well when we have needed it. There have been no problems until the other day.
We checked in at a nice looking CG. When DH tried to plug into the electrical box with our 50 t0 30 adapter the receptacle was too loose to hold the plug in place. When DH tried to adjust it would wiggle and arc. DH is a polite and calm person. He went to the office to report our difficulty. A man who seemed to be the owner said that it must be our adapted and he would bring out his adapter to try. His adapter worked no better. He told DH that our cord with our surge protector and adapter attached was too heavy for the outlet and that was why the plug was loose. He said that this site had worked yesterday. He instructed DH to put a bungee cord around our plug to hold it in place and walked away. Said he had to go somewhere.
DH tried using a bungee but it would not fit behind our box as the box for the next site over was back to back with ours. He used a plastic clap and something else to hold the plug in place. Our surge protector delivered an L1 8 Neutral Reversed error warning. DH is pretty good at these things and said that the outlet was not properly wired. DH said that the outlet was not grounded correctly. The neutral and the ground wires were likely not in the correct positions. Still being calm he went back to the office. A person there told him to go test a different site number. DH did that and discovered that it too had the same problem. DH tested the empty site on our other side and it was fine. He went back to the office to ask whether we could move to the empty site next to us.
By then the owner had returned and marched out to tell DH not to touch any of his sites. We had to keep what we had or get out of the park. I had been walking quietly around the CG observing that there were several MH and large Fivers set up with their 50 amp cords with surge protectors and adapters and all was well with them. I was not creating a scene. We are polite people in our late sixties. We have never been asked to leave a CG before this incident. I pointed out that the others using similar 50 amp cords with surge protectors and adapters were not having any problems. The owner/manager said that since he could not make us happy he would refund our money and we had to leave. I quietly told him that I would have to write some reviews of his place and he shrugged it off. I went to the office to have our credit card refunded. I did not create a scene.
A person at the CG told us that there have been problems in the past when people have discovered errors in the wiring using their surge protectors. We had this error from our surge protector once several years ago at a CG that was being rewired. They thanked DH and promptly rewired their unit saying that the error reading on the surge protector was correct. The neutral and the ground wires were not correctly placed. This previous incident gave us reason to be concerned about the safety of the site we had been given.
The owner/manager told us to go to another park down the street. I did not want to go there for fear he would call them to say we were “troublemakers”. I was feeling shaky inside and was not in the mood to be told what to do by this fellow. I knew of another nice CG nearby with good reviews. They did not have full hookups but we could do without the sewer connection if need be. We did not say anything to the owner of the replacement CG about our previous problem He was very nice and his electrical pedestals looked to be new within the last few years and worked properly.
Just wondering if any of you have had a similar experience with CG electrical boxes. Also have any of you been asked to leave for any reason? I am trying to be rational about it but I am still upset at being treated this way.

Old-Biscuit · 05-25-2018, 09:49 PM

Great thing about an RV....it has WHEELS

That owner did you a favor by having you leave. Count your blessing and chuck it up to having met a jerk and survived \.

Seriously.....you would NOT have wanted to stay and chance destroying the electronics in your RV.

Forget about that jerk and continue on your trip enjoying life.

vsheetz · 05-25-2018, 09:58 PM

Write a couple reviews so hopefully others will avoid the problem and rudeness. Then continue on with your travels. Jerks exist, Unfortunatly...

rarebear.nm · 05-25-2018, 10:13 PM

I agree with Vince. We’re also in Canada headed to Alaska. In the last two weeks seen one CG with. Worn but usable 30A outlet. I think you will encounter lots of 20 or 30 amp only sites. Maybe we’ll cross paths.

**NLOVNIT** · 05-25-2018, 10:30 PM

We've had a handful of electrical problems at parks we've visited. Half the time, when reporting the issue, we were brushed off with the reasoning the problem was our RV. The other times, the issue was promptly addressed by either them moving us to another site or making proper repairs.

I always leave reviews on RV Park Reviews & note such experiences for the sake of other guests to those parks.

Lori-

M2D · 05-30-2018, 08:06 AM

I hae posted a review to campgroundreviews.com, The WIFI has not been very good at the CGs on this trip and we save our Verizon data for financial stuff and emergencies. I will post reviews on more sites as I am able.

This incident happened at the Hi Country RV Park in Whitehorse. We ended up staying at the Caribou down the street.

We have not had any trouble with other electrical hookups on this trip. We have used our 30 amp adapter where necessary with no difficulty.

Our trip is going well. We are headed to Valdez this morning from Fairbanks. There has been lots of wildlife along the Alaska HW and the scenery has been stunning.

Many thanks to all here for the great advice over the years that has helped us in the planning of our trip.

Michele and Mark

charliez · 05-30-2018, 08:28 AM

You probably saved alot in repair bills later by not staying. Bad connections can be more common than you think. Some owners don't want to pay an electrician a Saturday fee to come fix a plug. I've just fixed a few over the years. Most are just loose connections on the back of the plug. In Texas in the summer the plugs can be filled with ants.

hohenwald48 · 05-30-2018, 08:39 AM

You did exactly what you should have done. And thanks for warning others on here and on RVParkReviews.

You'll run into the same issue again. A lot of parks need some electrical work.

M2D · 05-31-2018, 12:35 PM

It is a shame as Mark was not abrasive with the owner and with any reasonable attitude they might have opened up the box together and addressed the issue.

DH has done some wiring in the past under the eye of qualified electricians.
They might have found some simple condition that could have been remixed on the spot. It was around three in the afternoon on a weekday.

Loving Valdez! We paid a bit extra to have a site on the small boat harbor. The mountains are gorgeous and covered with snow. DH used to work on ships years ago and is familiar with the area.

Michele and Mark