Arcing Power Post – What to look for

[mainah]

Yes the box is 100 amp but have a look at your picture it is part of a daisy chain to save money they are betting on no one using a huge amount of current often as many as 4 or 5 posts on one 100 amp breaker from the load center. It's load sharing using both sides of the 240 at 100 amps. All of the power points are exposed to weather including the load centers the more informed campground owners actually do things like reseal the box entrance cable weather head to keep water from damaging the inside of the box. Unfortunately the post outlets are often neglected due to sheer numbers so they are open to poor connections and only get replaced when they fail. If it looks burnt it most likely is going to produce problems for the campers and of course owners calling out someone to fix it at 8PM. GFI's are the worst they just can't stand moisture and flat refuse to reset their maintenance shop usually has a box of them. Campers can do the campgrounds a favor and report burnt looking outlets even if they are not using it when they check out.

[Digmenow]

Originally Posted by JohnB

...And the AC unit cannot be on with any of them or the hot water heater on electric. ...
Thanks

John

Just curious. Where do you get your hot water for the hot water heater?










Yes, it's a trick question.

[CapsFan]

Wow that was a lot to absorb. After reading and re reading and visiting Bing 1 1/2 dozen times, my questions are ...what product would make more sense for my 30 amp t-1950?


The Prog industries 30 amp ssp-30x ($84.88 at Makarios RV online, $94.88 with a rain shield ( a nice option), plus (if I am reading it correctly) 825 joules protection and a lifetime warranty.....Or the Surge Guard 34830 with (now on sale at Camping World for $209) for 30 amp. with 2450 Joules surge protection.


Being that the joules represents electrical torque, it is hard for me to decide how to measure the protection provided.


I do like the looks of and the, seemingly adequate options (and price) of the Progressive Ind. but am I right or wrong about the Joules protection ratings?


Thanks in advance!
Karen

[mainah]

Highly simplified, one joules per second= one watt. The full math or science of a joule may result in a bruised brain. So what they are saying with the C.W. one is it's capable of sinking a 20 amp surge. I'm not real familiar with the camper ones but usually it's a one shot deal it takes a hit and you buy a new one having seen the remains of MOV's it's not a pretty sight but your TV/computer likely will survive.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by mainah

Yes the box is 100 amp but have a look at your picture it is part of a daisy chain to save money they are betting on no one using a huge amount of current often as many as 4 or 5 posts on one 100 amp breaker from the load center.

It's load sharing using both sides of the 240 at 100 amps.

All of the power points are exposed to weather including the load centers the more informed campground owners actually do things like reseal the box entrance cable weather head to keep water from damaging the inside of the box. Unfortunately the post outlets are often neglected due to sheer numbers so they are open to poor connections and only get replaced when they fail. If it looks burnt it most likely is going to produce problems for the campers and of course owners calling out someone to fix it at 8PM.

GFI's are the worst they just can't stand moisture and flat refuse to reset their maintenance shop usually has a box of them. Campers can do the campgrounds a favor and report burnt looking outlets even if they are not using it when they check out.

Thanks. I missed the 100 amps at 240, my brain was thinking 100 amps at 120. Technically if they fed it with 100 amps at 240 you could pull full current on all receptacles and and not be below the rating.

And yes, I saw the wires on that power post daisy chained. They are ganging them together. Putting in home runs on every power post would be quite the expense.

I agree, if folks would report a bad receptacle it could help the cause. And I forgot about the comment you made, folks driving off with the camper and still plugged in. That is a heck of a yank. I'm sure it happens, just like leaving with the antenna up. It happens...

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by JohnB View Post
...And the AC unit cannot be on with any of them or the hot water heater on electric. ...
Thanks

John

Originally Posted by Digmenow

Just curious. Where do you get your hot water for the hot water heater?

Yes, it's a trick question.

Well.... since we drive on parkways, we park on driveways and we camp in campgrounds, we use propane and electric or sometimes both to make hot water in the hot water heater...

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by CapsFan

Wow that was a lot to absorb. After reading and re reading and visiting Bing 1 1/2 dozen times, my questions are ...what product would make more sense for my 30 amp t-1950?

The Prog industries 30 amp ssp-30x ($84.88 at Makarios RV online, $94.88 with a rain shield ( a nice option), plus (if I am reading it correctly) 825 joules protection and a lifetime warranty.....Or the Surge Guard 34830 with (now on sale at Camping World for $209) for 30 amp. with 2450 Joules surge protection.

Being that the joules represents electrical torque, it is hard for me to decide how to measure the protection provided.

I do like the looks of and the, seemingly adequate options (and price) of the Progressive Ind. but am I right or wrong about the Joules protection ratings?

Thanks in advance!
Karen

You found the 2 popular ones out there.

As to the Joules rating, normally more is better as far as protection. And as mainah stated, these surge protectors can and have burn't up when a large lightening strikes hits the incoming power line. But, using these is an insurance policy about stopping that high incoming surge from taking out a lot of the electronics in the camper. It is better the surge protector gives up it's life then wiping out the power converter, microwave, AC unit and any other electronic device plugged in. TV set, computer etc.

I have the older large TRC Surdge Guard. When I bought it a number of years ago it had a few issues I needed to correct and less features then the new ones. The cord length on the receptacle end where you plug in the camper was so long the plug was laying in the dirt on some power posts. I took the unit apart and shortened the cord to get the plug up as high as I could. They have since made these shorter as new.

The next as the plug weather protection. There was none. I made a weather box to put the plug in.

It looked like this before I shortened the cord. This was not the lowest power post I have been too, but is more of the norm. Some the plug was on the ground.




Then like this after I shortened it and like they are now.


Then to deal with the weather I made a box like this. They still, do not offer any weather protection on the plug. This is a rubber made container cut out would a Velcro strap. I have more pics if interested.


TRC has upgraded their unit to have more features since I bought mine but they still do not deal with the weather protection.

Progressive Industries I did not know about when I bought mine. They make a good unit and have the lifetime warranty made in the USA and now have a weather hood and a shorter setup.

This one of theirs has a a 1,790 Joules 44,000 amps rating (which I myself do not fully understand the rating) and the weather hood
Progressive Industries, Inc. | Rv Surge Protection

Amazon has it at$241 and prime shipping
https://www.amazon.com/30-AMP-SURGE-...ords=EMS-PT30X

So now the question is which is better? Both are good units. You really will not go wrong with either.

Personal opinion, if I where to buy a new one, I would go with the Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X.

If I bought the TRC big one, I would have to make a weather guard for the plug. I myself just do not trust that setup in the rain with no cover.

Hope this helps

John

[krazedave]

Good one Dig. When I was in Camping World's RV Tech school in KY in 07 we learned real fast that it did not heat hot water, it heated cold water because it cost each student a dollar when you called it a hot water heater.

[BenB]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

This is all the more reason to carry not only a surge protector, but also the 50 to 30 adapter.

I got to use our 50 to 30amp adapter for the first time last weekend, its been riding around in the camper for 2 years. The 30 amp plug didn't work at all. As my wife is putting out the slide Im watching and it seems slower than normal, for being hooked up to shore power. She noticed the same thing and then when she tried the fridge it switched to propane. This is when I realized there we had no power getting to the camper and stopped thinking is my slide motor dying. My wife thought all hope was lost, but I had a brand new shiny adapter for such an occasion. Plugged into 50 amp outlet switched on the breaker and all is good.

I was planning on a circuit protector purchase over the winter, now with everyone links and info it will save me some research time.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by krazedave

Good one Dig. When I was in Camping World's RV Tech school in KY in 07 we learned real fast that it did not heat hot water, it heated cold water because it cost each student a dollar when you called it a hot water heater.

Gee, I could go broke....

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by BenB

This is when I realized there we had no power getting to the camper and stopped thinking is my slide motor dying. My wife thought all hope was lost, but I had a brand new shiny adapter for such an occasion. Plugged into 50 amp outlet switched on the breaker and all is good.

Wow... 2 Ohio state parks, 70 miles apart with the same problem... within 2 weeks, who would of thought

I hope this is not the sign of things to come. All the parks near us had power upgrades around the same time within a few years when the state gave some funds to the park system.

[mainah]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Thanks. I missed the 100 amps at 240, my brain was thinking 100 amps at 120. Technically if they fed it with 100 amps at 240 you could pull full current on all receptacles and and not be below the rating.

And yes, I saw the wires on that power post daisy chained. They are ganging them together. Putting in home runs on every power post would be quite the expense.

I agree, if folks would report a bad receptacle it could help the cause. And I forgot about the comment you made, folks driving off with the camper and still plugged in. That is a heck of a yank. I'm sure it happens, just like leaving with the antenna up. It happens...

Yeah it all makes sense a 50 amp outlet a 30 and a 20 there is the 100 amp feeder.

[CapsFan]

Originally Posted by mainah

Highly simplified, one joules per second= one watt. The full math or science of a joule may result in a bruised brain. So what they are saying with the C.W. one is it's capable of sinking a 20 amp surge. I'm not real familiar with the camper ones but usually it's a one shot deal it takes a hit and you buy a new one having seen the remains of MOV's it's not a pretty sight but your TV/computer likely will survive.

Aiy! Believe me, my brain does have a bruise forming over reading the science of joules! I know now that a lightening strike punches in at between 1 to 10 billion joules. sigh..I can only imagine the aftermath of that catastrophy

[CapsFan]

John....you totally helped me to make a clear decision. I had not seen the FMS-PT30x, and I do think that is the one for me. It has all the features I liked (rain shield needed)
and a higher joules rating than the ssp-30x.


I had read on wiki about Surge protectors too (interesting) and I think the PT-30x will be what I need. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surge_protector




Thank you once more for taking the time to post all of those pictures and for enabling me learn through your experience.


All the Best!
Karen

[mainah]

Originally Posted by CapsFan

Aiy! Believe me, my brain does have a bruise forming over reading the science of joules! I know now that a lightening strike punches in at between 1 to 10 billion joules. sigh..I can only imagine the aftermath of that catastrophy

It's not a pretty sight I do a little part time work for a local campground we had two hit at the same time (direct hit to a tree between them) one I had a quick look and told them to contact their insurance co the other had I think Camping World come out and a figure I heard was 4 grand I would have put it a lot more for unseen damage nothing worked they were in it at the time glad I wasn't.

[CapsFan]

Originally Posted by CapsFan

John....you totally helped me to make a clear decision. I had not seen the EMS-PT30x, and I do think that is the one for me.

Karen

The edit feature was off.....just corrected to EMS-PT30x

Have a great day!

[TNT]

Omg yes iam new. But you have just enlightened me on what happened at the old campground I've been parked at. Everything was fine I thought for 3 weeks. But I was busy moving so I was in an out of camper constantly. Until one nite I came in . My dog was setting on the bed looking out the window like the cartoon sheep dog. Wouldn't budge for a hotdog. I never seen him Soo statue like. I noticed chicken running around . Thought since he never seen one that was it. About an hour later 12v only no shore power . I called campground maintenance and the plug in the pedistal was completely melted and a small fire . My plugs were fine. Which puzzled me. And every since then I've had power surges , drops so low converter shuts down. I've since replaced converter and house batteries. If I run inverter from my van to charge batteries. At a steady level I get both 12v and ac back. I need someone to tell me how to fix it where I don't need shore power . Cause I also just figured out that the small pedistal they have here and they replaced my adapter 50amp to 30amp with a long dog bone one so it's all hanging out in the weather . Causing more problems I guess. It can't be good. Most time I have no 12vdc. Any help and advice is welcome it's just my dog and me.

[mainah]

Hard to see from my house but you need to get the campground more involved with the project. There was an incident with a very poor connection at the 30 amp that's what cooked the outlet. By doing so it increased the load on the wiring in general. Unless it's a very big campground it is unlikely they have an electrician of their own so they really are not real good at repairing electrical stuff. One of the very best things a camper needs is a cheap plug in tester, it will have 3 little lights and most hardware stories will have one. Mine lives in the bath outlet full time. Time to pester the campground management.

[mainah]

It's far better to burn up a power post than your camper be thankful for small favors! The 30 outlets are very common and are used the most. You have a nice shiny male plug connected to a female outlet that may have been used a hundred times or more. They have tensioned contacts that over time get weaker and weaker each time they are used, poor connections + load = heat.

[roger66ogden]

While campground host we had a new to camping family with power issues. Brand new really nice camper but no shore power. They were using a 30 to 50 amp adapter and lost power. I told them to not use the adapter not unless there was no 50 amp circuit available and they were not using anything such as the AC unit. I asked why they were not using the 50 amp receptacle and they said it didn't work. I asked them to show me how they were connecting it and they did and said see no power. I reached over and turned the breaker on. Needless to say they were just a little embarrassed. I told them not to be just glad they could enjoy the rest of their camping experience.