We set up in Casa Grande, Az and the next day I lost power to the fireplace,microwave, all outlets on curb side (2013 Bighorn 3260). Well I'm not too smart but not a fool either so I gets my tester out and start following the incoming power. I started with the GFCI and found a wire just about to fall out. Fixed that but not my problem. Rechecked all breakers then pulled cover off of breakers. Set up like a 240V residential box, two bars with 120V and breakers feeding off each one. All the breakers that controlled the items in question and one of the bars were dead. Now out to the power pedestal (notice how I do everything backwards). However there was power to both sides of the 50A plug. Starting to look like a trip to the dealer! Neighbor comes over and lays hands on and like magic it works now. Later found out that pedestal had been causing problems before I arrived. Went on through 3 states and many setups without problems, then in Port Aransas, Texas it happens again. This was a tough setup and hard to back in etc. so I didn't want to do it again. I used my 50A to 30A adapter, and of course plugged into a different outlet (same pedestal) and all is well. Many setups later we are home and never had any problems after that. This is my first 50A camper and I wonder if anyone else has ever encountered this situation. Going to be hard to convince any dealer there is a problem when everything works. I guess I'll just muddle along as usual hoping all is well.
power problems?
- Thread starter diamondl
- Start date
jimtoo
Moderator
Hi diamondl,
From your description of the problem it is not the fault of the Bighorn. You found the pedestal had a problem before with the 50amp side, but worked OK on the 30 amp side. Then you went through 3 states with no problems and get to Port A and found the same problem, would not work on 50 A,,, but worked OK on the 30 amp. Then worked OK for many setups. I cannot see how anything could be wrong with your Bighorn.
Sounds like you just got lucky and just found 2 bad pedestals. Which I hope you reported to the park so they can get them repaired.
It does happen and probably happens more often than what we hear about.
Jim M
From your description of the problem it is not the fault of the Bighorn. You found the pedestal had a problem before with the 50amp side, but worked OK on the 30 amp side. Then you went through 3 states with no problems and get to Port A and found the same problem, would not work on 50 A,,, but worked OK on the 30 amp. Then worked OK for many setups. I cannot see how anything could be wrong with your Bighorn.
Sounds like you just got lucky and just found 2 bad pedestals. Which I hope you reported to the park so they can get them repaired.
It does happen and probably happens more often than what we hear about.
Jim M
DonnyB007
Well-known member
Yes, get a good quality surge protector with several functions to protect your trailer electrically. Our surge protector picked up two bad pedestals last year that could have damaged our trailer. The first one was,open neutral" that was picked up and the next was low voltage (95 AC volts)! The surge protector saved our bacon and will save yours too "diamondl."
DonnyB007
Well-known member
In my trailer, the GFI circuit breaker popped with a rainstorm once and another time when I was washing my RV. In your case, it doesn't sound like this was the problem as the GFI breaker would have remained off even after changing sites (power fully off and on). Your power did work fully by the sounds of it, so you can rule out that common problem.
wdk450
Well-known member
I keep Caig Cramolyn contact restorer around the rig. and try to make it part of the electrical hook-up procedure to spray every set of contact points, including the park outlet. I also try to remember to plug in with no electrical load in the trailer present by turning off the trailer breaker panel mains breakers last thing when I disconnect, and turning these breakers back on last thing when I connect to the new park's power. This way the only electrical load arcing wear should be on the mains circuit breakers (which are easy to replace) and NOT on the transfer switch relay, EMS relay, twistlock connector blades, power cord blades, or park outlet connector.
If the park pedestal had loose wires, all of this wouldn't have fixed your problem. One time I was hooked up to a parks 30 amp outlet for 3 weeks and on the last day i started to experience power dropouts (the EMS did its job and cut the power repeatedly when it got too low). After checking everything I could think of, I got out my 30 amp extension cord and hooked up to the adjacent empty RV space. Problem gone!!!
I had one park where my fairly new 30 amp adapter with nice, shiny prong blades, had these blades blackened overnight, a sign of a corroded park outlet. That was before I started spraying everything at each park hookup.
If the park pedestal had loose wires, all of this wouldn't have fixed your problem. One time I was hooked up to a parks 30 amp outlet for 3 weeks and on the last day i started to experience power dropouts (the EMS did its job and cut the power repeatedly when it got too low). After checking everything I could think of, I got out my 30 amp extension cord and hooked up to the adjacent empty RV space. Problem gone!!!
I had one park where my fairly new 30 amp adapter with nice, shiny prong blades, had these blades blackened overnight, a sign of a corroded park outlet. That was before I started spraying everything at each park hookup.
