Am I an idiot ?

caokgafamily

Well-known member
Ever since last May I've been chasing electrical probs..

I think I might have found the problem. Most of the time when I plug in the shore 50 amp power cord to the BH I just push it on, you are suppose to turn it to lock it in. When you turn it this also makes sure the 3 each conectors are making good contact. If you just push it on they are just kinda touching, check this out and look at the end for yourself. My probs have been when I'm using alot of juice or pulling a good load every thing will go dead, then if I turn everything off and wait a minute then turn it back on then it's good. I have killed 2 microwaves. I guess my question is if the shore power cord is not installed right but still making some contact and I pull a good load could this cause me losing one leg of the power ? Maybe my cord is bad, but Camping World wants $ 300 for a new one.
Any thoughts ? My 3rd micro is dead. But the outlet is working ?

Steve
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
Not long ago I was at a campground that had a loose socket on the pedistal. I thought I had it plugged in good but it was a little loose. Let me just say that if you are not making good solid contact it can cause a low voltage situation and then the low voltage situation can cause things to start failing. I believe you are right, the lack of a solid connection could cause your problems.
 

Peteandsharon

Well-known member
Steve,

Not sure if a bad connection would cause all the problems you seem to have had but certainly it wll cause problems. At the very least a bad connection, either at the post or where it connects to your rig will cause the plug to heat up. I had a travel trailer with a 30 amp plug which met up with a "loose" outlet at some campground. It literally fried the ground plug because it overheated it. I spent a couple of years trying to track down a problem where I would get an electric shock at various places on the aluminum side if it was wet or from the frame. As I understand it, a poor connection will pull more current and heat up the plug. Definitely keep an eye on what you are plugging into and how your electric cord is attached to your rig.

Pete
 

caokgafamily

Well-known member
I'm really ticked off now !!!!!!!!!
Remember I started the post about quality control whining, I guess what goes around comes around ! I took apart the part were you plug in the cord to the outside of the camper, 4 wires black,red,white and the ground. THE WHITE WIRE WAS NOT EVEN TIGHT! It was just moving around in the connector area, you could tell it got hot from the arc burns.
I guess it could have come loose or somebody didn't tighten it enough ? So could all my probs been from only the black and red being tight and the white sometimes making contact ? I'm about ready to buy my fourth micro!! My fridge still only works on gas and I already replaced the converter. I should have hard wired my surge protector. So would red and black and no white cause low voltage ? Please check this on your campers.
Steve
 
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caokgafamily

Well-known member
The easy way to tell if your wires are tight is to lift the lid and check to see if any of the 3 silver spades are loose. If they are loose then you have a prob, if the wire is tight the spade will not be loose !!!!!!!!!!! Just retighten wire screw if spade is loose.
 

nhunter

Well-known member
They will come loose on their own. I had a 100amp cord that I put together and know was tight. About a year later it shorted out and guess what, one screw was loose.
 

Ray LeTourneau

Senior Member - Past Moderator
Steve, sorry to hear of those connection problems. The white wire is the common for the electrical system and being loose may be the culprit. I think it's definitely worth the effort for me to go out and check mine because I've been having GFI problems. Since I've grounded the frame to earth, the problem has gone away. By the way, what are you replacing your Microwave with? Store bought? A while ago we shopped for a replacement for the Sylvania but at the 07 Rally Heartland exchanged it for a Dometic. During our shopping spree we had found several that would fit the opening of the black vented frame. Just curious.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
I would think with the neutral being loose you would see some fluctuation of voltage on your volt meter. JON:D:D
 

caokgafamily

Well-known member
Everything is fixed now, The problem was the Heartland tech! The white wire was cut 3/8" shorter than the other wires thus it had to be real tight because it was already preloaded to come apart ! I recut everything to the same length. If you look at the pics you see the difference in the length also you can see the discolor on the white wire at the end from the arcing. I've been chasing this prob for 9 months, look back at my old post. fridge, converter,3 micro's, possible FP prob also. I would like about a $750 check from Heartland for troubles. If the tech just had a little more pride and cut everything the same length and really tighten them no prob.
 

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caokgafamily

Well-known member
For years I have read both on this forum and rvnet about people have intermittent electrical problems, they are kinda like ghost. I was never looking at the simplest area. My problems were definitely intermittent. I guess the white wire is the neutral so when it was not it contact it would run through everything else looking to complete the circuit ? There must be something fragile about the micro, I'm glad I took out the extended warranty on the last purchase of a micro about 2 months ago.

If you are having electrical probs I would start with your shore cord then work your way up.

I hope this is the end of a long frustrating search, and I hope somebody else can benefit from this. In the big picture I'm not really upset, it's just one of those things you can experience in the world of campers, rv's etc.

Steve
 

Pulltab

Well-known member
So often the simplest fix is the simplest problem. ALWAYS check those first. Electrical gremlins are often tied to bad grounds or connections. If you haven't yet you should purchase a EMS unit to protect your rig. Progressive industries makes the best in my opinion and has saved us many times! It is something you will never regret buying! :) Check them out http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems_hw50c.htm I bought mine in 2004 and just this last december it was destroyed by a water issue but shut the power off to our rig to protect it. It was worth the money for the sacrafice it made to protect my rv. THEN to go a step further the owner of Progressive said send it back and I will repair or replace it at no charge to me!!!!!!! AND HE DID! I had it back in a week! That is customer service! :D
 

Shadowchek

Well-known member
If you have a weak connection you can get a voltage drop if you get a voltage drop your amps will climb and that is what generates heat and can cause all kinds of problems. V X A = output so if the voltage drops the amps have to come up to balence the equation.

Greg
 

Pulltab

Well-known member
I should add as you may be thinking how would that have helped me. If anything goes out of tolerance such as voltage beyond 10% on either side , hertz or you lose a ground it will shut the power off to the rig to protect it. Electronics are very sensitive to low voltage especially. It would have made you think that the problem then had to be between the pole and your ems. Best insurance you will EVER buy I guarantee!
 
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JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
So often the simplest fix is the simplest problem. ALWAYS check those first. Electrical gremlins are often tied to bad grounds or connections. If you haven't yet you should purchase a EMS unit to protect your rig. Progressive industries makes the best in my opinion and has saved us many times! It is something you will never regret buying! :) Check them out http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems_hw50c.htm I bought mine in 2004 and just this last december it was destroyed by a water issue but shut the power off to our rig to protect it. It was worth the money for the sacrafice it made to protect my rv. THEN to go a step further the owner of Progressive said send it back and I will repair or replace it at no charge to me!!!!!!! AND HE DID! I had it back in a week! That is customer service! :D

Did you do the install yourself or have it done? Do you have photos of the install? I'm considering getting either the SurgeGuard or the Progressive unit.
 

Pulltab

Well-known member
John, you can install it yourself, it honestly is easy, cut your wire connect the red white and black to the breaker then off the other side same thing, then ground both sides with your green wire. Plug it in and your ready to go. If your not comfortable with it any electric guy can do it or camping world. I do not have any pics of the install but I have moved it 3 times as I changed rigs. I mounted mine right behind the basement wall where the converter is located.

We will be at the Heartland rally in June and if you havent got it installed I would be glad to help for do it for you. :)
 

Pulltab

Well-known member
John, you can install it yourself, it honestly is easy, cut your wire connect the red white and black to the breaker then off the other side same thing, then ground both sides with your green wire. Plug it in and your ready to go. If your not comfortable with it any electric guy can do it or camping world. I do not have any pics of the install but I have moved it 3 times as I changed rigs. I mounted mine right behind the basement wall where the converter is located.

We will be at the Heartland rally in June and if you havent got it installed I would be glad to help for do it for you. :)

I have no experience with the surge guard but I am sure it is a good product, but I personally would never buy anything else than the Progressive after the customer service I got from them and all our friends who have installed them I am sure would do the same.
 

Tom of Ypsi

Well-known member
I am down here in Tx and have a Surge Guard. Lately my power has been going off, mostly between 7-9 am or late afternoon 4 pm and later. After telling the park manager he told me my Surge Guard is probably too sensitive since no one else has complained. Checking the 50 Amp I have one leg at 25 and the other leg at 17. The manager has acknowledged this but that is all. One of the workampers checked this out and got the same readings. Question: Is this difference enough to cause power loss?
 

nhunter

Well-known member
I have no experience with the surge guard but I am sure it is a good product, but I personally would never buy anything else than the Progressive after the customer service I got from them and all our friends who have installed them I am sure would do the same.
What happens when you plug into 30amp power with 50amp protector? And did you get remote display?
 

Pulltab

Well-known member
I am down here in Tx and have a Surge Guard. Lately my power has been going off, mostly between 7-9 am or late afternoon 4 pm and later. After telling the park manager he told me my Surge Guard is probably too sensitive since no one else has complained. Checking the 50 Amp I have one leg at 25 and the other leg at 17. The manager has acknowledged this but that is all. One of the workampers checked this out and got the same readings. Question: Is this difference enough to cause power loss?
Tom if you are referring to AMPS on each leg, that is not causing your problem as that depends on what appliances are connected to that side of the breaker box. I would guess your problem is high or low voltage. I believe most of them will shut off at 10% variance to protect the coach. In the morning could be everyone is using power drawing down the line voltage, not uncommon. The reason no one else is having problems is because they are not using a surge protector, that was an ignorant comment for the manager to make. I have heard that comment WAY to many times. At our home park I hooked up and got no power when I read the code it said reversed polarity, I reported it and was told that the last 500 people to hook up to it had no problems, I said I am not risking my rig on the past of others, I showed him the readings and he promptly corrected the plug. :cool::cool:
 
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