Arrived at my site tonight (will be here for 2 weeks) and the refer was beeping (NO AC). Microwave had power, so I was a bit perplexed. Breakers in the AC panel were good. Tried to reset GFI in bathroom and it would not allow me to press the Test button. Ah - no power to it either.
Got out the DVM (digital volt meter), went out to the power ped and measured from ground to each hot leg. L1 was 118 VAC and L2 was around 30 VAC. No voltage between L1 and L2 (odd) and no voltage between ground and neutral. This tells me that there is an issue at the breaker in the ped or with the commercial power utility feed.
Checked the 30 amp receptacle at the power ped and got the same 30 VAC across the red lead (L1) and ground. So it is obviously on the bad AC leg.
As I did not want to tear into the rest of this power pedestal tonight, I moved L1 from the 50 amp receptacle over to the L1 position of the 30 amp receptacle, then used a dog bone adapter (30 to 50 amp) to power the coach.
Viola!
Tomorrow, I'll check with the developer to see if they can remove power to this power ped so I can tear into it or allow them to fix it if they want. At this location, the site owners are responsible for the power pedestals, so I may end up living off the 30 amp receptacle for my entire stay, then I'll rewire it back the way I found it.
I have spoken by phone to the site owner, so he's in the loop with the issue and anything I do to his power ped.
Why type all this out here?
To point out how important it is to carry a VOM (volt ohm meter - analog or digital (DVM)) in your tool box.
While I am not advocating that any RVer tear into the power pedestal as I have, it shows that these issues can and will come up. By learning more about how these things work and some common failures, it may help you get yours repaired sooner rather than later when you know how to test and then know what/where the trouble is.
Happy camping!
Got out the DVM (digital volt meter), went out to the power ped and measured from ground to each hot leg. L1 was 118 VAC and L2 was around 30 VAC. No voltage between L1 and L2 (odd) and no voltage between ground and neutral. This tells me that there is an issue at the breaker in the ped or with the commercial power utility feed.
Checked the 30 amp receptacle at the power ped and got the same 30 VAC across the red lead (L1) and ground. So it is obviously on the bad AC leg.
As I did not want to tear into the rest of this power pedestal tonight, I moved L1 from the 50 amp receptacle over to the L1 position of the 30 amp receptacle, then used a dog bone adapter (30 to 50 amp) to power the coach.
Viola!
Tomorrow, I'll check with the developer to see if they can remove power to this power ped so I can tear into it or allow them to fix it if they want. At this location, the site owners are responsible for the power pedestals, so I may end up living off the 30 amp receptacle for my entire stay, then I'll rewire it back the way I found it.
I have spoken by phone to the site owner, so he's in the loop with the issue and anything I do to his power ped.
Why type all this out here?
To point out how important it is to carry a VOM (volt ohm meter - analog or digital (DVM)) in your tool box.
While I am not advocating that any RVer tear into the power pedestal as I have, it shows that these issues can and will come up. By learning more about how these things work and some common failures, it may help you get yours repaired sooner rather than later when you know how to test and then know what/where the trouble is.
Happy camping!
Bring your "hot gloves" over today and we'll tackle it 
