DIY Power Pedestal Tester

[JanAndBill]

If you're even a little mechanically inclined you should be able to build one of these in an couple of hours. It will check for a true 50 amp circuit, open ground, and test the voltage on each leg. As with all things electrical if you don't know what you're doing you can cause major damage to yourself, so I make no claims to the safety of this device. http://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/tester_50amp.htm I had some parts on hand, but even if you buy everything it should cost less than $50.

 

[dbbls59]

Thanks for the post Bill. I think I will make one of these. I already have most of the parts. How did you secure the circuit tester to the box?

 

[DougS]

I made one of these testers years ago but have to admit I do not use it often. I only have one circuit tester and just unplug it from outlet to the other one. The test light I held in place with some hot stick glue.

 

[Gizzy]

I made one of these several years ago and try to use it on a regular basis. My biggest problem is remembering to use it BEFORE I park in a site. There is nothing more frustrating than going through the hassle of getting properly parked only to discover a bad electrical hookup.

 

[JanAndBill]

Thanks for the post Bill. I think I will make one of these. I already have most of the parts. How did you secure the circuit tester to the box?

I had a rubber gromment on hand that worked. You could also probably use epoxy.

- - - Updated - - -

I made one of these several years ago and try to use it on a regular basis. My biggest problem is remembering to use it BEFORE I park in a site. There is nothing more frustrating than going through the hassle of getting properly parked only to discover a bad electrical hookup.

It seems like I can use this BEFORE I do any setup 100 times and the one time I don't is the time I have a bad pedestal.

 

[Bogie]

While these are great for an initial check, they won't help when the park has intermittent problems. That's why I installed an internal Progressive Industries EMS. I have stayed in parks where everything checks out fine., but then randomly and intermittently the power would brown out. The EMS protected us as advertised. Yes, it is more expensive, but not more than replacing a TV or Microwave.

 

[Gaffer]

No substitute for the Progressive surge protector. I would put the $50 towards one. Then you get over and under voltage protection, surge protection, open ground protection, open neutral protection, reverse polarity protection etc. And not just at the moment you check it. You have protection if there is a system or utility problem after you are connected.

 

[JanAndBill]

No substitute for the Progressive surge protector.

Obviously it isn't designed to be a substitute for a surge protector. It's merely a tool to keep you from wasting time setting up at a site with a bad pedestal. In the last 20 years I've only had one surge that caused damage and that was from lightning. I have found numerous open grounds, fake 50 amp circuits, low voltage and one leg dead pedestals.

 

[SilverRhino]

Obviously it isn't designed to be a substitute for a surge protector. It's merely a tool to keep you from wasting time setting up at a site with a bad pedestal. In the last 20 years I've only had one surge that caused damage and that was from lightning. I have found numerous open grounds, fake 50 amp circuits, low voltage and one leg dead pedestals.

Totally agree with JanAndBill...... We have experienced the same thing. This type of tester or a multi meter can save the headache of having gotten all set just to find an electrical problem at the post.

 

[rxbristol]

I built one and love it.

 

[wdk450]

I have had the Progressive EMS several times start disconnecting park power AFTER many days of stay with no problems. This just says that power supply conditions (usually due to deteriorating supply wiring connections) can change during your stays. I WILL say that my Progressive EMS DID NOT detect a HOT SKIN (120 volts AC on "grounded" surfaces of the trailer. I only detected the condition by getting a mild shock (while prepping to depart a park AFTER a 2 week stay). In this last case the metal park pedestal was "live" due to grounding problems. I have since bought and use a non-contact voltage tester when first connecting to a park pedestal.

In my RV space arrival procedure checklist, I first back into the space, level with leveling blocks side-to-side, test the shore power outlet with the non-contact voltage tester, make the shore power connections and turn on the pedestal circuit breaker, test the trailer frame with the non-contact voltage tester, go inside the trailer and observe the Progressive EMS readout for proper readings; THEN I finally flip on the inside master circuit breakers to apply power to the RV. I now have power to the converter/charger to assist the batteries in running the front landing gear and rear stabilizers. With this method, I am not to far committed if I ever find a RV space's power not correct - just pull off the power cord and retrieve the leveling blocks.

 

[JanAndBill]

Bill, if there's room I don't even back in. I pull the tester out and plug it in first, because without a good power pedestal everything else is irrelevant.