Get a polarity checker for campground wiring
Allan Alton
my estimation 5 to 10 percent of the campground plugins we tried had wiring
problems. Mainly it was reversed polarity (hot and neutral reversed) but we
also found open grounds. At least one campground ignored my report and let
other campers use the site. Their maintenance man said it was "okay".
We got into a regular habit of checking immediately after an experience
where my kids told me about how they got a shock every time they climbed
into the motorhome. That could have been much more serious.
I strongly advise everyone to get a polarity checker you can plug in to one
of your 110 volt plugs in your unit or else get a 30 to 15 amp adapter so
you can check the polarity at the post. The checkers are probably 5 to 10
dollars at most hardware stores. And don't accept the complacency of
campground employees. Someone is going to get hurt.
Allan
Jctaylor74
for several years; I've found quite a few incorrectly-wired campground outlets
by using a simple and inexpensive polarity checker before I plugged the rig
into the hook-up. And, when I reported these to the campground management, I
was assigned another site, but only rarely did they send someone - at least, as
far as I observed - to check the wiring and take the site out of service;
someone else was usually given the one(s) with the bad wiring. Obviously, the
"zap potential" wasn't considered too important unless the customer complained!
Your advice to use this device is good; it can save someone - and the rig's
wiring - from serious injury or damage.
Dbaleria
>of your 110 volt plugs in your unit or else get a 30 to 15 amp adapter so
>you can check the polarity at the post.
We have had but one similar experience, having used the checker since day one
of RVing. At first I just kept it plugged into the wall outlet visible from
the door, so when we plugged in, we could see the condition. Then it dawned on
me, why take the effort to back in, line up, etc., only to find the electrical
supply is faulty. Now I keep, the checker plugged into a 30 amp. to 110 VAC
adapter, as you mentioned, and check first, right at the post. At one low end
place we once stayed at (partially full mobile home park in a very small old
town), we found two dead outlets, a couple with reversed polarity and a couple
with open grounds, most of the spaces. We found and stayed in the one space
that was good. Only concern then was surge suppression and brown outs, after
seeing that many bad ones.
But that is the only park we have had that experience. Sounds like there is
more, and we will keep checking as you recommend. It only takes a couple
minutes, as we keep the adapter/checker handy. Thanks.
Dave Baleria
Good Sam Lifer, SKPs, N7DAB
1999 Life on Wheels Graduate
Dave Dodson
electricity and electronics (dc circuits) so I am familiar with the problems
of polarity as applied to dc workings. I have only a modicum of experience
with ac circuits and given the nature of the beast, electricity flows in
both directions, what is the problem with polarity? Doesn't the "so-called
HOT wire become the neutral side during half the cycle and vice-versa during
the other half? It would seem that the only danger would be to a device that
took current only during half the cycle (intentionally) and might get
reverse flow if the two sides were reversed. The potential danger of an
open ground on the other hand I can readily visualize...Done that! Any
explanations for an ac dummy?
Dave D
Allan Alton <aal...@NOSPAM.bc.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:0ZHA3.1581$Z87.5...@news.bctel.net...
> We just returned from a 71 day cross Canada and back through the US trip.
In
> my estimation 5 to 10 percent of the campground plugins we tried had
wiring
> problems. Mainly it was reversed polarity (hot and neutral reversed) but
we
> also found open grounds. At least one campground ignored my report and let
> other campers use the site. Their maintenance man said it was "okay".
>
> We got into a regular habit of checking immediately after an experience
> where my kids told me about how they got a shock every time they climbed
> into the motorhome. That could have been much more serious.
>
> I strongly advise everyone to get a polarity checker you can plug in to
one
> of your 110 volt plugs in your unit or else get a 30 to 15 amp adapter so
Ben Franklin VI
is one alternation. The heart is modicum paltry chicken about being a
conductor. It cares not whence the electrons came, which way they goeth. You
ain't no dummy. You knows -- enough flows -- you -- goes!
Black, White, Green (conduit or system ground): Plus, Minus, Earth: Hot,
Neutral, Ground: Line, N, Terra Firma. Same 3 wires, similar names. Terminals
of Brass connect Black, hot, line etc.. Terminals of Bright connect White,
Neut. etc.. Terminals of Green connect Terra Firma.
Your camper should have no connection from green to black or white. Check this
with an ohmmeter. Expect megohms.
D. Woodhead Cat. No. 1750 is the tester I use. It is about the size of an
industrial male cord cap, has three lamps, red(R), clear(C), amber(A). Just
plug it in and read the good/bad news as follows:
AC=correct wiring, RA=reversed polarity ie black and white reversed. A (only)
= open ground wire; C (only) = open neutral wire, (no lamps) = open hot wire;
RC=hot & ground reversed KILLER; R (only) hot on neut. term & hot term
unwired.
Green and white are to be tied together at only one point. This point is at
the distribution panel.
If your test shows other than OK and you do not fully understand the problem
and decide to live with it or correct it; I would suggest -- MOVE.
I have seen 30-20 adapters that cause a polarity reversal. (Manufacturer had
bad tooling)
I have seen a duplex receptacle with the tall slot connected to the hot or
brass terminal (bad tooling again)
The worst case is this: The CG handy man, knows green and white share a common
terminal at the panel, thus he believes that the two are virtually the "same
thing". -- He connects your campsite, has two wires B & W no G -- so he
connects the white wire to the brite (white metal terminal) and also to the
green terminal.
What he does not know is that the polarity has been accidently in the previous
junction box. You plug up your camper, try the microwave set it for one
minuter, it works, everything works. Now wash up. No towel -- just step
outside, shake fingers dry. Careful on the step, (bad back) hold to the door
handle and grab the steel site marker post. You cannot let go, only grip
tighter. Lower body works poorly, upper body not at all. IF you could talk
you would politely ask someone to unplug your rig. The sky is clear yet you
see a thousand lightning flashes. No one notices. No one notices. Still no
one notices.
You bring the door handle into contact with the steel post, sparks fly, the
breaker trips and you fall to the grass. The mechanical micro wave timer
chimes. It has been a long minute. If the timer had been set for 45 seconds
the breaker would not have tripped, the door to post current was only 15 amps.
Thanks to coincidence, Dave you are with us today. Coincidence = God's
anonymous miracle.
1955, modicum DC knowlege, in a grain elevator construction in Dowagic, MI the
above happened almost exactly as related. I survived. The white-green
connection was in a two prong cord cap on a hand grinder (equivalent to door
handle above). The 'site marker post' was the top rung of a 100 foot steel
ladder, my feet were down a couple of rungs. I drug the grinder into contact
with the ladder. The breaker was 100A. The green wire vaporized at the cord
cap. Next day the millwright was puzzled at my upset demeanor.
I just quit smoking* a month ago.
--Ben--
>Subject: Re: Get a polarity checker for campground wiring
>From: "Dave Dodson" ddo...@gci.net
>Date: Tue, 07 September 1999 08:11 PM EDT
>Message-id: <37d5...@news.gci.net>
*tobacco actually
.
.
"He that falls in love with himself will have no rivals."
(Franklin 1706-1790)
My way or the Highway! --- Ben ---
wi...@epix.net
On Tue, 7 Sep 1999, Dave Dodson wrote:
> . . . . what is the problem with polarity? Doesn't the "so-called
> HOT wire become the neutral side during half the cycle and vice-versa during
> the other half?
The neutral conductor alternately conducts current in opposite directions,
but is always at ground potential in a correctly-installed system. Neutral
and ground are tied together at the main panel. If every appliance you own
is correctly grounded, reversed polarity may do nothing worse than pop a
circuit breaker -- but its entirely possible to have various kinds of
problems (including shocks).
This is another situation where having everything right assures that one
mistake somewhere won't kill someone.
Will KD3XR
Dave W
should be tied together at the "main panel" - is that my panel on my unit,
or the one on the campground post ? I've had an "open common" for a long
time now, checked all the wires and didn't find any "Open" - but the green
and white are not connected either. I have 50A service..
Thanks.
<wi...@epix.net> wrote in message
news:Pine.SOL.4.10.990908...@parsley.epix.net...
wi...@epix.net
On Wed, 8 Sep 1999, Dave W wrote:
> I'm having just a little problem following - you say the white and green
> should be tied together at the "main panel" - is that my panel on my unit,
> or the one on the campground post ? I've had an "open common" for a long
> time now, checked all the wires and didn't find any "Open" - but the green
> and white are not connected either. I have 50A service..
Neutral & ground (white & green usually) are tied together ONLY at the
main (supply) panel, not in your rv. Exception: they will be tied together
at your generator, if you have one.
Will KD3XR
Chris Bryant
wrote:
>This whole thread interests me greatly. I have some experience with
>electricity and electronics (dc circuits) so I am familiar with the problems
>of polarity as applied to dc workings. I have only a modicum of experience
>with ac circuits and given the nature of the beast, electricity flows in
>both directions, what is the problem with polarity? Doesn't the "so-called
>HOT wire become the neutral side during half the cycle and vice-versa during
>the other half? It would seem that the only danger would be to a device that
>took current only during half the cycle (intentionally) and might get
>reverse flow if the two sides were reversed. The potential danger of an
>open ground on the other hand I can readily visualize...Done that! Any
>explanations for an ac dummy?
>
>Dave D
I must admit, I had to think about it for a while. This may
get me jumped on by a _real_ electrician <g> and this is all for
arguments sake, but think of the neutral *as* ground. It is always at
zero, and the hot is alternating between positive and negative.
Actually, the ground is really a "safety" ground- it should
*never* carry a current.
So, thinking in DC circuit terms, you have the V+ and- on the
"hot", and the neutral is the ground- in terms of circuit design, you
can leave out the "safety ground".
dre...@atlantic.net
running (pulling current), both the hot and neutral wires have current (60 cycles
per second). Zap! If nothing is running, the neutral wire is "cool" but the hot
wire has current.
Never touch two wires at the same time!
Polarity is important to newer electronics such as computers but matters little
to a toaster for example. I'll leave it up to you guys to play with your
multimeters and grounds to check it.
Dot
Chris Bryant wrote:
--
Dot Reaves
North Central Florida
MAILTO:dre...@atlantic.net
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the
roadside inns. He drives his RV direct to the illimitable
domain of a Wal-Mart parking lot, his ultimate destination.
-- Sivananda, Swami (1887-1963)
Slightly misquoted ;-)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
wi...@epix.net
On Wed, 8 Sep 1999 dre...@atlantic.net wrote:
> For safety, there should always be a third wire for ground. If
> something is running (pulling current), both the hot and neutral wires
> have current (60 cycles per second). Zap! If nothing is running, the
> neutral wire is "cool" but the hot wire has current.
Not so fast. The neutral wire in a correctly connected circuit will have
no significant voltage potential with respect to ground regardless of the
current passing through it. It is tied to ground at the main panel. The
hazard to humans arises when current passes through the body.
I am not suggesting you grab the neutral in a live circuit to prove this,
but only the "hot" wire has a voltage potential sufficient to shock you.
Will KD3XR