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Campground Electricity |
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If you enjoy the RV lifestyle because you can go
"just about anywhere", you'll certainly encounter all sorts of challenges.
Caravans / RVs that have a 30 amp plug, and only 15 amp receptacles, you'll need a
15 to 30 amp adapter. Similar adapters are available to go from 50 amps down to
a 30 amp receptacle.
Some mobile home parks which accommodate occasional RVers will likely furnish a
50 amp receptacle; which means you'll need to also have an adapter which fits a
50 amp receptacle and will adapt to your regular 30 amp cord.
This can be a challenge for big rigs when only 15 amp receptacles are
available. The problem is that the large rig will be constrained by the 15 amp
source. The supply is "limited", and you won't be able to use, for
instance, two air conditioners. The trick is to know the amperage draw of every
electrical appliance in the RV. Amps are often given on the appliance itself.
If
it isn't use the formula "amps = watts/volts" to calculate the amps.
Thus a 1200 watt microwave operating on a standard 120 volt system will be
drawing (1200 watts/120 volts), or 10 amps. Where amperage is restricted, don't
plug in a coffee pot while you're running a water heater or microwave. In other
words, shut down some electric appliances while you're using others.
A common caravan/RV park problem which can be monitored is low voltage. This usually
occurs in older parks, where wiring is inadequate. There is very little you can
do about it. Voltage should be between 120-125. Low voltage is sometimes
detected when a TV picture begins to "get smaller". When the voltage
gets much below 110, it can be damaging to compressors, computers, and other
electrical appliances. Tip: In parks which
have marginal voltage, the closer your site is to the panel box, the higher
voltage you'll have. Avoid sites which are at the far end of the electric park's
installation.
Circuit
Analyzers
Usually the wiring in caravan/RV parks are satisfactory. But a
circuit analyzer should be plugged into the rustically first. It tells that
current is on, and the polarity is correct. Reverse polarity can damage certain
equipment, such as VCRs, TVs and computers.
Ground
Fault Interrupters
(GFI)
Where there is an imbalance in the electric load, this device will shut down the entire circuit. It can be reset simply by pushing in the reset button. Some caravan/RV parks are using GFI plugs for their campground outlets -- which is unfortunate, as they often simply won't work. If the caravan/RV is equipped with an inverter, the inverter will run through an entire battery bank before the problem is discovered.
Please read our Electrical Systems page for more information.