Blue Light on Power Cord--is this sucker grounded?

[CalamityJane]

Hi Guys and Gals: My trailer is in my driveway, by my home and is plugged in. At the trailer connection, the power cord has a blue light that has shown beautifully til tonight. I was inside the trailer and I noted that my voltmeter didn’t register 110, nor anywhere near it. I had just started the furnace (yes---it’s cooler tonight and I have company coming tomorrow to stay in my driveway in the Airstream and I wanted to check to be sure they would be warm enough) and I also clicked on the electric hot water heater.

The blue light: it goes on when I touch it (am I a ground??) and it goes off when I do not touch it. I am also wondering if I blew a fuse---so I checked the house circuit breaker box and flicked the garage (where the trailer power cord is plugged in) breakers a couple of times.

Hmmmmmm......HELP?
Jane

[ventport]

Plug the volt meter into the end of the power cord and see if it's 110, if not you found your problem.

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by CalamityJane

Hi Guys and Gals: My trailer is in my driveway, by my home and is plugged in. At the trailer connection, the power cord has a blue light that has shown beautifully til tonight. I was inside the trailer and I noted that my voltmeter didn’t register 110, nor anywhere near it. I had just started the furnace (yes---it’s cooler tonight and I have company coming tomorrow to stay in my driveway in the Airstream and I wanted to check to be sure they would be warm enough) and I also clicked on the electric hot water heater.

The blue light: it goes on when I touch it (am I a ground??) and it goes off when I do not touch it. I am also wondering if I blew a fuse---so I checked the house circuit breaker box and flicked the garage (where the trailer power cord is plugged in) breakers a couple of times.

Hmmmmmm......HELP?


Jane

It sounds like your cord is faulty. The blue light means that power is getting to the plug. There may be a broken wire at the connector. See if the light flickers on and off when you wiggle the cord.

If it does, it either needs to be repaired or replaced.

Ken

[richinny]

how is the trailer plugged into the house?

[CalamityJane]

Hi Guys!
Thanks, Ventport---it’s raining, so I think I will wait until tomorrow to try plugging the voltmeter into the power cord---did I mention that I fear water and electricity ?? But I will try it tomorrow.
And richinny, the trailer is plugged into the garage outlet that is a 3 prong plug/receptacle. I have plugged a trailer in there for the past 20+ years---but I might want to check it tomorrow with some other power tool! And W7ts, it is when I put pressure on the blue light area cover thing that the it lights---not when I wiggle the cord.

I’m wondering it the rain may have caused the problem....hmmmmmmmm

[CalamityJane]

I figured it out and it was SIMPLE---I had blown a fuse in the garage and that’s where I had the trialer plugged in----new fuse =PROBLEM SOLVED

Thanks again to those of you who helped me.

Jane

[wmarsha]

I suspect the trailer you have now is newer than the others you have had plugged in before and the "older" trailers did not have an electric water heater. So, I am wondering if you had water in the water heater when you turned it on? Probably, but an electric heating element pulls more current than your average "appliances." So I suspect that turning on the electric water heater will blow the fuse again. Now, If you did not have water in the water heater, the heating element in the water heater tank burned out and caused a short which in turn blew the fuse.
Fuses are there to protect the wiring from overheating. They do not operate (blow) for no reason. Check it out.
just sayin'
ol' bill

[mefly2]

Why did the fuse blow in the garage ?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, without seeing or knowing exactly what you have, I would guess that your extension cord is too small for large loads like an electrically heated water heater. This load is probably too much for your circuit too and will blow again. Buy a 30 Amp RV extension cord and use a dog bone adapter. [unless you have an RV 30 Amp circuit]

[drew05]

More importantly, what is the house circuit rated for? Using cheater cords/adaptors is ok as long as you don't exceed the circuit rated max.

If you have a 20 amp rated circuit, chances are the heater and electric water heater together require 20 amps (or at least spiked) and tripped the breaker/fuse. There is a plus/minus tolerance for circuit breakers, plus they are known to age and trip below the rated limits.

Good Luck

[CalamityJane]

Hi! I didn’t have the electric water heater turned on when the fuse went---but I thank you for suggesting that it could be a problem. My neighbor is an electrician and he came over (on a Sunday, even !!) we are all set and good now. I appreciate each of you for taking the time to provide some advice. Jane

[Michigander]

Originally Posted by ROBERTSUNRUS

.........use a dog bone adapter.

OK, so what's a dog bone adapter? Please post a photo!

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Michigander

OK, so what's a dog bone adapter? Please post a photo!

Check this link.
There are pictures and a bunch of references.

https://www.google.com/search?source....1.3t7UDKcmM10

Ke

[mefly2]

Or even a simple 30 to 15 direct plug on adapter ....will keep a 15-20 amp CB happy, too.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by CalamityJane

Hi! I didn’t have the electric water heater turned on when the fuse went---but I thank you for suggesting that it could be a problem. My neighbor is an electrician and he came over (on a Sunday, even !!) we are all set and good now. I appreciate each of you for taking the time to provide some advice. Jane

Hi, so what did your electrician do, fix, or find?