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Dickandvicki · 10-15-2018, 04:17 AM

We are camping in Santa Fe and the electricity went off in the middle of the night. There is power at the post, but it’s not on in the trailer. We checked our breakers and they seem to be fine.

Does anyone have an idea what could be causing this power?

AtomicNo13 · 10-15-2018, 05:49 AM

Bad transfer switch? Plug into the front generator inlet and see if it works from there.

Known and common failure point.

Dickandvicki · 10-15-2018, 09:07 AM

After the sun came up. This is what we found.

I just talked to a worker at the campground. He said that everyone with “theses boxes” the surge protector had problems. That this campground doesn’t need them :/

Do you think my whole electrical system is damaged?

Lumatic · 10-15-2018, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dickandvicki

I just talked to a worker at the campground. He said that everyone with “theses boxes” the surge protector had problems. That this campground doesn’t need them :/

That makes me suspicious of a problem with the campground wiring. Have you tried talking to Progressive Dynamics?

Can you post the name of the campground?

OTRA15 · 10-15-2018, 10:04 AM

^^^^^ x2

If all the surge protectors are causing problems, it is likely a problem with the CG system. Does your PD unit show any error codes? You may have avoided a major problem IMO.

Which CG please. . . Los Suenos perhaps? Saw a review on Yelp mentioning an electrical problem I think.

Peter

**GCinSC2** · 10-15-2018, 10:09 AM

What is the condition of the plug from your PD to the pedestal receptacle?

jdalrymple · 10-15-2018, 10:39 AM

My first guess would be a corroded or loose connection inside the male plug on the trailer cord.

Looks like two connectors were overheated...the round one is ground, so my money is the other is neutral.

Regards,

JD

ROBERT CROSS · 10-15-2018, 10:53 AM

That's just the CG's way of saying... "it's not our fault, it's yours" 😡
Call PD, send pic's if needed.

Do you have battery power?....a generator?
As noted ck the transfer switch...which outlet was used to plug into?

Bob
🇺🇸

Al and Missy · 10-15-2018, 10:59 AM

There is no way the ground pin should have current on it. I'm betting the site has a ground-neutral reversal problem. If not the site, then either the trailer or the surge protector does.

Go to a big box building supply store and buy an outlet tester. They are only a few $. If you don't have one, get a 30A male to 15A female adapter and a 50A male to 30A female adapter. Then plug the stack together to test the campground power before plugging in.

Al

DreamStreamr · 10-15-2018, 11:13 AM

Using the Progressive Dynamics ems, wouldn’t any polarity errors have been disclosed and prevented closing the ems’s contactor? I think Jeff’s suggestion seems likelier, if my guess is right about the ems. But yeah, the cg’s answer is unhelpful at best, and seems likely to be misdirection.

Al and Missy · 10-15-2018, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamStreamr

Using the Progressive Dynamics ems, wouldn’t any polarity errors have been disclosed and prevented closing the ems’s contactor? I think Jeff’s suggestion seems likelier, if my guess is right about the ems. But yeah, the cg’s answer is unhelpful at best, and seems likely to be misdirection.

Good point, Jim. However, under no circumstances should the ground pin be carrying current. After some research into pin configurations, the two pins that are melted are the ground and the neutral. In my opinion there must be a wiring error (or equipment failure) that has current flowing on the ground and neutral wires and not the hot wire. I just can't figure out what it is.....

But I'm tempted to think the fault actually is in the PD EMS.

Al

AYRSTRM2 · 10-15-2018, 12:44 PM

I have seen this kind of damage, but don't have any EMS or other fancy protection systems. When I have seen this kind of damage, it is when water has gotten in between the plug and outlet or other plug end on an extension cord, causing shorts across those pins, and they heat up. Was the electrical cord leading to the plug hot or melted?

OTRA15 · 10-15-2018, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dickandvicki

After the sun came up. This is what we found.
. . .

In addition to the many good questions and suggestions already, have you used this PD unit before with no previous problems?

Thanks,

Peter

OTRA15 · 10-15-2018, 04:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dickandvicki

After the sun came up.
. . .

Do you realize that your replies are being posted in your blog?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/blog...kandvicki.html

Dickandvicki · 10-15-2018, 05:32 PM

No, I didn’t.. thanks for the heads up.

SilverHouseDreams · 10-16-2018, 09:57 PM

Undervoltage condition? I don’t think portable units protect against that, and as voltage drops amps go up...and something like this happens.

SteveSueMac · 10-17-2018, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverHouseDreams

Undervoltage condition? I don’t think portable units protect against that, and as voltage drops amps go up...and something like this happens.

Hi - the PI portable protects from both high and low voltage (and more).

http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems-pt30x

Dickandvicki · 10-17-2018, 03:05 PM

I really want to thank all of you for your help. I thought I was answering your questions and responding to your posts, but I was actually somehow making blog posts instead :/ Thank you again.

On Monday we left Santa Fe and headed home to Tulsa. I have an appointment at Airstream Service in Oklahoma City tomorrow. I’ll post and let you know what they say happened as soon as I find out, but I probably won’t know anything for a couple of weeks, as they are pretty backed up.

I took your advise and called Progressive Management System. They said the failure could have been caused by either water getting in between the plug and surger protector or corrosion on the prongs. It had been raining hard the day we had the failure so I bet that’s what happened.

PMS said they will replace the unit, all I have to do is submit a claims form

My fingers and toes are crossed that the only damage is to male connector from the Airstream and not my electrical system. Everything works fine on 12 volt batteries, so I think that’s a good sign (however we were running the AC heater)

Once again you AS experts rock!

Thank you,
Vickie

**moosetags** · 10-17-2018, 03:50 PM

I had a similar power cord burn out a number of years ago in Quartzsite, Arizona. It was a really hot day in the middle of the summer. My surge protector and male end of my power plug were burned up just like yours. I was able to get a new male end for the power cord. About an hour later, I was back in business. Everything in the trailer worked just fine. I never did find out what caused the problem, but it was not rain. Since then, I have always carried a back-up 30 amp power cord.

Brian

**GCinSC2** · 10-18-2018, 05:32 AM

My plug burn up was from a loose wire to receptacle connection and likely typical hard use wear on prongs. Resistance from bad loose connection created heat burned plug. Park replaced receptacle and I used spare cable. I carry a spare plug.