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08-03-2020, 05:13 AM
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#1
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Rivet Master
2017 19' International
Tallahassee
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 938
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Checking voltage in trailer
How would one check the voltage coming into the trailer?
I've grown concerned that busy campgrounds, especially on a warm afternoon, may have demand so strong that the system can't deliver the full voltage load.
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08-03-2020, 05:25 AM
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#2
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Rivet Master
2018 25' International
Slidell
, Louisiana
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 3,725
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A surge protector with low and high voltage detector and a digital readout is a good investment ($180-300) and then you can easily know power quality and trailer current usage. Otherwise get a medium quality (true rms voltage) multimeter ($25-35 another good investment) use the probes on any wall outlet and read trailer voltage from there.
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08-03-2020, 05:27 AM
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#3
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Rivet Master
2012 25' FB International
Trent Woods
, North Carolina
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 3,120
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Many of us have an EMS that plugs into the pedestal, then our cord plugs into the EMS. The EMS reads out voltage and in most cases protects against severe undervoltage. Without that, you can simply measure the voltage with a voltmeter plugged into one of your outlets..that is close enough.
You are right, quite a few campgrounds do not provide full voltage, especially when every trailer in the park has A/C running.
Larry
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08-03-2020, 05:27 AM
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#4
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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My KISS solution...
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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08-03-2020, 09:44 AM
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#5
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Trilla the Traveling Tube
2018 22' Sport
Dayton
, Wyoming
Join Date: Jul 2019
Posts: 303
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lsbrodsky
Many of us have an EMS that plugs into the pedestal, then our cord plugs into the EMS. The EMS reads out voltage and in most cases protects against severe undervoltage. Without that, you can simply measure the voltage with a voltmeter plugged into one of your outlets..that is close enough.
You are right, quite a few campgrounds do not provide full voltage, especially when every trailer in the park has A/C running.
Larry
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Ditto - this was one of our first purchases before we took our new AS out for her first trip! My husband carried an electrical license for many years and is a stickler for proper protection. We even have a surge protector system on our house.
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08-03-2020, 09:50 AM
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#6
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,684
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Hi
First off: If you don't already have a multimeter, get one. Even the $20 version from the big box store will do ok. Then learn how to safely use it to check various voltages / currents / circuits in the trailer and TV. You *will* need one of these and the ability to use it at some point in time.....
Second: Indeed, get a proper EMS unit for the trailer. I happen to like the Progressive units. There are others out there. To some degree it's a "you get what you pay for" sort of thing. The setup I have allows me to check voltages and currents without getting out of my chair in the trailer ....
Yes, this is a bit of money. It's money well spent when you see some of the odd things campgrounds try to do to your electrical feed.
Bob
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08-03-2020, 10:08 AM
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#7
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3 Rivet Member
2019 23' Flying Cloud
Waterford
, New York
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 150
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Autoformer
I second the autoformer.
I own a small Marina where my airstream spends most of the summer. On Friday afternoon when when most of the customers show up to their boats, turn on ac, water heater And pop dinner in the oven the voltage dips for a while. The ac on my airstream sounded like it was laboring. Added the autoformer and end of problem. The boat systems seam to be a little more tolerant than the AC on the airstream.
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08-03-2020, 10:14 AM
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#8
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1 Rivet Member
2020 30’ Globetrotter
Phoenix
, Arizona
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 11
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This is a little overkill but this is what I have in addition to a 50 amp surge protector with a interior bluetooth monitor.
https://www.airforums.com/forums/sho...66#post2392166
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08-03-2020, 10:16 AM
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#9
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1 Rivet Member
2019 27' International
Martensville
, Saskatchewan
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 14
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I also use the Progressive Industries EMS. Yesterday, with a full campground on a very hot day, the PI EMS protected my a/c unit and other electrical components by shutting down power to the rig on low voltage. (below 104 volts) ‘E4’ error code on EMS and ‘E7’ error code on AS panel.
The Progressive Industries EMS unit would be the first essential purchase I would recommend before hitting the road.
Mark
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08-03-2020, 10:36 AM
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#11
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1 Rivet Member
2003 19' Bambi
Blue Mountains
, Ontario
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 5
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Cheap solution
Killawatt plugs into a socket and displays constantly. I also used to plug into 30 amp adapter, plug your standard 110 circuit tester into it and then plug into campground pedestal. I could then tell the amps at the pedestal and whether the 30 receptacle on the Post was properly wired. I have upgraded for constant monitoring but still leave the killawatt plugged in inside the AS to monitor real-time the volts.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Kill-A-W...4400/202196386
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08-03-2020, 10:43 AM
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#12
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Rivet Master
2019 25' International
Washington
, Washington, D.C.
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 1,265
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Photo of what my polarity meter it shows when plugged in:
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08-03-2020, 11:04 AM
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#13
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Rivet Master
1988 25' Excella
1987 32' Excella
Knoxville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 5,103
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I have a old analog volt meter from Radio Shack that I keep plugged into a bathroom outlet.
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08-03-2020, 02:08 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
Currently Looking...
2022 Atlas
Homosassa
, Florida
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 729
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I have a 50 amp Airstream so I use Hughes Power Watchdog that manages voltages and will shut off power if a low or high voltage situation. It has Bluetooth so I can check on my phone.
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08-03-2020, 03:11 PM
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#15
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Rivet Master
2006 25' Safari FB SE
Spokane
, Washington
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,848
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bill M.
I have a old analog volt meter from Radio Shack that I keep plugged into a bathroom outlet.
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This is what I do. KISS is how I roll.
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08-04-2020, 10:56 AM
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#16
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2 Rivet Member
2020 27' Flying Cloud
Howell
, MI
Join Date: Oct 2019
Posts: 86
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This is what we are using with our Airstream as well. I really like it; very robust contactor and separate user-replaceable circuit board with the surge/spike protection components. I bought a spare board when I bought the unit. The Bluetooth capability is a really nice bonus. Nothing against Progressive Industries EMS units; we have one in our bus conversion and it has served us well. PI was sold, and there warranty is not what it used to be (which was lifetime, no questions asked). Still, I would not hesitate to use one. Two of the most important things we don't leave home without are the TPTMS and the EMS.
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08-06-2020, 12:36 PM
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#17
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:SPACE A" S/O 11 Air19745
2006 34' Classic S/O
Fort Worth
, Texas
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,766
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One low voltage problem another camper and I solved at a large campground was realizing we were too far from the power transformers in the park. There were several. We were having low voltage because we were at the tail end of the electrical distibution system. We move closer to a transformer and got much higher voltage.
guskmg
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08-06-2020, 01:23 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
2014 25' Flying Cloud
Cuddebackville
, New York
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 4,333
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Like Craigleith I keep a Kilawatt plugged in.
__________________
2014 25' Flying Cloud Rear Twin
2019 Ford Expedition Platinum
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08-10-2020, 05:55 AM
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#19
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2 Rivet Member
2015 28' International
Portsmouth
, Virginia
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 27
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Very nice!!!! Thanks
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