shore power plug melted

[Alwhisman]

It's very common with molded plug heads. Thats the weak link. Just cut it off and replace it, should be fine.

Al

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, melted connectors and/or plugs are caused by a loose/poor connection. A larger load will just make it happen quicker. An overload with proper connections will trip the circuit breaker, either in your trailer or at the power source. I have been to camp grounds where the plug slips in real easy; This is not good. I have not done this to my trailer and I hope I never have to, but you can bend your contact blades into a slight arch and this will make a tight fit in a loose receptical.

[kennethowens]

I looked at the 50-to-30 adapters. The wire size is small.
When they rate them at 30 amps...that is MAX amp draw
for a short "Duty Cycle". The modern Air Coditioner - by itself -
can strain(heat) the OEM 30 amp cord. Any added adapters
can make it worse because they are often of smaller wire size.
If a person wants to use All of the MAX 30 amps....then it seems
a larger supply cord(one that is capable of >30 amps) continuous
duty would work fine. I suggest an outdoor cable that is sunlight
and water resistant 6/3 with ground the entire distance. It seems
better to "over supply and under-use" than to "under supply and over-use".
These melted cords are evidence of "under supply and over-use".

[Melody Ranch]

I just had a handyman electrician install a 30 amp and a couple 15 amp outlets in a box outside my barn....making available power to any visiting Airstreamer.....and me when parked out under the trees. BUT, before I go any further with it...even test it...I have a nagging recollection that somewhere here in the Forum...a mention was made about being sure that the electrician knew that this was to be power for an RV...not a residence. 220 volts/240 volts something like that. I know nothing about it and and need to be sure about this....any input out there?

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Chuck has found a 20 amp outlet can be used if you aren't trying to run any other high-demand appliances on house current (eg, no microwave, put fridge on propane, etc) -- but most people don't even have 20 amp outlets in their home.

Hi, electrical code for my Lakewood house has 15 amp circuits for all ceiling lamps/porch lamps and wall mounted light switches; All recepticals are 20 amp. I would think that should be national standard, but maybe not. This may be a code upgrade from adding on and running new systems for remodeling our home. Our original wall plugs were two prong/non-grounded.

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by CanoeStream

Chuck has found a 20 amp outlet can be used if you aren't trying to run any other high-demand appliances on house current (eg, no microwave, put fridge on propane, etc) -- but most people don't even have 20 amp outlets in their home.

Depends on the age of your house. My house is full of 20A circuits. The addition in the 1990s has 15A outlets.
I added a 30A RV outlet by the street plus a 20A and an temp switched 15A. Total draw for all three is 40A.
I will be installing a 30A RV outlet where I park my trailer in the back yard. Just have to wait for the ground to thaw.

Both of the eletricians I have dealt with in Missoula will only install 12ga wire. Keeps problems to a minimum.

[richinny]

this might help
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f37/...ram-25523.html

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

I just had a handyman electrician install a 30 amp and a couple 15 amp outlets in a box outside my barn....making available power to any visiting Airstreamer.....and me when parked out under the trees. BUT, before I go any further with it...even test it...I have a nagging recollection that somewhere here in the Forum...a mention was made about being sure that the electrician knew that this was to be power for an RV...not a residence. 220 volts/240 volts something like that. I know nothing about it and and need to be sure about this....any input out there?

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

I just had a handyman electrician install a 30 amp and a couple 15 amp outlets in a box outside my barn....making available power to any visiting Airstreamer.....and me when parked out under the trees. BUT, before I go any further with it...even test it...I have a nagging recollection that somewhere here in the Forum...a mention was made about being sure that the electrician knew that this was to be power for an RV...not a residence. 220 volts/240 volts something like that. I know nothing about it and and need to be sure about this....any input out there?

Find someone who has a multimeter and can test it to see what voltage is on it. Also call the installer and ask him what he did. But, as you mentioned, until you know, don't plug anything into it.

Regards,
Ken

[Jammer]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

I just had a handyman electrician install a 30 amp and a couple 15 amp outlets in a box outside my barn....making available power to any visiting Airstreamer.....and me when parked out under the trees. BUT, before I go any further with it...even test it...I have a nagging recollection that somewhere here in the Forum...a mention was made about being sure that the electrician knew that this was to be power for an RV...not a residence. 220 volts/240 volts something like that. I know nothing about it and and need to be sure about this....any input out there?

The 15 amp outlets shouldn't pose a problem. Let's talk about the 30 amp outlet.

1) Find the circuit breaker that controls it. Does it have one handle, like the 15 amp breakers, or two handles like the breaker for your range, dryer, water heater, etc. One handle =120v, two handles =240 volt, in most cases.

2) You can get a plug adapter here and a meter here for a total of about $20. Plug those together, plug into your outlet, and either peace of mind or the data for a strong letter to your electrician will be forthcoming quickly

3) Or you can just get the aforementioned plug adapter and plug in a regular table lamp with a good old incandescent bulb. If it shines brightly for half a second then burns out your electrician screwed up, if it shines normally everything is fine. The difference is dramatic and impossible to miss, and you won't hurt anything but the 60 watt bulb if the voltage is wrong.

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by Melody Ranch

I just had a handyman electrician install a 30 amp and a couple 15 amp outlets in a box outside my barn....making available power to any visiting Airstreamer.....and me when parked out under the trees. BUT, before I go any further with it...even test it...I have a nagging recollection that somewhere here in the Forum...a mention was made about being sure that the electrician knew that this was to be power for an RV...not a residence. 220 volts/240 volts something like that. I know nothing about it and and need to be sure about this....any input out there?

If the installer was an electrician and not a handman doing electrical work then I believe he will know if what he installed is appropriate for an RV.

You would use 220/240 volt wire for a 30 amp circuit for say a dryer or stove in your home and those outlets and plugs are designed differently than the 30 amp plug for an RV. Could this have something to do with what you are remembering?

Carol

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by tallytwo1994

If the installer was an electrician and not a handman doing electrical work then I believe he will know if what he installed is appropriate for an RV.

You would use 220/240 volt wire for a 30 amp circuit for say a dryer or stove in your home and those outlets and plugs are designed differently than the 30 amp plug for an RV. Could this have something to do with what you are remembering?

Carol

opps,

I should also mention that you would run 120 volt wire to the 30 amp RV outlet.

[markdoane]

Originally Posted by tallytwo1994

If the installer was an electrician and not a handman doing electrical work then I believe he will know if what he installed is appropriate for an RV.

Carol

That's not correct. We have more cases of electricians wiring RV outlets with 240V than handymen. I think it's because they just assume anything 30 amps will be a dryer outlet.

Not sure what you mean by 220/240 volt wire vs 120 volt wire. I've never seen wire marked that way.

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Originally Posted by markdoane

That's not correct. We have more cases of electricians wiring RV outlets with 240V than handymen. I think it's because they just assume anything 30 amps will be a dryer outlet.

Not sure what you mean by 220/240 volt wire vs 120 volt wire. I've never seen wire marked that way.

Hi, I'm not an electrician, but generally there are three wires from the power pole to your house or property; One neutral and two hot 120 volt wires. Usually one of the 120 volt lines operates half of you house's needs and the other 120 volt line operates the other half. If you need 240 volts for machinery or electric appliances they would use all three of these wires. [240 volts] That's how it is in my neighborhood. I would really be leary about an electrician who would think you are going to use an electric dryer out side of your barn. Especially if you told him it is an RV outlet. Not to mention an electric dryer uses a different plug/socket.

[markdoane]

Generally you are correct. But if you tell an electrician you want a 30 amp outlet on the corner of your house, you're going to get a dryer outlet.

If you tell him you want a 30 amp 120 volt TT-30R RV outlet on the corner of your house, you'll get a TT-30R Recreational Vehicle outlet.

There is a lot of room for garbled, misunderstood and crossed signals. And then you have the electrician that thinks you must have meant a 240V outlet. Then there are the electricians that just have never heard of an RV outlet, so use whatever they have in the truck.

And I happen to have a L14-30R "dryer outlet" on the outside of my garage that powers a small welder, so why would an electrician find that an unusual request?

I'm not saying that the chances are 50-50 that they'll get it wrong, but it happens often enough to be worthwhile asking, as poster #24 did.

[tallytwo1994]

Originally Posted by markdoane

That's not correct. We have more cases of electricians wiring RV outlets with 240V than handymen. I think it's because they just assume anything 30 amps will be a dryer outlet.

Not sure what you mean by 220/240 volt wire vs 120 volt wire. I've never seen wire marked that way.

I am unaware of any full fledged CERTIFIED Electrician who would confuse a 220/240 30 amp circuit with a 110/120 volt 30 amp circuit for an RV. We work in the construction business and I have been around many, many electricians through the years. True there are some individuals "in training" who might know less, but when somone uses the term Electrician I'm thinking certified.

Sorry for the confusion with the wire. I wasn't saying the the wire would be labled 220/240 or 110/120, rather the wire you use will be different and look different too. When you run wire for a stove or dryer... you use 10 gauge stranded wire conprised of 2 Hots, 1 Ground, and 1 Neutral. Although if you insist you could use the same wire to run two circuits at 110/120 volts, instead of one 220/240 circuit. BUT WHY? Using basic 12/2 Romex is going to be cheaper and easier to use.

Carol

[Gene]

Receptacles for different amps and voltages are all different. There are 15 amp, 240 v. receptacles. I used one for an air conditioner. They can be hard to find, just like the 30 amp, 120 v. receptacle. Even a licensed electrician can make mistakes.

Here are some pictures of 240 v. receptacles. I think the one on the left is a 15 amp, the one on the right may be a 30 amp receptacle, but I'm not sure. The 50 amp, 240 v. stove receptacle is larger is usually comes in a brown unit.

Gene

[thecatsandi]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Here are some pictures of 240 v. receptacles. I think the one on the left is a 15 amp, the one on the right may be a 30 amp receptacle, but I'm not sure. The 50 amp, 240 v. stove receptacle is larger is usually comes in a brown unit.

Gene

The one of the left is 20A 220VAC and the one on the right looks like it says L3-20 making it a 20A 110VAC.

[Wabbiteer]

Dyslexia kitties doing the word processing & posting for Michelle again?

The Ivory colored one is the 120VAC 20A

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by Wabbiteer

Dyslexia kitties doing the word processing & posting for Michelle again?

The Ivory colored one is the 120VAC 20A

I am holding one like the ivory one in my hand right now. It has stamped in the plastic - 20A 250V.

Ken

I use those for my 220v ham radio amplifiers

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by w7ts

I am holding one like the ivory one in my hand right now. It has stamped in the plastic - 20A 250V.

Ken

I use those for my 220v ham radio amplifiers

After further research the black one is also 20A 250V, but is locking.