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Topic: No breaker at the park pedastal  (Read 541 times) previous topic - next topic

No breaker at the park pedastal

We just parked in a RV park that has no breaker at the site pedastal. What problems can occur because of this situation? I've never encountered this before, so how much protection do I lose with no pedastal circuit breaker?

Mods: I think this is the proper forum for this question, but if it's not please move it. Thanks.
Royce & Denise, MC #17410
'01 U320 4220 ISM450 Build #5895 SOLD
Toad: '10 Honda CR-V

Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. - Gustave Flaubert

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #1 –
Have a surge protector? A way to check polarity/correct wiring? Circuit breaker on any pedestals nearby?
Check with the office if they can turn power on and off? Really need power? If so, make sure everything in the coach is turned off before hooking up to the pedestal if you really have to.
Nitehawk,  Demolition Lady, & our NEW master, Zippy the speeding BB cat.
1989 Grand Villa 36' ORED
Oshkosh chassis, 8.2 DD V8
2006 Saturn Vue AWD

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #2 –
They have the pedestal protected somewhere & at what size is unknown. They could have a distribution panel with the breaker in it protecting everything.  You have a main breaker in your RV so your RV is protected and that main is in a sense protecting your cord.

The only thing you need to watch out for is when you plug into the pedestal if you are plugging into the 50 amp receptacle. Make sure you have your AC's turned off first. You want to make the connection fast so you do not accidentally connect the two phase conductors without the ground being made at the same time.  It is not likely but never say never.  If the two phase connectors connect first before the neutral prong it is possible to overvoltage something and burn it up.
2014 ih45  (4th Foretravel owned)
 1997 36' U295 Sold in 2020, owned for 19 years
  U240 36' Sold to insurance company after melting in garage fire
    33' Foretravel on Dodge Chassis  Sold very long time ago

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #3 –
Might look around, have used this type setup, they have all the breakers in a central Location, with a few central locations depending on size of facility,. 

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #4 –
I have surge protection and I did check the polarity and leg voltages prior to plugging in. I'll check with the office as to where the breaker is.
Royce & Denise, MC #17410
'01 U320 4220 ISM450 Build #5895 SOLD
Toad: '10 Honda CR-V

Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. - Gustave Flaubert

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #5 –
One problem with no breaker is that your wire from pedestal to coach isn't protected or at least not obviously. Your internal protection for surges and all is always needed no matter what the situation.

On one of the comments, how can you get the two hot prongs into the receptical without getting the neutral in at the same time? I've gone out and looked and I just can't see how that can be done. Left and right flat blades and top flat blade really must enter together. Just don't see it happening.
Larry
1996 U295 36'
Build # 4805
Actually we sold it but just like to lurk

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #6 –
OK, easy to protect your shore power cord from arcing since you can not turn off power to the outlet:

Turn off your coach main 120 Breaker(s).  That way when you plug in, there will be zero amps and so no/materially reduced arcing.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #7 –
 I personally would not plug in and request a different site that does have one. You have no protection when you do plug in your rig or when unplug it. That is 220 volts if it is a 50 amp site and extremely dangerous even if it is 30 amps.  Side on the cautious side.
Bob
Bob & Kathy
2007 Nimbus
Full Timers
Retired Charter Bus Owner/Operator

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #8 –
Run onto them quite often, most likely the breaker is located at a central panel. I do as Brett says just turn off the breaker at the panel in the coach. I seriously doubt an RV park has any unprotected wireing.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #9 –
We've stayed at nice campgrounds (don't remember where at the moment) that had 30 amp receptacles without local circuit breakers.  We had good power but did accidentally use more than 30 amps.  The centrally located breaker did indeed trip but automatically reset itself after about 15-20 seconds.
Audrey & Harvey Nelson
2000 U-320, 40' towing 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
nelsonah@ieee.org

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #10 –
I have camped at an Elks lodge with 30A power and centrally located breakers.  I needed to hunt down the campground host when I tripped the breaker.  Protected, yes.  Convenient, no.

My only real concern is the unlikely possibility of making L1 or L2 contact before making neutral contact.  But the neutral pin is longer, so this should not occur.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: No breaker at the park pedastal

Reply #11 –
Quote from: bbeane –
Run onto them quite often, most likely the breaker is located at a central panel. I do as Brett says just turn off the breaker at the panel in the coach. I seriously doubt an RV park has any unprotected wireing.

It is not that a park has an unprotected line. Rather, you want to be as close as possible to that breaker when you plug in. Imagine having three to four rigs on the same line. A short with your body as the ground may not be enough to trip a breaker that has branded out to several rigs. Who really knows what size breaker the line you are going to plug into if it is not available to you to see.
Bob
Bob & Kathy
2007 Nimbus
Full Timers
Retired Charter Bus Owner/Operator