3-Phase power in the campgrounds can be a good thing because there are advantages. Limiting the installations to only 120/208 Wye systems would make it easier to understand resulting in a safer environment.
Agreed… Interestingly I’ve had a number of large coach owners who have installed 240-volt appliances demand 240-volts, not 208 volts from a Wye service. I’m going to investigate if a 50-amp Hughes Autoformer would boost the voltage enough since I believe it has a 10% boost winding. That would make 229 volts from a 208 / 3-P service.
Of course a pair of 750 VA industrial buck/boost transformers should do the trick…
Hi Mike! I read your reply to John Ko: "None of the 50-amp EMS/Surge Protectors actually measure L1 to L2 voltage so they won’t be aware that it’s 3-phase. And your 30-amp shore power connection won’t care at all and will work perfectly. It’s only the maintenance staff that needs to understand it."
But I also read in your article: "They ended up sending 208 Volts to half a dozen 30-amp TT-30 pedestals, which burned up the electrical systems in several RV trailers before someone metered it."
So that leaves me wondering, will my Progressive Industries EMS protect my 30 amp RV if I run into a similar incorrectly wired pedestal?
Yes it will. I’ve tested a 30-amp Progressive Industries EMS and a Southwire SurgeGuard Total Protection Unit. Both stopped up to 240 volts from getting through to the RV. I should make a video of this demonstration.
Well this is scary. Sounds like a typical RV could burn up if plugged into 3 phase. How do we recognize 3 phase before we plug our expensive EMS into it?
I first learned about 3-Phase power a million years ago while getting my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. I remember being intimidated by the complexity of the numerous configurations and other complicated aspects of 3-phase power that Mike described. One of the main reasons to use 3-Phase is that it can deliver more power with greater efficiency. With more RVs on the road and the need for charging electric vehicles, it seems the need for more power us driving campgrounds toward 3-phase power delivery systems. As Mike said, for this effort to be successful it needs to be functional and safe and well understood. That will take leadership and education. We are lucky to have people like Mike who are willing to step up to the plate and figure out how to make it work, or at least give it an honest try.
So how do we a campers deal with this if they install 3P to the pedestal. What new equipment do we need to provide the standard 30/50 service without blowing up stuff?
The outlets are not wired incorrectly. The two hot legs are 120 degrees out of phase instead of the 180 phase shift of a conventional 120/240-volt split-phase service. None of the 50-amp EMS/Surge Protectors actually measure L1 to L2 voltage so they won’t be aware that it’s 3-phase. And your 30-amp shore power connection won’t care at all and will work perfectly. It’s only the maintenance staff that needs to understand it.
It’s perfectly safe to plug your RV into a pedestal that’s wired with 3-phase service, as long as the campground wired it correctly.
3-Phase power in the campgrounds can be a good thing because there are advantages. Limiting the installations to only 120/208 Wye systems would make it easier to understand resulting in a safer environment.
Agreed… Interestingly I’ve had a number of large coach owners who have installed 240-volt appliances demand 240-volts, not 208 volts from a Wye service. I’m going to investigate if a 50-amp Hughes Autoformer would boost the voltage enough since I believe it has a 10% boost winding. That would make 229 volts from a 208 / 3-P service.
Of course a pair of 750 VA industrial buck/boost transformers should do the trick…
Hi Mike! I read your reply to John Ko: "None of the 50-amp EMS/Surge Protectors actually measure L1 to L2 voltage so they won’t be aware that it’s 3-phase. And your 30-amp shore power connection won’t care at all and will work perfectly. It’s only the maintenance staff that needs to understand it."
But I also read in your article: "They ended up sending 208 Volts to half a dozen 30-amp TT-30 pedestals, which burned up the electrical systems in several RV trailers before someone metered it."
So that leaves me wondering, will my Progressive Industries EMS protect my 30 amp RV if I run into a similar incorrectly wired pedestal?
Yes it will. I’ve tested a 30-amp Progressive Industries EMS and a Southwire SurgeGuard Total Protection Unit. Both stopped up to 240 volts from getting through to the RV. I should make a video of this demonstration.
Well this is scary. Sounds like a typical RV could burn up if plugged into 3 phase. How do we recognize 3 phase before we plug our expensive EMS into it?
Delta is the default standard here for agriculture pumps.
Got to see years ago how long a Pepsi machine will run on the wild leg... ;-) card carrying electrician did it.
🤣🤣🤣⚡️⚡️⚡️
I first learned about 3-Phase power a million years ago while getting my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. I remember being intimidated by the complexity of the numerous configurations and other complicated aspects of 3-phase power that Mike described. One of the main reasons to use 3-Phase is that it can deliver more power with greater efficiency. With more RVs on the road and the need for charging electric vehicles, it seems the need for more power us driving campgrounds toward 3-phase power delivery systems. As Mike said, for this effort to be successful it needs to be functional and safe and well understood. That will take leadership and education. We are lucky to have people like Mike who are willing to step up to the plate and figure out how to make it work, or at least give it an honest try.
So how do we a campers deal with this if they install 3P to the pedestal. What new equipment do we need to provide the standard 30/50 service without blowing up stuff?
Thanks Mike.
Hi Mike, so how will the EMS handle the wrong wired plugs?
The outlets are not wired incorrectly. The two hot legs are 120 degrees out of phase instead of the 180 phase shift of a conventional 120/240-volt split-phase service. None of the 50-amp EMS/Surge Protectors actually measure L1 to L2 voltage so they won’t be aware that it’s 3-phase. And your 30-amp shore power connection won’t care at all and will work perfectly. It’s only the maintenance staff that needs to understand it.