Feedback from a Master Electrician
Campground code violations, and an update on training for campground maintenance staff!
Feedback from a reader…
Hey Mike,
I am a retired master electrician with over 30 years on the job. The saying goes, learn by your mistakes. I can’t count the number of times that one of my master electricians tells me a story about a service call where the home owner has done their own repairs and or installs.
I work-camped at a campground last summer that the code violations were pages long. From 20-amp receptacles in the pedestals with no GFCI protection to locked main panels and no key to unlock them.
I ‘m sure that if a group of electricians got together we could write volumes of books about what we have seen. Happy New Year! - Steve
Dear Steve,
Thanks for your feedback. Oh, the stories I could tell about campground power. I’ve been pitching the idea of teaching pedestal maintenance and testing to campground maintenance crews for the last 12 years, but with zero traction so far.
This is also why I’ve promoted the need for Advanced/EMS surge protectors on all RV shore power hookups. Even a newly installed pedestal at a campground or residence can be accidentally miswired and cause damage to an RV electrical system as well as be a shock hazard to humans and pets.
I’ll keep trying to convince campground organizations that pedestal maintenance and testing is important. If any you have ideas of any campgrounds that might be interested, please let me know.
UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE
I’ve been contracted by PRVCA (the entity that produces the Hershey RV show every year) to produce a pair of 1-hour live webcasts for campground maintenance crews on how to test and maintain pedestals at campsites. Nothing too complicated, just the basics on cleaning receptacle contacts, properly tightening termination screws, and testing ground continuity. I’ll also include multimeter use for measuring voltage and proper Lock-Out/Tag-Out procedures to help keep them safe.
These live streamed videos will be recorded and offered to maintenance staff at campgrounds across Pennsylvania and possibly the entire USA early next year. Fingers crossed! 🤞
Let’s play safe out there - Mike
I look forward to the notification when the video is available to all parks and CGs. We camp host at the same State Park in MO and I will forward that info to them when available. You can never have too much training when it comes to electricity and guns. We camp hosted at an Arizona SP a couple of years ago and due to the extreme temps there in the the summer we had some 30amp receptacles that were beyond using they had been so overworked. From a complaint I found this out when his 30amp plug would just fall out. Zero tension on the blades and melting around the opening. Ended up replacing 9 receptacles and cutting off about 3" of cooked wiring. Luckily they had left enough wire to accommodate this. It's very amazing how hot those connections get when running a/cs and more at max 24/7. I also found several were installed upside down which didn't help the problem for tight fit with heavy cords.
We rented a RV site in a retirement community and when I looked to plug into the pedestal, I noticed the face plate ajar finding no wire going to the 30A outlet. Inside were the wrong breakers as well. Licensed in another state, after powering the needed outlet on a temporary basis, I went shopping the next day and completely rewired the pedestal with all the correct breakers. I always bring my tools when I travel but it cost about $25.00 to make the corrections... only $25.00. I later contacted the landlord expecting only the $25.00 but was given more in financial compensation and grace than I would've gotten if it was a real service call.