I purchased a 50FT 50 AMP extension so that I could plug into shore power at my house. Bringing the Motorhome home this week, will measure the voltage drop between the house and MH @75FT
That’s true. A portable EMS Surge Protecter on the pedestal doesn’t take into account the voltage drop over your shore power cord and any extension cords.
I carry a 25’ 50 amp extension that I made myself, I never needed more than that and will not go any longer. On the rare occasion that I needed it a 15’ would have sufficed. I don’t like plugs laying in water so I carry it a plastic tote with slits cut in the end so I can cover them.
Purchased 100-ft 10 / 3-Prong Outdoor Heavy Duty Extension Cord from Lowe’s to plug in MH at home prior to trip to pre-chill refrigerator and top off battery charge with voltage drop of ~5VAC. Will occasionally run 1 AC with voltage drop of ~10VAC (to run AC need to switch refrigerator to LP).
BTW had to remove Outdoor GFI at outlet due to power surge protector tripping breaker.
I chose not to use a hard wired EMS for a couple of reasons.
1) I prefer to connect my Surge Guard to the post first and flip the breaker on, let it run through its tests. If all is good I turn the breaker off, connect my power cable to the SG and flip the breaker back on then it runs through the tests again before providing power to the MH.
2) If I was to hard wire the Surge Guard and it failed, I would have to manually bypass it to get power while finding a replacement. With the portable I can either find a properly wired pole checking with my multi-meter and plug in, or just run the generator
I'm on a jobsite with a 50 Amp "box" 25' cord to a panel in a commercial building and my 25'' Standard 50 AMP cord plugged into that with a Surgeguard that typically show 125 -129 Volts on Either Leg
You should be able to use a 60-ft, 12-gauge, 20-amp extension cord for your truck camper. But it would be best to run your 2-way refrigerator on propane since that uses a lot less 120-volts AC.
My RV has a 25ft cord, which retches most of the power peds in RV parks. I have a 25ft cord that I used in rare instances. I always have a voltmeter plugged in to an outlet that gives a constant reading and sounds an alarm if voltage drops below 108 volts. It has saved us a few times. We now a have a voltage/protector that attaches to the power ped. It has cut the power to the RV when voltage drops below 105 volts.
We have a 100 ft #10 gauge extension cord. We've only used it a handful of times, but it works well. I keep an eye on the current and voltage using our hardwired EMS.
Typically, at campsites, the pedestal is close enough that I can use our shore power cord. The available length is ~12' because I disconnected it from the junction box in the electrical cabinet and ran it over to the passenger side of the RV where our MS2000 inverter and Progressive EMS are located.
If that 12 ft is not enough, we have a 25 ft #10 extension cord.
The 100 ft cord is used at residences, where the current is limited to 20A (~16A continuous) -- sometimes just 15/12A -- so voltage drop is not an issue.
In my RV STORAGE garage (50A) I have a 4/3, 6/1 gauge, 70' extension cord plugged into my coach mounted 30' (6/3, 8/1 ga).....and my LCHW50 EMS is hard wired (post electrical cords)!
I have a 100 ft 10 gauge extension cord but rarely if ever use it. Thinking of cutting it in half to make two more manageable extension cords. Have gone to solar for all low power needs. Only connect to power pedestal for rare A/C use or heat for snow bird trips in winter.
Thanks for the figures on line-loss for a 10 gauge cord of X length. A few might try to use a 12 gauge cord wherein I suspect line-loss might be significantly more.
I have a 33’ 50 amp cable on a reel and carry an additional 25’ cable. I have had to use the extension cord twice in the 4 years we have be traveling full time. Fortunately, everything worked normally during these times.
I purchased a 50FT 50 AMP extension so that I could plug into shore power at my house. Bringing the Motorhome home this week, will measure the voltage drop between the house and MH @75FT
better yet...you should have an EMS (hard wired in the electrical bay)!
I may do that to my GeoPro.
Just a thought that the advantage of a hard wired ems is that it reads voltage near the load rather than a false number at the pedestal.
That’s true. A portable EMS Surge Protecter on the pedestal doesn’t take into account the voltage drop over your shore power cord and any extension cords.
another (GOOD) reason to go w/ a HARD Wired unit (like my LCHW50).
I carry a 25’ 50 amp extension that I made myself, I never needed more than that and will not go any longer. On the rare occasion that I needed it a 15’ would have sufficed. I don’t like plugs laying in water so I carry it a plastic tote with slits cut in the end so I can cover them.
So far I have never had to add an extension cord to my 50 amp cord.
Purchased 100-ft 10 / 3-Prong Outdoor Heavy Duty Extension Cord from Lowe’s to plug in MH at home prior to trip to pre-chill refrigerator and top off battery charge with voltage drop of ~5VAC. Will occasionally run 1 AC with voltage drop of ~10VAC (to run AC need to switch refrigerator to LP).
BTW had to remove Outdoor GFI at outlet due to power surge protector tripping breaker.
I chose not to use a hard wired EMS for a couple of reasons.
1) I prefer to connect my Surge Guard to the post first and flip the breaker on, let it run through its tests. If all is good I turn the breaker off, connect my power cable to the SG and flip the breaker back on then it runs through the tests again before providing power to the MH.
2) If I was to hard wire the Surge Guard and it failed, I would have to manually bypass it to get power while finding a replacement. With the portable I can either find a properly wired pole checking with my multi-meter and plug in, or just run the generator
I'm on a jobsite with a 50 Amp "box" 25' cord to a panel in a commercial building and my 25'' Standard 50 AMP cord plugged into that with a Surgeguard that typically show 125 -129 Volts on Either Leg
Mike
Thank you for your response.
Bryan
Hi Mike
My limited owner's manual paperwork doesn't really spell out much but it is a smaller AC unit being it is on a truck camper.
The domestic refrigerator is just two way, propane or 120 V.
You should be able to use a 60-ft, 12-gauge, 20-amp extension cord for your truck camper. But it would be best to run your 2-way refrigerator on propane since that uses a lot less 120-volts AC.
My question is I have approx 100 feet to pedstal, what wire size should I be using this is a lance truck camper 30 AMP thanks Black
My RV has a 25ft cord, which retches most of the power peds in RV parks. I have a 25ft cord that I used in rare instances. I always have a voltmeter plugged in to an outlet that gives a constant reading and sounds an alarm if voltage drops below 108 volts. It has saved us a few times. We now a have a voltage/protector that attaches to the power ped. It has cut the power to the RV when voltage drops below 105 volts.
We have a 100 ft #10 gauge extension cord. We've only used it a handful of times, but it works well. I keep an eye on the current and voltage using our hardwired EMS.
Typically, at campsites, the pedestal is close enough that I can use our shore power cord. The available length is ~12' because I disconnected it from the junction box in the electrical cabinet and ran it over to the passenger side of the RV where our MS2000 inverter and Progressive EMS are located.
If that 12 ft is not enough, we have a 25 ft #10 extension cord.
The 100 ft cord is used at residences, where the current is limited to 20A (~16A continuous) -- sometimes just 15/12A -- so voltage drop is not an issue.
In my RV STORAGE garage (50A) I have a 4/3, 6/1 gauge, 70' extension cord plugged into my coach mounted 30' (6/3, 8/1 ga).....and my LCHW50 EMS is hard wired (post electrical cords)!
I have a 100 ft 10 gauge extension cord but rarely if ever use it. Thinking of cutting it in half to make two more manageable extension cords. Have gone to solar for all low power needs. Only connect to power pedestal for rare A/C use or heat for snow bird trips in winter.
Thanks for the figures on line-loss for a 10 gauge cord of X length. A few might try to use a 12 gauge cord wherein I suspect line-loss might be significantly more.
I have a 33’ 50 amp cable on a reel and carry an additional 25’ cable. I have had to use the extension cord twice in the 4 years we have be traveling full time. Fortunately, everything worked normally during these times.