TT-30 Plug Meltdown
A worn campground outlet can melt your surge protector plug
I just saw this on the Rockwood group…
Has anyone had an issue with the plug of their surge protector melting? We have had two so far that have done this.
Why does this happen?
The TT-30 shore power cord connection has to be near perfect to prevent the contacts from overheating, with the most common failure mechanism being oxidation of the contacts and loose spring tension of the pedestal outlet.
This usually begins from the female pedestal outlet being loose and oxidized from lack of maintenance after hundreds of insertions. Another cause of outlet damage is from campers pulling the plug out with the circuit breaker on, creating sparks, thereby reducing contact area and increasing resistance. And increased contact resistance causes overheating. 🔥
Yes, the only real fix is getting the campground to replace the worn TT-30 outlet. But in the meantime you can help keep outlets in good shape by spritzing a little DeoxIT D5 contact spray into the pedestal outlet contacts before plugging in your shore power cord.
A reader responds…
Just don’t spray it when the breaker is on. I have second hand knowledge of what happens. - Bill L.
My response….
Yup, turn off the breaker first, do a little spritz of contact cleaner in each contact hole, wait 10 seconds for it to dry, then plug in your shore power cord and turn on the circuit breaker.
That will help keep the 30-amp outlet healthy. But once it begins overheating then the only way to prevent further damage to your male shore power plug is by having the campground replace the worn pedestal outlet.
Thanks Mike. I believe that the weight of the surge protector also plays part in slightly pulling it out of the outlet. I always look for a way to take the weight off it by using some cord to tie it up or something to prop it up. We own a lot in South Carolina that I rent out when not using, first thing I did when we bought it was replace all receptacles, breakers, clean all contact surfaces inside of the box and meter base, and replaced all wiring from my side of the meter. Facilities manager thought I was nuts until I showed him how loose some of the wiring was from years of heating and cooling.
The latest surge protectors from Southwire claim to have overheat protection for the plug/receptacle. Might make for an interesting test as this cooked plug thing is a regular topic on RV forums.