I keep burning out 30A plugs...

[Jammer]

Tom I decided to start measuring the resistance of the power socket with my meter every time I park.  Funny thing was, there was a little pop the first time I did it and all the ones I've checked since then say infinity.

 

[unclebuck123]

CSI to the rescue:


Since you bought the plugs from the same source 0n Ebay maybe they are cheap copies from China?  Use Eagle or Leviton.

Since this is happening at the same park and only at this park the power is bad.

 

[seilerbird]

Tom I decided to start measuring the resistance of the power socket with my meter every time I park.  Funny thing was, there was a little pop the first time I did it and all the ones I've checked since then say infinity.

I don't think you should measure resistance on an AC circuit with a meter not designed for it. Pop goes the meter.

 

[Luca1369]

CSI to the rescue:  Since you bought the plugs from the same source 0n Ebay maybe they are cheap copies from China?  Use Eagle or Leviton.  Since this is happening at the same park and only at this park the power is bad.

Yes, the plugs I bought on eBay are not the best, I have one left and then I'm going back to a more expensive plug.  I bought one of those slightly more pricey yellow plugs with a handle on the back from PPL, I forget the name of the manufacturer, but it went as well, rather quickly in fact.

If the power was bad at the park, wouldn't this be happening to other long-term RVers here?  I haven't noticed anybody else with a similar problem.

 

[Ned]

I don't think you should measure resistance on an AC circuit with a meter not designed for it. Pop goes the meter.

He should have measured the impedance instead

 

[Jammer]

Yeah, that's it, and maybe the phase angle between the current and voltage, you know, for completeness.

 

[Jammer]

I tried to measure the current at one campground with an ammeter and the meter made this funny noise and the breaker tripped.  Do you think I should get a bigger meter that has more amps?

 

[seilerbird]

I tried to measure the current at one campground with an ammeter and the meter made this funny noise and the breaker tripped.  Do you think I should get a bigger meter that has more amps?

Try boondocking instead, it would be cheaper for you ;D

 

[Jammer]

The last time I went boondocking I kept trying to measure the amps on my generator and the engine died every time I plugged in the meter.

 

[seilerbird]

The last time I went boondocking I kept trying to measure the amps on my generator and the engine died every time I plugged in the meter.

Do you go camping to enjoy the great outdoors or to play electrician? ;D

 

[Johncmr]

This thread is getting a little long, so I thought I'd bring it back to basics.  Plugs and wiring get hot because of resistance, or as the word implies, difficulty in the electricity to get past a point, and cause heat. Best example of resistance is the element in a toaster, high resistance, more than anywhere else in the circuit, and it gets hot. These high resistance places can and normally do eventually fail, like a corroded blade on the plug, or corrosion in the gripper blades inside the power pole, or where the wire connects to the blade in the plug. Yes, small gauge wiring can get hot, but it sounds like the basic wiring is OK, your plugs are failing, so there's where the problem is. 

Couple of things.  When the copper gets hot it anneals, that is to say it changes and gets brittle=higher resistance.  When you replace the plug, do you cut back to where the copper is bright and shines like a new penny?  Try not to touch the copper with sweaty fingers (salt) same for the plug components.  Buy some no-ox (radio shack has some) but be sure it's not the stuff that insulates (different stuff for different application).

Tighten the screws but not to the point where they begin to strip, and after a few days, tighten again.  Lastly, as mentioned above, put a little no-ox on the blades of the plug as you connect.  Might not help, but sure won't hurt.

johncmr

 

[Luca1369]

  When you replace the plug, do you cut back to where the copper is bright and shines like a new penny?

Always!  I like a new, tight connection.  I use DeOxit on the plugs.  I also use it on my electronics, on pots primarily.

 

[carson]

This thread is getting a little long, so I thought I'd bring it back to basics.

Johncmr....I agree with you. I felt tempted to straighten this dilemma out. But you beat me to it; you are right on.


one thing I might add, heat in a good connector is usually caused by an inferior contact between the copper wire and the mounting screws. It is important to only connect very clean copper to those connection. Any discoloration means that there is a degradation of contact.

  One may have to cut back the insulation of the big cable, strip the insulation until pure, clean copper is visible. Then make sure that all strands are firmly connected to the binding screws.

Anything less is poor workmanship and will fail prematurely.

Carson FL

 

[ZuniJayne]

Tom, thanks for the correction.  IAC low voltage is not good for AC appliances.  That is one reason I mostly boondock and use the power from my solar panels, batteries and inverter. THAT I know I can trust.  ;D

 

[Photobug]

Not sure if this is the answer but i have a compressor in my home that is run on a 20A circuit it sparks pretty bad when plugging it in.  As it gets plugged in or unplugged it creates a moment of incomplete circuit that has burned out more than one plug.

Do you turn off the CB in the parks box before hooking everything up?  The plugging and uplugging of a hot circuit could wear out your plug prematurely.

 

[Luca1369]

  Do you turn off the CB in the parks box before hooking everything up?  The plugging and uplugging of a hot circuit could wear out your plug prematurely.

Nope, there is no plugging and unplugging.  There's only plugging in one time and then a few months later replacing a burnt plug.

 

[vermilye]

Nope, there is no plugging and unplugging.  There's only plugging in one time and then a few months later replacing a burnt plug.

Actually, you might be better off plugging & unplugging rather than leaving it connected all the time.  Plugging in & out cleans the surface of the connector & blades, scraping away some of the corrosion caused by prior heating. It the connection was good ie resistance & current within specifications, there wouldn't be a problem, but if there is a bad connector, it will heat, corrode, heat some more, corrode some more, etc.