Important - check this every time you set up |
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kymooses
Senior Member Joined: 01 Aug 2010 Location: Louisville, Ky Online Status: Offline Posts: 1807 |
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Topic: Important - check this every time you set up Posted: 10 Jul 2014 at 10:19am |
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jmsokol
Groupie Joined: 21 May 2014 Location: Maryland Online Status: Offline Posts: 89 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 10 Jul 2014 at 5:21pm |
Here's what I recommend in my book as a simple voltage tester that doesn't require too much interpretation. It checks for polarity and open grounds and gives you a voltage reading at the same time. If you just add a 30-amp to 15-amp adapter for testing, you can then check your pedestal prior to plugging in your shore power line. The only thing I know that's a potential issue is that this particular tester will "blow up" if you plug it into 240-volts accidentally. That's not a deal breaker, since blowing up a $25 tester is a lot cheaper than blowing up your RV's electrical system. However, you could certainly use it with a 50-amp/240-volt to two-fer 20-amp/120-volt dog-bone adapter for voltage testing a 50-amp/240-volt service.
http://www.amazon.com/Prime-Products-12-4058-Power-Monitor/dp/B000BRFTH6 But I'm also a firm believer in carrying a basic NCVT such as the Fluke VoltAlert or Klein NCVT-1 since they're so easy to use for hot-skin testing and will find additional wiring faults that these other testers won't detect. Even if you pay full price that's less than $50 for everything, and you might find it all for less than $40 if you snoop around. |
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mike@noshockzone.org
www.noshockzone.org |
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troutmama
Newbie Joined: 26 Jun 2014 Location: CO Online Status: Offline Posts: 12 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 12 Jul 2014 at 4:12am |
I ordered the No Shock Zone a few days ago as for I am electrically challenged on my Kindle.
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2015 179 pod, 1996 Tacoma
Troutmama Robin and my lovely hubby Tim. Spoiled mutt, Eddie B. Go Broncos! |
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Marx
Senior Member Joined: 18 Jul 2014 Location: Charleston Online Status: Offline Posts: 103 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2014 at 6:21pm |
Well I picked up my NCVT today! I'm excited to have it and be safer when camping! Quick question I had already planned on this before learning of this NCVT, but what about a surge protector from the pedestal? I saw some that were $$$ and some that weren't as bad. They even had the reverse polarity checker on them too?
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jmsokol
Groupie Joined: 21 May 2014 Location: Maryland Online Status: Offline Posts: 89 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2014 at 7:09pm |
All "Surge Protectors" are not created equal. See my article about them at http://www.noshockzone.org/rv-electrical-safety-surge-strips/ Basically you can divide them into two camps. There are the "surge only" protectors that are basically "spike protectors" that will try to trap voltage spikes from nearby lightning strikes and electric motors switching off. Costing around $100, they're the first level of protection. But they will do nothing to prevent 240 volts from a miswired outlet getting into your RV, nor will they shut down the power when it goes below a preset voltage level. And they can't do anything to disconnect your RV from an outlet with an open or hot ground. The second type of "surge protector" includes a voltage monitoring device along with a relay that will disconnect shore power from your RV if some preset high or low limit is reached. Costing around $300 for a 30-amp unit and maybe $400 for a 50-amp/240-volt unit, they include voltage spike protection as well as a Hot-Neutral-Ground monitor that will open the power relay if something happens to your power after connecting. And the ones from Progressive Industries are rated for up to 480 volts incoming power without blowing themselves up while protecting your RV electrical system. However, there is no surge protector on the market that will discover or disconnect your RV from a outlet miswired with a RPBG. An RPBG is a Reverse Polarity Bootleg Ground and sometimes occurs in pre 1970's wiring that was improperly upgraded to grounded outlets. See my articles about it at http://ecmweb.com/contractor/failures-outlet-testing-exposed and http://www.rvdoctor.com/2001/07/friends-of-gary-mike.html So you should also use your NCVT to double-check outlet polarity and a non-energized ground before you plug into shore power. It only takes a minute to test and it's cheap insurance. |
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mike@noshockzone.org
www.noshockzone.org |
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Marx
Senior Member Joined: 18 Jul 2014 Location: Charleston Online Status: Offline Posts: 103 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2014 at 8:22pm |
See that's why I like this site, great info! Greatly appreciated jmsokol!
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jmsokol
Groupie Joined: 21 May 2014 Location: Maryland Online Status: Offline Posts: 89 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 22 Jul 2014 at 8:51pm |
You're welcome. If anyone on this forum has direct contacts with rpod or
Forest River, please PM me. I have an interesting project to discuss.
Mike Sokol mike@noshockzone.org www.NoShockZone.org |
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mike@noshockzone.org
www.noshockzone.org |
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Marx
Senior Member Joined: 18 Jul 2014 Location: Charleston Online Status: Offline Posts: 103 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 1:54pm |
Well I used my NCVT tester this past weekend! Worked great, nice and easy. Showed the little lady too! Thanks again!
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jmsokol
Groupie Joined: 21 May 2014 Location: Maryland Online Status: Offline Posts: 89 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 27 Jul 2014 at 2:09pm |
It only takes a few seconds to perform a hot-skin test using a NCVT and I know it will save lives. Keep up the good work and show everyone you know with an RV how to use one.
Thanks for the update. Mike Sokol |
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mike@noshockzone.org
www.noshockzone.org |
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jmsokol
Groupie Joined: 21 May 2014 Location: Maryland Online Status: Offline Posts: 89 |
Post Options Quote Reply Posted: 05 Aug 2014 at 4:24pm |
FYI: The paperback version of my book No~Shock~Zone RV Electrical Safety is now available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/No~Shock~Zone-Electrical-Safety-Michael-Sokol/dp/0990527913/ref=sr_1_2_bnp_1_pap?ie=UTF8&qid=1407270177&sr=8-2&keywords=RV+Electrical+Safety
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mike@noshockzone.org
www.noshockzone.org |
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