50 amp service issue

[Salsaman1a]

So, at a KOA using 50 amp service but ...... for some reason only a few of my outlets worked and one of the two air conditioners. I checked the fuses which were all good, reset all the breakers ( none were popped), reset the breaker at the camp plugin and even checked the cord to make sure it I installed it correctly. After a half hour, I narrowed it down to the left side of the 50 amp breakers; Bedroom AC, vacuum, outlets, and some lights all dead.
I called the dealer ( still under warranty ) and they said to place it on the 30 Amp service and behold.... everything works.
Now I am at another campground, plugged into a 50 amp service, everything is running fine until 3 AM in the morning when it kicked off again. Same issue, left side of the breakers not working. Campground checked the service and replaced the 50 amp breaker in the box but did not fix the issue. They said it might be too many people drawing amperage So now I am running on 30 amp with one AC running...

[Customer1]

Be very cautious, you have a loose connection in your power cord or panel. Fires have started that way.

If you are unable to diagnose and safely make repairs yourself, I would suggest you stop using it and get to a dealer immediately. You have a potentially dangerous situation.

If on a trip, get a mobile repair service out to make the repair.


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[sourdough]

The left side of what breakers aren't working? The main breaker in the trailer? The ped? If the park replaced the 50A breaker in the ped at the 2nd place and still had no power on the left side of the breaker that would be a park issue. Although highly coincidental, the same thing could have been the issue at the 1st park but it seems highly unlikely that both parks would lose the same side of their 50A service to the ped.

When you switched to the 30A service how did you do that? Dogbone/adapter? Different cable? When plugging into the 30A plug with a 50A adapter all it does is takes the single hot lead of that 30A plug and breaks out 2 legs to power the 2 hot legs of the 50A service in the trailer (only have a max of 30A). If you are doing that and everything works it does sound like ped issues because once the power is split and comes into the trailer it comes in on both legs of the 50A wiring in the trailer. If all that works just fine using the 30A plug it would seem the trailer wiring is OK and you have a problem in either the peds or your 50A cable. Have you checked the cable ends for any signs of overheating, melting etc.?

[chuckster57]

I’m thinking maybe the shore cord is the issue. Rare but I’ve seen a bad cord take out a converter.

[bobbecky]

The shore cord, either end of the cord, the receptacle on the rig, the cable inside the rig toward the inside panel, or lastly, the 50 amp breaker in the rig and the connections at that breaker. Any of these things are the likely problem. Until it is found and fixed, you are risking more damage, including fire if it is a loose connection. This should be repaired as soon as possible by someone who knows what they are doing.

[mtofell]

The shore cord, either end of the cord, the receptacle on the rig, the cable inside the rig toward the inside panel, or lastly, the 50 amp breaker in the rig and the connections at that breaker.

^^I agree with this

It pretty much has to be. There is virtually no way you found two RV spots in a row with faulty receptacles.... faulty in the same way especially. Therefore, you can isolate the problem to somewhere from the tip of your power cord to the breaker in your RV. It sure sounds like a loose connection that is coming and going after driving and/or heat/cool cycles during the day/night. I agree this is potentially dangerous and should be chased down ASAP.

[GHen]

Maybe a EMS shutting down one side due to low voltage?

[sourdough]

Maybe a EMS shutting down one side due to low voltage?


Someone may educate me on this but I've never had my EMS shut down one side. It is either on or it shuts down. In all the documentation I've read on them I don't remember that a 50A can/will just shut down one power leg.

[bobbecky]

EMS devices will only turn off everything when there is a voltage problem. I don’t think an EMS was involved, as there would have not been questions about one leg dead.

[Park1911]

Late post but here goes...

Same problem but my solution was to repair the made-up end of the 50 amp shore power cable. A power lead had become disconnected from the screw connection in the trailer connection end of the power cable. I guess the constant, repetitive, droop in the power cable where it hung from the side of the trailer caused the connection to fail (or lousy workmanship). I've seen that newer power cables have molded-on ends so this may not apply in your case. Hope this helps.

[Salsaman1a]

My neighbor in the site next to me lost his 50 amp service as well. Grabbed a multi meter to check the plugs and one leg was out. Two campgrounds in a row? Going again next weekend so we’ll see if it happens again. If so, straight to the dealer since it’s under warrantee

[7Iron]

When you switched to the 30A service how did you do that? Dogbone/adapter? Different cable? When plugging into the 30A plug with a 50A adapter all it does is takes the single hot lead of that 30A plug and breaks out 2 legs to power the 2 hot legs of the 50A service in the trailer (only have a max of 30A). If you are doing that and everything works it does sound like ped issues because once the power is split and comes into the trailer it comes in on both legs of the 50A wiring in the trailer. If all that works just fine using the 30A plug it would seem the trailer wiring is OK and you have a problem in either the peds or your 50A cable. Have you checked the cable ends for any signs of overheating, melting etc.?

did you try the 30 at the 2nd site.....

[bigjr]

I pinched my 50 amp cord this year boy was it fun to find the problem! we switched out everything then a neighbor tried his shore cord everything worked great. I switched to a dogbone and used 30 amp and made it through the trip.

[donajohn]

I had this problem in two different campgrounds months apart.
In first one, I switched to 30-amp dog-leg and all O.K.
In second one, friend said often the shore breaker gets "fouled" and doesn't connect properly. Said to "clean off the contacts" by switching breaker switch on and off several times. It WORKED!
Has not happened since, so I thereby eliminated my power cord as the problem.
Definitely worth a try. Cheap and easy.

[sstedman]

I had a similar problem that you are experiencing. I would suggest you do the following if you feel comfortable doing it. From the jarring of travel the terminal screws can loosen up. I make it a point to tighten all the terminal screws when traveling around every 4 months. Turn the power off at the ped and disconnect the battery. Test the hot side of the line coming in to make sure that there is no power. Then tighten all the terminal screws in the panel. The situation that was similar to yours was that I had a loose neutral wire. The Progressive EMS shut everything down. I called Progressive and they suggested to tighten all the terminal screws. Never had the problem again. If you are nor comfortable in doing this call a mobile repair service.

[bobbecky]

Late post but here goes...

Same problem but my solution was to repair the made-up end of the 50 amp shore power cable. A power lead had become disconnected from the screw connection in the trailer connection end of the power cable. I guess the constant, repetitive, droop in the power cable where it hung from the side of the trailer caused the connection to fail (or lousy workmanship). I've seen that newer power cables have molded-on ends so this may not apply in your case. Hope this helps.

To avoid damage to your shore cable from bending while connected to the rig, an adapter is available that solves this problem. Our shore cable is the original one that came with our rig, and we full time, and the cable is still like new at the trailer end, because we use the adapter. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Right-Angle-RV-Adapter-p/55-3759.htm