Plugged in to 50 amp and only showing 30.

[dnystrom]

We are at a camp ground in Santa Rosa NM and hooked in to a 50 amp plug with a surge guard and the Powerline EMS is only showing 30 amp service.
I think it's the pedestal. The surge guard shows no faults but it shows 15 anps on 1 leg and 11 amps on the other leg. Any Ideas??

[Clifftall]

Check your main breaker panel to see if one is switched off . That might make the EMS show that your on 30 amps.

[docj]

Originally Posted by dnystrom

We are at a camp ground in Santa Rosa NM and hooked in to a 50 amp plug with a surge guard and the Powerline EMS is only showing 30 amp service.
I think it's the pedestal. The surge guard shows no faults but it shows 15 anps on 1 leg and 11 amps on the other leg. Any Ideas??

If you were on 30A service you wouldn't even have two legs showing. Are you sure that this isn't displaying the power being used rather than the power available?

[Steve Ownby]

Originally Posted by dnystrom

We are at a camp ground in Santa Rosa NM and hooked in to a 50 amp plug with a surge guard and the Powerline EMS is only showing 30 amp service.

I think it's the pedestal. The surge guard shows no faults but it shows 15 anps on 1 leg and 11 amps on the other leg. Any Ideas??

The 50 amp power may be wired incorrectly. Most EMS systems look for 240 VAC between the two hot legs. If it sees 240 then it assumes 50 amp. If the 50 amp AMP is wired so both legs are from the same phase, the EMS will not see 240 between the legs and assumes 30 AMP power.

It's also possible, if you have one of the breakers turned off, that might also cause the same thing. Many times, the EMS will have of its sensors attached at a breaker. If you have that particular breaker off, then the EMS will not be able to see 240 any will assume 30 amp.

[dnystrom]

All the breakers are good.
docj,
I really dont know if it the amperage I'm using or that I'm hooked up to. I'm assuming it's the draw on the pedestal as the powerline shows about the same in the coach. I started the micro,fridge,air conditioner and the powerline started to shut things down like the air,fridge. So it did get overloaded and kind of makes me believe I'm only getting 30 out of that pedestal. We go to a different camp tomorrow so we'll see. We had 50 amps at the panel this morning before we left. Everything is working just can't run it all at the same time. To be continued.....

[dnystrom]

Originally Posted by Steve Ownby

The 50 amp power may be wired incorrectly. Most EMS systems look for 240 VAC between the two hot legs. If it sees 240 then it assumes 50 amp. If the 50 amp AMP is wired so both legs are from the same phase, the EMS will not see 240 between the legs and assumes 30 AMP power.

It's also possible, if you have one of the breakers turned off, that might also cause the same thing. Many times, the EMS will have of its sensors attached at a breaker. If you have that particular breaker off, then the EMS will not be able to see 240 any will assume 30 amp.

Well Steve, That's what I'm thinking and thought that all along as we have never run into this before. We are in Santa Rosa NM if you know what I mean.
Not recommended by us but we had no other options. A new camp tomorrow.

[rgvtexan]

If you have a Volt Meter measure the volts at the pedestal. It very well may be a phony 50 Amp. you should measure 210-250 volts a cross the 2 side slots. If it is ~ 120 it is wired wrong.

[Bigd9]

We have run into several campgrounds that advertised 50 amps but the display inside the coach only shows 30 amps. Someone said it was a cheap 50 amp service because they used the same wire for both legs and put in a 50 amp breaker thinking they are really providing 50 amps.

[powderman]

Docj nailed it.

[rgvtexan]

OT There is a good Mexican restaurant there, used to be a Drive In. Met the owner a few years ago, many good story of the route 66 Days. We stayed at the State campground.

[dnystrom]

Originally Posted by Bigd9

We have run into several campgrounds that advertised 50 amps but the display inside the coach only shows 30 amps. Someone said it was a cheap 50 amp service because they used the same wire for both legs and put in a 50 amp breaker thinking they are really providing 50 amps.

Well the bitch is that they charged an extra 10 bucks for the 50 amp service!

[dnystrom]

Originally Posted by rgvtexan

OT There is a good Mexican restaurant there, used to be a Drive In. Met the owner a few years ago, many good story of the route 66 Days. We stayed at the State campground.

If it's on the way up the hill to this park we're in it's closed. We were here last July on our way home and it was closed then if that's the one. On the right going north on 66 from 40.

[Jim T.]

Originally Posted by dnystrom

We are at a camp ground in Santa Rosa NM and hooked in to a 50 amp plug with a surge guard and the Powerline EMS is only showing 30 amp service.

I think it's the pedestal. The surge guard shows no faults but it shows 15 anps on 1 leg and 11 amps on the other leg. Any Ideas??

Build or buy yourself one if these. I built mine & use it to test campground pedestal before we even pull into the site. It will give you information you need to determine if there's a problem with the pedestal. It will also indicate a "fake" 50 amp (no "red" light=fake)





Jim & Shirley & Abbie (Scottish Terrier)
2013 Newmar Canyon Star 3911
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan - Braun Accessibility Modified Toad
Remco Lube Pump
5 Star Tune
Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C
Coach Net Emergency Road Service

[dnystrom]

Originally Posted by rgvtexan

If you have a Volt Meter measure the volts at the pedestal. It very well may be a phony 50 Amp. you should measure 210-250 volts a cross the 2 side slots. If it is ~ 120 it is wired wrong.

Im only getting 116 on the 2 side slots each side. going from each side to the nutreal on the bottom. The ground is on top

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by Jim T.

Build or buy yourself one if these. I built mine & use it to test campground pedestal before we even pull into the site. It will give you information you need to determine if there's a problem with the pedestal. It will also indicate a "fake" 50 amp (no "red" light=fake)
Attachment 130419




Jim & Shirley & Abbie (Scottish Terrier)
2013 Newmar Canyon Star 3911
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan - Braun Accessibility Modified Toad
Remco Lube Pump
5 Star Tune
Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C
Coach Net Emergency Road Service

Got details on the building of one?

[Jim T.]

Here's what I have regarding details:

PEDESTAL TESTER

Checks pedestal for: True 240 Volt service (120 volt, each leg); Volts on each Leg (Leg 1 or Leg 2); Open Ground (Each Leg); Open Neutral (Each Leg); Open Hot (Each Leg); Reversed Hot/Ground (Each Leg); Reversed Hot/Neutral (Each Leg)

NEED:

Duplex Receptacle (Outlet Box)
4 Different color #12 or #14 wires about 3ft each
Duplex plug
Ring connectors
4-wire pigtail Range Cord
2 125V neon (Same Color)
1 250 V neon (Different Color)
1 DPDT Toggle Switch
1 2G Duplex Blank Cover

Approx Cost - $50 (Does not include cost of Line Voltage Monitor or Receptacle Tester which you probably already have)



You can find more information by doing a search on irv2.


Jim & Shirley & Abbie (Scottish Terrier)
2013 Newmar Canyon Star 3911
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan - Braun Accessibility Modified Toad
Remco Lube Pump
5 Star Tune
Progressive Industries EMS-HW50C
Coach Net Emergency Road Service

[rgvtexan]

Yep fake/phony 50 Amp. You may be fine if you don't have any Big Loads.

The testers work fine, but your meter does also!

[Bigd9]

Originally Posted by dnystrom

Well the bitch is that they charged an extra 10 bucks for the 50 amp service!

I agree. Last year we stayed at a KOA Campground in Southern Georgia. I asked the front desk about the problem, but the young lady said she would pass the comment onto the owners. It was a older park and I assume they were trying to bring it into the new world of "camping" with present day coaches. The 30 amp socket was gone, and they had added a 50 amp socket.

The problem is the EMS will limit you to using only 30 amps when it thinks that is all there is.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by dnystrom

Im only getting 116 on the 2 side slots each side. going from each side to the nutreal on the bottom. The ground is on top

Going from slot to slot, if you see 240 or so volts, it's correct.

Going from slot to slot, if you see 0 ( zero ) volts, it's 120 volt service. With that setup it's like using a dog bone adaptor on a 30 amp service.

The 2 views, on the right, are the ways it could be wired.

[dnystrom]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Going from slot to slot, if you see 240 or so volts, it's correct.

Going from slot to slot, if you see 0 ( zero ) volts, it's 120 volt service. With that setup it's like using a dog bone adaptor on a 30 amp service.

The 2 views, on the right, are the ways it could be wired.

No 240 volts any position. L1 & L2 is 0 . So this is a 1st for us in 12 years we have run across a bogus 50 amp.

Thank you for the great wiring chart. I copied it for future reference.