30 vs. 50 Amp Service?

[highdesertranger]

mine looks like this,


it is for 15A and also checks that the GFI is working.  they make other ones for 30/50A.  highdesertranger

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

The tester HDR showed is for a regular 15/20 amp outlet, but it could also be used for the 30 amp outlet if you plug it in to a 15 to 30 adapter.  It wouldn't be able to test a 50 amp even with an adapter, you would need a specialized test unit for that.

 

[Vagabound]

mine looks like this,
...
it is for 15A and also checks that the GFI is working.  they make other ones for 30/50A.  highdesertranger

Doo-dad:
Thanks, HDR.  I might not know all about leka-muh-tricity, but I can do me some Google image searchin'!  For other mutants like me, once their nice product title was passed through the Enigma machine, it turns out that the thing is generically called a "circuit tester", and exactly called a "GT-10 GFI Circuit Tester":

http://www.greenlee.com/products/TESTER%40cCIRCUIT%40dGFI-(GT%40d10GFI).html?product_id=19198

So, thinking about RV park power poles, did I understand correctly that that model of circuit tester will only test the 15A and 30A outlets, but not 50A outlets?

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Adapters:
Again, thinking about RV park power poles and their connection to vehicles, a clarifying question ... 

Does Optimistic Paranoid's and Almost There's replies mean that anything (power pole) can be connected to anything (vehicle), if one has compatible adapters, and the electronic appliance/device/system that "uses" the power will sort it out?  By "sort it out" I mean, the appliance will either a) work, b) work but not well, c) not work, but it will not d) explode and put melted plastic in your hair?

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Circuit Tester vs. Multimeter:
No desire to start a food fight among the gurus, but ...   

I'll use myself as an example.  I've had an old analog multimeter for eons that I use to do projects.  90% of the time I only use it to do conductivity/connectivity testing.  10% to check the voltage of a wire, outlet, etc.  For someone with that level of knowledge only, would it be better / wiser / more useful to buy a CT or a nice new digital MM for RV park power pole testing?

Vagabound

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I'll use myself as an example.  I've had an old analog multimeter for eons that I use to do projects.  90% of the time I only use it to do conductivity/connectivity testing.  10% to check the voltage of a wire, outlet, etc.  For someone with that level of knowledge only, would it be better / wiser / more useful to buy a CT or a nice new digital MM for RV park power pole testing?

If you can use a meter to measure electricity, you can easily learn how to test RV power pedestals with it.



http://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/testing.htm

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

So, thinking about RV park power poles, did I understand correctly that that model of circuit tester will only test the 15A and 30A outlets, but not 50A outlets?

The 50 amp outlet has TWO hot wires that are out of phase.  If you plug that circuit tester in via a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter, it will only check one phase and not the other.

However, many electricians feel that, since there are only four wires involved - hot1, hot2, neutral, and ground - and you've verified that three of them - hot1, neutral, and ground -  are hooked up where they belong, then the fourth wire - hot2 - must also be hooked up correctly, since there is no where else it can be hooked up to.  In other words, close enough for government work.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Does Optimistic Paranoid's and Almost There's replies mean that anything (power pole) can be connected to anything (vehicle), if one has compatible adapters, and the electronic appliance/device/system that "uses" the power will sort it out?  By "sort it out" I mean, the appliance will either a) work, b) work but not well, c) not work, but it will not d) explode and put melted plastic in your hair?

If you have, say, a television that needs 5 amps of current to run, then it will draw 5 amps of current when it is running, regardless of whether it is plugged in to a 15 amp outlet, a 30 amp outlet, or a 50 amp outlet.  If it explodes and puts plastic in your hair, then either you plugged it in to a 240 volt outlet instead of a 120 volt outlet, or there was something really, really wrong with the television.

 

[ccbreder]

An adapter can be had to connect any cord to any outlet. Any given camp site electric will have one or more of three outlets. 15/20 or 30 or 50 amp. The question is what do you have for an extension cord?
I prefer a multi-meter. They are not hard to use. Easy to learn. They can do so much trouble shooting, I would not leave home with out one. The little plug in device is handy and quick, but only does one job.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

If anyone really wants to understand this RV AC electric stuff, they should turn to these two books:

https://www.amazon.com/No~Shock~Zon...TF8&qid=1476450490&sr=8-1&keywords=Mike+Sokol

and

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...1_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HNZKF00D0ZVJZ1QB9NJR

Mike Sokols book started out as a series of online posts at NoShockZone.org, but it looks like he has removed most of them since publishing his book.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

This Youtube video seems to be an even better demonstration of checking an RV shore power pedestal with a multi-meter:

 

[ArtW]

RE adapters:
My old RV had 15 amp service
My drop on my property is 50 amp service
to do this I used a 50 - 30 amp 'dogbone' and a 30 - 15 amp adapter, and a 15 amp RV cord to the RV, works very well, and you can temporarily unplug the RV and plug 15 amp tools into the adapter
now running the other way, my buddy Gary has a 25' Travel trailer, that also runs off 30 amps (or maybe it's 50, but i sort of doubt that)
When he's home, he runs a 15 amp cord from the house to a 15-30 amp adapter, and so long as he doesn't run any high draw appliances, he has no trouble
going up to a 50 amp service from 15 I don't know if that would work
anyway that's what I can contribute, hope it helps, and the post was coherent enough for you

 

[Trebor English]

If you use a 50 amp to 30 adapter and a 30 amp to 20 adapter and a 14 gauge 15 amp extension cord and have an overload your 50 amp breaker can take double that for quite some time before it trips. If the cord is long and neatly rolled up tightly it can get a heat build up. Not to yell "theater" in a crowded fire but this could end up bad.

 

[ArtW]

Odd, then, that the cord outlived the aluminum wire cursed electrical system in the travel trailer, no?

 

[Vagabound]

OP (that OP, not that OP):  
The first instructional video you posted was quite good, and this second one, equal or better.  Thanks for finding those.  Learned a lot in a short time.  My only remaining question at the moment is about the 3-device testing method.  The first two devices, OK, but the third tester (little plug thing with lights) doesn't really seem to bring much to the party.  Practically speaking, is it doing anything important that the other testers aren't?

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ArtW:  
You said, "anyway that's what I can contribute, hope it helps, and the post was coherent enough for you".  If by "you", you mean me, then yeah, it was good.  IMO, the three most helpful replies are 1) concise technical/factual answers; 2) practical examples showing how #1 is actually used; and 3) humor that reminds us that this ain't such a big thing after all.  Like the old saying, "Don't sweat the small stuff (and it's all small stuff)".  Yours was a great example of #2, which is actually the hardest to get.

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Trebor:
Thanks for playing the "yeah, but" role.  Not a popular one, but very important to help us know where the limits might be.  I learned two or three new things just from that short post.

Vagabound

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OP (that OP, not that OP):  
The first instructional video you posted was quite good, and this second one, equal or better.  Thanks for finding those.  Learned a lot in a short time.  My only remaining question at the moment is about the 3-device testing method.  The first two devices, OK, but the third tester (little plug thing with lights) doesn't really seem to bring much to the party.  Practically speaking, is it doing anything important that the other testers aren't?

It does seem redundant, doesn't it?

But here's the thing.  Many people test a pedestal, find it good, then plug in and stay for weeks before they move on.  But just because the pedestal was good when you checked it, doesn't mean it stays good for weeks.  The wires in the pedestal sometimes have corrosion on them.  This can get worse over time.  Sometimes a wire can be a little loose.  I tests good when you stick the voltmeter plugs in.  Then  you start drawing heavy current, and the wires heat up.  A wire shifts slightly as it expands.  etc., etc., etc.

A lot of RVer's leave that little 3 light tester plugged in to an internal outlet in their RV, someplace easy to see.  It allows them to easily monitor the ONGOING condition of the electrical supply, 24/7. For only $5 or so, it's cheap insurance.

 

[Vagabound]

It does seem redundant, doesn't it?

But here's the thing.  ...

A lot of RVer's leave that little 3 light tester plugged in to an internal outlet in their RV, someplace easy to see.  It allows them to easily monitor the ONGOING condition of the electrical supply, 24/7. For only $5 or so, it's cheap insurance.

Never woulda thunk it.  Very smart and simple solution.  Thanks for the very clear explanation.

Vagabound

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

BTW, some RVers also buy a little plug in voltmeter like this:

https://www.amazon.com/80-300V-Volt...76528417&sr=8-2&keywords=plug+in+ac+voltmeter

and leave it plugged in near the 3 light tester.  Tells them when there's a brownout, which can happen quite frequently on a hot day when everybody is trying to run air conditioners.

 

[southern.nomad]

I love this site and all these posts and im soooo very glad the forum is back up and running...  
I have just one more question... And yes my roots are of the lighter variety ... Is a heavy duty contractor grade indoor/outdoor extension cord sufficient to do the 30amp to regular outlet extension thing or does it need to be some other type and if so what and where to locate if you arent prone to online shopping???  I'm currently in a campground with the above mentioned cord plugged into the regular outlet to power a small fan.  It worked fine the first two days I used it but yesterday it would run a few (very few) minutes and kick out again... Not sure if it is a problem w the pole.. I hope not cause I love my spot.. Or I'm not using the right cord.. Although its the same type id use to plug up the same fan in my garage or porch...  thanks everyone for already answering all the other questions I had so well in ur previous replies!!

ne more question, if the regular plug is bad is it possible the 30 amp is still good r is it a all or nothing situation?