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Old 07-09-2011, 07:46 PM   #1
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Question Overheated Shore Power Plug???? HELP!

Today my DH (mind you he has a moniker here!) unplugged the shore power from the shore power connection.

He noticed that the plug appeared to be "hot". Upon inspection, he noticed that one of the prongs looked like the plastic had melted around it. He also noted that the metal prongs appeared to have a copper discoloration when they normally look brass in color. He thought this could be caused by over heating?

We've been camping for the past three weeks (not unusual) in heat. We've spent more than less camping in heat vs not in the "lifetime" of our tt.

During the past week cg circuit has been tripped twice. We attributed this to the fact that we were running the tv/microwave/refrid/air conditioning/etc. We've since stopped running the microwave while a/c has been running.

We will approach Jayco about this as we have two months left on the warranty, but would like to know if anyone else has had this problem.

Below are pics of what we are referring to.

Thanks for helping out!
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DSCF4667.jpg   DSCF4670.jpg   DSCF4671.jpg   DSCF4672.jpg  
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Old 07-10-2011, 02:30 AM   #2
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Another thing that can cause this is the plug not being fully inserted into the receptacle. Also remember to to turn the breaker off prior to plugging in and turning the breaker off prior to unplugging. There have been many times when I have gone to connect my power ,to find the breaker still on from the last RV.
I also agree that it was probably due to low voltage if the cg was full.
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Old 07-10-2011, 04:58 AM   #3
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Could it be caused by old, corroded recepticles?? Build up of rust or trash inside the recepticle causing the power to have to work harder to make contact with the plug and creating more heat?
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Old 07-10-2011, 08:11 AM   #4
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Yes, that previous thread on Shore Power Cord Safety, touches on the condition of over-heated shore power plugs, like you have in your photos there Healthi.
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Old 07-10-2011, 08:13 AM   #5
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Here is the voltmeter I have, plugs right in the recept.


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Old 07-10-2011, 08:56 AM   #6
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I usually insert/remove the plug into the recepticle several times before turning the breaker on to help ensure good contact. To me, this is especially important to do when you're the first to use a site that appears to have been unused over a long period of time.

If the contacts on your plug(s) (don't forget check the plug on your extension too if you're using it) appear to be oxidized, corroded, etc., a piece of emery cloth, steel wool, sandpaper, etc can take care of that.

I carry a mulit-tester in the TT that can check AC voltages. However, my refrigerator usually warns me of any low-voltage conditions first as I'll hear it start switching back and forth from electric to propane and its status indicator will display "LO AC". When this happens, I'll set the refrigerator to run on propane only until electrical conditions improve. Sometimes that can be the the entire duration of our stay.
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Old 07-10-2011, 11:13 AM   #7
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That looks EXACTLY like my plug did. I believe it was caused by using an old pedestal and it had a lot of heat buildup. I just carry a spare plug with me I got a Lowes and I replaced it. Only thing I dont like is that it is not quite a waterproof - prob the only solution there is to buy an extension cord and cut off the female end and re-run the entire thing.

Since you are still out camping, I would take an emery board and try to polish up the connectors as best you can. I may be wrong, but I kind of doubt that Jayco will cover that under warranty since I would consider that wear and tear.

Since I have installed my EMS, I have not had any hot plugs or discoloration - but have had it cut off and had to cut down usage once or twice.



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Old 07-10-2011, 03:12 PM   #8
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Havng seen a lot of " blue " copper electrical parts in my 40 yrs in the business, I tend to agree with those who mention the cg receptical as being the culprit. The contact point has gotten week and lost it's tension, therefore it creats heat and arcing around the male cord cap. Larry
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Old 07-10-2011, 06:22 PM   #9
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That's a corroded plug and it needs to be replaced. It's also possible you have low voltage, but that is always on the bottom of the suspect list, especially if there is something visually wrong. Cut that end off and replace it with a new one. If you have been plugged into the same outlet for some time, that outlet also needs to be replaced. Loose connections cause arcing, heat buildup, and deterioration of the conductions.
Also, be sure to check that the breaker is off before you ever plug into a pedestal. Everytime you plug into a hot one, you draw an arc and that starts the plug burning issue.
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Old 07-11-2011, 10:25 PM   #10
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OK Here's the update.... BTW, the members here are amazing!!!

Last night we stayed with my grandkids other grandparents in Phoenix, so didn't camp since posting the OP. So, I finally got a chance to check your posts today when we pulled into Palm Springs. When we got into camp, we plugged in the power, set the a/c and switched on the water heater (fridge started automatically). Within minutes, the a/c shut down and the circuit tripped.

I forgot about the other post Bob... thanks for pulling up that previous thread for us! I think you guys were all spot on. Also, thanks Fishy for skyping with Don to walk him through the process of switching off circuits, cleaning the prongs, switching stuff back on.

Good news! I had no idea that emery board would come in handy (I don't fuss with my nails and Don bites his! LOL). But thanks to Fishy, that emery board has those prongs shiny like new. So far, electrical is working fine.


Thanks again!
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Old 07-12-2011, 09:43 AM   #11
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I have Eagle 322FKS, with 15m a/c micro, water heater, refg. all running on 120 volts 30 amp service and the cord plugged into a new shore power box the plug does gets very hot, If you do an amp draw you are @ about 23amp. at almost max. I switched the water heater over to gas,and the plug was warm, but not hot. The 15,000 a/c draws 17 amps by itself. as stated if the voltage is low, the amps increase. I have a plug in voltmeter and leave it plugged in so I can check the voltage. One thing to avoid is to use a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter and then plug your 30 amp plug, you are creating a fire hazard.
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Old 07-12-2011, 10:15 AM   #12
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Woo..hooo...glad you are back to being cool!

When we were camping over the July 4th holiday, we were at a very large Forrest Service park with several hundred spots. I kept and eye on my EMS and could see the voltage drop pretty substantially during the day when everyone had the AC cranked.

The Fridge only pulls about 300 watts, so I was not that concerned about that, but when I had the AC, Water heater, and plenty of lights on - I was pulling a full 30 amps and was around 108 volts. I decided that I would go on gas water during the day and only do electric at night and that really helped.

As I watch that EMS display I am amazed that my converter alone will pull close to 8 amps when I have a bunch of lights going -- so I guess the point is during the summer you do have to keep a close eye on things. A few dollars of propane usage is well worth it if it keeps your AC running (and you dont get damage from low voltage).

On the 30-50 - Jim I do somewhat agree with you; however - here is my take -- If I am at a pedestal that has a worn 30 or a good looking 50 - I am going with the 50. I get a better connection, less heat, and better voltage. I know I loose the pedestal 30 amp breaker, but I still have my internal 30 amp breaker that should catch any overload. It is one of those trade offs - which is the lesser evil? I dont know for sure, but my thought is I would rather lose the double protection than end up with a burned up cord.



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Old 07-12-2011, 10:43 AM   #13
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On the 4th of July weekend, we were at a large CG in Port Huron Mich. The first evening, temperatures did not require A/C, and the line voltage in the TT was 119 volts. On the Saturday afternoon, the outside temp got into the 90's and most people were running their A/C. At that time, with our A/C, fridge and water heater on, the line voltage in the TT was 110 volts. You may think that's low, but I was impressed it wasn't lower. Our 30 amp plug came thru no problem, but all it would take would be a rusty, worn socket in the pedistal to change that. Before I plugged in that first night, did my best to visually check the socket condition, and it seemed acceptable. A good connection at the pedistal is important.
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Old 07-13-2011, 01:40 AM   #14
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If I am at a pedestal that has a worn 30 or a good looking 50 - I am going with the 50

How about if you were at a bar?

Sorry couldn't resist.
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Old 07-14-2011, 06:10 PM   #15
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Murph A worn 30 could still hurt ya !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Larry
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Old 07-22-2011, 03:32 PM   #16
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On my very first outing with our new '02 Jayco my electrical plug was MELTED, due entirely to a worn out power receptical that put little or no tension on the plug prongs. I wound up having to cut the end off and replace the plug on my power cord. Ever since that experience I am careful to check the tension on the plug where it fits into the power box receptical. If it is sloppy or loose, I put my 30 amp to 50 amp adapter on my power cord and plug into the 50 amp outlet. The 50 amp recepticals always seem to have a much tighter fit, probably because they don't get used as much.
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Old 08-07-2011, 11:58 AM   #17
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Came across the old pic of my plug today -- funny it looks a lot like yours

What did you ever do about that plug?



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