30amp help.

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

That's possible. Maybe he'll post a clarification on where the breaker he's having trouble with is located.

However, the same wire gauge size still applies to household panels. A 15 amp circuit will be wired with a 14 gauge Romex, and a 20 amp circuit will have 12 gauge wiring. At least that's the electrical code here.

Right if the OP comes back we need real clarification on the problem

[craigav]

Originally Posted by JFlightRisk

That's possible. Maybe he'll post a clarification on where the breaker he's having trouble with is located.

However, the same wire gauge size still applies to household panels. A 15 amp circuit will be wired with a 14 gauge Romex, and a 20 amp circuit will have 12 gauge wiring. At least that's the electrical code here.

It is all guesswork until the OP returns with more details. I was envisioning an RV receptacle box that has a 30a and a 15a outlet in it, likely with 10awg (maybe #8 depending on the distance) going back to the originating breaker panel. I have lost my crystal ball so I have no insight until the OP returns. ~CA

[Bill Johnson]

Originally Posted by craigav

It is all guesswork until the OP returns with more details. I was envisioning an RV receptacle box that has a 30a and a 15a outlet in it, likely with 10awg (maybe #8 depending on the distance) going back to the originating breaker panel. I have lost my crystal ball so I have no insight until the OP returns. ~CA

There is another post where an RV'er plugged into a 240 volt outlet, if you search new posts

[djglover7]

This is where a picture or diagram would be worth a thousand words.


Lots of good responses and apparently smart people but we are all guessing.


Where is the OP??

[UpstateNY-31FS]

Does your camper have a twist lock cord? If so, make sure it is fully twisted in before locking the collar!

[jimmoore13]

My forehead meathod of logic says:
If you can adapt the RV cord with a 15 amp connector and you have power, there's nothing wrong with the RV power system - including the cord.

If you can measure 120 volts across the 30 AMP female receptacle, your socket may be disintegrating. There's one "hot" and two "cold" wires in a 30 amp 120 volt circuit. With probes on a multimeter you might detect voltage at the outlet, but the outlet might be falling apart inside so that the prongs on the RV cord's male plug are not making proper contact.

I'll assume you are old enough to have experienced this with worn out household outlets over the years. The plug barely stayes in, and sometimes you must wiggle the plug to make contact. Old house blues. Something similar may have happened to the female socket/outlet where you plug in.

Turn off the breaker for this circuit, pull off the outlet cover, pull out the outlet, and physically examine it. You might only need to replace the outlet with a new one. That's my hunch, and I'm stickin' to it.

Spend the $10 and replace the outlet. It's a DIY job. All you have to do is turn off the breaker feeding the outlet. It will be easy to find. It has a 30 written into the switch toggle...probably the only one in your panel. Add a few more bucks to buy a multimeter or circuit tester just to be safe. All you need to do is take out the old outlet, loosen the screws holding the wires, pa attention to where each wire goes, and put them on the new outlet. Couldn't be easier. If I'm wrong, you're out $10, and you have a brand new outlet for your rig.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

My forehead meathod of logic says:
If you can adapt the RV cord with a 15 amp connector and you have power, there's nothing wrong with the RV power system - including the cord.

If you can measure 120 volts across the 30 AMP female receptacle, your socket may be disintegrating. There's one "hot" and two "cold" wires in a 30 amp 120 volt circuit. With probes on a multimeter you might detect voltage at the outlet, but the outlet might be falling apart inside so that the prongs on the RV cord's male plug are not making proper contact.

I'll assume you are old enough to have experienced this with worn out household outlets over the years. The plug barely stayes in, and sometimes you must wiggle the plug to make contact. Old house blues. Something similar may have happened to the female socket/outlet where you plug in.

Turn off the breaker for this circuit, pull off the outlet cover, pull out the outlet, and physically examine it. You might only need to replace the outlet with a new one. That's my hunch, and I'm stickin' to it.

Spend the $10 and replace the outlet. It's a DIY job. All you have to do is turn off the breaker feeding the outlet. It will be easy to find. It has a 30 written into the switch toggle...probably the only one in your panel. Add a few more bucks to buy a multimeter or circuit tester just to be safe. All you need to do is take out the old outlet, loosen the screws holding the wires, pa attention to where each wire goes, and put them on the new outlet. Couldn't be easier. If I'm wrong, you're out $10, and you have a brand new outlet for your rig.

Lots of typos...sorry.

[Bill Johnson]

No sense talking anymore OP has left the thread like most others. They start but never finish

[Vicr]

"There's one "hot" and two "cold" wires in a 30 amp 120 volt circuit"


Seriously?? "cold" wires??? There is a hot, neutral and ground, no such thing as "cold" wires in an electrical system.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by Vicr

"There's one "hot" and two "cold" wires in a 30 amp 120 volt circuit"


Seriously?? "cold" wires??? There is a hot, neutral and ground, no such thing as "cold" wires in an electrical system.

If there's hot (as you say), and some are not hot, they are cold. And note the quotes. A lay description of what you said, and under the circumstances, in no way problematic. Go pick a fight with someone else. I'm not interested.

[Vicr]

I'm not picking a fight I'm a licensed electrician and I have given you my professional opinion of what you posted. There is an incredible amount of not so accurate and down right bad electrical advice on this forum and some of us will chime in when we see misinformation.

[OntFF]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

If there's hot (as you say), and some are not hot, they are cold. And note the quotes. A lay description of what you said, and under the circumstances, in no way problematic. Go pick a fight with someone else. I'm not interested.

Hot, Grounded, and Grounding conductors... none of them are "cold" - and in the right (or wrong) situation, any of them can be energized and all should be handled with care.