I have 5 year old Milbank meter pole with RV 50 amp receptacles that are continually melting and I have to change them out. What is the cause of this? Is it just a loose connection between the receptacle and the male plug? There is nothing else odd here and it is happening at alot of my camp sites.
Milbank RV 50amp receptacles melting
- Thread starter Jeff80
- Start date
- Status
- Location
- Chapel Hill, NC
- Occupation
- Retired Electrical Contractor
I suspect the RV vehicle plugs are worn out and have loose connections that are creating heat and melting your recep. Either that or all your recep. are loose. 
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
poorly balanced panels in the RV?
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
That picture is a 120/240v range outlet. So how is the RV wired.
Don't the Rv have a 120v 50a outlet?
They're all wired for 120v. I have yet to see an RV that has a 240v load in them.
If they have 240v loads, how do they plug into a standard 120v receptacle and have everything work?
How do the work on 240v receptacles, and why do they use 240v cord & plugs? Simple.... they only utilize one hot wire. Half the RVs that plug in will use the hot on the 'right' side of the receptacle, and half will use the hot on the 'left' side of the receptacle.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
So You tell me that the manufacture makes cords with all 4 wires and only use 3. Really.
Some RV's have 240v appliances. what I can bet on is that they all are wired with all the 120v on one leg. A Rv park gets overloaded on one Leg because the EC wires Line 1 on the same terminal on each and every pedistal. I can assure you there is a voltage drop on Line 1 when the park is full.
I have seen this in condos where Line 1 is substatially heavier loaded than Line 2. When everyone is home the current on line 1 is drawn down because of the heavy load while line 2 is not loaded much at all.
That is why it is essential to balance the load equally. It it difficult in resi. although in multifamily it is best sometimes to switch around the loading opposite that of half the complex.
My 2 cents
Some RV's have 240v appliances. what I can bet on is that they all are wired with all the 120v on one leg. A Rv park gets overloaded on one Leg because the EC wires Line 1 on the same terminal on each and every pedistal. I can assure you there is a voltage drop on Line 1 when the park is full.
I have seen this in condos where Line 1 is substatially heavier loaded than Line 2. When everyone is home the current on line 1 is drawn down because of the heavy load while line 2 is not loaded much at all.
That is why it is essential to balance the load equally. It it difficult in resi. although in multifamily it is best sometimes to switch around the loading opposite that of half the complex.
My 2 cents
Is it just a loose connection between the receptacle and the male plug? .
That is the most likely cause, the people probly don't check to make sure the plug is tight.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
That would be those big RV's with the slide outs.
and Motor Homes on Bus chasis.
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
I have a Yogi Bear campground, that has:
1 120 volt 20 amp GFCI receptacle
1 120 volt 30 amp receptacle (non-NEMA) special trailer)
1 240/120 50 amp receptacle
And have seen a few larger RV's plugged into the 50 amp?
Oh and every other pedestal has the legs swapped
hurk27
Senior Member
- Location
- Portage, Indiana NEC: 2008
Look in 551.46(C)(4) its in there.
Some class A?s have heat pumps in them that use 220. Larger 5th wheels and most class A?s use a 220V 50A plug. I think AC?s in 5th wheels are 110 but I could be wrong.
The melting in the pic?s look like people did not flip the breaker before plugging in there cord. Starting 2 AC?s and the converter with the contacts not fully engaged causes problems.
The melting in the pic?s look like people did not flip the breaker before plugging in there cord. Starting 2 AC?s and the converter with the contacts not fully engaged causes problems.
Sierrasparky
Senior Member
- Location
- USA
- Occupation
- Electrician ,contractor
They are not they are plugging into a 120/240v outlet. Now if the Park is only supplying 120v without a lable then I suppose there could be an issue.
The vast majority of RVs still operate on 120v only. That's why they can plug into a 50a 120/240, 30a 120/240, 30a 120, 20a 120/240, 20a 120 or 15a 120 receps. There's why all the RV shops sell those 'dogbones'.
hillbilly1
Senior Member
- Location
- North Georgia mountains
- Occupation
- Owner/electrical contractor
Most RV's have all 120 volt loads, even the bigger ones, they just split the load between the legs. My Class A is just a 30 amp because I don't have a washer and dryer and dishwasher and all that good stuff the larger Class A's have. There are even adapters that split two 20 amp receptacles on different circuits into a 50 amp feed. (not full power available though). Some have energy management systems that sense the available power and turns loads on and off accordingly.
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