OK, so this trailering stuff is new to me and I have lots to learn. This morning after making my coffee and relaxing by the lake reading brochures about the area, I came back inside the trailer. Poured my second cup of coffee. Hmmm, the coffee is not very hot. Uh-oh, the light on the coffee maker is out. So is the clock on the microwave. No problem, I'll reset the GFCI, that has happened a few times since we got the trailer. Well, that didn't work. OK, I'll check the circuit breakers. They are all OK. Not knowing better, I also checked all the fuses. They are good too! Well then, maybe it is my outlet. It is one without a circuit breaker so I run an extension over to another empty site. Still nothing. Good grief. I start fretting as I just got the trailer back from the dealer after two weeks of repairs. Wondering what could they have done? I know I'll check the surge protector. Don't know how it works, but at least I'll have a look. Why did they put our surge protector behind the basement wall? Remove panel, no lights on the protector. That's all I can think of. Now what? Do what any other novice would do, go down to the office and ask for help. I explain my dilemma and the lady at the desk said, the power just came back on a few seconds ago. Oh good grief! The obvious.
With all that, I do have a question for you all...How can I check to see if the plug in receptacle is "hot", if I don't have a multimeter? It was a 30 amp, and I just couldn't plug our little electric fan into it to see if it works.
-- Edited by Dave and Denise on Thursday 4th of August 2016 04:29:34 PM
kb0zke said
06:25 PM Aug 4, 2016
A small multimeter is a good thing to keep in the glove box. You will use it frequently, both for yourself and for neighbors.
Barbaraok said
08:45 PM Aug 4, 2016
I agree, get a multimeter - you need it and will use it all of the time. We use it to check whether the batteries in any number of different things are still good, we use it to check voltage at a specific outlet, or checking at the batteries. And, as noted, we've used it to help people who are around us.
I think we all assume when power goes out that "what's gone wrong now" - that is just something RVers tend to do. We've gotten better the longer we've been on the road, at going out, resetting the circuit breaker at the post, and then seeing if things correct. If not, it is usually at that time that you will see others out looking at their pedestals -- a dead give away that it isn't just you. Sometimes, it can just be a whole row or section of a party when the transformer for that section goes down, other times it can be a whole area that includes the park.
BTW - when you are getting your multimeter, also make sure you get some dogbones (30M/15F, 15F/30M and 30M/50F) so that you are prepared for different types of power situations.
Clay L said
01:19 PM Aug 6, 2016
A multi meter is a necessity as far as I am concerned but I always took a look at the microwave clock to see if the power was out. I also carry an outlet checker with a 30 amp receptacle adapter so I could do a quick check on the RV park pedestal. If the LEDs light up I know there is power. I also used it check pedestals in older RV parks that I was concerned about being wired properly.
OK, so this trailering stuff is new to me and I have lots to learn. This morning after making my coffee and relaxing by the lake reading brochures about the area, I came back inside the trailer. Poured my second cup of coffee. Hmmm, the coffee is not very hot. Uh-oh, the light on the coffee maker is out. So is the clock on the microwave. No problem, I'll reset the GFCI, that has happened a few times since we got the trailer. Well, that didn't work. OK, I'll check the circuit breakers. They are all OK. Not knowing better, I also checked all the fuses. They are good too! Well then, maybe it is my outlet. It is one without a circuit breaker so I run an extension over to another empty site. Still nothing. Good grief. I start fretting as I just got the trailer back from the dealer after two weeks of repairs. Wondering what could they have done? I know I'll check the surge protector. Don't know how it works, but at least I'll have a look. Why did they put our surge protector behind the basement wall? Remove panel, no lights on the protector. That's all I can think of. Now what? Do what any other novice would do, go down to the office and ask for help. I explain my dilemma and the lady at the desk said, the power just came back on a few seconds ago. Oh good grief! The obvious.
With all that, I do have a question for you all...How can I check to see if the plug in receptacle is "hot", if I don't have a multimeter? It was a 30 amp, and I just couldn't plug our little electric fan into it to see if it works.
-- Edited by Dave and Denise on Thursday 4th of August 2016 04:29:34 PM
I think we all assume when power goes out that "what's gone wrong now" - that is just something RVers tend to do. We've gotten better the longer we've been on the road, at going out, resetting the circuit breaker at the post, and then seeing if things correct. If not, it is usually at that time that you will see others out looking at their pedestals -- a dead give away that it isn't just you. Sometimes, it can just be a whole row or section of a party when the transformer for that section goes down, other times it can be a whole area that includes the park.
BTW - when you are getting your multimeter, also make sure you get some dogbones (30M/15F, 15F/30M and 30M/50F) so that you are prepared for different types of power situations.