...and also, what is "reversed polarity" ???

[erniecarpet@...]

In a message dated 6/4/2005 11:53:13 AM Central Standard Time,
mrbeebody@... writes:


> taking much and offering very little

John, please don't ever think that you are asking too much. The forum was
started for that reason- to help. Ask away- Ernie 83PT40 in Texas- I had to
learn
somewhere- this was the place


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Adria Haynes]

Guys,

I have an electrical issue with my bus. I need your help because
I'm no good with electricity. The only thing I have ever been able
to figure out about electricity in my 29 years is that it hurts when
I touch it. Every single time - some more than others. 110 hurts
to the elbow. As expected, 220 goes twice as far and hurts
to/through the shoulder. Both continue to hurt even after you are
able to let go. Again, as expected, 220 hurts twice as long after
as the 110 does. I don't recommend making a habit of touching
either.

Anyways,
On my '80, I noticed a few days ago that there were 2 red lights on
in the galley above the toaster. They were some kind of electrical
gauges and the red lights indicated that I had a "reversed ploarity"
condition. Could somebody please help me out with information about
this. I have a radio plugged into the same outlet as the bus that
never skipped a beat. It's actually a garage radio that I have left
on for about 2 years now. I only keep it plugged in to keep the
batteries up as they seem to love being dead if left alone. Nothing
else is ever run like AC or fridges.

Is there somethig wrong with my garage or is it with the bus? Is it
bad?

Please help if you can. I know I've been a pain in the ass lately
taking much and offering very little in return but I assure you all
that as soon as I can help anybody out I will be all over it.

Thanks again, (and again, and again,)

John

[George Lowry]

Hi John,

Keep being a PITA if you need the info.... 8-) I would rather spend
time helping you and others than having to go to a funeral....

I am not an expert on all models of the Wanderlodge but do have some
experience designing and building electrical systems. It seems like
you are speaking about the AC electrical system here.

I believe that, in 1980, you only had 30 amp power available to the
coaches. The 30 amp power is a three wire system consisting of a hot
wire (normally black); A neutral (normally white); And a ground
(normally green). If, for some reason the hot and neutral get
reversed, it is called "reversed polarity". Now the cause can be from
several places. First is to check the outlet where you have the coach
plugged in. One of those pocket checkers with three lights is the
easiest to use (about $10 at Home Depot). I am assuming that you have
your coach plugged into a normal 20 amp outlet in the garage. That
checker will tell you if your outlet is correctly wired. If not, get a
good electrician to correct it for you.

If the outlet is correct, then you have a problem with the coach. It
could be the indicating system or the coach wiring could be screwed
up. Using that same pocket tester, plug it into various outlets in the
coach and see if you get a correct reading. If you do, then it would
appear that the indicating system is a problem and you would need to
contact PMMI (information in the contacts section of the files.). If
you have an indication of a reversed polarity from your pocket tester,
I suggest you get a knowledgeable technician/electrician to
troubleshoot and correct the problem.

If everything is wired correctly (House, coach, etc.), then it takes
at least two failures to create a shock hazard. The lights you have
indicate that you may have one failure. One more failure of the fail
safe design could be dangerous. BTW, this is if everything is done in
accordance with Section 551 of the National Electrical Code.

Hope this is of some help. The code is designed to protect you if you
are not knowledgeable in electrical matters.

George Lowry
'95 WBDA 4203 & GM 4106 (for sale)
Spearfish, SD

Adria Haynes wrote:

> Guys,
>
> I have an electrical issue with my bus. I need your help because
> I'm no good with electricity. The only thing I have ever been able
> to figure out about electricity in my 29 years is that it hurts when
> I touch it. Every single time - some more than others. 110 hurts
> to the elbow. As expected, 220 goes twice as far and hurts
> to/through the shoulder. Both continue to hurt even after you are
> able to let go. Again, as expected, 220 hurts twice as long after
> as the 110 does. I don't recommend making a habit of touching
> either.
>
> Anyways,
> On my '80, I noticed a few days ago that there were 2 red lights on
> in the galley above the toaster. They were some kind of electrical
> gauges and the red lights indicated that I had a "reversed ploarity"
> condition. Could somebody please help me out with information about
> this. I have a radio plugged into the same outlet as the bus that
> never skipped a beat. It's actually a garage radio that I have left
> on for about 2 years now. I only keep it plugged in to keep the
> batteries up as they seem to love being dead if left alone. Nothing
> else is ever run like AC or fridges.
>
> Is there somethig wrong with my garage or is it with the bus? Is it
> bad?
>
> Please help if you can. I know I've been a pain in the ass lately
> taking much and offering very little in return but I assure you all
> that as soon as I can help anybody out I will be all over it.
>
> Thanks again, (and again, and again,)
>
> John
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>

[Adria Haynes]

Thanks Geroge.

I guess I might know a little more than I thought. I just
remembered seeing those lights on one other time last year. The bus
was plugged into the house that time. I plugged it into the other
socket of the same outlet and they went off - so I forgot about it.
This year that outlet had to be swapped out from being fried
internally. I had a mini fridge plugged into it when it fried so I
just figured that THAT was the problem.

The water/electrical panel in the back of my bus actually had been
messed with - some of which by me when I bought it - since that
panel was out and needed being put back together. It worked fine
all last year at all the parks we stayed at without incident so I
grew to trust it. I currently am running a 50 amp line inside the
bus, but the extension cord I have is such that it lets me plug it
into a 30 amp outlet. I also have a 50amp service cord that I use
if I can get that level of hookup. My current setup is actually a
little embarassing as I have the 50/30 cord hooked to another long
extension 30 amp cord, then through a 110 outlet adapter - then
through a surge protector, THEN finally into the wall. Shame on me.

Thanks again and I'll start messing with the outlets as soon as I
get one of them checkers.

John

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, George Lowry
wrote:
> Hi John,
>
> Keep being a PITA if you need the info.... 8-) I would rather
spend
> time helping you and others than having to go to a funeral....
>
> I am not an expert on all models of the Wanderlodge but do have
some
> experience designing and building electrical systems. It seems
like
> you are speaking about the AC electrical system here.
>
> I believe that, in 1980, you only had 30 amp power available to
the
> coaches. The 30 amp power is a three wire system consisting of a
hot
> wire (normally black); A neutral (normally white); And a ground
> (normally green). If, for some reason the hot and neutral get
> reversed, it is called "reversed polarity". Now the cause can be
from
> several places. First is to check the outlet where you have the
coach
> plugged in. One of those pocket checkers with three lights is the
> easiest to use (about $10 at Home Depot). I am assuming that you
have
> your coach plugged into a normal 20 amp outlet in the garage.
That
> checker will tell you if your outlet is correctly wired. If not,
get a
> good electrician to correct it for you.
>
> If the outlet is correct, then you have a problem with the coach.
It
> could be the indicating system or the coach wiring could be
screwed
> up. Using that same pocket tester, plug it into various outlets in
the
> coach and see if you get a correct reading. If you do, then it
would
> appear that the indicating system is a problem and you would need
to
> contact PMMI (information in the contacts section of the files.).
If
> you have an indication of a reversed polarity from your pocket
tester,
> I suggest you get a knowledgeable technician/electrician to
> troubleshoot and correct the problem.
>
> If everything is wired correctly (House, coach, etc.), then it
takes
> at least two failures to create a shock hazard. The lights you
have
> indicate that you may have one failure. One more failure of the
fail
> safe design could be dangerous. BTW, this is if everything is
done in
> accordance with Section 551 of the National Electrical Code.
>
> Hope this is of some help. The code is designed to protect you if
you
> are not knowledgeable in electrical matters.
>
> George Lowry
> '95 WBDA 4203 & GM 4106 (for sale)
> Spearfish, SD
>
> Adria Haynes wrote:
>
> > Guys,
> >
> > I have an electrical issue with my bus. I need your help
because
> > I'm no good with electricity. The only thing I have ever been
able
> > to figure out about electricity in my 29 years is that it hurts
when
> > I touch it. Every single time - some more than others. 110
hurts
> > to the elbow. As expected, 220 goes twice as far and hurts
> > to/through the shoulder. Both continue to hurt even after you
are
> > able to let go. Again, as expected, 220 hurts twice as long
after
> > as the 110 does. I don't recommend making a habit of touching
> > either.
> >
> > Anyways,
> > On my '80, I noticed a few days ago that there were 2 red lights
on
> > in the galley above the toaster. They were some kind of
electrical
> > gauges and the red lights indicated that I had a "reversed
ploarity"
> > condition. Could somebody please help me out with information
about
> > this. I have a radio plugged into the same outlet as the bus
that
> > never skipped a beat. It's actually a garage radio that I have
left
> > on for about 2 years now. I only keep it plugged in to keep the
> > batteries up as they seem to love being dead if left alone.
Nothing
> > else is ever run like AC or fridges.
> >
> > Is there somethig wrong with my garage or is it with the bus?
Is it
> > bad?
> >
> > Please help if you can. I know I've been a pain in the ass
lately
> > taking much and offering very little in return but I assure you
all
> > that as soon as I can help anybody out I will be all over it.
> >
> > Thanks again, (and again, and again,)
> >
> > John
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >

[Tom Warner]

John do you have the BB manual (blue binder) for your coach? If so these
questions are in there and you need to read it first. Then if you dont
understand it I am sure that someone will go thru the lessons so you can
understand. The answer is you have something wrong with the electricity in
your barn.

tom
1982 FC35
Vernon Center,NY

At 04:51 PM 6/4/2005 +0000, you wrote:
>Guys,
>
>I have an electrical issue with my bus. I need your help because
>I'm no good with electricity. The only thing I have ever been able
>to figure out about electricity in my 29 years is that it hurts when
>I touch it. Every single time - some more than others. 110 hurts
>to the elbow. As expected, 220 goes twice as far and hurts
>to/through the shoulder. Both continue to hurt even after you are
>able to let go. Again, as expected, 220 hurts twice as long after
>as the 110 does. I don't recommend making a habit of touching
>either.
>
>Anyways,
>On my '80, I noticed a few days ago that there were 2 red lights on
>in the galley above the toaster. They were some kind of electrical
>gauges and the red lights indicated that I had a "reversed ploarity"
>condition. Could somebody please help me out with information about
>this. I have a radio plugged into the same outlet as the bus that
>never skipped a beat. It's actually a garage radio that I have left
>on for about 2 years now. I only keep it plugged in to keep the
>batteries up as they seem to love being dead if left alone. Nothing
>else is ever run like AC or fridges.
>
>Is there somethig wrong with my garage or is it with the bus? Is it
>bad?
>
>Please help if you can. I know I've been a pain in the ass lately
>taking much and offering very little in return but I assure you all
>that as soon as I can help anybody out I will be all over it.
>
>Thanks again, (and again, and again,)
>
>John
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

[Jeff Miller]

Since your bus is plugged into a 50a/220v-30a/110v-15a/220v adapter
chain, along with a long extension cord, ... it is as likely the
cords as the power source.

The reverse polarity lights are telling you that there is a voltage
potential between your neutral and your ground, on both legs, so
possibly an open ground. Be sure the outlet ground is connected to
ground and that the cords have their ground pins.

You could also be plugged into an outlet that has the hot and neutral
reversed, on a typical 15a outlet the smaller of the two slots is the
hot and the larger is neutral, you should be able to measure 117vac
from the small slot to the large slot, and from the small slot to the
ground, but no voltage from the ground to the large slot.

At the coach end of your power cord, there should be 117vac from each
of the arcuate slots to both the metal case of the connector and to
the enlarged locking slot, and ~234vac between the two arcuate slots
(if plugged into 50a) or 0vac between the two arcuate slots if
adapted down to 30a or less.

- Jeff Miller
http://www.wanderlodge.net


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Adria Haynes"
<mrbeebody@n...> wrote:
> Guys,
>
> I have an electrical issue with my bus. <<snip>>