Reverse Polarity warning on my TRC RV Surge Guard model 44260

[Moe]

Hello . I am stumped by an incident that recently occurred. I have a 2020 Imagine 2450RL, which has a 30 amp service. I plugged in to a 30 amp post in a private park, through my Surge Guard ,model 44260 Surge Protector. The device indicated I had a safe and usable electrical service, so I plugged in my rig.

Then began the concerns... the Surge Guard would display an intermittent reverse polarity red warning light without any changes in hydro demand. Then when I would use a high demand appliance such as the A/C or hot water tank, or even microwave, the red reverse polarity warning light would return as soon as the appliance was turned on. I have had my rig and Surge Guard plugged in together at other locations without running into this problem.

I researched this phenomena on the TRC website, and online but could not find a clear answer. Anybody have an electrical background or knowledge of what this is about, and what I should do about it. I thought maybe a bad hydro installation in the park, low voltage, a shared service line, or some sort of arching phenomena.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank You,

Moe

[ncitro]

It would be hard for the polarity to reverse intermittently at the park unless someone was actively doing work. I was going to ask if you’ve ever had this issue anywhere else, but you indicated you haven’t. Does it happen every time you turn on a big draw, or is it intermittent? If it’s every time I’d be curious to watch the voltage with a meter and see if the polarity actually reverses. It’s possible there’s an issue with your surge guard. If it does actually reverse, there would have to be an issue with the park power, but I have no idea what it could be.

[Moe]

It would be hard for the polarity to reverse intermittently at the park unless someone was actively doing work. I was going to ask if you’ve ever had this issue anywhere else, but you indicated you haven’t. Does it happen every time you turn on a big draw, or is it intermittent? If it’s every time I’d be curious to watch the voltage with a meter and see if the polarity actually reverses. It’s possible there’s an issue with your surge guard. If it does actually reverse, there would have to be an issue with the park power, but I have no idea what it could be.

Thank You ncitro for taking the time to reply to this inquiry. The anomaly occurred every time I turned on a big draw...and only at this park. My first suspicion is the voltage. I understand low voltage can damage one's equipment, so I think I am gonna avoid park. Thank You. Safe travels

[howson]

Hello . I am stumped by an incident that recently occurred. I have a 2020 Imagine 2450RL, which has a 30 amp service. I plugged in to a 30 amp post in a private park, through my Surge Guard ,model 44260 Surge Protector. The device indicated I had a safe and usable electrical service, so I plugged in my rig.

Then began the concerns... the Surge Guard would display an intermittent reverse polarity red warning light without any changes in hydro demand. Then when I would use a high demand appliance such as the A/C or hot water tank, or even microwave, the red reverse polarity warning light would return as soon as the appliance was turned on. I have had my rig and Surge Guard plugged in together at other locations without running into this problem.

I researched this phenomena on the TRC website, and online but could not find a clear answer. Anybody have an electrical background or knowledge of what this is about, and what I should do about it. I thought maybe a bad hydro installation in the park, low voltage, a shared service line, or some sort of arching phenomena.

Any thoughts would be much appreciated. Thank You,

Moe

The linked article, originally by Blue Sea Systems, explains why the light is coming on: https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...nt.do?docId=96

I put the diagrams side-by-side so they are easy to compare. From the article

These two circuits are, absent a ground fault, electrically equivalent. All that has been done in Diagram 2 is to represent the green safety ground wire as an extension of the one leg of the Reverse Polarity sensing LED. We now have an LED with one leg on each end of the neutral wire. Because voltage is always consumed pushing amperage through a resistance (wire), the voltage is different at points A and B on the Neutral wire when there is current flowing through it. This is called "voltage drop".

When high amperage loads are operated in the circuit, enough voltage drop in the length of the Neutral wire can be created to overcome the resistance in the 25K resistor required by ABYC that sufficient current is driven through the LED to cause faint illumination. This situation is not inherently dangerous, however, it can indicate undersized wiring in the dock, shorepower cord or ship's wiring portion of the AC circuit.

[Moe]

The linked article, originally by Blue Sea Systems, explains why the light is coming on: https://www.jamestowndistributors.co...nt.do?docId=96

I put the diagrams side-by-side so they are easy to compare. From the article

These two circuits are, absent a ground fault, electrically equivalent. All that has been done in Diagram 2 is to represent the green safety ground wire as an extension of the one leg of the Reverse Polarity sensing LED. We now have an LED with one leg on each end of the neutral wire. Because voltage is always consumed pushing amperage through a resistance (wire), the voltage is different at points A and B on the Neutral wire when there is current flowing through it. This is called "voltage drop".

When high amperage loads are operated in the circuit, enough voltage drop in the length of the Neutral wire can be created to overcome the resistance in the 25K resistor required by ABYC that sufficient current is driven through the LED to cause faint illumination. This situation is not inherently dangerous, however, it can indicate undersized wiring in the dock, shorepower cord or ship's wiring portion of the AC circuit.

Wow that is awesome Howard. Thank You so much. Explains everything. Safe to also conclude then that it would be bad for the rig / components. Will keep an eye on this from now on.

Thanks again,

Moe