Did you know that there are over 11.2 million households in the United States that own an RV? With RV travel becoming more and more popular in places such as the country's national parks, there are going to be novice travelers who do not have much experience with RVs.
However, before you take your RV on the road, you should learn the ins and outs of your vehicle. One of the things you need to learn about is hooking up an RV.
How do you go about RV electrical hookup? This guide breaks it down.
Turn Off Your Breaker
The first thing that you need to do is turn off your breaker. This is for safety reasons because you are going to have to make sure that your electrical hookup is safe to use. Turning this off can help prevent damage if it ends up being unsafe to use.
What people need to do after this is get out and inspect the power pedestal. If you are testing your electrical connection with this, you can do so safely once your breaker is turned off.
Once you know that it is turned off, you can focus on the power pedestal.
Inspect the Power Pedestal
If you are using electrical hookup campgrounds, you must check the power pedestal before you try to make the connection to your RV.
The reason this is important is that you have to remember many people use this for several different RVs. Depending on the location and the types of RVs coming through there, it may not always be left in the best shape.
There could be an issue with the electric connection through that power pedestal. You have to check to see if there is any damage inside the pedestal along with any damage to the electrical line. Over enough time, those lines could have cuts or rips in them and they may not work as they should.
You also have to consider the possibility that these power pedestals do not always get attended to fast enough. This could happen for a few reasons.
It could be a very remote area that simply does not have enough staff to check the power pedestals daily. Or, so many people may use this that it eventually wears down.
Plus, damage could be unknowingly caused while someone else was using it. As a result, it may not get attended to before the next person tries to use it if no one reports that damage.
The point is that you should not just assume that everything is working properly. Check on it to make sure. If you notice something is wrong with the power pedestal, tell someone who works for the campground.
Use a Surge Protector
One of the most important things you need to remember during this process is to use a surge protector. The reason why this is so crucial is that it can help prevent a sudden electrical surge from damaging your RV. It also can know when an electrical surge may come and it can take preventative measures to stop it.
This is a safety feature that can help protect your RV and help you use power wisely. Make sure you stock up on this piece of equipment before taking your RV on the road.
Have Adaptors
When it comes to RV campgrounds, you can't assume that they will all have the same type of electrical hookup across the country. Considering that there are over 15,000 campgrounds in the United States, you must bring an adaptor or two in case you have campgrounds that have different power outlets.
There are a few main power outlets that you need to be aware of. These tend to be 50-amp, 30-amp, and 15-amp power outlets. The latter two tend to be two of the most common power outlets that you'll run into.
Having adaptors provides you with a big advantage and it allows you more options when it comes to power outlets. Best of all, it will prevent you from having to slow down and find another place where you can connect your electrical hookup to your RV.
Connect the Cable
Once you check everything else and stock up on the appropriate supplies, you need to connect the cable to your RV. Assuming that there are no issues with the power pedestal, the breaker is off, and you have your surge protector on, you should not have any issues here.
Check to make sure it is properly connected to your RV and it is secure. Then, turn your breaker back on and make sure that it works. Assuming you did this correctly, you should have power in your RV once you complete this step.
Bring a Generator
This last tip is reserved primarily for emergencies. You cannot always count on certain campgrounds to be reliable and there is always a chance that something will go wrong on your trip if you are driving long enough.
When that happens, you could be out of electricity and you may not be able to use the basic functions of your RV. In this situation, having a generator can be a lifesaver for you. It is a backup power supply that can help keep your RV running like clockwork when you are in certain situations.
It is meant to just be a temporary power supply. However, it can give you extra security as an RV driver knowing that you have a backup power supply in case your main one fails. Look further into this and find the right one for your RV.
Get an RV Electrical Hookup
These are the main things that you need to know about an RV electrical hookup. Make sure that your breaker is turned off, you check the power pedestal, and connect the cable properly.
However, there are a couple of safety and emergency scenarios you want to cover. This includes having a surge protector, adaptors, and a generator.
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