Coast Resorts Open Roads Forum: Power Pedestal Connections

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Topic: Power Pedestal Connections

Posted By: MEXICOWANDERER on 08/30/17 06:06pm

Much problem with this site. Post under construction blanks out. Posting then revision includes 50% of the post for editing. Forgive syntax errors.

Posted By: briansue on 08/30/17 11:46pm

A bunch of good and couple great tips in that last post. Very useful.

Totally agree weight of plugs and cables should be supported so as not to put stress on the connection. In many cases I have been able to sort of hang my cable over the top of the pedestal. Whatever works to keep firm contact between the outlet and the plug.

Quote:

A non contact voltage detector works fine to orient line voltage and neutral wires.

Great tool. What this little guy does is detect if there is voltage/current in a wire without having to have a neutral/ground wire connect to the probe. Just get the tip of this tool near the slot in an outlet or near a wire - even through the insulation - and one of these things will immediately tell you if the wire is hot.

I have had a Klein for years as an electrician friend told me he liked Klein tools the best. I have seen lots of electricians using Fluke. Home Depot, Lowes, Amazon will all have them.

Click For Full-Size Image.

Klein Tools
Non-Contact Voltage Tester
Detects non-contact voltage in cables, cords and circuit breakers
Red LED illuminates with warning tone when voltage is detected
Features heavy-duty polycarbonate plastic resins
$16.98

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-Non-Contact-Voltage-Tester-NCVT-1SEN/100661787

Click For Full-Size Image.

Southwire Digital Voltage Detector Meter
Item # 803668 Model # 40136N
$18.98

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Southwire-Digital-Voltage-Detector-Meter/1000095135

Click For Full-Size Image.

Fluke 1AC-A1-II VoltAlert Non-Contact Voltage Tester
$27.13
• Voltbeat technology and continuous self test so you always know it is working
• Upon detection, tip glows and beeper sounds, IP Rating: IP 40
• 20 volt to 90 volt AC control circuit model also available
• CAT IV 1000 V for added protection,Operating Altitude : 3000 meters
• Voltage sensing ranges: Nominally, 90 V AC to 1000 V AC
• A red glow at the tip and a beeping noise (if not switched OFF) indicates the presence of voltage

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-1AC-A1-II-VoltAlert-Non-Contact-Voltage/dp/B00ATGPRRQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1504156694&sr=8-5&keywords=non-contact+voltage+detector

http://www.briansue2.blogspot.com

Posted By: briansue on 08/31/17 12:07am

20 / 30 amp outlet configuration and correct wiring with what a voltmeter should read if tested as shown . Note on the 20 the common is the longer slot for the larger prong on a plug.

Click For Full-Size Image.

30 amp outlet wiring from the back

Click For Full-Size Image.

50 amp wiring showing colors as well as what correct test voltage should be

Click For Full-Size Image.

Sample idea of a multimeter or voltmeter. Red goes to hot and black goes to neutral or ground. Keep in mind if you measure only from hot to neutral you will still get a voltage reading no matter which color goes where. You will want to test to all slots to make sure all wiring is correct as per diagrams above.

Click For Full-Size Image.

Posted By: MEXICOWANDERER on 08/31/17 11:15pm

School Of Hard Knocks Dept.

When using a non-contact voltage detector (looks like a carpenter's pencil)

Never ever EVER use the device without giving it a verification test first.

Even if it means walking fifty feet to find a proven working circuit, verification can be life-saving. Even the most expensive non contact testers have AAA battery power integrity issues.

I wrapped a thick rubber band around mine. Not only does the rubber band serve to make the detector harder to slip out of a pocket, it serves as a reminder to verify proper operation at the start of each project.

Posted By: briansue on 09/02/17 08:17am

Speaking of electrical inspectors and inspections – In the US there are home inspectors whose job it is to inspect houses that people are purchasing to try to find any problems with the house that need correcting before the new owners sign on the dotted line. Smart buyers hire and pay these inspectors to make sure everything is in good shape. Here is a link to an article with some of the things inspectors encounter.

Home Inspector Horror Stories

https://www.familyhandyman.com/smart-homeowner/home-inspector-horror-stories/view-all/

Posted By: navegator on 09/02/17 09:31am

All of this talk about inspectors and color codes and wire sizes is great for those that live in the United States of America.

In Mexico other than industrial parks, shopping malls, apartment buildings, hotels and some businesses that require construction permits do get an electrical code inspection, some times not always, households do not, all that you need is a "permiso de construccion de vivienda", then when the tube where the electric meter is going to be is secured to the outside wall and the 30 Amp fuses or circuit braker's are installed the Comicion Federal de Electricidad sends the inspector and the guys that run the two wires and hook the power to the fuse box, they DO NOT inspect the rest of the house nor are they permitted to enter the dueling.

How do I know this?

My brother in law is the Architect that built the black building that looks like a slice of cake with a golf ball next to it on the corner of Paseo de la Reforma and Rio Rin that is in Mexico City, Bolsa de Valores de Mexico the Mexican stock exchange building in Mexico City, he built all of the offices for Seguros Tepeyac, built several housing projects in Cuautla by Cuernavaca, he just finished an industrial park, the houses that he has constructed for his kids and in laws only had "permiso de construccion" no electrical permit or inspector ever entered those houses, the last thing you want in your house is any kind of inspector, next thing you know you have the thief's coming by to visit, and lo and behold they know exactly where to go for the goodies, some times the official inspectors take so long to schedule the inspection that the industry or restaurant or store is already open for business, so a few pesos and you are good to go and the inspector approved the wiring.

This is Mexico, it is different than Canada or the United States, you guys keep thinking that what is done in Canada or the USA is done in Mexico, it is not.

When you learn to live with the differences and idiosyncrasies of this country, you will enjoy your stay a lot more, learn to adapt and do not try to change the Mexican mentality, they just look at you as a "gringo Loco" (crazy gringo).

Are there wiring codes in Mexico?
The answer is yes.
Do they use them?
Most do not.
Only big constructions that need permits.
All other wiring is done as cheap and economical as possible.

And that is the reality in Mexico, it is a different country and a different mentality.

Que pasen un buen dia senores.

Vivan la vida loca!

navegator

Posted By: moisheh on 09/02/17 10:18am

navigator: I must admit that your last post was excellent. No one bothers with inspectors. Most homes have added on to their structures and taking out permits just invites problems. The inspectors are just looking for Mordida. The "travelers" on this forum do not have any idea how paying off government officials is just a way of life in Mexico. As for codes and construction rules: Mexico has more rules than in the USA. But they are rarely enforced! We are fortunate that our electrician actually takes courses to update his knowledge. There are homes in my neighborhood that have the wiring from the monument to the house laying on the ground. Or strung in orange conduit over the trees. When they add a mini split the contractor undoes the wire from a breaker and splices in the new wiring. No wire nuts and no tape! Don't
even think of asking what happens to plumbing!
Moisheh

Posted By: navegator on 09/02/17 12:26pm

Actually this type of information with diagrams and how to check electrical wiring inside pedestals or for that matter any electric wiring done by persons that do not know anything about the dangers posed by the electrocution potential is down right dumb and irresponsible, think of the heart surgeon that is now retired and gets hold of this information.

So the doctor goes to Harbor Freight and purchases a meter for $4.99, (by the way my meter cost a little more than $400.00 Dollars} it looks just like the one on the picture, then he also purchases some screw drivers and some pliers (no insulation) that the clerk pointed him out, then he goes checking pedestals after a good rain, he can do this he's an open heart surgeon he has the pretty pictures with color to guide him and he has the little gismo to check with black and red wires, not different from checking a heart and veins, heck it is a piece of cake.

Coroners report: Doctor electrocuted while messing with RV park's electric pedestal.

navegator

Posted By: MEXICOWANDERER on 09/02/17 02:11pm

Exactly senor. Learn how to (excuse me) navigate down here and eliminate 90% of the things that would disturb a perfect trip.

For years I brought down nylon body spec grade receptacles for favorite campsites. When handed a receptacle with a smile RV park owners will bend over backward to get it installed. A properly treated nylon spec receptacle will last 20x as long as a scumbag grade contractor plastic receptacle. Squirt silicone dielectric grease into the slots and the receptacle becomes almost bulletproof. Any Lowe's or Home Depot carries EXTRA LARGE nylon receptacle plates. Like the receptacles, NYLON plates are just about unbreakable. Price for both is about four dollars.

This works best if adjacent campers can be nagged into doing the same thing. Nylon stuff is not available down here. Even plain spec grade is very hard to find. It's not just a matter of the park owner being cheap. Look for blue or red wire nuts the next time you come down. There aren't any so don't ***** about flaky park electrical service.

I wired Flores de Las Penas WAY WAY WAY above NEC and NEMA Code. True 6 AWG to 50-amp receptacles. True 8 AWG to 30 amp receptacles and TEN GAUGE to 20 amp 127 vac receptacles.

Yet I had gringos come in and tell me how wrong things were when CFE was presenting low voltage grid.

"Twenty amp receptacles are a code violation yadda you should use only 15 amp blah blah. I had a shum-dit Texan look at my 200 amp service panel and declare "You need to bring up things to code. What is that thing - fifty amp rated?"

If I had to endure this ignorance, big park owners get flooded with it. They tune it out. Become hardened. A plastic receptacle gets broken. Two weeks later the replacement gets broken.

So when someone shows up with a special receptacle, smiles then politely explains why this special receptacle will far outlast the regular ones, the owner will not only listen, he will be thankful. All's it takes is a minimum effort on the part of an RV'er to bridge the "gap".

I left fifteen dollars worth of red and blue wire nuts at the orphanage near Ocozocuautla, Chis. several years ago and from the reaction offered after I demonstrated their function, I could have as well left Cortes' treasure. The electrician showed up the next day with a huge bowl of sweet tamales from his better half.

Posted By: qtla9111 on 09/02/17 05:50pm

Some of you are so off mark it's incredible. New home construction makes up the majority of home built in Mexico. By that I mean neighborhoods where a builder goes in and builds hundreds of homes. INFONAVIT prefers tract built homes over home construction by a huge margin. What you might see in small coastal towns or rural areas is not the norm.

The CFE has very strict inspectors (yep, go ahead and talk about bribes and payoffs) and they actually do the inspections on tract built homes. Why? Because at that level it can affect the grid overall. Mexico has one of the newest and most technologically advanced grids in the Americas.

Again, show me facts that back up your statements. I have mine.

2005 Dodge Durango Hemi
2008 Funfinder 230DS
Living and Boondocking Mexico Blog

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