You plug in at the campsite and nothing works. Or some things work and others don't. Shore power problems are usually simpler than they look — if you know where to check. Here's the full diagnostic sequence.
You pull into the campsite, plug in your shore power cord, flip the breaker, and... nothing. Or some things work and others don't. Or the EMS keeps disconnecting. Shore power problems range from a 30-second fix at the pedestal to a genuine electrical fault that needs a tech. Here's how to figure out which one you're dealing with.
Start at the Pedestal — Not Your RV
The majority of campground shore power problems originate at the pedestal, not the RV. Before assuming something is wrong with your rig, eliminate the obvious:
Check the pedestal breaker
Most campground pedestals have a breaker for each outlet. It may have tripped from a previous camper's load. Reset it and try again. If it trips immediately when you plug in, your RV or cord has a fault — stop here and don't keep resetting it.
Try a different outlet or pedestal
Many campsites have multiple outlets — try the other one. If a neighboring site is available, try that pedestal. A single bad pedestal is very common and the simplest explanation.
Inspect your shore power cord
Look for melted prongs, a cracked housing, or a corroded connector. RV shore power cords fail at the ends from heat, weather, and repeated bending. A damaged cord is a fire risk — don't use it.
Check your EMS or surge protector
If you're running a surge protector or EMS (which you should be), it may be detecting a pedestal problem and refusing to connect. Most units have a display that shows what fault they detected — read it. Open neutral, low voltage, and reverse polarity are all common pedestal faults that your EMS is correctly protecting you from.
Shore Power Gets to the RV — But Things Still Don't Work
If your EMS shows good power and the pedestal breaker holds, but appliances inside aren't working, the fault is inside the RV.
- Check your RV's main shore power breaker or disconnect (usually in the power distribution panel)
- Check individual circuit breakers — a tripped breaker in the panel kills only the circuits on that breaker
- Check GFCIs — bathroom and kitchen outlets are often on GFCI circuits; a tripped GFCI kills all outlets on that circuit. Reset button is on the outlet itself.
- Check your converter — if 12V items work but 120V items don't, the shore power is getting to the coach but the converter isn't processing it properly
- Check your transfer switch if you have a generator — a stuck transfer switch won't pass shore power even when the hookup is live
The GFCI trap that catches everyone
Your bathroom outlet doesn't work. You check the breaker panel — breaker is fine. You give up and call a tech. The tech resets the GFCI outlet in the bathroom that you didn't notice was tripped, and charges you a service call.
Before anything else, find every GFCI outlet in your RV (they have TEST and RESET buttons on the face) and press RESET on each one. One tripped GFCI can kill a whole chain of outlets that seem unrelated.
Partial Power — Some Things Work, Others Don't
This is the diagnostic that tells you the most. If you have 50-amp service and only half your appliances are working, you likely have an open leg. 50-amp RV service is actually two 120V legs — if one leg fails at the pedestal or in your coach wiring, you lose half your circuits. Your converter may still charge batteries, one AC unit may work, but the other half of the coach goes dark.
On 30-amp service, partial power that seems to cut in and out usually means a loose connection at the pedestal outlet, the cord end, or your RV inlet — heat causes them to expand and contract, loosening over time. This is a shock and fire hazard. Don't use the connection until it's repaired.
Common Question
My shore power works fine for 30 minutes then cuts out. What's happening?
Thermal expansion. A connection that's slightly loose or corroded passes power fine when cool, but as it heats up from the resistance and from ambient temperature, it expands and loses contact. This is most common at the pedestal outlet, the cord end connectors, or the RV's shore power inlet. The connection needs to be cleaned, tightened, or replaced — not monitored and reset each time it trips.
If you've worked through the checklist and still can't get shore power sorted, we do mobile RV electrical diagnosis throughout Redding, Shasta County, and all of Northern California. We carry shore power testing equipment and can trace a fault to its source on-site. Learn more about our RV electrical repair service.
BossBros RV Team
Redding, CA