This post is rated Intermediate (Blue, if you’re a skier). You don’t need to be Nikola Tesla reincarnated, but you should have a solid understanding of electrical circuits, terminology, and Ohm’s Law. Start with RV Electricity 101. This article will keep things somewhat simple for two reasons.

• You don’t need to understand Lenz’s Law and Faraday’s Law to grok the basics of voltage drop. You might need to stretch your brain, but no math is required.
• I am NOT an electrical engineer or licensed electrician. I have a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and professional experience with AC and DC power distribution circuits, but I’m no industrial electronics expert. So for both of our sakes, we’ll keep things simple and safe.

Have You Ever Experienced Campground Low Voltage?

If you’re a serious RVer, you’ve likely encountered a campsite with low voltage. Maybe you have an EMS surge protector that alerted you with a flashing error code; maybe you tested the pedestal yourself with a multimeter; maybe your air conditioner started blowing out smoke. What causes this low voltage? Should you lodge a complaint? Can you do anything to fix it?

Why Do RV Campgrounds Have Low Voltage?

The end of our road will terminate at NEC 70 Article 551 Section 73. But before we arrive, let’s tell a story about an imaginary RV campground we’ll call “Camp Quitcherbitchin.”