RVelectricity™: Hey, Hey! The 2021 Hershey Show is this week!

Dear Readers,
After more than a year of being stuck behind a desk, I’m finally back out on the road doing live RVelectricty™ seminars again. I’ve already taught RVelectricity™ seminars at the Airstream International Rally in Lebanon, TN, and the FROG (Forest River Owner’s Group) Rally in Goshen, IN. So now it’s time to do the BIG one in Hershey, PA, this week.

Dates and times, please…

I’ll be at the Hershey Show from Wednesday through Saturday, September 15 to 18, from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., and on Sunday, September 19, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Every day will be an identical class, so no need to repeat my seminar. And this time I’ll be in the BIG Champions Club room upstairs, which will seat 200 or so (but I’m not sure what they’re doing for socially distanced crowds).

This is a lot better than 2 years ago when I ended up in the little room downstairs which only seated 50, and had me start at 9:00 a.m., while many attendees were still stuck in security.

Here’s a pic from two years ago in the little room with the big crowd, which nearly forced me to crowd-surf up to my desk. Yes, it was a bit uncomfortable since I estimated there were more than 80 attendees in the room. But since this is something you all said you wanted, they’ve moved me upstairs starting right after lunch. Yippee!

What will I be teaching at my seminars?

Well, I’ll be demonstrating things like how to detect a hot-skin voltage using a Non-Contact Voltage Tester, showing how Advanced/EMS Surge Protectors work on high and low voltage, discussing how SoftStartRV™ controllers can allow your air conditioner to work on smaller generators, and demonstrating how to meter campground pedestals – plus maybe a few new tricks.

I’m bringing my custom-made variable-voltage pedestal that allows me to create a variety of over- and under-voltage outlet conditions. Plus, this is all done with an overhead camera so you can watch it on the big video screen.

Why is this important?

Electrical systems for RVs have gotten very complicated over the last decade or so. Back when I first started camping in the ’60s, all I had that used electricity was a portable AM radio. Now RVs have multiple air conditioners, huge battery banks with solar panels, refrigerators of every power source you can imagine, and computer-based controllers with Bluetooth communication. Keeping everything working properly can be a challenge. And if you plug into something miswired, you can easily take your RV out of commission for an entire camping season.

Who should attend?

I think that everyone needs to have a good understanding of electricity, especially RV owners who could be plugging into a completely different electrical service every week. It’s not like your bricks-and-sticks house that was inspected after it was built and never moved from its foundation.

Nope, by definition any RV is mobile, so it may be in a different state (with a different set of local electrical codes and inspectors) every day. So it’s up to you to be proactive and watch for signs of trouble. I gear this seminar towards anyone who wants to learn about electricity as it relates to RVs. Don’t worry. There’s no atomic theory involved, just common sense information to help keep you safe and comfortable while you’re out camping.

See you at Hershey this week. Let’s play safe out there….

Mike Sokol is an electrical and professional sound expert with 50+ years in the industry. His excellent book RV Electrical Safety is available at Amazon.com. For more info on Mike’s qualifications as an electrical expert, click here.

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