If you operate a seasonal park that closes down for the winter, a few of the things you need to do to get ready are to shut off the water supply, then drain or blow out the pipes to prevent freezing. But your electrical system needs attention, too, so we asked Wade Elliott, president of Utility Supply Group in Kingston, Wash., and ARVC’s 2018 Supplier of the Year award winner for his advice.

If you operate a seasonal park that closes down for the winter, a few of the things you need to do to get ready are to shut off the water supply, then drain or blow out the pipes to prevent freezing. But your electrical system needs attention, too, so we asked Wade Elliott, president of Utility Supply Group in Kingston, Wash., and ARVC’s 2018 Supplier of the Year award winner for his advice.

First, he recommends taking the opportunity when your park is empty to do some testing on your electrical system to make sure that you don’t have any problems that have crept up.

“Before you shut down the electrical service for the year, go around with a tester and test each site for reverse polarity,” he says.

Reverse polarity is a potentially dangerous or damaging situation that occurs when the hot and neutral wires in an electrical circuit become switched. It’s important to check for reverse polarity because it can lead to a shock or shock hazard or potentially damage a guest’s RV. Detecting any reverse polarity issues before you shut down for the year will give you time to address and resolve those issues before opening up again in the spring.

Next, as you’re closing down for the winter, he suggests securing your electrical pedestals by taking these three steps:

1.     Turn all of the breakers to the off position. 

2.     If your pedestals allow for it, close the doors completely rather than having them in what’s called the tented position.

3.     Shut off the breaker at the distribution panel.

Ready for more helpful tips? Then you won’t want to miss Wade Elliott’s session entitled “Getting Your Park Ready for Winter (and Spring)” at the Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo (OHCE) on November 4-7 in Knoxville, Tenn. To learn more and to register, visit arvc.org/OHCE. See you in Knoxville!