If you’ve ever rented or owned a recreational vehicle, you’re already aware of how important the shoreline connection is. Plugging your shoreline cord into a campground’s power supply is much quieter, more reliable, and less hassle-prone than most of the other options for distributing 120 volt AC power to your rig (such as running a generator, for instance). Almost any RV you see today will have a permanently attached shoreline cord, unless it’s one of those unpopular RVs that never got invited to parties in high school. The cord should have an amp rating governed by the amount of circuits that particular RV needs. 30-amp is what you’ll see most often, but smaller campers can have as low as 15-amp while larger RVs can easily come with 50-amp. It all depends on how many 12 volt AC gadgets and outlets the RV is equipped with. The more devices and places to mount devices, the greater the rating of the cord, and all of the electrical components should be appropriately and similarly rated.
It is most often the case that your whole electrical system will be distributed AC power as soon as you plug in the shoreline cord, but some rigs have an automatic transfer switching device. This might cause a small lag between plugging or starting a generator and receiving the juice. When you turn on your generator or plug into shoreline power, it is advisable to keep the following in mind:
- Switch off all of the heavier loads on your electrical system, such as your AC unit, water heater, etc.
- Check for appropriate voltage and correct polarity in the power supply before plugging in to shoreline power. It takes a few extra minutes, but it’s definitely worthwhile. Otherwise, you tempt fate with potential injuries to body and equipment. Reversed polarity can be very dangerous! Don’t plug into any shoreline power that measures as “reversed.” Report it to the campground authorities and find another outlet.
- Check the frequency of the power supply. It should be at or around 120 volts AC, though it could be in the low hundreds or near 130. If the voltage is too low or too high, damage will likely occur.
- Replace the shoreline cord if it receives any kind of damage. If it’s got cuts, nicks, tears, bends, pinches, stretches, kinks, or wear-and-tear from age, you should replace it as soon as possible.
- The frequency you measure will likely fall very close to 60 Hertz, especially in America and other places with a very standardized use of electricity. More remote areas may have very different ranges, so make sure you check!
- Clean the metal prongs of your shoreline cord regularly with fine steel wool or sandpaper.
Plugging into shoreline power is a major part of enjoying your RV, and staying on top of the related simple maintenance can ensure that you enjoy a healthy 12 volt electrical system for a long time to come.

