Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Thor Forums > Thor Tech Forums > Modifications and Updates
Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 06-29-2019, 11:12 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Pennsylvania
Posts: 14
THOR #5091
Extra amps or AC units

I was wondering how easy is it to change from 30 amp service to 50 amp service in my 2014 Thor ACE?

Secondly, has anyone installed an additional AC unit either on the roof or through a window?

Bob Z.

__________________
rezeiler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-29-2019, 11:28 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31S
State: Texas
Posts: 4,157
THOR #6411
This forum mas many examples of both. If you do the wiring and use Amazon or E-Bay, you can purchase parts for the upgrade from 30 to 50 amps for around $1,000. I used a Coleman mach 8 ($850 from PPL) in the rear because it is much quieter than the Coleman 15 up front. It took me about 20 hours to do it myself. RV labor around here is $135 per hour for a good RV electrician.



Simplest is to snake a 12 ga outdoor extension cord to a separate circuit breaker panel and the to the bedroom A/C.
__________________
Jim & Roy Davis
2016 Hurricane 31S
1961 Rampside in tow
Beau388 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 02:20 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Hooligan2's Avatar
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: 2016 Siesta Sprinter 24ST
State: Florida
Posts: 602
THOR #2812
50 amp service is two 120 volt 50 amp legs. Would require a new power cord and circuit breaker/distribution panel and splitting the current wiring (Appliances) between the two legs. It may require wiring with heavier gauge wiring. Probably not a DIY so professional installation. Could be expensive when there are other options of load sharing or the separate power cord for a second AC.
.......
What Beau388 said ^^^
__________________
U.S. Coast Guard retired- 1956-1985
Pensacola, Florida
2016 Siesta 24ST
1972 Moto Guzzi Eldorado
Hooligan2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 03:09 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
Brand: Keystone
Model: Sprinter
State: Florida
Posts: 1,422
THOR #15553
much cheaper to run an extension cord thru a slide and plug into the 20 amp outlet on the ped.
__________________
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323BHS. Retired Master Electrician. All Motor Homes are RV's. All RV's are not Motor Homes.
cavie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 10:17 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Hurricane 31D
State: Virginia
Posts: 137
THOR #5638
Run a second power cord for the bedroom A/C. Besides all the items mentioned by Hooligan2 you'll also need to replace the power transfer switch ($150 of so) and there's a good possibility the generator is not large enough to support the increase power load.
__________________
2006 Hurricane 31D built on a 2006 Ford F53
Sweetbriar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 11:03 AM   #6
Axis/Vegas Enthusiast
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.4
State: Michigan
Posts: 9,837
THOR #1150
You could spend around $300 and put a soft start on your current A/C and install a high efficiency 2nd A/C and run both of those on 30 amps, or get a similar A/C to the one you have and spend $600 for two soft starts.

For more info read this thread:
http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f10...mps-17445.html
__________________
2022 Thor Axis 24.4
2021 Mach-E
blog - https://spareelectrons.wordpress.com/
JamieGeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 11:08 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Georgia
Posts: 2,585
THOR #4735
yes, it's 'possible' to upgrade from 30amp to 50amp(240v service) in your RV, but it's not a simple task, as you would have to replace your 30amp Main Panel, which is only 120v, to a new 240v 50amp panel, which is designed to split the incoming 240v service into two 120v 'sides'(50amps on each side, for a total of 100amps of power), and making sure to 'share' the appliances and devices and outlets between the two sides(i.e., air conditioner #1 on the left side, #2 on the right, elec water heater on the left, battery charger on the right, etc., etc.,...)

as for the 'wiring', yes, the incoming 50amp 240v wiring is a larger diameter wire, including the new Shore Power cord you would need, and the ATS will need to be a 240v 50amp type, and the wires leading FROM the ATS to your new Main Panel.
The wiring 'within' the main panel, your breakers, are already sized properly, so they don't have to change.

Most 50amp RVs don't really ever make use of 240v service, but that is exactly what is coming into the coach thru the shore power cord from the Shore Power outlet(a 4-prong cord - RED hot wire, BLACK hot wire, WHITE shared neutral wire, and ground wire)...
The Main Panel in your RV simply 'splits' this 240v service into two 120v sides so that you can make the best use of all of the 'power' available, 100amps!
__________________
the Turners...
two Campers, two Electric cars
former diesel pusher traveler
TurnerFam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 11:11 AM   #8
Senior Member
 
Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Georgia
Posts: 2,585
THOR #4735
and, those RVs with an integrated INVERTER also make use of a 'sub-panel' which provides power to the FRIDGE, and many, if not all, outlets, and must receive power from either Shore, Gen, OR the Inverter...
__________________
TurnerFam is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 11:13 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 6,187
THOR #2121
Also don’t forget that if upgrading to 50-Amp service, it does not address the generator limitation of ~ 30 Amps, so most likely you’d only be able to operate both A/Cs simultaneously when hooked up to shore power.

If wanting to run two A/Cs from 4,000-Watt Onan generator, you should consider options other than simply upgrading to 50A service.
__________________
Chance is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-01-2019, 01:55 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Brand: Still Looking
State: Texas
Posts: 6,187
THOR #2121
P.S. — Note that on larger Quantum, Chateau, and Four Winds Class Cs in the 30~31 foot range, Thor now offers dual 11,000 BTU air conditioners as an option in place of standard 15,000 A/C.

Smaller Cs that come with 13,500 standard offer a 15,000 option (11% greater capacity), but the larger Cs that come with 15,000 as standard now offer dual 11,000 Power Savers as an option (47% greater capacity). These units all come with 30-Amp electrical service and 4,000-Watt generator.

If I were looking at a significant upgrade of this type, I’d stop by an RV dealer and check out one of these units to see if the design would work for me. On paper the 2 X 11,000 A/Cs makes a lot of engineering sense to me. But I’d check operation in person before committing to make sure generator can start both units (one at a time of course) without too much effort.
__________________
Chance is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Thor Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.




All times are GMT. The time now is 10:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2