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Old 05-18-2018, 03:35 PM   #1
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THOR #3227
50 amp or 30 amp

Installing an electrical plug on side of house to plug RV into when parked. Occasionally I will have the need to run BOTH ac units. Is 30 amp sufficient?

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Old 05-18-2018, 03:50 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brakeman48 View Post
Installing an electrical plug on side of house to plug RV into when parked. Occasionally I will have the need to run BOTH ac units. Is 30 amp sufficient?
Not for both, make it a 50a.
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Old 05-18-2018, 04:17 PM   #3
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I agree... the cost difference is minimal, but the benefits are significant!
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Old 05-18-2018, 04:20 PM   #4
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Also...study online the wiring of the 50A receptacle specific to RV's. It is different from a house circuit. Many have had a residential electrician install a 50A only to fry their entire RV with 220 the instant they plug it in. There is lots of info on YouTube on this. I'm no electrician but have read a few horror stories, so it's worth double checking.
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Old 05-18-2018, 04:43 PM   #5
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actually, you can easily run two air conditioners on 30amps, just not much else. A 30amp outlet is much easier to add to your breaker box, as well.

there's also nothing to say that you can't also run an extension cord into the rv from a regular outlet at the house, for those 'other' item you might need at the same time.

50amp? sure, it's great, but for just parking next to your home... not needed, unless you think you'll be living in it one day : )
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Old 05-18-2018, 04:47 PM   #6
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Not for both, make it a 50a.
Here's a good, up to date, primer on the wiring. It's about using the 4 wire 50A outlet and NOT the old 3 wire 50A stove outlet.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...otTp7h0pdbW7Yh
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Old 05-18-2018, 05:26 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Brakeman48 View Post
Installing an electrical plug on side of house to plug RV into when parked. Occasionally I will have the need to run BOTH ac units. Is 30 amp sufficient?
It will be minimally sufficient..
IF you have 13.5k A/C units....
The cost of running a true 50a/30a/20a vs a 30a/20a is less than you think...For us the cost difference was less than $150 all in..
I had him replace/upgrade the House main breaker box, added two 50a/30a.20a RV outlet boxes (garage & RV pad)



..And I used a licensed & bonded Electrician, as we have way to much invested in our coach to take a chance of frying the electronics due to a half assed electrical installation.

AND the "biggie" is down the road you may upgrade to an RV that requires 50a with 15k A/C and Heat pumps... so just make it a "one and done" installation.
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Old 05-18-2018, 06:06 PM   #8
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If you're gonna do it at all...do it all the way.
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Old 05-20-2018, 07:38 AM   #9
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50 amp 2 pole is 50 amp 2 pole. Should be fine. It's a 120/240 outlet for the 50 amp 2 pole outlet. It's the 30 amp single pole 120 outlet that people get confused on
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Old 05-20-2018, 01:32 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton View Post
If you're gonna do it at all...do it all the way.
I agree.
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Old 05-21-2018, 01:06 PM   #11
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30a vs 50a

Something on 30a vs 50a that concerns me: if you were @ a hook up that was only 50a, and your coach is 30a, is the use of one of those 50a to 30a adapter plugs potentially harmful?? I have one, but the conservative [paranoid?] side of me has never let me use it....
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Old 05-21-2018, 01:17 PM   #12
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Relax... it's okay to use them!
Think of it this way:
50 amps worth of power isn't being shoved into your motorhome's electricals...
It only draws what it needs.
That 50 amp plug just means that more is available!
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Old 05-21-2018, 01:19 PM   #13
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I hooked into a 30 AMP once that was wired like a 220v dryer. Luckily, only popped capacitors on convertor circuit board. I ended up ordering circuit board for convertor from Amazon and had it drop shipped. $145 plus an hour and a half troubleshooting and installing. Spent another 30 minutes correcting plug.

When I got home, I cancelled "Extended Warranty". $100 deductable and who knows how long waiting for repair? Local dealer closed location 30 minutes away and only has shop 2 hours away now. They did even give courtesy notice.
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Old 05-21-2018, 02:19 PM   #14
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It’s “ALMOST” always safe to use an adapter at pedestal, but not 100% of time because people are unpredictable. If done properly risk are very minimal, but the problem with circumventing preferred practices/rules is that the owner may not know much about electricity and could end up doing something stupid.

With one of these adapters a person could overload the 30-Amp power cable very easily if connected to 50-Amp service. Some owner may decide to run the RV from one branch, and then connect a second (stand-alone) air conditioner to other branch, or maybe an electric skillet that draws ~ 1500 watts (13 Amps), etc.

The point is that it is physically possible (however unlikely) to load 30-Amp cord up to 50-Amps before the pedestal breaker trips, or the 30-Amp cable overheats and starts a fire.

Safety rules are usually written to protect everyone, not just those with common sense.
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Old 05-21-2018, 02:22 PM   #15
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Nice catch!

I forgot about our abilities to do foolish things...
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Old 05-21-2018, 02:30 PM   #16
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Nice catch!

I forgot about our abilities to do foolish things...
Again: The trouble with making something foolproof is that you always underestimate the fool.
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Old 05-21-2018, 03:04 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by JamieGeek View Post
Again: The trouble with making something foolproof is that you always underestimate the fool.
Why is it that I keep seeing my own picture: above that phrase?
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Old 05-21-2018, 03:14 PM   #18
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Bob,
Your 29h is capable of running both air conditions on 30amp. That's the way it is designed. I do it all the time when the kids are using the garage as a bedroom. The back ac is only 5000btu.

I ran a 30 amp via conduit for mine. I figured if I ever upgrade to something with 50 amp I'll just pull anothe wire through the conduit.
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Old 05-21-2018, 03:27 PM   #19
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The Outlaw is set up for running them both on just 30 amps...

But one of them, is just a 5,000 BTU unit.
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Old 05-21-2018, 05:12 PM   #20
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Back to that old saying for a moment...

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/att...1&d=1526922718
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