AMP Question

[PurdueGrad]

Ok, I have a question that I can't seem to find an answer to...so we have been camping for about a year in our 2015 LaCrosse 318BHS. It came with a 50 amp cord. When possible, we use 50 amp service, but also have an adapter to plug into 30 amp service (since 50 amp service is not everywhere we like to camp). We have never had an issue with this. When we bought our camper we were told that it was wired for 2 a/c units but only has one installed, thus why it has a 50 amp cord.

This past weekend we ran into a problem. Friday and Saturday morning everything was fine, Saturday afternoon the breaker on the pedestal kept tripping (I think we reset it 5 times). Campground originally suspected it was a bad breaker because they had a big 50 amp bus in our site for about a month prior to us arriving.

Long story short, a general contractor from out of state staying at the campground ended up getting in my husband's face telling us it should be using 50 amp service only!

My husband is an electrician by trade, and is sure it isn't pulling more than 30 amps with the set up we have.

Any comments/advice is kindly welcomed!

Oh, and I should mention that the box on the pedestal was pretty warm to the touch.

Thanks in advance for any input!

[djeirlessr]

I am not an electrician but 30 AMPs should be fine. Unless the air conditioner, fridge, water heater, microwave are running at the same time that may be enough to trip a circuit breaker. I forgot to mention a blow dryer. If the water heater is on electric maybe resort to gas or turn off if not using.

Just my .02 cents


Duane & Jan
2016 Crusader 295RST FW
2011 Toyota Tundra iForce 5.7 6 speed automatic 4.10 gears

[Pauls Toy Hauler]

Although you have a 50 amp plug, in reality when using or only having one A/C you are only using one leg 120v/50amp of 240/50amp.


edited after reading wmtire link.




Like djeirlessr said though, running multiple high power appliances will make it trip but all is doable.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by Pauls Toy Hauler

Although you have a 50 amp plug, in reality when using or only having one A/C you are only using one leg 120v/25amp of 240/50amp.




Like djeirlessr said though, running multiple high power appliances will make it trip but all is doable.

A 50 amp service is actually 2 legs of 120 volt as you stated, but both legs are 50 amps EACH for a total of 100 amps. The double pole breaker is for 50 amps per leg. When you are using just one leg as stated, this one leg is 50 amps...and not 25 amps.



When you plug the 50 amp wired RV into a 30 amp outlet via an adapter, you are sharing that same 30 amps across both legs for a total of 30 amps, instead of 100 amps.

Better reading including the use of adapters:

Electrical Tutorial - Chapter 3 - 30 Amp versus 50 Amp

RV Electric

[TURBS]

Generally the second a/c is the only thing on the second 50 amp leg.

So when when you adversely hook a 30 amp camper via a dogbone you have 50 amps available to your distribution panel but you limited to using only 30 amps via the breaker size.
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"

[Pauls Toy Hauler]

Very good read. I just learned something new.

[doneuald]

I LOVE THIS FORUM!
you learn so much here it's great
Don

[kohai]

I've never read anywhere that it is bad to hook a 50 amp trailer to a 30 amp pedestal.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by kohai

I've never read anywhere that it is bad to hook a 50 amp trailer to a 30 amp pedestal.

Because its not![emoji106]

Btw recently I "had" to plug into the 50 amp with dogbone because the 30 amp receptacle was down to 103 volts.
Ems shuts off @ 102
After plugging into the 50 amp receptacle I was back up to 112 volts.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "24 nights"

[rracer5]

Originally Posted by wmtire

A 50 amp service is actually 2 legs of 120 volt as you stated, but both legs are 50 amps EACH for a total of 100 amps. The double pole breaker is for 50 amps per leg. When you are using just one leg as stated, this one leg is 50 amps...and not 25 amps.



When you plug the 50 amp wired RV into a 30 amp outlet via an adapter, you are sharing that same 30 amps across both legs for a total of 30 amps, instead of 100 amps.

Better reading including the use of adapters:

Electrical Tutorial - Chapter 3 - 30 Amp versus 50 Amp

RV Electric

X2