Help, 30 amp or 50 amp for outdoor circuit at home?

[mrmjbenn]

I'm planning an outdoor circuit at home for my RV. Should I make it a 30 amp or a 50 amp, does anyone have a suggestion? Please help.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by mrmjbenn

I'm planning an outdoor circuit at home for my RV. Should I make it a 30 amp or a 50 amp, does anyone have a suggestion? Please help.

I would make it 50A and if you only need a 30A, use a 50-30 adapter.

[TURBS]

What is your camper? 30? 50?
I'd go with 50 amp even if your camper may be 30 amp.
If you ever upgrade to a 50 amp camper it's already done!

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by mrmjbenn

I'm planning an outdoor circuit at home for my RV. Should I make it a 30 amp or a 50 amp, does anyone have a suggestion? Please help.

Main thing to remember if you install a 30 amp outlet, is that it is to be wired for 120 volts and NOT 240 volts. We have many horror stories on these forums of even professional electricians not realizing that RV's are 120 volt and they mistakingly wire up a 30 amp outlet for 240 volts.....which causes all kind of damage.

If you install, a 50 amp outlet, it will be wired as a 120/240 split phase outlet, and then using the proper adapter (if you have a 30 amp RV), it will only utilize each leg separately as 120 volts like it need to be.

Here is a link we keep here of a pdf file that shows how to properly wire a 30 amp outlet.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...let-27223.html

and here is a link to a great site that explains a lot. Please take time to explore all the tabs on the left hand side of the page.

RV Electric

I would assume you have a 30 amp RV, asking the question you did, but I should ask to make sure you do?

[mrmjbenn]

thanks for all the good advice, sorry for any confusion in the way I posted I have a 50 amp service on my Rockwood. again thanks to all for the help

[Dave_Monica]

The cost of installing a 50A service over a 30A one could easily be twice (or more) depending on the length of the wiring run...6/3 conductor cable is pricey. A 30A service should provide for most of the needs you'd have when parked at home unless you need to be running 2 A/Cs.


Dave

[kenlea98]

I agree with Dave 100%. Cost is a factor. I have an outlet at the back of my lot and it is a very long run so I did 30amp service there. I put in another close to the house (and the main elec panel) and it is 50amp service. I needed 50 cause we live in South Texas and we need both A/Cs during the summer. The short run was almost as much as the long one because of the heavier wire needed. BTW, It is really important to check with someone that knows what they are doing when deciding what gauge wire to use.