Upgrading from 30 amp to 50 amp service

Bill.Satellite wrote:

TNGW1500SE wrote:
Why not just upgrade the RV to 50 amps? I did it on my TT. You can always adapt it to a 30 if that's all the is at the campsite. I added a new panel and used the old panel as a sub. I feed the old panel off a 30 amp breaker in the new panel using the old 30 amp cord. Then I removed the 20 amp A/C from the old panel and put it on a 20 amp breaker on the new panel. The most expensive part was the wire but if you watch Craigslist, you might find a RV extension cord that you can use if you cut the female end off of it. If you get the A/C off the 30 amp panel, that frees up a bunch of amps for other things. It solved any lack of amperage issues we had in the TT. I may do it again in the class A, but for now it's ok. I'm in the middle of other projects!!!!!

I am not sure that I understand what you did, but 50amp service provides up to 100 amp (12,000 watts) not 30 amp plus 20 amp (50 total amps, 6000 watts).
Upgrading a 30 amp coach to a 50 amp coach can certainly be done but the total price required to do so may catch some owners off guard.

My TT mod didn't use the 220 that a 50 amp outlet is capable of but does any RV use the 220? Doesn't an RV just use both phases as 110?

I could have used the 220 if I'd wanted to (for maybe a heater) but I wanted to be able to adapt to 30 amp outlets (if that's all there was) and the 220 heater wouldn't work using only one phase (as when using a adapter plugging a 50 amp into a 30 CG outlet).


Here's what I did and it worked great.

I installed a new 50 amp four space panel in the rear of the TT back where the existing cord came in.

Used a new 50 amp cord.

Attached new 50 amp cord to a 50 amp breaker in new panel (used as a main)

Wired one phase to the old 30 amp panel using new 30 amp breaker in new panel so the old 10 gauge wiring is still protected by 30 amp breaker.

Wired the other phase to the old 20 amp A/C circuit (also wired this phase to a new outlet for portable heater) using new 20 amp breaker in new panel.

New panel used 3 breakers: one 50 amp 220 breaker, one 30 amp 110 breaker, one 20 amp 110 breaker. (Could have added more breakers as needed to the new panel but didn't) All I needed was to get the A/C off the old panel.

The above mods removed the A/C (and elec heat) load from the original 30 amp panel allowing those loads to be powered off the other phase. Also freed up one breaker in the old panel. The old panel is now a 30 amp Sub Panel feed by the original 10 gauge wiring.

The A/C and or electric heaters are the largest loads. Just getting those loads off the old 30 amp panel fixed any issues the TT had tripping breakers and the main (now 50 amp) is now back in the new panel.

No more turning off the A/C to make toast, microwave oatmeal or dry your hair!