What happens if you plug a 50 Amp RV into 22V welder plug

Jim and Barb wrote:
RGordon is absoulty right! I have been an Industrial Maintenance Supervisor for 10 + years. All it is 220 single phase its only two 110 legs with a ground wire where it ties on a buss bar in the box that is also a tie point for your nuteral on a 110 v circut. The AMP rating is how much draw it it can handel while working 30 AMP is normal for a house.

What isn't being mentioned when we discuss two 110 V legs is they have to be out of phase to create 220V service. My understanding is that the 50 Amp service we hook into at RV Resort/Park pedestals, the two 110V 50 amp legs are not out of phase and therefore 220V is never present inside the RV.

I do it all the time. It beats the heck out of getting ready to go camping sweeting your butt off.

I WOULD SAY, DON'T DO IT UNLESS YOU HAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

jeepman71 wrote:
I am currious, if my rv were a 50amp system and I plug into a 220V welder or dryer outlet what will I find? What different circuits or equipment would likely be damaged?

Let's assume that this rv is a very late model like a 2012.

I don't have to worry because mine is only a 30amp.

The age of the RV has little to do with the possible results.

If I recall the usage of a 3 wire plug (L1-L2-Gnd) for dryers typically found in basements/garages was updated to a 4 wire requirement about 1986. So your home build date may be a better factor.

The older 30/50 amp 230V dryer receptacles would mate with the 30 amp plug of today and this is where the problems occur.

The only right way to know is measure the voltage at the receptacle.

In the RV, 30 amp are 3 pin and 50 amp are 4 pin. You dont need to discuss 230V when all is wired correctly.

RGordon is absoulty right! I have been an Industrial Maintenance Supervisor for 10 + years. All it is 220 single phase its only two 110 legs with a ground wire where it ties on a buss bar in the box that is also a tie point for your nuteral on a 110 v circut. The AMP rating is how much draw it it can handel while working 30 AMP is normal for a house.

It will work fine and you will not have any problems on any 220 volt receptacle.
What most of you don't realize is that the neutral and ground and tied together when it hits the electrical panel. I have been using a 50 amp receptacle with only one ground & neutral since 2003 and have never had any shocks or issues within rv and no irregular stray voltages that were mentioned. It works for me for my purposes and would never recommend others do the same. I have been a Electrician for over 40 years and know what I am doing. I did drive a ground rod at the 50 amp receptacle box.

I usually try to steer clear of the electrical threads.

It appears there's a lot of confusion with the difference concerning 30 amp (3 pole) or 50 amp (4 pole) service.

Seems like when talking 50 amp folks will speak of 220 volts to the coach.
In the trailer we have the 4\10 gauge line from a commercial source is 110 carried on a split hot line.

One line feeds the AC\IPO, microwave, convertor and fast recovery water heater.
The second line feeds everything else.

I actually didn't realize our trailers wiring was split until I tried to whip up a home adapter for basic power needs on the curb.
Plugged in my adapter and quickly realized the mistake.
Disassembled the plug and jumped a lead to the other hot spade.

Everything in the trailer that uses AC is 110 volts.
So even though we talk 220 volts on a 50 amp service line it is essentially 2 separate 110 inputs.

Our coach doesn't actually use 220 anywhere.

vermilye wrote:
Since most welder receptacles don't have a neutral, there is no safe way to connect to them even if you wire an adapter. The ground & neutral should be separate wires; combining them will create shock hazards both in the RV & from the ground wiring between the RV & the source.

Trying to use the RV without a neutral will result in unusual voltages on the two legs - depending on the loads on each leg you could end up with a couple of volts on one & almost 240V on the other.

Attempting to use the ground as a neutral will put the neutral voltage on all the bonded metal between the RV & the source - not only a shock hazard for you in the RV, but also for those that touch plumbing, heating ducts, etc. In other words, unless it is a 4 pole connector wired with separate neutral & ground connections, don't use it.

Thank you....someone that understands electricity and the different ways it can be wired.

vermilye wrote:
Since most welder receptacles don't have a neutral, there is no safe way to connect to them even if you wire an adapter. The ground & neutral should be separate wires; combining them will create shock hazards both in the RV & from the ground wiring between the RV & the source.

Trying to use the RV without a neutral will result in unusual voltages on the two legs - depending on the loads on each leg you could end up with a couple of volts on one & almost 240V on the other.

Attempting to use the ground as a neutral will put the neutral voltage on all the bonded metal between the RV & the source - not only a shock hazard for you in the RV, but also for those that touch plumbing, heating ducts, etc. In other works, unless it is a 4 pole connector wired with separate neutral & ground connections, don't use it.

What he said

If it is a 4 wire receptacle with a ground, neutral & 2 hots it will work fine. If it is only 3 wire like most welding machines 2 hots & a ground it could be disastrous. :(