I'm getting ready to put a 50 receptacle for our new (to us) 5th wheel. We have always had 30 amp 5th wheels before and just used a 20 amp adapters in the barn and watched what we ran. Today I bought a 50 amp rec. and box and a 50 amp double pole breaker for the barn 100 amp box. I thought I read a while back that you had to be careful on how you wired it to avoid getting 220 to the 5 th. The way I understand it is just to hookup a 110 hot off the double pole to each hot leg on the plug, the neutral to the main box neutral bar and of course the ground to both boxes. Is this correct?

A 50 amp RV outlet is wired exactly the same as a 50 amp residential range outlet, with two opposing phase hot legs, a neutral leg, and a safety ground. Properly wired, a volt meter will read ~240v from hot to hot, and ~120v from each hot to the neutral. Each leg can carry up to a 50 amp load. It's actually harder to miswire the 50 amp RV outlet than it is the 30 amp RV outlet that must be connected to a single 120v breaker. The 50 amp 120/240v confusion comes in because there are very few RV's that actual use 240v, but the wiring is exactly the same as standard residential 120/240v systems.

You have it right. What you'll actually have is similar to a 4-wire range setup.You'll need both hots on the 2 pole breaker, neutral to neutral bus, ground to ground bus. It's 2 120v poles, not straight 240v.

What you have is EXACTLY the same as a range outlet and in fact it IS a Nema 14-50R range outlet. It is indeed 240V (straight or otherwise).

ScottG wrote:What you have is EXACTLY the same as a range outlet and in fact it IS a Nema 14-50R range outlet. It is indeed 240V (straight or otherwise).Winner Winner!!!

ksbowman wrote:I'm getting ready to put a 50 receptacle for our new (to us) 5th wheel. We have always had 30 amp 5th wheels before and just used a 20 amp adapters in the barn and watched what we ran. Today I bought a 50 amp rec. and box and a 50 amp double pole breaker for the barn 100 amp box. I thought I read a while back that you had to be careful on how you wired it to avoid getting 220 to the 5 th. The way I understand it is just to hookup a 110 hot off the double pole to each hot leg on the plug, the neutral to the main box neutral bar and of course the ground to both boxes. Is this correct?X & Y are the hots and both go the breaker, one to each side.W is neutral to the neutral busG is ground to the ground bus4 wires. 3 at #6 and maybe #8 for ground but #6 is fine there too.http://www.myrv.us/electric/Pg/50amp_Service.htm

50 amp RV service recepticle | Good Sam Community

28 Replies

Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 08, 2018
Read my earlier post. I explained it clearly. Yes easily OVER 40A on BOTH legs.

U have 3 AC's and 220V washer a dryer?
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2018
Cummins12V98 wrote:
myredracer wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:

I understand your comment. For me I have no issue walking the 40' to turn my breaker on after I connect RV. What I don't get is not running 50A wire when starting from scratch!

We've never had a 50 amp-er so not sure about load demand needs. Do people really need a full 50 amps available (at 120/240 volts) when at home if not living in it?

If it was my situation, I'd opt for a 2-pole 30 amp breaker and wire to match (excepting upping for voltage drop) and which I don't see being a code issue. Even 30 amps @ 120 volts and adapter could suffice in many cases as RV-ers often only get 30 amps in CGs and function fine. Copper wire isn't cheap these days but aluminum could be an option (if installed correctly).

Like I mentioned earlier, several times I have ran well over 40A on both legs.

I am curious; How?

When my DP is on genset, it displays amps and I have turned on everything; AC's, fridge on elec, microwave, hairdryer, block heater and could never get it above 55A.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 07, 2018
myredracer wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:

I understand your comment. For me I have no issue walking the 40' to turn my breaker on after I connect RV. What I don't get is not running 50A wire when starting from scratch!

We've never had a 50 amp-er so not sure about load demand needs. Do people really need a full 50 amps available (at 120/240 volts) when at home if not living in it?

If it was my situation, I'd opt for a 2-pole 30 amp breaker and wire to match (excepting upping for voltage drop) and which I don't see being a code issue. Even 30 amps @ 120 volts and adapter could suffice in many cases as RV-ers often only get 30 amps in CGs and function fine. Copper wire isn't cheap these days but aluminum could be an option (if installed correctly).

Like I mentioned earlier, several times I have ran well over 40A on both legs.
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2018
The front ac and fridge pull about 20A and the rear pulls about 15a.

When home I leave the front ac on auto/84, rear off fridge off.

When we are getting ready to go somewhere, I crank the ac down some and turn on the fridge a few days before to get the ice maker full. ;)
myredracer
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2018
Cummins12V98 wrote:

I understand your comment. For me I have no issue walking the 40' to turn my breaker on after I connect RV. What I don't get is not running 50A wire when starting from scratch!

We've never had a 50 amp-er so not sure about load demand needs. Do people really need a full 50 amps available (at 120/240 volts) when at home if not living in it?

If it was my situation, I'd opt for a 2-pole 30 amp breaker and wire to match (excepting upping for voltage drop) and which I don't see being a code issue. Even 30 amps @ 120 volts and adapter could suffice in many cases as RV-ers often only get 30 amps in CGs and function fine. Copper wire isn't cheap these days but aluminum could be an option (if installed correctly).
Big_Katuna
Explorer II
Jun 07, 2018
10 GA is about half the $ of what 6 ga is.

All I need at the house is the ability to run two ac's and the fridge, which 2 X 30A does just fine.

You want to run 6 GA knock yourself out.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 07, 2018
myredracer wrote:
Cummins12V98 wrote:
myredracer wrote:
Also, I recommend installing a disconnect switch/breaker at the outlet so you aren't plugging in live every time.

The 50A breaker in the panel will do the same at a lot less money.

Yes, but who wants to run back and forth each time or possibly forget to turn the power back on. And with no disconnect at the outlet, it invites someone to not bother going the panel at all. I installed a switch next to the outlet in our carport and it's sure handy to have it right there. If you're doing a new install, it's not a big deal to add a disconnect switch or breaker. A 2P-50A breaker can be had for $10-20 and an enclosure can't be much more.

I understand your comment. For me I have no issue walking the 40' to turn my breaker on after I connect RV. What I don't get is not running 50A wire when starting from scratch!
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Jun 06, 2018
Cummins12V98 wrote:

If you have a 50A RV and you are starting out fresh on your wiring project WHY would you go half AZZ with 30A???

"Dual feed" what is that? 30A is one hot, one neutral and one ground all 10GA wires.

I suspect by "Dual Feed" he means a standard 240 volt (2 hots and a neutral) feed. Which is what 50 amp outlets use.

And why only 30? Well the wire's cheaper and where as I do not know about HIS RV or Future RV I know my RV draws less than 30 amps per leg full load In fact when I'm running on Generator that is EXACTLY what I have a total of 50 amps and I can pull a maximum of 30 amps one one leg (either leg) If I pull more the breaker trips if I pull more than 50 total the generator quits. So 30 should work.
myredracer
Explorer II
Jun 06, 2018
Cummins12V98 wrote:
myredracer wrote:
Also, I recommend installing a disconnect switch/breaker at the outlet so you aren't plugging in live every time.

The 50A breaker in the panel will do the same at a lot less money.

Yes, but who wants to run back and forth each time or possibly forget to turn the power back on. And with no disconnect at the outlet, it invites someone to not bother going the panel at all. I installed a switch next to the outlet in our carport and it's sure handy to have it right there. If you're doing a new install, it's not a big deal to add a disconnect switch or breaker. A 2P-50A breaker can be had for $10-20 and an enclosure can't be much more.
Cummins12V98
Explorer III
Jun 06, 2018
myredracer wrote:
Also, I recommend installing a disconnect switch/breaker at the outlet so you aren't plugging in live every time.

The 50A breaker in the panel will do the same at a lot less money.

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50 amp RV service recepticle

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