50amp on RV, how to plug in at home?

[nole_trainer]

I have a 50amp Wildcat, just pulled into driveway for first time. Was going to sleep in tonight with boys, but the AC keeps breaking the house breaker. I have the 50amp plugged into 3 prong dog bone, do I need to step it down to a 30amp dog bone first, then plug the 30amp into the 3 prong house plug dog bone?

I realize I can only run one AC (have two), but just have some lights and tv on and the circuit pops?

I will not store at house, so this is just a every-know and then kind of thing. Not sure I can justify installing a 50amp service?

[Stefan]

dancoppins wrote:
Although there are a lot of responses, I would suggest that you be extremely careful when having an electrician add a 50 AMP outlet at your house to plug your RV into. Many electricians, when they hear 50 AMP will install a house 50 AMP outlet. There is a difference btwn an RV 50 AMP v. House 50 AMP. A house 50 AMP will completely destroy your electronics when you plug in. A couple years ago, our friend had an electrician install a 50 AMP outlet in anticipation of buying a new MH. When they got the unit home, after their initial inspection and walk thru, all the appliances and outlets within the MH were friend when they plugged in. Not realizing the issue, they replaced all the effected items and had everything checked. Unfortunately, they again plugged the MH into the same outlet and got the same results. The RV company then told them to check the outlet and make sure they were wired for an RV 50 AMP v. a 50 AMP house set up. It cost them BIG BUCKS to learn a lesson.

Yes My electrician asked me specifically if our 30 AMP was for an RV to ensure it was wired up correctly..

[Stefan]

oilslick wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
for a every-now and then kind of thing, I wouldn't go the extra cost of a 50 amp hookup. just do a 30 amp supplying a 50 amp outlet.
bumpy

Agreed 30 amp is plenty for most usage at home and way cheaper to install the circuit.

Exactly 30 AMP is MORE than enough. If you add in Laudry then you need 50 amp. Otherwise 30 is more than fine

[Cummins12V98]

avvidclif1 wrote:
The "RV" 50a outlet is a standard NEMA 14-50R outlet. Same one as used in houses. If wired to code there are no problems. I would have been talking to the electrician about his wiring. He probably left off the neutral.

I agree something sounds fishy.

dancoppins,

I will bet if you get the story straight your friend was comparing a 30A 220V house outlet where you have two hots and one neutral to a 30A 120V RV outlet where you have one hot one neutral and one ground. Probably used a 30A RV receptacle and wired it to 220V.

[avvidclif1]

The "RV" 50a outlet is a standard NEMA 14-50R outlet. Same one as used in houses. If wired to code there are no problems. I would have been talking to the electrician about his wiring. He probably left off the neutral.

[dancoppins]

Although there are a lot of responses, I would suggest that you be extremely careful when having an electrician add a 50 AMP outlet at your house to plug your RV into. Many electricians, when they hear 50 AMP will install a house 50 AMP outlet. There is a difference btwn an RV 50 AMP v. House 50 AMP. A house 50 AMP will completely destroy your electronics when you plug in. A couple years ago, our friend had an electrician install a 50 AMP outlet in anticipation of buying a new MH. When they got the unit home, after their initial inspection and walk thru, all the appliances and outlets within the MH were friend when they plugged in. Not realizing the issue, they replaced all the effected items and had everything checked. Unfortunately, they again plugged the MH into the same outlet and got the same results. The RV company then told them to check the outlet and make sure they were wired for an RV 50 AMP v. a 50 AMP house set up. It cost them BIG BUCKS to learn a lesson.

[Cummins12V98]

ReneeG wrote:
Thanks for the information. I'll follow-up on it.

I learned the hard way. They guy that wired my house did a good job not overloading the circuits but the small panel provided made it necessary to use peanut breakers.

[ReneeG]

Thanks for the information. I'll follow-up on it.

[Cummins12V98]

ReneeG wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:


Exactly what I have said before!

No different than buying POS Chicom tires instead of quality US made for a bit more.

so you are considering to only put in what is necessary and saving some money is comparable to buying inadequate tires? nonsense.
actually if I were doing it, I would just run 10/3 wg to a 30 amp breaker and just leaving one wire as a spare. then if it ever was needed I could easily add one breaker and have dual 30 amp service, which is adequate for everything. we are just talking about occasional use pre trip, etc. and not living in the desert 24-7-365/
bumpy

Yes IMHO it's better to go the extra mile if it's not much more than to wish I had done it later.

30 or 50A breaker is not much difference nor is it going to break the bank going from 30 to 50A wire. Labor is basically the same.

If you have the setup already. In our case, our box is not setup for an additional breaker, plus a separate one would have to be added to support the 50amp, so it would cost us over $2K to add it. We are not electricians so we have to rely on professional service.

Peanut breakers are cheap. So there is your solution. Make some space for the 50.

[Bumpyroad]

replace a couple of existing ones with one of those double/skinny ones that take up one space and you will gain two openings. don't know if they make a double 50 amper in a skinny single width one or if they do if they are on the same feed? if they do just replace one curret one with a double skinny one.
bumpy

[Water-Bug]

Even if you don't have room in the box, it isn't a $2k proposition. You simply remove two breakers and use the space for the feed/breaker to a subpanel. The lines/breakers that you removed are then wired to the subpanel along with your new 50 amp breaker.

[ReneeG]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:


Exactly what I have said before!

No different than buying POS Chicom tires instead of quality US made for a bit more.

so you are considering to only put in what is necessary and saving some money is comparable to buying inadequate tires? nonsense.
actually if I were doing it, I would just run 10/3 wg to a 30 amp breaker and just leaving one wire as a spare. then if it ever was needed I could easily add one breaker and have dual 30 amp service, which is adequate for everything. we are just talking about occasional use pre trip, etc. and not living in the desert 24-7-365/
bumpy

Yes IMHO it's better to go the extra mile if it's not much more than to wish I had done it later.

30 or 50A breaker is not much difference nor is it going to break the bank going from 30 to 50A wire. Labor is basically the same.

If you have the setup already. In our case, our box is not setup for an additional breaker, plus a separate one would have to be added to support the 50amp, so it would cost us over $2K to add it. We are not electricians so we have to rely on professional service.

[Bumpyroad]

Water-Bug wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
posted once would have been adequate. 🙂
bumpy

No kidding!

Internet service.

Must be 30 amp internet service instead of 50 amp internet service. 🙂

that would be my guess, maybe even 20 amp?
bumpy

[Water-Bug]

Cummins12V98 wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
posted once would have been adequate. 🙂
bumpy

No kidding!

Internet service.

Must be 30 amp internet service instead of 50 amp internet service. 🙂

[Cummins12V98]

Bumpyroad wrote:
posted once would have been adequate. 🙂
bumpy

No kidding!

Internet service.