rolling stones - if we dont, we're gonna blow a 50 amp fuse

[tres_perros]

Morning!

Question de jour

Got a 50 amp service on MH, if I buy a 50 amp female to 30 amp male adapter ( for one park)... will some of my equipment on board NOT run....(because I only have one hot leg?)

Thanks so much... first shakedown cruise to Key West with the toad attached... 92 YJ.. all pointers welcome!

Best regards

Keith

[PUCampin]

I agree, you would hope not!!

[tropical36]

PUCampin wrote:

tropical36 wrote:

PUCampin wrote:
Here is a bit of food for thought. On a 30A service limit it is not likely to matter, but if the RV is wired with any Multi Wire Branch Circuits, there is the potential to overload the neutral due to both sides now being fed from the same leg. 🙂

Will he not have a 30 breaker on the pedestal?

A 50A RV panel is similar to a home panel. 2 hot legs with 220 between them (single phase 220V) comes in to the panel. The neutral is centered between them (spliting the phase) giving 2 legs of 120V hot to neutral out of phase from each other for a total of 100A available at 120V. Often in homes, builders will use multi-wire branch circuits, which feeds 2 different circuits using the 2 hot legs and sharing the neutral wire. This works because the 2 hot legs are out of phase and thus neutral only carries the difference of the current. (Say 10A on 1, 12A on the other, the neutral carries 2A)

50A RVs may or may not have some of these MWBC, but since they save money in materials it is certainly possible. The problem arrises with the 50A-30A adapter. It feeds both sides of the 50A RV panel 120V from one leg of 120V (the 30A pedestal). So now instead of having 2 sides of 120V out of phase, both sides are on the same phase, and instead of carrying the difference of the current, the neutral carries the sum of the current (10A on 1 and 12A on the other, the neutral carries 22A), on wire that is likely 14AWG NM rated for 15A, while not exceeding the 30A breaker on the pedestal.


In all reality, I have never heard of this actually causing a problem, and it is unlikely, just something I was thinking about as I read the thread. 🙂

Yes, but surely they don't 3 wire the branch circuits like you might do in a residential dwelling or do they? I keep thinking that the last time I was in my main breaker panel, I saw a neutral return for every breaker and the way it should be, given the power source options for RV's.

[iamcanuck45]

If you don't have enough power for every gadgets, just put an alternator on your bicycle and pedal like heck. Bonus is that you also will lose a few pounds and your DW will be pleased.

[PUCampin]

tropical36 wrote:

PUCampin wrote:
Here is a bit of food for thought. On a 30A service limit it is not likely to matter, but if the RV is wired with any Multi Wire Branch Circuits, there is the potential to overload the neutral due to both sides now being fed from the same leg. 🙂

Will he not have a 30 breaker on the pedestal?

A 50A RV panel is similar to a home panel. 2 hot legs with 220 between them (single phase 220V) comes in to the panel. The neutral is centered between them (spliting the phase) giving 2 legs of 120V hot to neutral out of phase from each other for a total of 100A available at 120V. Often in homes, builders will use multi-wire branch circuits, which feeds 2 different circuits using the 2 hot legs and sharing the neutral wire. This works because the 2 hot legs are out of phase and thus neutral only carries the difference of the current. (Say 10A on 1, 12A on the other, the neutral carries 2A)

50A RVs may or may not have some of these MWBC, but since they save money in materials it is certainly possible. The problem arrises with the 50A-30A adapter. It feeds both sides of the 50A RV panel 120V from one leg of 120V (the 30A pedestal). So now instead of having 2 sides of 120V out of phase, both sides are on the same phase, and instead of carrying the difference of the current, the neutral carries the sum of the current (10A on 1 and 12A on the other, the neutral carries 22A), on wire that is likely 14AWG NM rated for 15A, while not exceeding the 30A breaker on the pedestal.


In all reality, I have never heard of this actually causing a problem, and it is unlikely, just something I was thinking about as I read the thread. 🙂

[tres_perros]

hershey wrote:
We had a problem with our TV overloading the 30 amp service. When the AC was on and we tried to watch TV at the same time it would overload the circuit. We found a simple fix for the problem. We just converted the TV to run on propane and that solved the problem.

good lord I searched all morning for a propane powered tv conversion kit and could not find one....

thanks for all the replys

[mccsix]

"wind blowing 25 mph or higher" on this site is usually just a breeze!

[CANAMKID]

Wow you guys must have a lot of time on your hands. I've heard that if
the wind is blowing at 25 mph or higher you can sell it back to the
power co.:S

[time2roll]

Well be sure to give us a TRIP report. (weak pun intended ;))

[tropical36]

PUCampin wrote:
Here is a bit of food for thought. On a 30A service limit it is not likely to matter, but if the RV is wired with any Multi Wire Branch Circuits, there is the potential to overload the neutral due to both sides now being fed from the same leg. 🙂

Will he not have a 30 breaker on the pedestal?

[Hiking_Hunter]

If you use a 50 to 30 amp adapter, the other 20 amps has to go somewhere. Every time I use mine the extra electrons pool up under my trailer. Be careful not to step in them, they tend to stick to your shoes.

[ScottG]

And nobody has even brought up the pyramid factor.

[abrasv]

Good humor- made my day.

[st687]

The magnetic poles do have something to do with it, if you are facing North and South the motors in the AC run faster, if you are facing East,West they run slower.:@

[imgoin4it]

Has the TV stopped running yet. Probably pretty far down the road by now