50 amp pedastal/extension

[Grey_Mountain]

What size wire should be used for a 50amp RV plug? I have an ample supply of 4AWG, 6AWG and 10AWG but no 8AWG. Is the 4 and 6 overkill?
I will be visiting friends later and plan to park in their driveway. I want to intall a 50amp breaker in their main breaker box, run a short extension, maybe 10 feet, then hook to that.
Suggestions?

GM

[KD4UPL]

#6 would be appropriate for the hot wires. You could use #6 for the neutral or drop down to a #8. You only need a #10 for the ground.
An RV 50 amp is EXACTLY like a residential 4 wire range connection.
Electric household dryers do operate on #10 wire on a 30 amp circuit. Electric ranges are not #10, they are often run with #8 on a 40 amp breaker or #6 on a 50 amp.

[BFL13]

Interesting-- that one says.

"RECOMMENDED wire sizes for 50-amp: 25 feet - #8, 50 feet - # 6 and 100 feet - #4. You may get along
fine with longer runs."

[wolfe10]

Yes, CAREFUL HERE!

AN RV 50 amp connection is the same as in a house:

TWO hots-- the two outer straights
One neutral-- center straight
One ground-- center round

[time2roll]

BFL13 wrote:
Be very careful to stick to 120v and not get mixed up with household 240v like with a stove or dryer. Get lots of sad reports of people hooking up "RV" plug-ins at stick houses that turn out to be 240 and they fry everything in their RVs.

Standard 50 amp RV connector is NEMA 14-50 with 240/120 volt four wire service same as the common range connector in a home.

http://www.myrv.us/electric/index.htm

[BFL13]

EDIT--comment below relates to 30a/120v and does not apply to 50a/240.

Be very careful to stick to 120v and not get mixed up with household 240v. Get lots of sad reports of people hooking up "RV" plug-ins at stick houses that turn out to be 240 and they fry everything in their RVs.

ISTR the 30 amp cord in a 30a RV is made up of #10 wires, but no idea what a 50 amp cord has.

[Artum_Snowbird]

Of course much of this depends on what you plan to use while visiting those friends. The idea that you would need a full 50 amp circuit while you stay is excessive, but if you need to have two air conditioners running and more at the same time, well you might need it.

And Hi from Campbell River. Will you be taking the country by force again this year?

[time2roll]

10 feet #8 s/b OK but generally #6 is minimum. #10 would be a fuse.

[Lwiddis]

Within reason you can never “overkill” on wiring.