Bounder: 1994 50 amp Conversion

[lpkirby]

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post on this site and I have really enjoyed reading it for the past few weeks. I have a few questions with some pictures that I hope will work.

I am buying this unit a 1994 Bounder 34J with the Chevy P30 and would like to run both AC and all my computer gear so I feel like I need to upgrade the electrical. I will need a new 50 amp Distribution Panel a new 50 amp Automatic Transfer switch and a New 50 amp cord. Am I missing anything?
Here is my current setup:












So my ATS is located behind the Distribution Panel in the upper cabinet above the table. In there I have a 30 amp Panel and a Pulse switch to alternate the feed to both AC's. Will I remove the Pulse Switch during the 50 amp upgrade or is there still a need to have it there?



Currently my 30 amp cord comes into a lower compartment and goes into a junction box where it ties into maybe a 10 gauge wire and runs to the ATS inside the Unit where the Gen also comes into the ATS. I do not know if they go to the pulse switch first or not. I have all the wiring diagrams but must admit I am a little lost looking at them. Once I replace the 50 amp cord will I need to upgrade the wire that runs from the junction box to the ATS?



Questions again:
1. Will I remove the Pulse Switch during the 50 amp upgrade or is there still a need to have it there?
2. Once I replace the 50 amp cord will I need to upgrade the wire that runs from the junction box to the ATS?
3. And since the ATS is already crammed into that tight area behind the breakers do I keep the new one there. Might have too since all the wires are there... correct??
4. Can someone recommend a 50 amp distribution panel?

I was looking at purchasing a SURGE GUARD 50 AMP AUTOMATIC TRANSFER SWITCH.
Any Problems with that switch? I like the surge protector built in.

I have no idea where to get a new 50 amp Distribution Panel, any advice would be great!
Also I will not be doing this myself, a neighbor is an electrician and I just want to know that he is doing it correctly since he is licensed on homes and not RV's. Thank you for all the help and sorry if there are too many pics, I can't help myself!
Thanks again,
Leon

[Sidewinder]

I welcome you to this board. I hope your electrician has a real good handle on what you want. None of the primary wiring from your current 30 amp hook-up to your distribution panel will be large enough to handle the 50 amps. You will be starting right from the ground up and adding as you go. It is going to get expensive in a hurry.
Fleetwood had a method in mind to run both A/C's using the generator and they installed the proper equipment to make it happen. This sort of tells me that the wiring from the generator is large enough to handle all your load. That may be the place to hook in. With the proper electro magnetic contactor setup you could plug in to 50 amps and the coach will think and operate as if the generator is suppling power.
Just a thought.
Ron

[lpkirby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidewinder I welcome you to this board. I hope your electrician has a real good handle on what you want. None of the primary wiring from your current 30 amp hook-up to your distribution panel will be large enough to handle the 50 amps. You will be starting right from the ground up and adding as you go. It is going to get expensive in a hurry. Fleetwood had a method in mind to run both A/C's using the generator and they installed the proper equipment to make it happen. This sort of tells me that the wiring from the generator is large enough to handle all your load. That may be the place to hook in. With the proper electro magnetic contactor setup you could plug in to 50 amps and the coach will think and operate as if the generator is suppling power. Just a thought. Ron

Thanks for the quick reply... I thought that I read somewhere that the wiring inside the coach is fine since the Generator puts out 50 amps and the only wire I would have to upgrade would be the line from where the shore power comes in to the ATS and a few ground wires. Am I wrong there?
The Electro Magnetic thing... IS that where I can change over to a 50 amp cord and split it so that the 30 amps goes in as normal and the other 20 amps is routed through the Generator 20amp breaker which supplies the rear AC? Am I even in the right ball field there? If so how do I tie into the generators 20 amp breaker?
Thank you

[Sidewinder]

Would really like to assist on this project but it is tough over the net.
It seems to me that your generator is supplying 7000 watts/58 amps to the sub panels and equipment in your coach so it is already setup wire size wise to handle to 50 amps. Now all you have to do is find the output from the genny and hook in with your 50 amp shore power. The electromagnetic contacts will energize only when you have power from the source, E.g. Shore power/ genpower.
With this type of setup your 30 amp service cord would still be available to plug in if you are at a campground with only 30 amp power available.

[Mr_D]

But, remember that a 50 amp RV setup is actually two legs with 50 amps on EACH so you're actually able to draw 100 amps @ 120 volts or 50 AMPS @ 240 volts. This is why you can run so much more with a 50 amp setup/
120 X 30 = 3,600 watts
120 X 50 X 2 = 12,000 watts
Actually I'd add a sub panel and split the circuits with one air con on each circuit.

[Heater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpkirby Thanks for the quick reply... I thought that I read somewhere that the wiring inside the coach is fine since the Generator puts out 50 amps and the only wire I would have to upgrade would be the line from where the shore power comes in to the ATS and a few ground wires. Am I wrong there? The Electro Magnetic thing... IS that where I can change over to a 50 amp cord and split it so that the 30 amps goes in as normal and the other 20 amps is routed through the Generator 20amp breaker which supplies the rear AC? Am I even in the right ball field there? If so how do I tie into the generators 20 amp breaker? Thank you

Yes you are. The wiring from breakers out will not need to be changed. The 50 amp service will be split to run the coach and the rear a/c just like your genset. I have researched this as well and I have talked to a local dealer that does this all the time for around 750.00. That may be high but I do not do electricity. I can do minor electrical and just about anything mechanical but not a 50 amp convertion.

[lpkirby]

Sidewinder, I understand the difficulties with the internet and explaining. Thanks for the effort. So you would not upgrade the hardware to 50 amps service then. I just do not see a huge cost in doing this. I have a free electrician and the distribution panel and ATS for around $400 plus breakers. What am I missing here mentally??

Mr D,
What would feed the sub panel? The extra 20 amps from the 50 amp service? Would that need to go through the ATS which is only rated at 30 amps? I have a picture of the panel above, it looks like both AC's are on one breaker and connected to that pulse system. If so, would I just find the line to the rear AC and separate it?

Thanks guys, I know this is hard but I am trying to get it...

[lpkirby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heater Yes you are. The wiring from breakers out will not need to be changed. The 50 amp service will be split to run the coach and the rear a/c just like your genset. I have researched this as well and I have talked to a local dealer that does this all the time for around 750.00. That may be high but I do not do electricity. I can do minor electrical and just about anything mechanical but not a 50 amp convertion.

Thanks, I will call around and check in my area. I would pay $750 tomorrow to have it done correctly and to have peace of mind.

[Heater]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lpkirby Thanks, I will call around and check in my area. I would pay $750 tomorrow to have it done correctly and to have peace of mind.

Search this thread

50 amp conversion

It has a supplementary fix for your problem. Adding a 20 amp service also for the second a/c. One poster even modified a wiring diagram and uploaded it. If you can't find it let me know and I will try to post a thread.

[Sidewinder]

Not sure I can convey this correctly to you but here goes. The distribution panel and ATS are already is the coach. Right? Think of your Rv as having Two totally different electrical supply systems. One is called shore power at 30 amps. The other you call generator at 50 amps. Now let’s suppose that the generator fell out of the coach. The wiring would remain so all you would have to do is hook up a wire to the place that the generator was hooked up to and you would have a 50 amp service that you plug into a shore power circuit. Continuing down this path if you could put the generator back in the coach and just hook up that 50 amp wire with a switch near that area, to allow you switch from the 50 amp cord to the 50 amp generator. You have the best of both worlds and you would still have your original 30 amp service as backup if needed.
Your electrician should understand what I am saying. If he has done any industrial motor control wiring he will know exactly how to wire an electromagnetic switch so it will energize only when power is fed to that circuit.
Sorry this is so confusing and I am not saying your way won’t work. I am just trying you give you an easier option that will allow you more flexibility when you arrive at a campground that only has 30 amps, and there are a lot of them.

[lpkirby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sidewinder Not sure I can convey this correctly to you but here goes. The distribution panel and ATS are already is the coach. Right? Think of your Rv as having Two totally different electrical supply systems. One is called shore power at 30 amps. The other you call generator at 50 amps. Now let’s suppose that the generator fell out of the coach. The wiring would remain so all you would have to do is hook up a wire to the place that the generator was hooked up to and you would have a 50 amp service that you plug into a shore power circuit. Continuing down this path if you could put the generator back in the coach and just hook up that 50 amp wire with a switch near that area, to allow you switch from the 50 amp cord to the 50 amp generator. You have the best of both worlds and you would still have your original 30 amp service as backup if needed. Your electrician should understand what I am saying. If he has done any industrial motor control wiring he will know exactly how to wire an electromagnetic switch so it will energize only when power is fed to that circuit. Sorry this is so confusing and I am not saying your way won’t work. I am just trying you give you an easier option that will allow you more flexibility when you arrive at a campground that only has 30 amps, and there are a lot of them.

I think I got it ! I will talk to my friend the electrician tonight. So the switch can be mounted next to the junction box where the generator is. Follow up question, So I will have a 50 amp shore power cord going into the switch near the generator and leave the whole 30 amp system alone in case I ever need it again. On the incoming 50 amp cord it will split to feed the breakers (30 amp and 20 amp sides) of the generator and the ATS will see it as power from the Generator and everything works normal like on Gen Power. And that 30 amp cord will stay connected to the original junction box and stored away until needed if ever again. Do I have that correct. I am sure the electrician will know what you are talking about.
Thank you for taking the time to help me understand this.

Side note for those wondering, I am getting quotes of $1,000 to 1,200 to do this. So you all that are helping are saving us some decent amount of money. Thank you

[lpkirby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Heater Search this thread 50 amp conversion It has a supplementary fix for your problem. Adding a 20 amp service also for the second a/c. One poster even modified a wiring diagram and uploaded it. If you can't find it let me know and I will try to post a thread.

Thanks Heater,
I read and read until my eyes are bleeding.... I found the post with the diagram and some of yours as well. Did you ever get yours completed? Thanks again..

[lpkirby]

This shows the lines..

[lpkirby]

Sidewinder, Scratch that....
I had time to think about it some more. I guess he could just bring in the 50 amp Shore Power on one side of the switch and tie into the existing line from the generator to the other side and then it will continue up to the ATS. Should probably add in a 50 amp breaker so I am not trusting the pole breaker.

Not sure if I have it or not....