Damon Electrical

[buckeyeduffer]

I plan to install a 50 amp outlet in my driveway to use with our Tuscany when loading-downloading etc. I am assuming that the 50 Amp outlets we use in campgrounds is 240VAC and the convertor in the coach handles the transformation of the power from 240 to 120VAC/12 VDC when on shore power.

Would appreciate veriofication or rejection of my assumption?

Thanks in advance.

[Snowfitter]

You are correct in your thinking. What you have at the parks is 2 - 120 volt lines. If you take a voltage tester and go from ground to each line it will read 120 volts. If you go from line to line with the tester it will show 240 volts. When you wire your circuit in you breaker box you would be better off buying 2 - 25 amp 120 volt breakers rather then 1 - 240 volt breaker as they are tied togeather on top. This way if you overload or short out something it will leave you with one half of your breaker box working in your coach.

[jcthorne]

First, each line is capable of 50amps. Second, the breaker must be a double pole ganged breaker to meet NEC for the 50a 240/120 outlet. Using a pair of 25a breakers would limit to 25 amps and be in violation of code.

[kayo]

Buy one of the RV specific outlet boxes. It is different that a breaker that you might have in your house for electric heat or for a electric stove or dryer. As noted above, you have two 120/1/60 curcuits coming in to your rig, not one 240/1/60 circuit. The converter has nothing to do with the 120/1/60. Rather it is converting the AC power to 12v DC in order to run all those 12 volt lights that you have in the rig.

[buckeyeduffer]

Thanks all - feedback much appreciated

["007"]

This thread maybe of interest.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by buckeyeduffer I plan to install a 50 amp outlet in my driveway to use with our Tuscany when loading-downloading etc. I am assuming that the 50 Amp outlets we use in campgrounds is 240VAC and the convertor in the coach handles the transformation of the power from 240 to 120VAC/12 VDC when on shore power. Would appreciate veriofication or rejection of my assumption? Thanks in advance.

GOOD ASSUMPTION!!!

I recommend that anyone installing an RV outlet (Or I should say hiring it installed) go with a 50 amp.. Here is why

1: It's a 4 wire 120/240 volt outlet, the hook up is identical no matter if it's for a Dryer, Range, Welder, Air compressor, Shop tool or an RV, 3 heavy wires and one lighter (Ground) wire with the same hook up pattern no matter the use. Every electrician from Here to there and back again knows how to hook this up and will do it right the 1st time.

1b: There are many stories of someone hiring a 30 amp outlet put in and the electrician, thinking it was for one of the products OTHER than an RV mentioned above, wired it for 240 volts and ZZZZZZAAAAAAPPPPPP. went the TV, Microwave, Converter, and assorted other expensive stuff in the motor home or trailer.


2: If you are getting a 30 amp rig.. and you later trade up to a 50 amp rig... You are all set, it will cost you NOTHING to upgrade from 50 amp service to...50 amp service.

[KC1BUD]

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm 1b: There are many stories of someone hiring a 30 amp outlet put in and the electrician, thinking it was for one of the products OTHER than an RV mentioned above, wired it for 240 volts and ZZZZZZAAAAAAPPPPPP. went the TV, Microwave, Converter, and assorted other expensive stuff in the motor home or trailer.

So true, I hired a recommended licensed electrician to wire an apartment(used to be our garage) for my F-I-L's use.

One circuit used to be for a entryway electric heaters for our house shared a common wall. Since we never used the heaters anyway, I told the electrician to convert the circuit from 240 volts to 120 volts for use in the apartment. Never dreamed that I would have to go behind the electrician and meter the outlets. But when we moved my F-I-L- into his apartment, at first I couldn't figure out why a 40 watt appliance bulb would burn so bright and blow out in a matter of a minute or two until I metered the outlet and low and behold 240 volts.

[doc]

RV Electric

Try this link - no confusion.
Be very careful, you can really mess up the electrical in a coach if you wire it wrong. We were in a new CG in Kentucky and the post was wired wrong. Messed up the energy management system in the coach to the tune of over a thousand dollars. Luckily it did not get the TVs and refrig, just the EMS and the water heater.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayo Buy one of the RV specific outlet boxes. It is different that a breaker that you might have in your house for electric heat or for a electric stove or dryer. As noted above, you have two 120/1/60 curcuits coming in to your rig, not one 240/1/60 circuit. The converter has nothing to do with the 120/1/60. Rather it is converting the AC power to 12v DC in order to run all those 12 volt lights that you have in the rig.

Kayo.. Though the information to buy an RV specific outlet box is good.. The breakers used in those boxes are standard house type breakers such as you'd buy at any hardware, lowes, home depot, or electrical shop. They are identical to the breakers used in some house boxes.. (Usually Square D type) no difference at all.

And the proper designation for a 50 amp outlet is not 120 volts times two, you can get in serious trouble talking that way. Nor is it 240 volt

It's 120/240 volt

Think of the wires as having names L-1, N and L-2.. here is the truth table

L-1 to N 120 volts
L-1 to N 120 volts
L-1 to L-2 240 volts

If you think as you suggested you can end up with

L-1 to N 120 volts
L-1 to N 120 volts
L-1 to L-1 zero volts (You will note I failed to use L-2 at all

ANd the Neutral, which is designed to take a max of 50 amps. is now hauling up to 100 amps, and catches fire

Most folks will simply call it a 240 volt 4 wire outlet

But the proper designation is 120/240 volt with safety ground

And that, is the only way it's safe

[kayo]

The rv specific boxes are designed to accept the 50A plug used in motorhomes, which is unlike any household ]\dryer or stove female connectors that I have ever seen. And the instructions, and the notations on the terminals are quite clear on how to wire it It is not rocket science. Assuming one had the electrical capacity in his/her electrical service, and the ability to add a 50A curcuit and breaker, it is really quite easy to install a RV specific outlet. I have done it twice wihtout frying the rig.

[jcthorne]

The 50a RV plug configuration is the same as a 50a stove or oven plug. Some dryers use it now too but many are still 3 wire 240v only connections. Newer homes are all wired with the 4 wire outlets for Dryer, stove and other high amp 240v appliances.

[wa8yxm]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kayo The rv specific boxes are designed to accept the 50A plug used in motorhomes, which is unlike any household ]\dryer or stove female connectors that I have ever seen. And the instructions, and the notations on the terminals are quite clear on how to wire it It is not rocket science. Assuming one had the electrical capacity in his/her electrical service, and the ability to add a 50A curcuit and breaker, it is really quite easy to install a RV specific outlet. I have done it twice wihtout frying the rig.

I recommend you visit LOWES or HOME DEPOT or any other large appliance store and look at the dryer/range power cords they have on display there... I have seen what I call an "RV-50" plug (And outlet) and in fact when I did my "Install" of my hughes autoformer that's where I got the outlet.

[Bob King]

WA8YXM - John:
You lost me somewhere in your 3/15/10 post above. In both examples you use L1 to N = 120 twice. I think in both cases the second line should be L2 to N = 120.
Where did I get lost?