30 Amps vs. 50 Amps!

[BigRandy]

I have a (factory) Parallax Model ATS 5070 transfer switch in my '02 Winnebago Adventurer. It is a 50 amp. My shoreline cord is a 30 amp wired into it. Can I simply replace the 30 amp cord with a 50 amp cord to upgrade to 50 amps? My site power pole offers both a 30 and 50 amp outlet. I want to use the 50 amp. Thanks, Randy

[Mike Canter]

I don't think it is that easy. You should call Winnie and ask them how they wired it or get a wiring diagram. 30 amp has a SINGLE line of 30 amp power coming and 50 amp has TWO 50 amp lines coming in. It depends on how the transfer box was wired to the circuit breakers and if the power from the breakers was split up or not. If it was wired as a single circuit then just going to 50 amps will only increase you amperage on one line. If it was that easy then why was it not wired up as 50 amp from the factory.

[jlyon69]

No. Your 30a cord is merely a single leg 120vac connection capable of handling 30a. (1 hot, 1 common and 1 ground.) A 50a is 2 - 120vac connections (2 hot, 1 common and a ground) capable of 50a on each with a total of 100a.

Since you have a 30a cord, you have a 30a system. You would need to re-wire your coach to 50a to use 50a service.

[Tha_Rooster]

Only if you want a fire (jlyon69) is correct.

[Wizard]

Short answer is probably not. Mine had 50 amp transfer switch and 100 amp distribution panel with one 30 amp breaker, so was fairly easy, course I'm an electrician.

Had to replace the power cord, rewire the transfer switch, replace the feeder wire from the transfer switch to distribution panel with 6-3 with ground cable.

replace the 30 amp breaker and two 20 amp breakers for a/c with a 20-50-50-20 breaker and some minor rewiring inside the distribution panel.

All drawings are available on Winnebago website and you can print off and compare side be side the two wiring configurations.

Be glad to help any other way I can. I've helped several other people, search for other threads on this forum, there is several.