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**JohnRR** · 05-09-2015, 12:50 PM

I'd opt to have the 120 plug put in as well the cost would be minimal when done with the 50 amp hook up, you never know when it might come in handy.

I leave mine plugged in all winter without being used, just remember to check your house battery fluid level every so often just in case. After a while you'll have an idea how often to check it.

Golfer Guy · 05-09-2015, 12:58 PM

Any idea what the ball park cost is to have a 50 amp plug added to the parking pad 50" from the house?

Falcon190 · 05-09-2015, 01:36 PM

The 50 amp circuit is two separate 120 volt circuits, with two individual circuit breakers. Sure, there's 240 volts available but motorhomes use the two 120 volt circuits. My wiring passed inspection and actually exceeded code. I have done electrical work since I was ten years old and don't need to defend myself (though apparently I just did &#128527

.

My cost was 15 feet of 6 gauge wire at about $6 a foot and the rest was about $35. Labor? Free!

Scottybdivin · 05-09-2015, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfer Guy

Any idea what the ball park cost is to have a 50 amp plug added to the parking pad 50" from the house?

Too many variables. Overhead, underground, type of soil, landscaping, location, existing utilities or structures, etc.

This is what I used and it was surprisingly inexpensive and had everything, breakers and all. 50/30/15.

dabrooks · 05-09-2015, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon190

The 50 amp circuit is two separate 120 volt circuits, with two individual circuit breakers. Sure, there's 240 volts available but motorhomes use the two 120 volt circuits. My wiring passed inspection and actually exceeded code. I have done electrical work since I was ten years old and don't need to defend myself (though apparently I just did &#128527

.

My cost was 15 feet of 6 gauge wire at about $6 a foot and the rest was about $35. Labor? Free!

I am not sure you are correct. I have a 50 amp circuit for my RV and have had it for at least 3 years and it is a 50 amp 240 double pole breaker. Of course each leg is 120 volts but between the two hot legs it is 240 volts.

rosspam · 05-09-2015, 03:19 PM

Plugged in all time here. Just make sure you have multistage battery charger sobyou don't cook the batteries.

Pusherman · 05-09-2015, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon190

The 50 amp circuit is two separate 120 volt circuits, with two individual circuit breakers. Sure, there's 240 volts available but motorhomes use the two 120 volt circuits. My wiring passed inspection and actually exceeded code. I have done electrical work since I was ten years old and don't need to defend myself (though apparently I just did &#128527

.

If you have it wired to 2 individual 50A single pole breakers, you are in violation of the National Electrical Code. This service must be wired to a 50A double pole breaker, so that if one leg trips, the other will too.

Reason: with 2 individual breakers it is possible to insert them both on the same leg of the panel. In this case, the neutral wire may be pulling double the amps, which will overheat the wire and possibly cause a fire. When wired to a double pole breaker, it is guaranteed that you are tapping in to both legs of the panel, which causes the amperage pulled through the neutral wire to cancel each other on a balanced load, thus not pulling too much current for 2 positive 120V legs through 1 neutral wire. This is because the opposite legs of the panel are 180 degrees out of phase with each other, cancelling out the neutral draw on a balanced load. Remember, this is a 4-wire service (2 hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground), not a 5-wire (2 hots, 2 neutrals, 1 ground) service.

I am guessing you have the 2 breakers on opposite sides of the panel based on your experience, so it's not doubling the amperage on the neutral wire, but what if the next guy comes along and moves the breakers around in the panel and puts them both on the same leg of the panel. This now becomes a fire hazard.

FlyingDiver · 05-09-2015, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Falcon190

The 50 amp circuit is two separate 120 volt circuits, with two individual circuit breakers. Sure, there's 240 volts available but motorhomes use the two 120 volt circuits. My wiring passed inspection and actually exceeded code. I have done electrical work since I was ten years old and don't need to defend myself (though apparently I just did &#128527

.

My cost was 15 feet of 6 gauge wire at about $6 a foot and the rest was about $35. Labor? Free!

You're wrong, because some motorhomes actually do use 240V circuits. Ours does, we have a 240V dryer.

So you can't say that the RV outlet is two 120V circuits. That implies that they don't have to be out of phase. They do. So it's a 240V circuit using a NEMA 14-50R plug.

FastGlassMan · 05-09-2015, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FlyingDiver

You're wrong, because some motorhomes actually do use 240V circuits. Ours does, we have a 240V dryer.

So you can't say that the RV outlet is two 120V circuits. That implies that they don't have to be out of phase. They do. So it's a 240V circuit using a NEMA 14-50R plug.

I have never seen a 50 amp single pole breaker , and per NEC it MUST be on a double pole breaker

, I don't know what inspector would pass that, Bobby

FlyingDiver · 05-09-2015, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FastGlassMan

I have never seen a 50 amp single pole breaker , and per NEC it MUST be on a double pole breaker

, Bobby

Why did you quote me? I didn't write anything about breakers.

FWIW, here's a 50amp single pole breaker: Square D QO 50 Amp Single-Pole Circuit Breaker-QO150CP - The Home Depot

Don't know what you'd use it for, but it exists.

But you're right, the feed for the RV connection needs to be a 50 amp double pole breaker.

LakeKerrGuy · 05-10-2015, 07:53 AM

Like I said in post #12, some folks should not do any electrical work.

ronjhall · 05-10-2015, 08:31 AM

I have a 50amp Box similar to this. Installed on the side of my barn. Sure is nice to have all three different hookups. We have visitors that hook up to the box. Most of the time I am hooked to the 20amp receptacle. Just to keep batteries charged. But when getting ready to go on a trip I hook into the 50amp to run both AC's or heaters. I did have to replace the GIF receptacle with a standard 20amp receptacle.

the trainguy · 05-10-2015, 09:07 AM

PLEASE READ!

I am a licensed and insured commercial electrician , been doing electrical all of my 50+ years.

I usually stay out of these threads but this one screams for clarification.

Pusherman's explanation is mostly correct.

The main reason for a 2 pole breaker is SAFETY!

Most of the NEC code was written because of people getting killed(electrocuted) or fires from inadequate/unsafe wiring.

If you use 2 individual single pole breakers on this 4 wire 50 amp installation there is the distinct possibility of of only ONE of the single pole breakers tripping leaving the other circuit live.

If you PROPERLY used a 2 pole breaker then if you had that issue of tripping one side of the line it would trip the ENTIRE 2 pole breaker.

This is required so that you don't have PART of the outlet still LIVE which could result in someone thinking the breaker is tripped so the outlet MUST be dead resulting in a potential life threatening situation!

A breaker feeding an electrical appliance(or receptacle) MUST be able to isolate(disconnect) that appliance per NEC.

And yes single pole breakers do exist in 25/30 and 50 amp sizes as there are a few applications that require that amperage in a 120 volt application.

No offense meant to anyone here but PLEASE leave something as important as a 50 amp 120/240 volt branch circuit wiring job to a qualified electrician.

The electrical service to a lot of homes is still only 100 amps,would you allow your buddy "who knows how to do electrical work" to work on it for you?

Also as far as "electrical inspectors" goes I have had to "school" a few over the years as in a lot of locales the electrical inspector is also the building inspector and contrary to what the title implies they sometimes OK things that are not correct.

Bob

TQ60 · 05-10-2015, 10:02 AM

Read what a 50 amp connection is...

It is not 50 amp at 120 vac...

It is 50 amp at 240 vac meaning 4 conductors with L1, L2, Neutral and Safety ground...simple as that.

Read the instructions and follow them...

We picked up a square d 50 amp dual pole grount fault breaker the other day at an estate sale...was intended for an rv connection so there are more options for safe connections.

The proper installation can be done by a teenager...assuming they can read the instructions and do the process correctly.

Problem is most folks fail to read the instructions and listen to folks who have no clue and then make assumed choices then do unsafe work.

For those who have not performed any electrical work and who may not have the tools to properly do the work and it is a one time event they are best served by waiting and saving up to have a licensed person to do the work and that includes pulling a permit to be certian that work is inspected and the existing work is also checked as part of the package.

For others do your proper homework and if you feel capable of doing the work you should proceed but please be sure to have the means to properly test your work (voltmeter) and have a helper so you can get help if needed.