50 Amp service

[Miljet]

I have personally stayed at at least two campgrounds that had only 50 amp service. And as others have mentioned, I have also used the 50 to 30 dogbone a few other times when the 50 amp receptacle looked in better shape than the 30 amp.

[alvinc]

Originally Posted by ezspdr

Newbie again - In looking around the country for RV parks I see several that say their sites are all 50Amp service.

I suspect the reason that RV parks state this is because for many years 50 amp service was not available in many campgrounds (still the case in many National and State parks). So stating that an RV park has 50 amp service is a big benefit. Also note that just because they advertise 50 amp service doesn't mean they don't have 30 amp outlets as well, but it might require an adapter.

To be truly prepared you should have whatever adapters are needed to be able to use any of the following:

• standard 3 pin 120VAC outlet (like you have in your house)
• 30 amp 3 pin 120VAC RV outlet
• 50 amp 4 pin 240/120VAC RV outlet

This is regardless of what you have; 30 amp or 50 amp.

The only reason I can see for a RV park to not have all three types in each pedestal is because they want to save some money on installation and can then sell overpriced 30 amp to 50 amp adapters.

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by alvinc

I suspect the reason that RV parks state this is because for many years 50 amp service was not available in many campgrounds (still the case in many National and State parks). So stating that an RV park has 50 amp service is a big benefit. Also note that just because they advertise 50 amp service doesn't mean they don't have 30 amp outlets as well, but it might require an adapter.

To be truly prepared you should have whatever adapters are needed to be able to use any of the following:

• standard 3 pin 120VAC outlet (like you have in your house)
• 30 amp 3 pin 120VAC RV outlet
• 50 amp 4 pin 240/120VAC RV outlet

This is regardless of what you have; 30 amp or 50 amp.

The only reason I can see for a RV park to not have all three types in each pedestal is because they want to save some money on installation and can then sell overpriced 30 amp to 50 amp adapters.

I recently needed a 50->30 adapter AND a 30->50 adapter connected together to get any power into my 50A coach.

[alvinc]

Originally Posted by Ramblin

I recently needed a 50->30 adapter AND a 30->50 adapter connected together to get any power into my 50A coach.

There is something wrong with this picture...... do you have any idea why this was the case?

The 50 amp to 30 amp adapter would supply 120VAC with 50 amp to the 30 amp outlet.... then the 30 amp to 50 amp adapter would supply 120VAC at 30 amps to both legs of the 50 amp outlet. The RV EMS would detect that there was no 240VAC across the hot wires and assume that only 30 amps was available. This make any sense?

But why didn't the 50 amp outlet work, was one leg dead? Did the 50 amp to 30 amp adapter just happen to use the working side of the 50 amp outlet???????????

[SpringerPop]

Originally Posted by alvinc

The only reason I can see for a RV park to not have all three types in each pedestal is because they want to save some money on installation and can then sell overpriced 30 amp to 50 amp adapters.

A great reason to already have your own.

They're around twenty-five bucks for a good one.

Pop

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by alvinc

There is something wrong with this picture...... do you have any idea why this was the case?

The 50 amp to 30 amp adapter would supply 120VAC with 50 amp to the 30 amp outlet.... then the 30 amp to 50 amp adapter would supply 120VAC at 30 amps to both legs of the 50 amp outlet. The RV EMS would detect that there was no 240VAC across the hot wires and assume that only 30 amps was available. This make any sense?

But why didn't the 50 amp outlet work, was one leg dead? Did the 50 amp to 30 amp adapter just happen to use the working side of the 50 amp outlet???????????

Bingo. One leg of the 50A was dead, the 30A was dead. the 15A was dead. All bad breakers, I was told by the CG's maintenance guy (who had to borrow my VOM to test them). Said it'd be a few days before he could get replacements.

I was LUCKY the one leg of the 50A that was hot was the one My 50A to 30A dogbone liked, and I only had THAT dogbone as a left-over from a previous 30A coach.

We camped that way for 5 days, never saw the maintenance guy again.

[SpringerPop]

Almost makes you want to carry two "dogbone" adapters.

One tapping each leg.

A home-brew adapter could have a switch.

Hmmmm....... click, click, whrrrrrrrr......

There might just be a good reason to do that! What if there was significant voltage sag on only one leg? That happens, y'know.

Hmmmm.......

Pop

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by alvinc

There is something wrong with this picture...... do you have any idea why this was the case?

The 50 amp to 30 amp adapter would supply 120VAC with 50 amp to the 30 amp outlet.... then the 30 amp to 50 amp adapter would supply 120VAC at 30 amps to both legs of the 50 amp outlet. The RV EMS would detect that there was no 240VAC across the hot wires and assume that only 30 amps was available. This make any sense?

But why didn't the 50 amp outlet work, was one leg dead? Did the 50 amp to 30 amp adapter just happen to use the working side of the 50 amp outlet???????????

This is an old debate.. but...

The 50 amp RV wiring configuration supplies two 120Vac feeds.. There is no requirement that they be 180deg out of phase making it 240vac.. as a matter of fact the CG is most possibly fed by a commercial 3 phase feed making phase to phase 208Vac. So there would be no 240Vac in the entire park.

This is why the double dog bone adapter setup worked.. the coach saw 120Vac on each leg (not 240Vac across them)

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by Sandman

This is an old debate.. but...

The 50 amp RV wiring configuration supplies two 120Vac feeds.. There is no requirement that they be 180deg out of phase making it 240vac..

What does the sticker on the side of your RV say? Mine says that this connection is for 120/240 VAC 50 amp service. That's a split phase, center tap neutral 240 VAC 50 amp service that will provide 2 each 120 VAC 50 amp hot legs that will measure 240 VAC from L1 to L2 and 120 VAC from either L1 or L2 to N.

Rusty

[BCooke]

Originally Posted by Sandman

This is an old debate.. but...

The 50 amp RV wiring configuration supplies two 120Vac feeds.. There is no requirement that they be 180deg out of phase making it 240vac.. as a matter of fact the CG is most possibly fed by a commercial 3 phase feed making phase to phase 208Vac. So there would be no 240Vac in the entire park.

This is why the double dog bone adapter setup worked.. the coach saw 120Vac on each leg (not 240Vac across them)

Depends on how you tap the transformer. I have left over from years of "upgrades". There is 208, 220, and 240 (480 to building). They could not make it easy by using buck/boost at the units requiring specialized power, although we have them now. In our building, and to make it more interesting, there is also both delta and wye.
sigh

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by ctcamper

It is not waterproof so I take appropriate precautions.

None of the adapers are waterproof But you can improve the water resistance of your box.

Remove the cover, Use a good grade of marine spar varnish on all the wood, ALL OF IT, caulk the hole where the wire enters the box, Use a gasket between the cover and the box and/or caulk, caluk around the outlets and anything else that goes through the cover.

This will do a good job of protecting the wood and the inside of the box

But the outlet is still exposed, has to be or you can't plug in to it.

NOTE: multiple coats of marine spar varnish., That stuff is .. GOOD.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

What does the sticker on the side of your RV say? Mine says that this connection is for 120/240 VAC 50 amp service. That's a split phase, center tap neutral 240 VAC 50 amp service that will provide 2 each 120 VAC 50 amp hot legs that will measure 240 VAC from L1 to L2 and 120 VAC from either L1 or L2 to N.

Rusty

Rusty, If your sticker says all of that it is in error.

120/240 Vac 50 amp is the max it is designed to accept, not the minimum.

The NEC states that an RV site with a 50 amp receptacle must be supplied from a normal 120/240 single phase three wire system or a 208Y/120 3 phase 4 wire system.

So if the park is 3 phase the 50 amp outlet would be 120/208.

And since RVs don't require (use 240Vac) the RV will love the two 120Vac feeds, 120deg out of phase..

[RustyJC]

Originally Posted by RustyJC

This connection is for 120/240 VAC 50 amp service.

Since we want to be literal, that's in effect what it says. It doesn't say either 120/240 VAC 50 amp or something else. No other options are provided. What does the sticker on your 50 amp RV say? Something different?

Rusty

[alvinc]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Rusty, If your sticker says all of that it is in error.

120/240 Vac 50 amp is the max it is designed to accept, not the minimum.

The NEC states that an RV site with a 50 amp receptacle must be supplied from a normal 120/240 single phase three wire system or a 208Y/120 3 phase 4 wire system.

So if the park is 3 phase the 50 amp outlet would be 120/208.

And since RVs don't require (use 240Vac) the RV will love the two 120Vac feeds, 120deg out of phase..

Sorry Sandman but I was suspicious, so I borrowed a copy of the NEC and it clearly talks about 50 amp 120/208-240 volt power supply being an acceptable supply.

It also states that an RV spot must not be less than 30 amps, there is an exception for tent campers, but in order to be called an RV spot it must have greater than 30 amps.