30 Amps vs 50 Amps !!!

[BigRandy]

Hi! I have a 2002 Winnie Adventurer Class A that came with a 30 amp cord and the coach command center does accept up to 50 amps. The dealer said the coach will run everything on 30 amp but it does not. We keep blowing circuits when operating micro, a/c, hair dryer, etc. I'm just wondering why the coach didn't come with a 50 amp cord. Can I simply replace the 30 amp cord with a 50 amp cord? Also, our RV resort shoreline pole has a 30 amp outlet and a 100 amp outlet. Can I plug a 50 amp cord into the 100 amp outlet? Thanks, Randy

[bdpreece]

I suspect that although the command center may show it will accept 50 amps, the coach is only wired internally for 30 amps. Just adding a 50 amp cord will not solve all your problems. You would need a 50 amp breaker panel and to split the wiring in such a way as to use a 30 and a 20 amp main. Just to make sure you might want to contact Winnebago directly.

[Hitchhiker]

Randy,

As already stated, to accommodate a 50 amp cord your rig would need to be wired for it. You can easily tell if it is by looking at the inlet connector if there is one. If it looks similar to this twist lock 125/250v connector in the photo below you have a 50 amp rig. Otherwise, the rig is wired for 30 amps.

[wa8yxm]

Replacing 30 amp with 50 amp on a trailer (no generator) is fairly easy, You replace the cord, and the breaker box

On a motor home with generator you replace cord, Auto Transfer Switch, Breaker box and possibly the generator

You said A/C, Microwave and Hair Dryer

That is arounn 40-45 amps as all those are 11-15 amp loads.

I can get buy on 30 amps, have gotten by on 20. But I have to control everything I can't let my wife turn on so much as a light bulb or she will trip the breaker then said "you said I could" (Back when we were plugged into 50 amps)

[Bill Adams]

30 amp service provides 30 amps total to the coach. 50 amp service provides 50 amp service to each of 2 legs in the master breaker box or a total of 100 amps. It is unlikely that you are going to be able to rewire a 30 amp coach to take advantage of 50 amp service without making some serious and expensive changes to your coach wiring. You can hook up to whatever you like, but the main breaker is set to 30 amps and the wiring beyond this breaker is not spec'd for more. Replacing your 30 amp breaker with a 50 amp breaker (if that's even possible) would allow more amps to pass and leave you with an extreme fire hazard as the too small wires heat up trying to pass the excess amps.

[HotMech]

I did make just such a conversion on my 02 Winne Brave, it came with a 30 amp cord, but all the pieces, ie. transfer switch, load center and such were 50 amp capable.

It's not cheap to do, it's not easy to do, but can be done.
all of the diagrams were in the documents that came with the devices, I just had to read a little to see how things were wired.

made a few changes to the load center, added a few breakers, Ran 150' of new wire, #6 stranded cable, Red, White, Black and Green, from the Transfer switch. Then rewired the generator part, it is a split phase 110 generator, which simply means, it won't make 220, just has two legs of 110 with seperate breakers, a 20 and a 30 amp. IF you wire it up using the digrams from the transfer switch and load center, it all will work just peachy. But, me, I had to make a few changes. I added a dual input 2500 watt inverter, and wired that to only run certain circuits in the coach. on one leg of the 50 amp, and the other leg of 50 to the charger circuit. So basicly, when Im on the inverter, only the esential things will work, so if I forget and leave the water heater elect switch on, it will not get power anyway. neither of the roof a/c's will work either. TV's Microwave, and most sockets is all that are live on the inverter.
When I plug into 30 amp service, the system works as it did from the factory, using the converter to supply battery charge and lights.
When I plug into 50 amp service, the inverters battery charger is added and the converter is bypassed.
When I'm on the Genset. it thinks it is on 50 amp, except the water heater will not work on elect. I did all this with the transfer switch and the inverters transfer switch. It took a ton of thought, even more money, and a week under the coach running new wiring and romex. for the new inverter. I put all the high voltage cables inside red and blue split loom so I, or anyone working on it would know what's what.
As a final piece of the project, I made a photo copy of the coach wiring system as shipped from Winnebago. then I sat and made all the changes with white out and a black pen, on a drafting board. I then made a new copy of that diagram, and included it with my papers in the coach "bag".
Over all result, is just perfect. works better than a coach with factory 50 amp. If you are serious about wanting to convert yours to 50 amp, I can help you with the fine points, and even some diagrams.

Kerry

[Luv2go]

Randy:

As you can see, you're not alone with this problem. I get reminded how little power 30A service is when we go to our favorite campground in the mountains and find we can't run the A/C, microwave and a hair dryer without overloading the circuit.

The first thing I would do is to go to the Winnebago website and download the electrical wiring diagrams for your coach. From the looks of this wiring diagram of a 2002 Adventurer 32' here:http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/...ire_137068.pdf you will have to replace the ATS, load center and wiring between them. You will also have to reconfigure where one of the Air Conditioner compressors gets its power as you will not be able to circuit #2 directly off the transfer switch (it will have one of the hot legs of the 50A service going to your new load center). More wiring diagrams are located here: Wiring Diagrams

Also, if your coach is wired this way the only way to get both compressors of the air conditioner running is to run on the genny. The dealer probably forgot that little detail.

There are a couple of ways to get more power into your coach. You can do as Kerry did and convert it to 50A, or you can add a separate 20A feed (usually for an Air Conditioner).

For the 20A feed, you would install an entirely separate power cord to the second compressor (circuit #2) using an arrangement like this person did:
30 amp to 50 amp Electrical Upgrade

Here are a couple of links to people who have done the 50A conversion complete with transfer switch changing (or rewiring), rewiring and new load center installation:

96 Pace Arrow 50 AMP upgrade complete..need some help..

and

Converting the Rig to 50 amp service

BTW, if the 100A service looks like this, it is really 50A service:


Good Luck!
Stewart

[AFChap]

Stewart ... good info with one exception. Winnebago coaches are set up to run both compressors of the dual compressor ac/heat pump unit on 30a service. You cannot run the microwave, electric water heater, or other large loads on top of that, but both ac compressors will work just fine and leave apx 6a for lights, tv, etc. The load center will normally work to "shed" loads when another large load is added, including shutting down the 2nd compressor. But of course there is only limited adjustment the system can handle. My DW has tripped a campground breaker on a couple of occasions when she "forgot" we were plugged into 30a and tried to live life as "normal".

The expense & trouble to safely/properly rewire a 30a coach into a 50a coach would be a big deal.

[Luv2go]

Quote:

Originally Posted by AFChap Stewart ... good info with one exception. Winnebago coaches are set up to run both compressors of the dual compressor ac/heat pump unit on 30a service.

Thanks for pointing that out, I mis-read the schematic. Winnebago engineers have come up with a really neat way to provide separate 20A power to the second compressor while running on the generator (which fully utilizes the ~45A generator) while still being able to power it through the load center while on 30A shore power!

Stewart

[ronswank]

Have you looked into the Power Solutions Dual Power Adapter? Haven't used it but thinking about getting one to solve the same problem you are having.

[nalcon]

I have a 30a coach, I run both A/C without a problem. When I use the coffee pot or Microwave the breaker trips. I installed a 12 gauge extension cord from my outside compartment to the kitchen area and installed a power strip with 5 outlets. When I camp I connect my 30A cord and also a extension cord to the 15/20a outlet at the CG and use it to run the microwave and coffee pot. It works great. The hardest part was running the cord to the kitchen.

[Vegasdan]

Usually the 2 A/Cs will cycle between each other and will not run both compressors at the same time on 30 amps. The fans will operate continuesly.

[JTN50]

I have the same problem and I see some great information concerning the 30/50 amp conversion. I also like the 20 amp extension cord idea for some of the kitchen gear.

I do basicly the same thing when we go sking I install 75 watt light bulbs in the basement area to give extra protection from freezing and run the lights from the 20 amp outlet on the power pole. This has worked great many times.

[Clay L]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vegasdan Usually the 2 A/Cs will cycle between each other and will not run both compressors at the same time on 30 amps. The fans will operate continuesly.

The Winnebago load management system will let both ACs run at the same time but will not allow them both to start at the same time. It will delay the start of one until the starting load drops enough.

When both ACs are running, if you start the microwave or some other large load it will turn the rear AC compressor off, then the fan, then the refrigerator.