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Old 04-08-2008, 08:27 PM   #1
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I have an '03 Pace Arrow with the 30a electrical system. For the most part the energy management control handles the coach electrical needs fine. The only exception is when it is cold outside and we would like to run electric heat.

So I was thinking... could I rewire the power inlet to use a 50a cable and terminate it in a distribution box before it goes to the transfer switch. Here I would split the power so that one leg goes to the ATS and existing power panel and the the second leg gets distributed to a new group of breakers that could be used for heaters (probably by running additional outlets). The idea is to not mess with the existing power management system / electrical system in the RV and add 3 or 4 circuits dedicated to use for heaters.

It would need to be wired so that if you went to a park that only had 30a service the coach would get powered and the auxiliary circuits would not be powered, but plugged into 50a both would be powered. the new distribution box would contain all of the appropriate breakers for the new circuits and a new main breaker for the second leg. The part that I am not sure about is how to run the neutral and ground. They would have to be common to both legs, is this a problem??

Would this work??
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Old 04-08-2008, 08:27 PM   #2
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I have an '03 Pace Arrow with the 30a electrical system. For the most part the energy management control handles the coach electrical needs fine. The only exception is when it is cold outside and we would like to run electric heat.

So I was thinking... could I rewire the power inlet to use a 50a cable and terminate it in a distribution box before it goes to the transfer switch. Here I would split the power so that one leg goes to the ATS and existing power panel and the the second leg gets distributed to a new group of breakers that could be used for heaters (probably by running additional outlets). The idea is to not mess with the existing power management system / electrical system in the RV and add 3 or 4 circuits dedicated to use for heaters.

It would need to be wired so that if you went to a park that only had 30a service the coach would get powered and the auxiliary circuits would not be powered, but plugged into 50a both would be powered. the new distribution box would contain all of the appropriate breakers for the new circuits and a new main breaker for the second leg. The part that I am not sure about is how to run the neutral and ground. They would have to be common to both legs, is this a problem??

Would this work??
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Old 04-09-2008, 02:33 AM   #3
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Sure it will work.

However some careful planning and wiring would be in order.

Remember, in a RV the neutral and ground are NOT tied together.
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Old 04-09-2008, 04:23 PM   #4
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I cocoure, it should work fine.
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Old 04-09-2008, 04:58 PM   #5
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To do what you want you would have to make your own 50 to 30 adapter.The standard 50 to 30 adapter ties both hot legs together .
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Old 04-09-2008, 05:28 PM   #6
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The standard 50/30 adapter would still work OK, but you wouldn't have any extra power on the secondary leg. 30A is just 30A, no matter how you split it.

I don't see any need to defeat the extra outlets when using 30A service either. I wouldn't plug a heater into the extra outlets because it would just be robbing power you need on the other half, but having the outlets live does no harm.

A common neutral and ground is fine - that's the way normal 50A service works anyway.
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Old 04-10-2008, 04:49 PM   #7
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Bob, I think what he is wanting to do is to replace the 30 amp cord with a 50amp, so an adapter would not be required when plugged into the standard 50 amp rv receptacle. the one thing though I think he should consider is putting a 30 amp double pole breaker and enclosure where the cord ties into the MH wiring system to protect the exsisting 30 amp panel and wiring from overloads.
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Old 04-10-2008, 05:25 PM   #8
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Maybe I was not clear but Hillbilly2 got it, I was thinking of replacing the 30a cord with a new 50a cord, it would connect to the coach in a new power panel, one leg would pass through this panel (with the neutral and ground) and connect to the existing 30a panel (via the ATS) which already has a 30a main; the other leg would power a buss in the new power panel with a 30a (guess this one could be 50a??) main and the appropriate breakers for the new circuits. I might even move the electric hot water power to this new panel to get that load off the coach 30a system (we rarely use the electric hot water element due to the 30a limitation). The new panel would end up with the electric hot water heater element, two circuits in the front of the coach, one in the bedroom area, and one in the basement and most likely only one duplex outlet on each circuit.

As far as making the new circuits hot even on 30a power, the coach has plenty of outlets for us as it is, haven't seen the need to add additional outlets yet. The real deficiency is 2 electric heaters pretty much consumes the entire available power. When we are camping in cold weather I would just need to be dilligent to find a site with 50a power available, if not the propane furnaces are still an option.

So if I understand the consensus, the neutral and ground being common between the two power legs would not be a problem as long as I keep the neutral and grounds seperate from each other. I'll dig out my drawing tools and post a circuit schematic a little later.

Thanks for the info, gotta love this board...
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