Quick question about 50 amp

[aceofspades]

Please don't make fun, but I just have a general question:
Obviously, when you hook up to 50 amp service you can utilize 50 amps worth of "stuff". So, if I have the following things on:

2 AC Units @ 15 amp= 30
Electric Water Heater= 10
Refrigerator= 4
Stereo= 1-2
curling iron= 3-4
Hair dryer= 8-9

For a total of 56 amps (minimum)... then something has to give. Is THIS why when my wife is getting ready in the morning, the front bedroom AC unit shuts off and the thermostat control goes blank until she turns something off and it kicks back on?

[autofish]

With then50 amp you really have two 50amp 120 volt circuits for a total of 100amps so your ok

[wa8yxm]

You do not understand 50 amps

50 amps is 120/240 volt service, thus if the loads are properly balanced you can pull 50 amps on each leg or a total of 50 amps times two.. I say it that way because it is still only 50 amps.. not 100. No more than 50 amps can flow in any given wire.. (I know some folks find this confusing)

So you need to look at your breakers.. Figure out how they are arrainged

and then add up the amps on JUST ONE LEG at a time

Common arrangements are
1-2
2-1
1-2
2-1

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

and 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2

[Route 66]

Correct. Two 50 amp circuits.

Originally Posted by autofish

With then50 amp you really have two 50amp 120 volt circuits for a total of 100amps so your ok

[nothermark]

If you are having a problem you have all your loads on one leg of the feed. The nice thing about working on a MH is you can unplug it and turn off the inverter to make it safe. DO IT. If you are inside the breaker box also check the feed wire clamp screws and make sure they are tight.

FWIW - all the breaker boxes I have seen use a split bus so a double breaker taps both legs of the service. Usually all it takes to move a breaker is to remove the cover and rock the breaker out. I'd start by looking at the Airconditioner feed. If they each have a breaker and they are not next to each other move them so they are. Then you know they are on separate legs. If that does not do it swap the location of the hair dryer circuit. If that does not work it's time to get serious with a clamp on ammeter and see what is really happening.

[lacdubonnet]

tell her not to curl and dry at same time not being a smart ass

[Ray,IN]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

You do not understand 50 amps

50 amps is 120/240 volt service, thus if the loads are properly balanced you can pull 50 amps on each leg or a total of 50 amps times two.. I say it that way because it is still only 50 amps.. not 100. No more than 50 amps can flow in any given wire.. (I know some folks find this confusing)

So you need to look at your breakers.. Figure out how they are arrainged

and then add up the amps on JUST ONE LEG at a time

Common arrangements are
1-2
2-1
1-2
2-1

1 2 1 2 1 2 1 2

and 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2

That is the accurate description of a 50A RV service panel.

[asuperheat]

50 amp service = 12,000 watts ( two legs at 50 amps), 30 amp service = 3,600 watts (one leg at 30 amps).


volts x amps = watts


If the panel is balanced in a perfect world you can use 12,000 watts. Panels are never truly balanced and the world is not perfect. Hop this helps.