50 AMP - 30 AMP - Availability

[PapaBrer]

Hi All,

Another newbie question, I have an Itasca 37F. It has a 50 AMP service for incoming power and most of the time I have been reserving campsites w/50 AMP service. However, I have noticed that sometimes when I check for 50 amp sites there are none available but there are full hookups w/30 AMP service. I have all the adaptors for lower AMP services so no issues connecting.

I was just wondering what loss of use I should expect if I utilize a 30 amp connection versus of 50 amp connection. Is there some great loss of use on my RV or will i just have to limit what I power on at the same time? Thanks,

[Concord]

Likely your only limitation on 30 Amp service is.. Only use one air conditioner.

[Old-Biscuit]

50A service has 2 HOT legs each rated at 6000W (12,000W total)

30A service has 1 Hot leg rated at 3600W total

You can run 1 high amp draw item at a time...A/C, Microwave but not both at same time
Best to limit electric draw by placing water heater and fridge on propane
when utilizing 30A service

[HDGoose]

When on my generator that maxes out at 22-25 amps, I run my water heater and fridge on propane. But I get the fridge cold on electric first.

When I am plugged into a 30 pole, I run everything on electric with any issues so far.

[twinboat]

You can run 2 large draw appliances at once.

I have a 30 amp RV and run the one AC and use the convection/microwave while the AC is running.

I also have the converter/charger and fridge running on 120 volts.

I probably would trip a breaker is I added my electric coffee maker to all of the above but haven't tried, although I could plug that into my seperate inverter.

Hears what you do, plug it in and turn stuff on. If you turn to much stuff on the pedestal breaker will trip. Now you know what you can use, no harm, no foul.

[creativepart]

Hi, I have the Winnebago Adventurer 37F - so same model - mine's a 2017.

When using 30 amp you loose one A/C as was mentioned. But you have the Precision Circuits Power Control system. It monitors your power coming in and keeps track of the loads on all of your devices. It sheds loads that use too much power and activates loads based on fluctuation in your usage.

When we're on 30-amp, with the thermostat set to operate both A/Cs the PCS will power one fully running the fan and the compressor. Then it will start the fan on the 2nd A/C and if it sees you're not using a lot of power will ramp up the compressor on the 2nd A/C. It will move back and forth between them as necessary.

You can help it out by making sure your hot water heater is on LP and not electric. And, limiting other big loads - such as the microwave. One of the biggest loads that it cannot control is your battery charging.

I have a residential fridge and a 2000 w inverter charger. The PCS never sheds the fridge or the charger. But I replaced the stock inverter "remote" monitor with a more capable model that lets me turn off the charger manually. So, I can control that.

Also, my inverter is connected to the PCS system and when the inverter is on it can fill in some extra amps as needed - but it's not all that helpful. I see it only working occasionally.

During non-A/C months camping with 30-amps is not much of a problem. But in hot weather here in Texas it can make for 80 degree temps inside the RV. So, when it's hot we always look for 50-amp power.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Concord

Likely your only limitation on 30 Amp service is.. Only use one air conditioner.

I suspect that one AC might be the only thing on one of the 50 amp legs.

That said, 30 amps is really problematic in any but the smallest of travel trailers, and I really wish every RV came with 50 amp service even if it only used one of the two legs. It's rather easy to trip a breaker with only 30 amps of service when you have an A/C, microwave, electric water heater, converter that may draw 400+ watts and also personal appliances like hair dryers. It's really more of a convenience issue than safety, but at some point repeatedly tripping breakers becomes a safety issue.

So to the OP, just try to watch your demand. If you have a way of monitoring that, such as a Hughes Autoformer, that would be best, assuming no automated systems such as that mentioned by Creativepart.

[creativepart]

Here's a photo of the 37F's control panels at mid-coach. I've circled the PCS system monitor. You should read up on it in your Operator's Manual. It's really quiet an advanced system:

I just noticed your model is a 2011 - and I'm not sure if you have the PCS system in that model year. If not... apologies.

[Persistent]

Old Biscuit gives good advice. Every 120 volt device adds to the total. If you exceed 30 amps for more than a few seconds, the shore power circuit breaker will trip.

If the power pedestal has a breaker (most do), reset is easy. If no breaker, you must find park service person to reset.

You should be able to run two high power devices, but if say the battery charger is going full blast, and the compressor starts, you may get a shore power trip. There may be several unnoticed low power devices. They all add up.

You may get by with the electric water heater for a while. It turns on and off automatically. So does A/C compressor. Both "on" together with the microwave can surprise you. Two A/C that try to start simultaneously can cause a trip.

With all the auto start electric devices, you may get by for a while. An unexpected trip at an unexpected time may occur.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

I suspect that one AC might be the only thing on one of the 50 amp legs.

.

Don't know why you suspect that ?

Its not the case, the 50 amp 240 amp service is split as evenly as it can be.

[Gary RVRoamer]

was just wondering what loss of use I should expect if I utilize a 30 amp connection versus of 50 amp connection. Is there some great loss of use on my RV or will i just have to limit what I power on at the same time?

The "great loss" is that you have roughly only 1/4 of the electric power available when using a 30A connection. With 50A you probably act as if there is no limit on what you can run at the same time, but let me assure you that on 30A you will notice it soon. The breaker on the power source will trip, or (if your coach has a 30A EMS) some appliances will get automatically powered off (water heater, for example). Just what happens depends on your personal usage habits, weather, the number & types of appliances in your RV, etc.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

The "great loss" is that you have roughly only 1/4 of the electric power available when using a 30A connection. .

As a practical matter it's more like 60% if you take the second A/C standing on it's own leg out of the equation. (30/50 = .6) Still a significant reduction, not not 25%.

If you somehow had a defective 50 amp outlet that only fed the other side than the second A/C you'd have a 50% reduction in power, but in that case the only change you'd notice would be that second A/C not functioning (assuming no 240 volt devices).

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by creativepart

Here's a photo of the 37F's control panels at mid-coach. I've circled the PCS system monitor. You should read up on it in your Operator's Manual. It's really quiet an advanced system:
Attachment 306037
I just noticed your model is a 2011 - and I'm not sure if you have the PCS system in that model year. If not... apologies.

I see you got the EC-30

It is my favorite toy on my RV. Is your wired Before or After the Transfer Switch?


To OP,

In your circumstance, take the 30 amp site and don't worry about it. You might ask if they put you on standby if one becomes available. Thus far unless it is 90 degrees plus outside, I usually always go with the best site and location anyway. We are use to sleeping in tents; so 30 amps will get us by except for extreme temperatures. My daughter will sometimes start the generator to pop popcorn even if we have plenty of shorepower Now if my AGS (EC-30) is set to Auto, it will not allow her to start the Generator if shorepower is on.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

As a practical matter it's more like 60% if you take the second A/C standing on it's own leg out of the equation. (30/50 = .6) Still a significant reduction, not not 25%.

If you somehow had a defective 50 amp outlet that only fed the other side than the second A/C you'd have a 50% reduction in power, but in that case the only change you'd notice would be that second A/C not functioning (assuming no 240 volt devices).

Don't know where your getting this second AC only, on one leg. There are other things on that leg.

Why would they only run a 20 amp AC on a 50 amp leg ?

They don't.
They have 30 more amps of power available.