Cougar 321 RES

[dgrant09]

Originally Posted by taken

The 50 Amp is only to allow you to run a second AC if you decide to do so in the future. 30 amp will be fine running one.

We even ran the trailer with a single AC unit with a Honda 2000EU gen! Granted it was at high idle, but it did fine for a couple of hours.. We did not run any other AC devices, nor would I continually do this.. Awesome little generator..

Good to see you here again Taken!!

[golfpro]

as stated, 50 amp allows you to run two A/C's but you can buy an adapter to go from 50 amp to 30 amp and leave it plugged in at home. you will find that the 50 amp service more than likely means the factory has installed a wiring service to the front bedroom for a second A/C,(Prewired). that is a $150 option. and requires 50 amp service.

[CA Fisherman]

Originally Posted by jim labowsky

We go pick up our new 2012 cougar321res. It requires 50 amp serivice but only has one 15000 btu airdconditioner. Does any one run their
321 at home off of a standard 120v 30 amp outlet. I ask only because I want to hook it up at home to keep the batteries up and the units polor package on. We live near Austin Texas. Thanks.

You will be fine with the 30 amp service, just use a quality adapter that does not heat up and fail. One time when we were looking at our new 2013 on the dealer lot, both roof A/C units were running, the trailer was connected to 30 amp service and was working fine. I imagine if someone had started the microwave, the circuit would have tripped. One of our A/C units is 15,000 btu, the other is 10,000 btu. At our house I hook our trailer into 50 amp service.

About your batteries, if you rely on the trailer system to keep your batteries charged, be sure to check the water level regularly. The built in charger on the 321RES is just that, a charger. It does not condition or "maintain" the batteries so over time it can boil some of the water out of the batteries.

[dgrant09]

Originally Posted by golfpro

as stated, 50 amp allows you to run two A/C's but you can buy an adapter to go from 50 amp to 30 amp and leave it plugged in at home. you will find that the 50 amp service more than likely means the factory has installed a wiring service to the front bedroom for a second A/C,(Prewired). that is a $150 option. and requires 50 amp service.

Thanks for the clarification Golfpro.. Have a great weekend and may it be cool..

[dgrant09]

Originally Posted by CA Fisherman

You will be fine with the 30 amp service, just use a quality adapter that does not heat up and fail. One time when we were looking at our new 2013 on the dealer lot, both roof A/C units were running, the trailer was connected to 30 amp service and was working fine. I imagine if someone had started the microwave, the circuit would have tripped. One of our A/C units is 15,000 btu, the other is 10,000 btu. At our house I hook our trailer into 50 amp service.

About your batteries, if you rely on the trailer system to keep your batteries charged, be sure to check the water level regularly. The built in charger on the 321RES is just that, a charger. It does not condition or "maintain" the batteries so over time it can boil some of the water out of the batteries.

[JimEli]

Things to consider:

50 amp RV service is 220 volts, 2 legs at 110 volts each at 50 amps, so you get a total of 100 amps of service. Each leg is 110 volts, so you have two 110 volt supplies in your RV.

30 amp RV service is 110 volts. If you want to plug in a 30 amp cord into your 50 amp RV outlet you can use an adaptor. If you use an adaptor to connect your 30 amp plug into a 50 amp outlet, it's very important to have a 30 amp main breaker in your distribution panel to protect the cord, since the outlet breaker is 50 amps which is well over what a typical extension cord can support. See where this is going?

Finally, you can adapt a 30 amp RV service to a 15 or 20 amp outlet using adaptors also. A typical house outlet is 15 or 20 amps. It's recommended that you use no more than 80% of the outlet rated amperage on a continuous basis, so you should only draw 12 amps from a 15 amp outlet, and 16 amps from a 20 amp outlet.

Also take note that an extension cord has a capacity to carry current and realize that long cords have a voltage drop that could affect things you want to run in your RV.


That being said, I have run everything except the a/c and/or microwave on a 15 amp service through a short extension cord.

Also, running your a/c on an under rated generator could damage you’re a/c and/or generator:

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3655

[taken]

Originally Posted by JimEli

Things to consider:

50 amp RV service is 220 volts, 2 legs at 110 volts each at 50 amps, so you get a total of 100 amps of service. Each leg is 110 volts, so you have two 110 volt supplies in your RV.

30 amp RV service is 110 volts. If you want to plug in a 30 amp cord into your 50 amp RV outlet you can use an adaptor. If you use an adaptor to connect your 30 amp plug into a 50 amp outlet, it's very important to have a 30 amp main breaker in your distribution panel to protect the cord, since the outlet breaker is 50 amps which is well over what a typical extension cord can support. See where this is going?

Finally, you can adapt a 30 amp RV service to a 15 or 20 amp outlet using adaptors also. A typical house outlet is 15 or 20 amps. It's recommended that you use no more than 80% of the outlet rated amperage on a continuous basis, so you should only draw 12 amps from a 15 amp outlet, and 16 amps from a 20 amp outlet.

Also take note that an extension cord has a capacity to carry current and realize that long cords have a voltage drop that could affect things you want to run in your RV.


That being said, I have run everything except the a/c and/or microwave on a 15 amp service through a short extension cord.

Also, running your a/c on an under rated generator could damage you’re a/c and/or generator:

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3655

Sorry Jim, you've got this one wrong. The 50 AMP service on RV's is 110 NOT 220 volt. It is two separate 50 amp circuits that run on the same phase. It's a setup unique to RV's so I can see where you might have gotten confused. Standard 50 amp household outlets are grabbing both phases from the box to get 220v.

Funny thing is most electricians don't even know about 50 amp RV circuits. One of my best friends has been an electrician for over 20 years and when I showed him the wiring diagram for a 50 amp 110v circuit and the single pole 50 amp breaker that runs it, he was amazed that he had never come across it before. He didn't know 50 single pole breakers existed. Conversely, reading on the RV forums for a few years, I've seen a few people have licensed electricians wire their home with a 50 amp plug to power their RV and do it the more common 220v way and fry their rigs. Not a fun discovery...

[JimEli]

The 50-amp 120/240-volt 3 pole 4

If the same phase was wired to each pole, couldn't you potentially draw 100 amp through the neutral?

[taken]

No because both 50 amp wires are hooked to the same 50 amp breaker at your main panel and by extension, the same phase. Therefore you are only getting only 50 amp total at 110v through both lines, not 100 amps. The total draw is only 50 amps or you'd throw the single breaker. If the sum of the two (or 1) exceeds 50, the breaker throws. Therefor you can never have more than 50 on the neutral. The reason for doing it this way is (I'm guessing here) it's cheaper having two 6 gauge wires in the bundle carrying the same 50 amps than one 3 gauge. Not sure about the wiring diagram on the web site you posted. It's showing it at using a 220v setup on an RV plug so I see what your saying. It's not how I was shown or told to wire 50 amp 110. I guess if the circuits remain totally isolated from each other, your are ok, but I'm not sure all rigs do that. I wouldn't wire mine like that. It makes no sense as there is nothing on any RV I've seen that uses 220. Also, it wouldn't work because the use of a standard 50 to 30 amp dogbone adapter would combine the two phases when adapting from 4 prongs to 3. The only other thing I could see doing was running to two 25 amp breakers on the main panel as long as they were on the same phase. It would accomplish the same goal as the single 50 I suppose and not risk 220 to your rig.

[JimEli]

Help me understand this then, I seem to remember 50A typically has a double blade breaker, which you imply each side is 25A?

I would suggest measuring the outlet at your rv park and see what voltage you get.

[taken]

Edit: I did some more reading on the subject and I guess on rigs where the circuits are left separated an outlet can be wired like you describe. Maybe some campgrounds have it like that too. I read about trouble coming from such a setup and kept mine on the same phase. Guess there is more than one way to skin a cat. My onboard genset is run the same way. 50 amp 120v only because both legs are on the same phase.

[Ted48]

Just a quick comment: On Keystone web support page they explain the 50 AMP hook-up. Also on the outside plug connection on the Travel Trailer that they use in the video it is stated as follows: 50 AMP Connection is for 208V/120-volt or 120/240-volt AC 3-Pole, 4-wire 60HZ 50 AMP Supply. I am retired now but have 32 + years as an Electrical and Signal Inspector for CSXT Railroad AND I have had questions concerning the proper wiring of the panel. I am in the process of obtaining a schematic (electrical drawing) and when received I will surely share them with you. STILL the way the caption above reads the Trailer is set up to receive 50 AMPS per # 6 wire for a total of 240 Volts.

[dgrant09]

Originally Posted by JimEli

Things to consider:

50 amp RV service is 220 volts, 2 legs at 110 volts each at 50 amps, so you get a total of 100 amps of service. Each leg is 110 volts, so you have two 110 volt supplies in your RV.

30 amp RV service is 110 volts. If you want to plug in a 30 amp cord into your 50 amp RV outlet you can use an adaptor. If you use an adaptor to connect your 30 amp plug into a 50 amp outlet, it's very important to have a 30 amp main breaker in your distribution panel to protect the cord, since the outlet breaker is 50 amps which is well over what a typical extension cord can support. See where this is going?

Finally, you can adapt a 30 amp RV service to a 15 or 20 amp outlet using adaptors also. A typical house outlet is 15 or 20 amps. It's recommended that you use no more than 80% of the outlet rated amperage on a continuous basis, so you should only draw 12 amps from a 15 amp outlet, and 16 amps from a 20 amp outlet.

Also take note that an extension cord has a capacity to carry current and realize that long cords have a voltage drop that could affect things you want to run in your RV.


That being said, I have run everything except the a/c and/or microwave on a 15 amp service through a short extension cord.

Also, running your a/c on an under rated generator could damage you’re a/c and/or generator:

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=3655

Thanks for the input JimEli!! Great discussion / points..
Our Honda gen set has protection circuits which preclude the damage to the generator as you referenced (I may be mistaken in what I read prior to purchasing the gen). I also watch the power supply cables for heat when I am on 30A to our trailer. In many locations here, that is all we get..
Electrical power is an interesting discussion..

[jim labowsky]

Did your 321 come with two batteries? If so what kind and if possiable the demensions. Also what to you pull it with. We have a ford excursion 2004 7.3 diesel 4 x 4. We just bought it and pulled it home from the dealer on Saturday past and the towing seemed fine. I did not go over 60 mph tho.