Community Forums

tedward1555 · 06-23-2010, 02:31 PM

Hi All;
We're gonna be camping at my parents house next week and will be using power from the 220 outlet in my Dad's work shop. I assume I'll just be pulling 30 amps and was wondering what I can run and what I can't on 30 amp. Can I run both AC's? Or if I can only run one at a time can I also watch TV? How about the microwave?
Thanks in advance.
Ed

EngineerMike · 06-23-2010, 02:59 PM

If you have 220 available (i.e. two legs of 110) then you can use both AC's and pretty much anything you want. Not sure why you would assume you would "just be pulling 30 amps." The 220 outlet will have a breaker feeding it; if you have a 50A 220 cord on the moho, that breaker will determine the max output. Hopefully it is 50A or less for proper protection of the moho.
Could be you'll have a 3-prong 220 outlet only; that is NOT a service outlet suitable for the coach. Don't use that (unless you do some weird mods that are beyond most DIYers). A three prong outlet only has two hot legs and a safety ground, no neutral. Without a neutral you would be using the coach frame for a neutral and could be running some appliances at 220 (or some sloppy mid voltage) in your coach (you basically connect hot to neural thru an appliance, then neutral to hot thru another appliance w/no proper bleed off for the neutral, so it becomes hot to hot since neutrals are connected at the neutral bus). You need a 4-prong outlet corresponding to hot, hot, neutral, & safety ground.

Route 66 · 06-23-2010, 03:07 PM

Quote:

Could be you'll have a 3-prong 220 outlet only; that is NOT a service outlet suitable for the coach. Don't use that

I suspect that's what you'll find as it would be unusual to have a 120v RV receptacle anywhere that wasn't specifically installed for a RV.

tedward1555 · 06-23-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Route 66

I suspect that's what you'll find as it would be unusual to have a 120v RV receptacle anywhere that wasn't specifically installed for a RV.

I'm sure it is a 3 prong outlet in his shop... that won't work? is it different than the 3 prong 30 ampers at a rv park?

Route 66 · 06-23-2010, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tedward1555

I'm sure it is a 3 prong outlet in his shop... that won't work? is it different than the 3 prong 30 ampers at a rv park?

Yes, they are different.

A 3 prong receptacle for a RV is 120V.

A 3 prong receptacle in a shop or for a dryer is 240v.

Click here and then click on 30 amp service to see various 30 amp receptacles. Most are 240v and not for RVs.

RustyJC · 06-23-2010, 04:20 PM

If it's 3 prong 240VAC receptacle like a welder might use, it won't work. 50 amp 120/240 VAC RV recepticles are 4 pole (L1, L2, N, ground); 30 amp 120VAC RV receptacles are 3 pole (L1, N, G).

Rusty

tedward1555 · 06-23-2010, 05:22 PM

So if it's 220 power coming to the box above the receptacle can I have an electrician put on a receptacle that will work for me? I've alerted my Mom that I'm gonna need an electrician and she has one she uses.
Thanks for all the help folks.
Much appreciated

TXiceman · 06-23-2010, 06:11 PM

If it is a 4 wire 220 service, the electrician can add a 4 wire 220 RV plug next to it. If it is an older 3 wire 220 service, you are missing one wire. Make sure the electrician knows what you need for the RV service.

Look HERE, you need the 14-50R plug form for a 50 amp RV. If you have a 30 amp RV, pick up a 50 to 30 amp "dog-bone" adapter at Wally World.

Ken

Ken

wa8yxm · 06-23-2010, 06:13 PM

Can an electrician put in a proper outlet: YES> but if you hire one consider haveing him put in a 50 not a 30

Why: Several stories here in the forums about folks who hired an electrician to put in a 30 amp 120 volt RV outlet.. The electrician was told 30 amp RV outlet He looked at the outlet (Which may well be physically identical to the one in the shop now) and wired it for 240 volts.. SMOKE FIRE AND SPARKS ensued when the rig was plugged in, several hundred dollars in damage.

ALSO.. Since the 30 amp outlet ther now may look like a rv outlet 9LABEL IT PLEASE) the 50 amp will be easier to distinguish.

NOTE 2: If the 30 amp is not in use, and if Both the safety ground wire AND THE PROPER SIZE NEUTRAL exists or can be added.. Just swapping out the outlet is good enough.