Community Forums

timjet · 02-15-2017, 08:54 AM

Wow, thanks, and 8 available at my local Lowes!! I thought that since this was a somewhat unique outlet, they would be hard to find.

FlyingDiver · 02-15-2017, 08:56 AM

Not unique at all. Used by many high capacity dryers.

tmw188 · 02-15-2017, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

Suggestion: Take a look at your Generator...

What does that have to do with your question.

On my 50 amp Rig I have an Onan Emerald 5500 RV type generator

It has two circuit breakers.. 30 amp

And I almost never trip one via overload. At least not unless I'm feeding a 2nd RV (I can do that).

So, if you can run everything on a generator with 2 30 amp outputs, You will do just fine with your plan.

IN fact. i suggest it.

Except the gen. is not pushing it thru 60' of wire first. Tim you may find that the wire running out to the garage is larger than maybe the #8 it may call for. That being said your breaker may be 40a because that is all the main panel could handle? With proper load management and if that wire is let's say a #6 you may be able to put a 50 in its place. Not code but with proper load management let's say turning off the breaker to an electric oven in the house you could get by.

Kiawah · 02-15-2017, 09:04 AM

I do exactly that in my detached garage. I already had a double pole 30a socket, so just made a dongle converting a double pole 30amp male plug, to a double pole 50amp female socket. The 50amp coach plugs into that, but of course each leg is limited to 30amps.

What you should do however, it look closely at your circuit breaker box in your coach, to determine which devices are connected to which leg. Most of the time if there are two A/C's in a coach, the mfg will put one A/C on leg A, and the second A/C on leg B to balance the load.

Determine which legs your high current devices are on, in a circuit breaker box the 'physical' breakers will alternate between leg A and leg B. Find which leg your hotwater heater is on, the microwave/oven, your converter, and any other high current devices. When you turn on one of your A/C's, choose the one that is on the leg that has the least current already being consumed. If you keep your loads balanced, it will limit your exposure to tripping the 30A breaker.

Look closely at the breakers, sometimes they use slim's which have two slim breakers together in one 'physical' normal width breaker.

Since you RV will be in the garage, it's not baking in the sun so won't need 2 A/C's running anyhow.

timjet · 02-15-2017, 09:20 AM

Thanks Kiawah, good stuff to track down. I don't have the RV yet but will determine which appliance and other high load items are connected to which leg. I'll also diagram everything I can as I go through the coach. That worked well for me when trying to diagnose electrical issues or install new items on my boat.
I'm not sure but the coach we're considering may have an EMS which sheds certain loads as necessary. That will take some study to determine how all that works.

Vicr · 02-15-2017, 10:32 AM

timjet, I've been an electrician for over 34 years and have a couple of questions:
1. What amperage is the main breaker in your house's panel?
2. What size is the wire going to your shed and is it copper or aluminum?
3. Is the line going to the garage in conduit or is it direct burial?

These questions need to be answered before you start the work so I can determine the best way to supply the most amperage to your coach and do it to code.
Thanks.

Scottybdivin · 02-15-2017, 11:01 AM

If your RV has 3 ACs, make sure you know which legs your ACs are on. Obviously, one of them will have 2 ACs.

Woodchopper · 02-15-2017, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timjet

I’m planning on installing an electrical outlet at home for my 40’ DP. The outlet will be installed inside my detached garage and I would like to use a 50 amp outlet – NEMA 14-50R outlet. However my garage only has 40 amp service supplied from my house circuit breaker panel via a double pole 40 amp breaker.

So in order not to allow more current than the wire from the house circuit breaker panel to the garage circuit breaker panel can handle, I’m going to use a 30 amp double pole breaker to feed the RV outlet. (14-50R outlet). My question is, will I likely need to be careful in managing the power usage in the coach so as not to overlaod the 30 amp breaker, or is the 30 amp double pole power enough to power most everything?

timjet
In that situation I would use the 40 amp double pole breaker in your house to feed the 14-50R outlet ...(rather than a 30 amp double breaker).

Some "common sense power management" will be necessary with either... but you will be able to run more with the 40A than with a 30.

xrated · 02-15-2017, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodchopper

timjet
In that situation I would use the 40 amp double pole breaker in your house to feed the 14-50R outlet ...(rather than a 30 amp double breaker).

Some "common sense power management" will be necessary with either... but you will be able to run more with the 40A than with a 30.

See post #20 ^^^^^^ Those questions need to be answered first BEFORE any decision is made in regard to 40A or 30A sizing.

Plus, timjet already stated that he wanted to keep it at the 30A size so that there was some availability for other power usage in the garage.

two-niner · 02-15-2017, 12:00 PM

Just guessing. If you do not know if you are exceeding your main panel's capacity, why not just add a subpanel?

Even if the main panel has "blanks", that does not mean you have more capacity. As previously mentioned, consider the length of run. Get a licensed electrician !!

timjet · 02-15-2017, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vicr

timjet, I've been an electrician for over 34 years and have a couple of questions:
1. What amperage is the main breaker in your house's panel?
2. What size is the wire going to your shed and is it copper or aluminum?
3. Is the line going to the garage in conduit or is it direct burial?

These questions need to be answered before you start the work so I can determine the best way to supply the most amperage to your coach and do it to code.
Thanks.

Thanks Vicr;
1. Main breaker panel is 200 amps. A 40 amp double pole breaker in the main panel feeds a sub panel in the garage. The garage sub panel currently has 4 single pole breakers feeding various outlets and lights in the garage, all 110 volt. There are 2 available slots in the garage sub-panel where I intend to put the 30 double pole breaker to feed the RV outlet.

2. I believe I have #8 copper cable from the main panel 40 amp double pole breaker to the garage sub panel. It may be #6, I will try and determine tomorrow.

3. The cable from the main panel to the garage sub panel is direct burial.

Gary RVRoamer · 02-16-2017, 07:58 AM

Quote:

So in order not to allow more current than the wire from the house circuit breaker panel to the garage circuit breaker panel can handle, I’m going to use a 30 amp double pole breaker to feed the RV outlet. (14-50R outlet). My question is, will I likely need to be careful in managing the power usage in the coach so as not to overlaod the 30 amp breaker, or is the 30 amp double pole power enough to power most everything?

It should work OK, but the specifics will depend on how the appliances in your rig is set up. I ran my 40 ft DP that way for years during the off-season, using dual 30A outlets and a cheater box. My coach had the rear a/c and the water heater on the same "leg", so the a/c plus the heater maxed out the 30A for that side. If the a/c needed to run a lot, I switched the heater to LP to avoid hitting the 30A, but since it was winter season that didn't happen often. The washer-dryer was also on that leg.

So, the answer will depend on your specific power needs. If you could do 40A/240v, most of the combined peak load concerns would go away.

Vicr · 02-16-2017, 08:03 AM

Tim, the wire size, and now that I know it's direct burial I need to know what type of direct burial cable it is. The outside sheathing on the cable will be marked "TYPE UF" or it might be "SE" anyway I need to know that and the conductor size to look up the ampacity of the cable.

WNJeffers · 02-16-2017, 04:37 PM

Use AWG 8 cable to wire your outlet, same at is going to your shed. Use a 40amp breaker ( to match your breaker to the service panel wire – that is the most amperage you can pull anyway). The breaker is there to protect the wire. Use the 50-amp outlet to match the plug. The fact that it is rated for more than you will pull with a 40-amp breaker is not an issue. You will be fine.