Home RV Hookup

[Mad5581]

Originally Posted by Vicr

No not potentially, 240 is there in the RV panel. If you needed 240 in an RV it's there, all you have to do is put in a 2 pole breaker and viola! 240v. The poster was technically wrong as the professional which I am have stated.
There are too many people here in internet world who know enough to be dangerous and "poster" is one of them. Bad advice, misinformation etc. runs rampant on internet forums and professionals like myself will speak up and post the facts.

I think someone got the point that you can basically put whatever plug wherever you want it (assuming you have enough power, propper wire for output and location). And that it's not wired the same as a dryer plug. And wong, wrong ,wrong.. I was 100% right in you CAN NOT plug your RV into a 240v dryer outlet. So that said yes I know just enough to know that you cant do that and I know enough to know that when I want electrical work done I hire my cousin, or one of the 3 uncles or brother I have that are all electricians. Most of which have 40+ years of experience in industrial, and residential. Or the uncle that is a country electrical inspector. They hire me when they want stuff moved by truck or need a heavy equipment operation. I never claimed to be an electrician. As to false information online yeah I do agree with you on that. If you seek how to information online you should probably consult a professional before you start.

[Lake Huron]

This past spring I installed a plug on the side of my garage. I was debating on 30A or 50A. My trailer is a 50A and I really didnt see me using a 50A service at home. 30A would be just fine. BUT, the more I thought of it when I built my house 17 years ago I never thought I'd have a 45' 5th wheel parked along side my house either with a 50' concrete apron down the side of the driveway and another 40' of concrete along side of the house either. So I decided go big or go home. I put in a 50A. Never know when you'll need it. I ran the wire from my panel in my basement, thru the basement, and up into the exterior wall of the hous. I removed a couple strips of siding along the house and exterior garage wall, cut the wall sheeting about 6" wide and the entire length. Drilled holes thru the wall studs and run it all the way down to the plug location. I put all the insulation back in the wall where I was drilling and running wire, used expandable spray foam and as it was expanding I slammed the sheeting pieces back into place and screwed them back to the wall studs. That part worked really well because the gaps of the wall sheeting where the circular saw blade made its cut got filled back up with the expanding foam. I taped the house wrap back down and put the siding back on. You cant tell it was ever off and looks like it was installed when the house was built. Prolly the easiest project I've ever done on the house.

[Gogrampa]

Get the RV post installed where you want and have an electrician install line from service panel to RV post. 50amp service done the first time is the way to go imo.
Cost is by the foot from service panel to your sub panel RV post.
Do it the right way once. JMHO

[hammer55]

Originally Posted by Vicr

WOW!!!!! This is WRONG!!! I'm a licensed electrician in the state of Washington and have been in the trade 36 years and this statement is completely wrong. A 50amp RV service is a 120/240v with a neutral and ground. The converters input is one leg of the 240 circuit. I'll post schematics later when I get home from work.

yep

[Jay Matt]

FWIW, I would put the 50A connector in and use an adapter for the 30 amp unit you have. If you get a 50A rig down the line it is all 'good'. For water, 3/4" PVC is easy to run around the property if you are on a well (I am). Otherwise, just run a long hose when you need it....

For sewer, it is not recommended to dump tanks into septic. Too much all at once. You will clog your leach field faster dumping large volumes a lot. That said, I have decide it is worth the trade off for me not to have to move my rig to dump when at the house, but I dump my black tank earlier than I might normally if I am at the house (with a bit more rinsing) and leave my grey open. I bought a liberty sewage pump that I buried in the ground, and I dump my tanks to that, and it pumps from where I keep my rigs to my septic tank.

[JohnWedell]

Originally Posted by Mad5581

I think someone got the point that you can basically put whatever plug wherever you want it (assuming you have enough power, propper wire for output and location). And that it's not wired the same as a dryer plug. And wong, wrong ,wrong.. I was 100% right in you CAN NOT plug your RV into a 240v dryer outlet. So that said yes I know just enough to know that you cant do that and I know enough to know that when I want electrical work done I hire my cousin, or one of the 3 uncles or brother I have that are all electricians. Most of which have 40+ years of experience in industrial, and residential. Or the uncle that is a country electrical inspector. They hire me when they want stuff moved by truck or need a heavy equipment operation. I never claimed to be an electrician. As to false information online yeah I do agree with you on that. If you seek how to information online you should probably consult a professional before you start.

If you change the plug on the end of the cord could you please explain to me why you cannot plug it into a 4 wire dryer outlet. Yes you can.

Consider this:
I have a 100 amp breaker protecting #2 copper conductors to a 100 amp outlet. I cut the plug off of the RV cord (50amp) and replace it with a 100 amp plug. How about that.
Hint:
Think about a 30 amp dog bone plunged into a 50 amp outlet.

[norty1]

240v will fry your 50a RV. Do some research on all these claims from experts.

[kblast523]

A picture speaks...well it's worth...a word.

[JohnWedell]

Originally Posted by kblast523

A picture speaks...well it's worth...a word.

The bottom meter should be 240 volts. (120 + 120)

[JohnWedell]

Originally Posted by norty1

240v will fry your 50a RV. Do some research on all these claims from experts.

Norty1:
Just to be clear are you talking about a 3 wire 240 volt outlet or a 4 wire 240 volt outlet.

[Vicr]

Originally Posted by JohnWedell

Norty1:
Just to be clear are you talking about a 3 wire 240 volt outlet or a 4 wire 240 volt outlet.

This an important point. I believe in the '96 NEC code dryer outlet wiring requirements were changed from a 240v outlet to 120/240v 4wire configuration. SO, that being said any residential structure built after the 1996 code was adopted you are able to change the cord cap on your 50a RV and plug into a dryer outlet.

[kblast523]

Originally Posted by norty1

240v will fry your 50a RV. Do some research on all these claims from experts.

Originally Posted by JohnWedell

The bottom meter should be 240 volts. (120 + 120)

In my neighborhood, results will vary.

[JohnWedell]

Originally Posted by Vicr

This an important point. I believe in the '96 NEC code dryer outlet wiring requirements were changed from a 240v outlet to 120/240v 4wire configuration. SO, that being said any residential structure built after the 1996 code was adopted you are able to change the cord cap on your 50a RV and plug into a dryer outlet.

Exactly, the old style dryer uses a three prong plug. you couldn’t possibly fit the 4 wires from an RV cord into a plug that would plug into it, so I think that argument is pretty much moot. Also I have been an electrician since 1969 (43 years total)

[JohnWedell]

Originally Posted by kblast523

In my neighborhood, results will vary.

The old Delta system 120/240 V system has been mostly phased out now they use a three phase Y system which is 115/230 volts. However in my area they have increased the voltage to 125 volts so they can reduce the current load.

[JimD]

Originally Posted by serfas01

I have a RV concrete pad about 80 feet from the house. Had a contractor tie me into the sewer system. I tied into my sprinkler system plumbing for fresh water. I ran a 50 amp service to the 5th wheel from the house main service with a RV pedestal at the trailer. I ran the service through 1-1/2 Pvc. Also ran a coax cable from the house cable system through the same pipe. I can run my Dish Hopper 3 receiver with a remote at the trailer.

Now I can run everything just like an RV park connection and run 2 A/C 15k with no problem. Also the microwave etc. Just about as easy to run 50 amp service as 30 amp. Just the difference in the cost of the wire.

I am not an electrician but have worked with a number of them through the years. I was told, at least in California, you could not run low voltage and high voltage in the same conduit meaning anything with 120/240 volts in a conduit could not have anything else. This means no coax, cat 5, 12 volt, etc.

I may be wrong but it would be best to verify code if you want to run other things though your power conduit.

[Vicr]

Jim, you are correct. It is a code violation to run coax with line voltage wire in the same conduit.