Home 30amp

[Origjcc]

Howdy, bout to make a 130ft run through our attic for a 30amp drop on driveway side. Unfortunately box in garage is already tapped out, main on flip side of house has room. Prior to commencing wanted to throw it out to the minds on this forum that have been there and done it, anything worth noting?

Thank you


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[Vaquero]

My opinion.
Run a 50 amp RV .
Use a dog bone adapter.
You might upgrade trailers, or sell to a 50 amp owner.

[Marcm157]

If I was going to the length you are I would definitely run a 50 Amp line. Can you "Double up" something in the garage box using a tandem breaker to make some room?

Eaton CH Type 20/20 Amp Single-Pole Tandem Circuit Breaker-CHT2020 - The Home Depot

[Seann45]

Just change boxes in the garage to a larger box. That was the first thing I did in my house

[wags999]

Before you put a larger or add another panel, what is the capacity of that panel, amp wise. What is the wire size coming into the panel? Even if you upgrade to a larger unit you may not need a full 50 amp receptacle. Most times your not running everything when your RV is in "storage".


I assume you are aware the 30 amp RV receptacle is only a 120 volt line.


Good Luck.

[mike837go]

Another of the opinion that if you are going to spend the money to install an RV power outlet, do it once!

Have your pro run a 50A line. Put a box like you'd find at a campground. 50A, 30A and 15A outlets with separate breakers.

You'll have under $100 in extra parts, less than 20 minutes in additional labor. And never have to even think about upgrading.

[oldmanAZ]

Question to waggs and others that know RV power issues:

Haven't I read on this site that some (pros?/amateurs?) that do residential wiring get the 30amp and/or 50amp wiring wrong for RVs?

[norty1]

Some do. Especially the 50a rv wiring. Just ask if he/she knows and has had experience with rv power wiring. There are many places online that you can learn enough to look over his shoulder and make sure it's right. If you have a EMS, it will tell you before you apply it to your rig.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Question to waggs and others that know RV power issues:

Haven't I read on this site that some (pros?/amateurs?) that do residential wiring get the 30amp and/or 50amp wiring wrong for RVs?

The biggest mistake people make is wiring a 30 amp 240 volt receptacle rather than a 120 volt 30 amp receptacle. Because it looks similar to a 30 amp dryer outlet it's an easy mistake.

50 amp is a 240 volt circuit.

There are also cost considerations, running a 30 amp three wire (hot, neutral and ground) #10 wire, is much less expensive than running a 4 wire (#8 ) circuit.

Most people really don't need 50 amps if they are not living in the RV. You can run a single AC and frig etc on a 30 amp single pole circuit.

Just advise whomever is going to be doing the wiring its for an RV...if you just ask for a 30 amp circuit many could mistake it for a 240 circuit.

Good Luck

[Origjcc]

Thanks for the feedback y’all. Will keep all in mind.


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[RSerendipity]

Show this document to your electrician to keep from having issues. It lists the part #s & necessary info.

[Atlee]

When I ran my 30 amp power supply a decade and 1/2 ago, it never occurred to me to run 50 amp. Could have, had the place for it.

My electric panel had a, by then, a no longer used 240V circuit breaker. I had converted the electric water heater to gas. Then engineer types on the staff explained exactly how to use only one side of the breaker to get 120V, 30 amp out of it, which I did.

So, for a long time, I've had a 30 amp pedestal for my TT. But as I said, if I'd have thought about it, I could have wired a 240V, 50 amp pedestal.

[Vicr]

Originally Posted by RSerendipity

Show this document to your electrician to keep from having issues. It lists the part #s & necessary info.

If you have to show that to your "electrician" then is isn't.

[NC Roamer]

Originally Posted by wags999

The biggest mistake people make is wiring a 30 amp 240 volt receptacle rather than a 120 volt 30 amp receptacle. Because it looks similar to a 30 amp dryer outlet it's an easy mistake.
...
Just advise whomever is going to be doing the wiring its for an RV...if you just ask for a 30 amp circuit many could mistake it for a 240 circuit.

When I had an electrician run the 30 amp line to our home RV pad, I showed him the electrical information on the power cord access door of the Greyhawk which explicitly listed the power parameters. I then handed him the portable EMS unit we use and said, "This needs to be able to plug into the box you set." With those very specific instructions, he was able to do the job correctly.

[RSGentry]

I am about to install a 30 amp circuit in my new pole barn, where I store my fifth wheel. My fifth wheel is a 50 amp unit, and is so because it has two roof air conditioners. I will probably never run the air conditioners and especially not both of them when the fifth wheel is in storage, therefore I plan to save the expense of running a 50 amp circuit, and run a 30 amp.

One calculation that has not been discussed on this thread, as important as which amperage you install, is voltage drop. If you are running a long length of wire from one end of the house to the other, my recommendation would be to increase the wire size from a 10-2 /gnd. (which is the minimum size conductor by code) to an 8-2 /gnd. Low voltage will damage your equipment and can cause serious problems.

This link has good information and a calculator.

Voltage Drop Calculator

[wags999]

Originally Posted by RSGentry

I am about to install a 30 amp circuit in my new pole barn, where I store my fifth wheel. My fifth wheel is a 50 amp unit, and is so because it has two roof air conditioners. I will probably never run the air conditioners and especially not both of them when the fifth wheel is in storage, therefore I plan to save the expense of running a 50 amp circuit, and run a 30 amp.

One calculation that has not been discussed on this thread, as important as which amperage you install, is voltage drop. If you are running a long length of wire from one end of the house to the other, my recommendation would be to increase the wire size from a 10-2 /gnd. (which is the minimum size conductor by code) to an 8-2 /gnd. Low voltage will damage your equipment and can cause serious problems.

This link has good information and a calculator.

Voltage Drop Calculator

Unless your going a very long distance, it should not make a difference. A 30 amp 10 gauge line at 100 feet loses about 3 volts when pulling 15 amps, sill well within normal, assuming you have good power at the box, ie 120 volts. But your correct you need to take the voltage drop into account when very long runs..

[bdreinv]

Not any good with electric, why not just do 50 amp plug?

[norty1]

Originally Posted by bdreinv

Not any good with electric, why not just do 50 amp plug?

More expensive. I ran 10-2 w/gnd. 30a receptacle. I just use my 30a cable and the 30-50 Marinco adapter. Works great and I only run 1 ac if needed. also the 50 is not laying in the weather all the time.

[wags999]

FYI my 15,000 BTU AC draws 15 amps at 120 volts, just checked my EMS when I turned it on. I run it off a separate 20 amp circuit in my garage. The frig is also on, but draws almost nothing. Not sure if in a 5er you will have outlets not powered when on a single 120 line or not. Normally the second AC will not be powered when on a single leg.

[norty1]

My rig has a 50a marinco connection and the only way I can plug anything into it is with a 50a marinco cord or a marinco 50a to 30a dogbone. I have the dogbone for when I camp at a site with 30a.

When that is used everything works inside but if I exceed 30amps, it trips my pedestal breaker.

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Marin...-p/55-8801.htm