50 Amp questions

**Jerryr** · 03-11-2020, 08:41 AM

Originally Posted by Buckaroo

Those are very nice for the price. The multimeter I referenced is auto ranging which I think is a little easier for new users. I bought several on an Amazon Lightning deal and gave them out as gifts. I wish I'd bought more.

Definitely auto-ranging is easier for new users and for experienced users.

Amazon has multimeters as low as $6 each. I don’t know how you can make them cheap enough to sell for $6 and make a profit.

Here’s the link to the $35 clamp meter that can measure AC & DC current, capacitance, auto ranging etc.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C4LX8LP/

**boyscout** · 03-11-2020, 09:04 AM

Originally Posted by Jerryr

In my tool box I have a $35 AC/DC voltmeter with AC/DC clamp meter, can check capacitors one AC units.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07C4LX8LP/

That's a HECK of a deal if it works well. Typically, the ability to measure DC current too adds a *whole* lot to the cost of AC clamp meters; usually the cost increases by more than the total cost of your meter!

Being able to diagnose DC current is arguably even more important than diagnosing AC current in our trailers. I use my meter far more for DC than for AC in the trailer. I paid a heck of a lot more than $35 for it.

Sure wish I'd seen your post a couple of years ago.

**The Bone** · 03-11-2020, 10:12 AM

ALL RV's are 110 at 50 or 30 amps only. There is nothing in your RV that uses 220. I blew up my inverter, with the size of the cord I thought that surely it had to be 220 volts. $300 later and a conversation online I found out the hard way. I also blew up my radar oven because as soon as I plugged in the 220 the radar oven came on and that was the last time so add $100 for that. My serge protector didn't help me so don't rely on that to save you.

**D2Reid** · 03-11-2020, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by traviswinningham16

Sorry, I know nothing about electrical things. How would I confirm the voltage or if it's correctly wired?

While the electrically astute have fun with their meters there us electrically ignorant that struggle with it. So here is how to kill to volts with one meter. Buy a progressive EMS surge protector

It tests your connection and protects your RV while camping. Yes, it's pricey, but you will use it for years and years. I think most of the electrically astute will agree that having surge protector on your 50 amp post is a good idea. This one just happens to test for bad electricity and automatically shuts off if things aren't right.

Plus the LED window shows you how many V's are on each leg and how many AMP's you are pulling through each leg. It was also a good tool for teaching DW about amperage load in the RV. She could see the difference made when she turns the hair dryer, coffee pot, and microwave on while the A/C is running. Good for us electrically challenged.

PS for the electrically astute; if I am wrong about this please correct me.

**Buckaroo** · 03-11-2020, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by D2Reid

progressive EMS surge protector

I installed the hard wired version (https://www.amazon.com/PROGRESSIVE-I...268606627&th=1) before my last trip - bought it on Amazon. The hook-ups were all good on my trip but I did have occasion to use it. My hot water heater was acting up and I was troubleshooting it - would not fire up on gas or electric. Of course, I did not have my multimeter...need to buy myself an inexpensive one to carry in the TT instead of giving them all away. I removed and reattached several connections and could see right away when it fired up on electricity as the amps displayed on the EMS LED increased. Spade terminals on thermal fuse were not making good contact due to corrosion.

**offtohavasu** · 03-16-2020, 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by The Bone

ALL RV's are 110 at 50 or 30 amps only. There is nothing in your RV that uses 220. I blew up my inverter, with the size of the cord I thought that surely it had to be 220 volts. $300 later and a conversation online I found out the hard way. I also blew up my radar oven because as soon as I plugged in the 220 the radar oven came on and that was the last time so add $100 for that. My serge protector didn't help me so don't rely on that to save you.

Just because there aren't any 240v appliance doesn't mean it's 240v. 50 amp is 240v. You have two 120v legs and a neutral. Just like your home. If you doubt that, measure across your two breakers and tell me the voltage reading.

You blew it up because you ran two 120v across vs. having a neutral.

**The Bone** · 03-17-2020, 08:11 AM

Originally Posted by offtohavasu

Just because there aren't any 240v appliance doesn't mean it's 240v. 50 amp is 240v. You have two 120v legs and a neutral. Just like your home. If you doubt that, measure across your two breakers and tell me the voltage reading.

You blew it up because you ran two 120v across vs. having a neutral.

Exactly. I plugged it into my dryer plug and poof. I had to buy a 30 amp 110V breaker and install it in my fuse panel and only used 3 wires instead of 4. That's why I was telling the guy that not to hook up his RV to a 220v outlet.
Again RV's only use 110 volts on ether a 30 or 50 amp service. Never plug in your RV into a 220v outlet.

**offtohavasu** · 03-17-2020, 09:11 AM

What you mean to say is if you a 50 amp RV plug it in to a 240v outlet with a neutral. A 50 amp RV plug is still 240V. A 30 amp RV plugs is 120v.

**Jerryr** · 03-17-2020, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by The Bone

Again RV's only use 110 volts on ether a 30 or 50 amp service. Never plug in your RV into a 220v outlet.

Incorrect for 50 amp RV service.

A 30 amp RV uses a 120 volt plug. A 50 amp RV uses a 240v plug.

I don’t know how you can plug in a 30 amp RV plug into a 240 v dryer outlet. It won’t fit.

50 amp RVs use 14-50R 50 amp 240v outlets. The MAIN Breaker in the 50 amp RV panel is a 240v double pole breaker. That RV panel main breaker splits the 2-120v legs (L1 & L2) to feed the 120v lights and appliances. Just like your home circuit breaker panel. The difference is that there are no 240v devices in an RV.

At home I plug my RV 50 amp / 240v 14-50P RV into my 14-30R 30 amp 240 dryer outlet using a properly wired adapter. https://acworks.com/products/ev-adapter-ev1430ms-018 It works fine.

At my vacation cabin I use a properly wired adaptor to plug my 50 amp RV into a L24-30R 240v 30 amp generator type receptacle that the previous homeowner installed. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076ZTZMHM/. That circuit is protected with a 30 amp Double pole 240v breaker.

To protect the RV I installed a Hard wired Progressive Industries EMS https://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems-hw50c It verifies proper connection (voltage, neutral, ground, miswire etc.) before it passes voltage to the RV.