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  1. #31
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gbkims View Post
    Since I've been working with my home CB panel I was measuring the panel's service conductor Amps with a clamp on.
    Running A/C, Clothes Dryer and several other appliances: L1 = 51A, L2 = 44A, Neutral = 7.8A
    That is correct. 51 amps minus 44 amps should be around 7-8 amps....they try to cancel each other since the current flow is in opposite directions.....and the larger current flow of 51 is partially cancelled, but 7 or 8 amps gets through. In your example it is 7.8....so close enough!
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
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  2. #32
    Seasoned Camper Cannon07's Avatar
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    I loved the 50 amp. I can set at the beach under the blazing sun and run 3 a/c's if needed, elect. water heater, washer/dryer and microwave with no problem.
    2021 351MR
    2017 Jayco 377rlbh (sold)

  3. #33
    Long Hauler offtohavasu's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xrated View Post
    OK, I'm going to post this right here...it's a good explanation of the 50A RV Electrical Service to our campers. I wrote this about two weeks ago after getting into a discussion on one of the Facebook Grand Design pages where there were Soooo many comments that were all the way from a little wrong....to OMG wrong. Feel free to use it as you may need to explain to others about the facts of an RV 50A Electrical service.....

    I have to admit....I'm still in shock (no pun intended) at some of the outrageous and totally wrong comments/info being given on this topic. The RV electrical systems have been engineered by professional folks, following an established method of electrical distribution that is not subject to your opinion or what you think on how it "should" work, it's based on how it DOES work. So in this case, opinion is totally irrelevant.....and FACT is the determining method of RV electrical systems.

    And the fact is this. A 50A RV electrical system will be comprised of two hot legs, created by what is known as a Split Phase system, and thought of as L1 and L2, a neutral wire, and a ground wire. The two hot legs will be 180 degrees out of phase with each other (and if you don't know what that means, you likely are not going to thoroughly understand how it works) and they WILL IN FACT be able to provide 50 amps of 120VAC PER LEG. In the case of a 50A RV Electrical system, it is basically the exact same as the electrical distribution system INTO your house or home. The difference between the two (RV and your house) is in the electrical distribution panel....a.k.a. the breaker panel. Up to that point (disregarding that fact that your house will use a ground rod at the service entrance and your RV has a continuous ground wire from the pedestal to your RV) the two are exactly alike. Distribution of that power is where the difference is...not the power source itself.

    The RV breaker panel is made so that the 50A Main breaker is located in the center of the panel and the associated bus work for each hot leg goes in opposite directions, so it is impossible to have a 240VAC circuit any place other than the Main breaker itself. In regard to the 50A Main breaker....the LEFT most half of that breaker feeds 120VAC (with respect to neutral) only to the LEFT side of the panel for the purpose of being able to install single pole breakers into the available spaces on the LEFT side of the panel. The RIGHT most half of the 50A Main breaker feeds the bus on the RIGHT side of the panel, providing 120VAC (with respect to the neutral wire) to all of the available slots on the RIGHT side of the panel. The left side of the panel can be thought of as Phase A...or L1.....and the right side of the panel would then be Phase B... or L2....and MOST IMPORTANTLY....L1 and L2 are electrically 180 degrees OUT OF PHASE with each other. The fact that the two hot legs are 180 degrees out of phase with each other, is what allows the neutral wire to NEVER have to carry any more than 50 amps of current.....even if each leg is pulling the maximum amount of current available to each leg.....50 amps each.

    It's really pretty simple if you have been trained and or have knowledge of how a split phase electrical distribution system works.....if you don't, it might be a bit troublesome and cause you to make statements that may not be true at all. Sorry for the long-winded post, but hopefully it may help clear up some of the mis-statements made in this ongoing topic.
    Small correction, you can get 240V using breakers on the L1 and L2 side, BUT you can't legally since you can't tie the breakers together (and it's very dangerous).

    You can, however, put a subpanel in the trailer prior to the main panel to do 240v, legally, but there really isn't the need for the 240v in the RV appliance world.
    Curtis, Christine, Cole, and Charlotte

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax LBZ, CCLB
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  4. #34
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    Although my trailer is 50A, I only have a single AC unit and will not need the full 50A. So, I purchased one of these adaptors for $20 and just use all of the 30A items from my old trailer. I use the 30A extension cord and 30A surge protector. No need to use the huge and bulky 50A cable or surge protector.Click image for larger version. 

Name:	RVGuard 50A to 30A Adaptor.jpg 
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ID:	33369 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    Bobby K.
    2021 Reflection 150 260RD
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  5. #35
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by offtohavasu View Post
    Small correction, you can get 240V using breakers on the L1 and L2 side, BUT you can't legally since you can't tie the breakers together (and it's very dangerous).

    You can, however, put a subpanel in the trailer prior to the main panel to do 240v, legally, but there really isn't the need for the 240v in the RV appliance world.
    You are correct, BUT, the purpose of my post was twofold. 1. To explain what the actual system is and how it works. 2. Stay within the bounds of Electrical codes that provide safe usage of the system. I'm sure there are many ways to "bastardize" any system....but we are trying to keep it within the electrical safety/functionality, and code guidelines. So basically, no correction needed on what I wrote.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
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    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

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  6. #36
    Long Hauler offtohavasu's Avatar
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    Actually, I wasn't pointing out how to bastardize anything. I was saying the voltage was there. So I guess that would be a small correction.
    Curtis, Christine, Cole, and Charlotte

    2007 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax LBZ, CCLB
    2020 Momentum 351M

  7. #37
    Long Hauler D2Reid's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by xrated View Post
    Edit/removed..........it really was an inaccurate description and a poor attempt of me trying to explain neutral current in a Split Phase System
    I thought it was pretty good. But then I still don't understand how electricity works even though many have tried to explain it to me many times.
    Dallas
    2017 Momentum 376TH, 2019 Ford F450, Dual Rear Wheel, 4x4, diesel.
    2015 Harley-Davidson Street, XG750

  8. #38
    Site Team xrated's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by D2Reid View Post
    I thought it was pretty good. But then I still don't understand how electricity works even though many have tried to explain it to me many times.
    LOL....it's OK, we all have weaknesses....I know I've got plenty. I just happened to know quite a lot about Electrical because I've been a Journeyman for over 40 years....but I did screw up the analogy....so I deleted it.
    2016 F350 CrewCab Dually
    2018 Momentum 394M...Heavily Modded!
    2023 Suzuki GSX-S1000 GT+
    Excessive Payload is a Wonderful Thing

    "If it ain't fast....It ain't Fun"

  9. #39
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    Good discussion, just wanted to add this here. 30A is not enough at all. I leave the water heater on, 1 AC running and Ninja foodie or microwave at the same time pops the fuse/ breaker.
    And 50A might be overkill but we could get to a point where it is necessary for someone with 3 AC and other things and at the time, instead of having a 3rd type of outlet and campsites, this might be a way of future proofing and it will be backward compatible.

  10. #40
    Rolling Along
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    Another option for the 30 Ampers.
    In my previous trailer, I added a second 30A service with breaker panel. I had a PI EMS and did not want to buy another one, so I split my loads leaving the inductive loads on the EMS circuit for protection and the rest on the new panel. I also added a dedicated 20A circuit to run the space heaters. The total was 80A of service. Not 100A but good enough for what I needed to run. It didn't break the bank either. I think I had a couple of hundred $$$ in it.
    2010 Jayco 26(SOLD)
    2011 Keystone Outback 277RL(SOLD)
    2021 Grand Design 268BH
    2013 Ford F250 XLT, 6.2L Gas

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