50 Amp On 30 Amp Service

[TravisH]

Howdy,

Some of my winter reservations have been 30 amp instead of 50 amp.

I guess only one heat pump or AC if called for....

Hopefully I wont be needing AC and I assume I don't lose any other functionality...

Right or wrong?

Thanks,

Trav

[BayouBiker]

I don't see how you'll need two AC's or heat pumps in the winter. Here in Louisiana we only need two to cool off quickly and when we are in full sun, 80+ with very high humidity.

when the weather drops below 45 and it is humid the heat pumps start icing so we switch to a portable heaters (750W two of them).

Anyway there is no difference between 50A and 30A service except the power limit (30A instead of 100A - 50x2) except the plug style at the pedestal so you will need a 30-50A RV converter.

[jcanavera]

As long as you manage the amperage use, you can live comfortably on 30 amps. As a matter of fact even with my 30 amp equipped Classic, I've tripped 30 amp breakers at some campgrounds when using the 15K air conditioner, electric water heater service, the fridge on electric and and microwave at the same time. Air conditioner will pull 20 amps running full tilt and the water heater, refrigerator, and microwave will eat up the other 10 amps.

Jack

[DCPAS]

Originally Posted by TravisH

Some of my winter reservations have been 30 amp instead of 50 amp.

I guess only one heat pump or AC if called for....

Our state parks generally only have 30 amp. Everything works unless we want to use both A/C's. I installed Easy Starts on both so I can use both A/C's, but if I do, I have to turn one off to use the microwave. I run the water heater on propane when we are running both A/C's on 30 amp service. I assume the heat pumps would operate in the same way, but if it is cold enough to need two heat pumps, we have been using the furnace instead.

[Mollysdad]

I learned that if the outside temperature goes below about 30, the heat pump will stop and the furnace will take over. It can be programed into the CCC-2 thermostat, and mine was, since I didn't even know about it. It was a pleasant surprise to walk out of the bedroom and find the floor toasty warm!

[TravisH]

Thanks all!

Oddly I've yet to land at a 30 amp only...

I figured the 50 amp is really just for the both two AC to able to run full tilt! I tell ya it made a difference this last summer!

Trav

[uncle_bob]

Hi

In the winter, the only "use case" for 50A is to have both A/C's in heat pump mode. If you want it up around 80 inside when it's 35 outside, that *might* be needed. If it drops to 30, you probably have to turn on the furnace anyway. With a 25' trailer, it's *very* unlikely you would be in the "two heat pumps" mode ever ....

Bob

[Mikebrady62]

I have found a limitation even on 50 amp. I can not use our coffee maker (Nespresso) and a hair dryer at the same time. I was very surprised by this. I would have guessed it would have been less than the 2 A/C's but with it being on 2 separate breakers, it does make a difference. Those 2 small appliances have a lot of wattage requirement.
We have used 30 amp outlets a few times (with an adaptor) without any issues.

[ghamr]

I use a 30 amp cord anytime temperature is below 50 degrees, because the 50amp 'anaconda' is a bear to coil up!

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by TravisH

Oddly I've yet to land at a 30 amp only...

I figured the 50 amp is really just for the both two AC to able to run full tilt! I tell ya it made a difference this last summer!

50 amp is best allowing you to run any 120 VAC accessory without thinking about it. On 30 amp, you'll be plotting how to assign the 30 amps.
I think I went the first year without opening a window. As crowds grow and commercial campgrounds get more expensive, I'll be spending more time at state parks. Most are still 30 amp. (or <gasp> boondocking.)

[Atwebs]

We run our 50 amp on 30 almost exclusively. You already know that it won't support 2 air conditioners and that is about the only condition you'll need the 50 amp for.

However, we don't bother with the heat pump when we "need" heat, it is only good for adding about 20 degrees to your interior and it is LOUD and depending on humidity and exterior conditions it may not work that well. If the temperature gets below about 40 outside, you are going to be cold inside even with it on.

So, if we really need heat, we turn on the furnace. It is quieter, it puts the heat into the trailer from the floor (heat pump puts out at the ceiling -great for cool air, not so much for warm air as that is where it goes anyway) and it is fairly efficient.

Last time out, with the thermostat set at 65 and the furnace on, we were so toasty we didn't realize the outside temperature had dropped to 20 degrees and we'd frozen the water input hose...No harm once it defrosted though, next time we'll be a bit smarter and unhook and drain it before that cold night.

[guskmg]

You need a 30 to 50 amp Dog Bone. If you are using a Surge Protector, just plug it in after the Dog Bone and it will work as before. There is an adaptor that will take a 30 and a 20 or 30 amp socket and viola you have 50 amp convenience albeit reduced power, i.e., 30 and 30 or 20 amps max.
guskmg

[BandLAir]

A "50A RV Service" is actually a 240VAC/50A connection with an active neutral. As previously pointed out, it acts like two 120V/50A services and since Airstream units do not have any 240VAC appliances (to the best of my knowledge), this is what matters. That said, the 50A upgrade on an Airstream TT accompanies the two air-conditioner option. Note that in an RV wired for a 50A service, approximately half of the circuit breakers are on leg 1 (L1) and half are on leg 2 (L2). If, for example, you are trying to use a 1500W hair dryer and a 1500 W coffee maker at the same time and they are on the same circuit they will draw 25 amps. If the circuit breaker (or fuse) for that circuit is 20A or 15A, it will trip. Note that when plugging a 50A TT into a 30A service the required adapter simple takes one of the hot legs (L1 or L2) and bridges it internally to supply power to both the L1 and L2 circuits in the rig. But you still only get 30A maximum across all loads. As a final note, most circuit breakers, including the ones in almost all RV service pedestals, are only rated to carry 80% of the stated amperage on a continuous basis. Thus, for a 30A service, drawing more than 24A continuously risks tripping the breaker at the pedestal. For a 50A service drawing more than 40A on either leg continuously can do this as well. That seems less likely in a TT. This is not a hypothetical thing. We have been in RV parks with electrical service that feature old, worn circuit breakers that would trip more easily than they should. ~Bruce

[GOUSC]

Originally Posted by TravisH

Thanks all!

Oddly I've yet to land at a 30 amp only...

I figured the 50 amp is really just for the both two AC to able to run full tilt! I tell ya it made a difference this last summer!

Trav

Here is a good article that explains what you get with 50 amp service and some other good advice. It seems to say that you get 100 amps of available power with a 50 amp airstream vs 30 amps of available power with a 30 amp Airstream. Based on this article the 50 amp is more than just geting 2 A/C’s.

https://www.rvtravel.com/rv-electric...one-50-amp-rv/

[Mikebrady62]

Originally Posted by BandLAir

A "50A RV Service" is actually a 240VAC/50A connection with an active neutral. As previously pointed out, it acts like two 120V/50A services and since Airstream units do not have any 240VAC appliances (to the best of my knowledge), this is what matters. That said, the 50A upgrade on an Airstream TT accompanies the two air-conditioner option. Note that in an RV wired for a 50A service, approximately half of the circuit breakers are on leg 1 (L1) and half are on leg 2 (L2). If, for example, you are trying to use a 1500W hair dryer and a 1500 W coffee maker at the same time and they are on the same circuit they will draw 25 amps. If the circuit breaker (or fuse) for that circuit is 20A or 15A, it will trip. Note that when plugging a 50A TT into a 30A service the required adapter simple takes one of the hot legs (L1 or L2) and bridges it internally to supply power to both the L1 and L2 circuits in the rig. But you still only get 30A maximum across all loads. As a final note, most circuit breakers, including the ones in almost all RV service pedestals, are only rated to carry 80% of the stated amperage on a continuous basis. Thus, for a 30A service, drawing more than 24A continuously risks tripping the breaker at the pedestal. For a 50A service drawing more than 40A on either leg continuously can do this as well. That seems less likely in a TT. This is not a hypothetical thing. We have been in RV parks with electrical service that feature old, worn circuit breakers that would trip more easily than they should. ~Bruce

I have read this before but thank you for repeating this in a different way. The more times and ways I read this information, the more sense it makes to me.
The funny thing about this is, I have an associates degree in electronic engineering that I never used and now today 40 years later, I think about the only thing that stuck with me is the difference between A/C & D/C current

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Mikebrady62

I have found a limitation even on 50 amp. I can not use our coffee maker (Nespresso) and a hair dryer at the same time. I was very surprised by this. I would have guessed it would have been less than the 2 A/C's but with it being on 2 separate breakers, it does make a difference. Those 2 small appliances have a lot of wattage requirement.
We have used 30 amp outlets a few times (with an adaptor) without any issues.

Hi

Your coffee maker like pulls something in the 10 to 15A range. The hair dryer probably is in the same league. Between them that gets you up to 20 to 30A.

That's all fine and nothing should go wrong as long as they are on different breakers. If they both are on the same breaker, that one will trip. It's no different than the circuits in your home in that regard.

We have our coffee maker and toaster oven on the same kitchen circuit here at home. You can run one *or* the other. Fire them both up at once and you should be ready for a trip to the breaker box in the basement

Bob