50 amp vs 30 amp

[Roadster31]

We just brought our 3500RL home. I would like to run an electric service out to where it is parked. What is the normal current needed?? It has one AC, and an electric fireplace, no W/D. Would 30 amp be sufficient?? Also what hook up will I need at a campground? Thanks for all your help in advance.

Ram 3500 CTD & Montana 3500RL

[Glenn and Lorraine]

In most all cases 30AMP should be sufficient. Now if you add the 2nd AC or the W/D than 50AMP would be required.

[Montana Sky]

Glenn is right on, 30 amp to use while parked at home should be good enough. My previous rv park only had 30 amp service, was able to run, 1 a/c, microwave, and central vac all at the same time. My new campground has 50 amp service and I run everything and anything at the same time, including 2 a/c's and a microwave.

[richfaa]

We just happened to have a spare 50amp breaker in our distribution box(this was once a all electric home we converted to natural gas) so we wired in 50amp service for the 3400 with 2 A/C's. We had 30 amps with all our previous campers and was fine. I would say that few C'G's offer 50amp service although that nunber should increase in the future. You will need to carry a 50 to 30 amp adaptor or buy a 30 amp cable.

[Dave e Victoria]

We have 30 amps to support our Cambridge (one a/c, no w/d) when it is parked out front of our stick house. The only time we get 50 amps in a park is if it is required to get a pull through site.

[Montana Sky]

I find the parks that are able to handle a rig of my size almost always has 50amp service. It is more of your older parks, the state, and national parks that do not have the updated electric.

[Montana_1240]

Roadster 31,

It would all depend on whether you want to use the microwave and/or electric water heater while the A/C is running. Or the microwave and/or water heater, while you use the fireplace. (Don't forget that you'll have to refill propane unless you use the electric water heater. Plus, when you need heat, the electric fireplace will save you loads of propane trips and costs, too.)

If you have a choice, put in a 50-Amp service. You will be glad you did. And it hardly costs any more.

Besides. You are at your home. Why skimp?

Save the skimping for when you have to pay for the added amps at some camp site. Then, during those visits, you can then see if you enjoy being that thrifty or not. You may find out, as we have, that paying the extra money is worth it, every time.

I’m guessing that you will miss being able to turn whatever electric item you want on, with confidence, at home, and then, when you’re saving what you can on the road, you can see what 30-Amp service causes. Don’t force yourself into that skimpy mode while you’re parked at your own home, too. That’s cruel and unusual punishment. Sort of masochistic if you ask me.

Steve

[sreigle]

We arrived here Thursday and have only a 30 amp connection in this park. We ran the washer and dryer simultaneously and could also run the AC if needed. We have done that many times. But we'd have to shut something off to also run, say, the microwave, on 30 amp. 95% of the time we connect to 30 amp just to avoid jacking with that 50 amp monster cord.

Best way is to try it until you learn what pops a breaker and what doesn't. Also, since you're talking about power to the coach while it is parked at home you're maybe thinking running the fridge, maybe the AC to cool it off before going out to load it up, and a few lights? If so, I would think 30 amps would be plenty. Keep in mind that a long run of the cord will incur some loss, though.

[Dean A Van Peursem]

In line with this question. I want to connect a 5000 watt generator to a 3400RL with a 50 AMP connector at times using a 30 AMP cable. How does one connect a 25' or 50' 30 AMP power cord to a 50 AMP round connector at the 3400RL? Would prefer to not tranport the long length of 50 amp cable the comes with the 3400RL as it is too bulky and heavy along with the 25' or 50' of 30 AMP cable. I don't see any commercially available short cable length 50 amp cables or adapters with the correct connectors at each end.

I suspect there is a commercially available solution but I haven't found it yet. Is there one at a decent price?

[H. John Kohl]

Here is a picture of a 50 amp to 15 amp by their statement however they have 50 amp to 30 amp. I use that most of the time since the 30 amp cord is longer and lighter. I can also put a 30 amp to 15 amp adaptor plug and run a 15 amp extension cord for just the fridge and lights.
Hope this helps.
Camping World link for 50 amp to 30 amp cable
Good luck and tow safe

[richfaa]

Just remember that it is a twist lock connector at the camper end//as above CW has them.

[dsprik]

I was in the Walmart in Gaylord last night and I was shocked to see the huge array of RV suppies they are now carrying:
-30 amp cords ($32)
-50 to 30 amp adapters ($29)
-30 amp to 15 amp adapters
-all sorts of RV supplies that I have never seem Walmart carry before - two aisles full.

Are these items of doubtful quality, comapred to CW? They are much cheaper. Just wondering if these items are suspect at all.

[Dean A Van Peursem]

We found the same situation at a WalMart close to our dealer. Many itmes were the same brand as sold by our dealer parts department at 30 to 40% lower price. We were quite happy to find some of the things we needed at a much lower cost. Don't know about the quality of the power cords or adapters since that wasn't a need while we there. The WalMart we were in had about a half an aisle of RV parts.

[dsprik]

I don't know how the other discount giants are doing with this, but apparently Walmart is really ramping up on these supplies. I was in there a month ago, way after the summer orders were on the shelves, and they didn't have HALF of this RV stuff. They even had seperate "center aisle" displays of TP, chemicals, and other RV essentials.

They also had water filters, pressure regulators (the good brass ones), diverters, several different water hoses (5/8" also), backflush attachments, the 'high quaility" sewer hoses - along with the cheaper brands.

Thought I was in CW for a moment...

*On Edit~ I will put a disclaimer in here... this is Gaylord, MI... Northern Mich area. Big tourism area. Probably not all Walmarts stocked up on this.

Another note: It is obvious that this sudden ramp up on these items were NOT part of there normal cycle of Walmart's "summer ordering". Looks to be a possible sudden policy change and a special order. Huge growth in RVing.

Maybe the Walmart CEO was a fan of the movie "RV"?
(Although, I believe that individual Walmart stores have a lot of control over there ordering process. Walmart claims that is one flexible marketing strategy that allowed Walmart to leapfrog past Kmart's leadership in the Discount Giant business years ago).

*On 2nd Edit~ I did NOT see a 50 amp cord, though. Must not be that big of a market for them, as most 50 amp rigs already come with this cord, and 30 amp campers don't need this cord.

[sreigle]

I've found them to be the same thing you can buy at CW and RV dealers, for the most part. We often look at WM first because of the better prices. I'm using a 30-amp extension cord as my primary electrical hookup cord and have been using the same one for six or seven years. No problem with the quality.

[richfaa]

We have 4 Wally Marts within 10 miles of us(soon to be five) and we always go to Wally Mart first for camper stuff. It is the same brand stuff and much less money. We are also 24 miles from Camper World In Brunswick, Ohio so we are covered..

[bpierce]

I have read some really great information in this post, I will definitely be running a 50 amp service to my parking shed at the house. Can anyone say anything positive or negative about these "cheater boxes" that are available at CW and dealerships that let you get 50A from a 30A site by using both the 30A and 20A outlets?
Also, Gyro / Steve I love the graphics on your TV, where did you get them and is there a place to see different types online?
Bryan

[VanMan]

I'm sure Steve will be back to answer more, but I think those graphics are Montana decals which he ordered.

On the Wal Mart issue it seems I heard or read a year or so ago that WalMart bought Camping World, but I never heard anymore.

[dsprik]

That's interesting...

[CountryGuy]

Dave,

Something I heard a while back from the wife of an employee of the local Walleyworld,

Stock hitting the shelves depends on the efficiency and organization of the staff at any particular store. The store where this guy was working had one department head who had NO clue. For example, hunting blinds were put out 2 days before the END of the hunting season. They had been buried in the storage area in the back of the store, had been there for weeks,never uncovered.

I am wondering if that is what happened in Gaylord.