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07-04-2019, 09:07 AM
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#1
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Livermore
Posts: 492
M.O.C. #17391
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Please dont laugh
Well I am remodeling our house and removing the popcorn ceiling paint and new floors. We have everything we own in the garage and so we decided to bring the Montana home so we can have a place to sleep.
We won't be able to be in the house for 2 days while they remove the popcorn. I decided I wanted to plug in the rv because we need to watch TV and live in there. So i went to Lowes and bought a 220v plug for my power cord I have a cord capable of 30 amps.
So I proceed to plug it into the dryer outlet in the garage. WOW don't do that!!! I tried all sorts of things from checking my wiring and everything looked good. Nope not good. All the lights on my surge protector stayed lit.
Well I fried my inverter and went and got another one and installed it $$$. Then I thought problem solved but no. I finely had 110 volts for the lights but they were to bright when I turned them on so I unplugged the cord and went online. To my surprise the RV uses 110 volts at 30 amps. I finely have my RV hooked up but never plug in your RV into a 220 circuit.
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07-04-2019, 09:46 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,155
M.O.C. #6433
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You are definitely not the first to do that. Plugging an RV into a 240 vac dryer outlet gets reported often. And the results are always the same. $$$$. 50 amp RV service is in fact a 120/240 vac service. BUT, nothing in your 5er actually used 240 vac. The standard 50 amp RV service is just like your home service, there is 240 vac available for such things as ovens, cooktops, home A/Cs, etc. But the service also has two 120 vac hot legs for everything else. A dryer 240 vac outlet is just that, 240 vac, and does bad things to an RV.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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07-04-2019, 10:01 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: Folsom, California
Posts: 552
M.O.C. #21903
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I did that once on my old Seabreeze motorhome...fried the microwave and boat anchor tube tv. Surprised that the power converter was ok.
My Montana is 50 amp, so 220 is ok so long as it's properly wired in.
__________________
'05 F250 6.0 Bullet Proofed - Sold
'17 F350 6.7 Lariet
'02 Montana 3280RL Upgraded a bunch.
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07-04-2019, 11:05 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Bastrop
Posts: 2,892
M.O.C. #20753
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My soon to be son-in-law wired up a 30 amp circuit for me. 2 hots and a ground. Surge Guard caught it. Whew!!
__________________
Mocha, one-eyed toothless, hurricane survivor, Pirate dog
2019 20th Anniversary Edition 3701LK
B&W 20K for Ford OEM Puck
2018 Ford F-350 Lariat CCLB PSD DRW KJ5CQH
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07-04-2019, 11:19 AM
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#5
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Site Team
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Colorado Rockies
Posts: 1,915
M.O.C. #19755
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Not laughing; that is not funny. Sorry for your troubles.
My RV shore power is two 120VAC legs 50A each. My breaker panel is split; one of the legs runs half the stuff, the other runs the rest; all 120VAC. There is nothing that runs on 240 (for very long).
__________________
Scott & Alta
2017 Montana 3160RL, Legacy, Onan 5.5Kw, Solar
2022 F-450 Lariat Ultimate
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07-04-2019, 11:34 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Lake Havasu City AZ.
Posts: 1,811
M.O.C. #10552
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Bummer I feel your pain. It can happen to the best of us.
__________________
Wayne and Ann Moore
2015 Ford F-350 King Ranch
Firestone air bags, bed saver.
Add 40 GAL tank in bed.
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07-04-2019, 11:42 AM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Olmsted Falls
Posts: 214
M.O.C. #20364
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be very thankful you are alive to tell the story, I would think that the RV dealers would stress on the unit walk through this extremely important safety awareness matter. Maybe Keystone could take the lead and put an awareness sticker above the plug on the unit with 110V only???
__________________
Rick & Joyce Jones
RMC(SW) USN Ret.; AT&T Ret.
2024 3231CK, IS, 400W Solar, Slide covers, Predator Gen,, 2016 Chevy High Country 3500 Diesel Dually
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07-04-2019, 12:56 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Catoosa
Posts: 778
M.O.C. #18384
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Excellent idea on the warning sticker Rick. They put stickers all over the place that sometimes seem silly, but this is one that could save thousands of repair dollars or perhaps even a life!
__________________
2015 3100RL legacy...2005 Ford F-250 CC SB. Tows like a charm! 4/19 Updated to 2017 Chevy 3500 CC SB SRW -hope it tows as well as my F 250 did!
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07-05-2019, 05:57 AM
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#9
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 357
M.O.C. #21337
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I've got a 50plug installed in the garage by my electrician years back.
always cool when the Monty is in the driveway.
__________________
Montana 3123RL Legacy 'Boon-docking Edition'
RAM 3500 Mega Cab Cummins Diesel DRW
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07-05-2019, 06:01 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: POINTBLANK
Posts: 1,887
M.O.C. #19944
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Our3820FK
be very thankful you are alive to tell the story, I would think that the RV dealers would stress on the unit walk through this extremely important safety awareness matter. Maybe Keystone could take the lead and put an awareness sticker above the plug on the unit with 110V only???
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The only stress some RV dealers do is running to the bank to cash your check and trying to figure out how to charge you for warranty work
__________________
RAM 22' DRW 3500 Crew LB 40 gal reserve tank / RETRAX Bed Cover / 2020 373RD HC / IS / MOPEKA Tank Monitor / Furrion Side&Rear Cameras
Slide Toppers / EMS-HW50C / Sailun 85's
3rd AC / Dometic 320
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07-05-2019, 10:01 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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We tend to take some things for granted . We knew from prior experience and this forum that we had two legs of 50 amps 120V and that the Rv used 12V and 120V.The tag at the 50 amp plug input can be confusing if you are not already aware of the power capabilities of the RV.
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07-05-2019, 10:16 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sebring
Posts: 3,657
M.O.C. #9969
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Well in reality, you are plugging into a 240 Volt outlet, two 120V hots, ground, & neutral. As long as you have all four you're good to go, but lose the neutral and watch out.
__________________
Michelle & Ann
2018 Chevy 3500HD High Country DRW 4X4 Crew Cab w/Duramax/Allison, Formally 2010 Montana 2955RL, Now Loaded 2016 SOB, Mor/ryde IS, Disc Brakes & Pin Box, Comfort Ride Hitch, Sailun 17.5 Tires.
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07-05-2019, 09:00 PM
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#13
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Livermore
Posts: 492
M.O.C. #17391
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I finely got my RV up and running. We are remodeling the house and have popcorn ceilings and need to be out of the house for 2 days. That is the reason I needed to have power. Way cheaper than Motel 6. They don't need to leave the lights on for me. only drug dealers be staying there LOL
besides spent all my extra cash on a new inverter. LOL.
I hate costing myself money for no reason. Before I try anything like this again I will ask questions first. i just took it for granted that the size of cord surely it's 220. Grasshopper was wrong.
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07-05-2019, 09:15 PM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Alton
Posts: 2,674
M.O.C. #24086
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Good luck with the remodel.
I almost made the same mistake. Almost plugged into a welders outlet.
Found this article and it saved me from this mistake.
RVs use 50 amps NEMA 14-50r outlet, BUT they use two 120v legs. NOT 240v.
Very good article explaining this.
https://www.rvtravel.com/can-i-use-a...-amp-rv-power/
Other useful link.
http://www.myrv.us/electric/
__________________
Daryl and Marianne,
2019 3130re 20th Anniversary Edition
2016 F350 Lariat
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07-06-2019, 06:56 AM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Northport
Posts: 624
M.O.C. #12724
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But our 50 Amp service is 240V with a neutral. Leave off the neutral and you do put 240 volts on converter and all AC devices. The neutral splits the 240 into 2 120.
__________________
Paul Northport,AL W4XH
2013 358 RLT Mountaineer
2008 Silverado Duramax
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07-06-2019, 08:16 AM
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#16
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Arlington
Posts: 136
M.O.C. #21176
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I plug mine into the 240 outlet with 4 prongs all the time with no problems.
__________________
2011 Volvo 780 485 HP/1750 TQ 13 Speed 32000 lb ET air ride hitch
2016 Montana 3820FK Legacy package
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07-06-2019, 08:38 AM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: McKinney
Posts: 7,155
M.O.C. #6433
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Slow Hand
........ i just took it for granted that the size of cord surely it's 220. Grasshopper was wrong.
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The cord size is large due to a thick abrasive resistant outer sheathing since they are dragged across concrete, asphalt, gravel, etc regularly.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DanandBrenda
I plug mine into the 240 outlet with 4 prongs all the time with no problems.
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That's because the standard 50 amp 4 prong 240 outlet has a neutral and the RV devices only get 120 vac to them. A 3 prong 240 dryer or welder outlet does not have a neutral, and there is no 120 vac. There-in lies the problem, and subsequent damage.
__________________
Bill & Patricia
Riley, our Golden
2007 3075RL (recently sold, currently without)
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07-10-2019, 01:40 PM
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#18
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Montana Fan
Join Date: May 2015
Location: fargo
Posts: 185
M.O.C. #17461
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don't feel too bad about it
we have on two separate occasions with two different licensed and bonded electrical companies had 50 amp rv outlets added to the outside of buildings
both times they were incorrectly installed as real 240volt outlets
the first one did about $50k worth of damage to a diesel pusher, the second one I caught via testing the voltage before use
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07-10-2019, 02:04 PM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Hanover
Posts: 1,471
M.O.C. #13325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by scottz
Not laughing; that is not funny. Sorry for your troubles.
My RV shore power is two 120VAC legs 50A each. My breaker panel is split; one of the legs runs half the stuff, the other runs the rest; all 120VAC. There is nothing that runs on 240 (for very long).
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This is what confuses MANY RVers. You've a 30 amp 5er, so while I'm sorry for what happened, you should have realized that wasn't a good idea. For 50 amp service 5ers, the 5er does NOT use 320 volts, but uses TWO 30 amp circuits instead. The connectors could also be used for 240, but anyone doing that would have the same outcome as you did.
__________________
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07-10-2019, 02:07 PM
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#20
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Montana Master
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Hanover
Posts: 1,471
M.O.C. #13325
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Quote:
Originally Posted by psomers
But our 50 Amp service is 240V with a neutral. Leave off the neutral and you do put 240 volts on converter and all AC devices. The neutral splits the 240 into 2 120.
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You're right, you're 5er does NOT use 240v. Talk to an electrician if you anyone doesn't believe me. Look at your appliances labels -you see anything says 240v?
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