power cord - Montana Owners Club

illapah · 03-04-2007, 06:48 AM

When one uses the 30 amp power cord rather than the 50 amp, what function is lost power wise besides not being able to run 2nd AC?

I have been thinking of getting one but really don't understand the ac wiring.

rickety · 03-04-2007, 06:54 AM

Why not just get a 50 to 30 amp adapter cord, that way you will be able to use one cord for both functions and save a little weight. with the 30 amp, I don't think you will be able to run your electric heaters, and microwave at the same time? I just use my 50 amp cord and when I am in a thirty amp space just use the adapter cord.

patodonn · 03-04-2007, 08:28 AM

Longish answer to a simple question...from our experience, everything should work OK with 30 amp service and 30 amp cord (plus a short adapter to fit the RV), as long as there isn't a second A/C. The advantage of using a 30 amp power cord and a short adapter at the RV end is the ease of working with the lighter cord. I never use a 50 to 30 connector from 50 amp service to the 30 amp cord and then a 30 to 50 adapter at the
RV end...way too much trouble.

The disadvantage we have found in 30 amp service, in some instances with one A/C running, is that you might be not be able to run all your "stuff" simultaneously without tripping the CG's 30 amp breaker due to the higher resistance of the thinner gage power cord and OFF to ON equipment power spikes. To preclude that problem, I usually use the 50 amp power cord and 50 amp CG service if I expect to use A/C, and the 30 amp service and cord (with an RV adapter) if I'm not. We have one A/C.

Circuit-wise, within the rig, I think it is all the same, except for the unused circuit for the second A/C. The CG 50 amp service appears to give a bit of extra "surge" protection as things cycle OFF to ON, e.g. micro and A/C (or fireplace heater element). (Electricians on the Forum...true of false??)

We use the micro, TV "stuff", fireplace heater and the computer simultaneously without any problem very frequently on 30 amp service. I would not use the A/C, especially not to turn it ON or have it cycle to ON, at the same time we are using the micro unless I am on 50 amp service. The A/C and the fireplace heater element would, obviously, not be needed simultaneously. The A/C start up "power surge" is the highest power draw in the Monty.

If we have only 30 amp service and A/C is being used, we turn the A/C to OFF for the few minutes we might want to use the micro.

gkbutler · 03-04-2007, 11:15 AM

We use the 50 amp cord with the 30 amp adapter when we are hooked up to 30 amp service like we are right now. We can use both tvs, computer, lights, etc with no problem. The only problem we have is when we have the AC, microwave/halftime oven, and the washer/dryer at the same time. We can run two of the three but not all three when hooked up to the 30 amp. When we have the 50 amp service up north, we have no problems running everything at the same time.

JH Sechelt · 03-04-2007, 11:26 AM

We carry the 50amp Monster Cord and a 25' 30amp cord with a 50 amp male plug on one end to plug into the trailer. Most CG's in our area still only have 30 amp service. Not a big need for AC

.

I would use the 50 amp cord when needed, but for most weekend camping it is not needed.

J&D

bigmurf · 03-04-2007, 12:34 PM

We fulltime and do not carry the 50 amp cord at all. I use a 30 amp cord with the two pins jumped at the trailer plug(on the cord) Do not use the A/C and micro at the same time. If the park has a 50 amp outlet I use a short 50 to 30 adapter. I installed a ceiling fan over the bed using the 2nd A/C wiring. This has worked for us for 3 years now. As soon as I seen the 50 amp cord it went in storage.

Glass Guy · 03-04-2007, 01:46 PM

The 50 amp was part of the washer dryer prep and was also use with the 2nd ac. So if you are not running a 2nd air or the washer dryer there should not be any problems. Roman

dsprik · 03-04-2007, 04:34 PM

I have 2 A/Cs. On 30 amp, I can use either, but not both.

When, I get back to Bellaire for the summer, where the CG only has 30 amp, I will try to use that CW 30/15 amp box to run my 50 amps.

50-Amp RV Box Adapter

We kept blowing breakers there last year while on 30 amp. I tire easily of having to always watch everything I do so closely. The Village Clerk is a dear friend of Cheryl and I (we were neighbors for 14 years). She runs the park, so I don't think it will be a issue if I ask to hook up to a second 15 amp circuit. The park is rarely more than half full.

The only thing I have to check is if the park's 15 amp service is GFI. Apparently this box will not work in that situation. I'll check.

Note: I really don't need to run both A/Cs. Just the main w/ the front one as a backup. I just want to be able to use the hair dryer and the A/C at the same time...

We do not pay for electric in the summer, there.

bsmeaton · 03-05-2007, 02:09 AM

Our 2003 2955 was limited to 30A service. We never installed a second AC, nor did we have a washer/dryer. We never tripped a breaker at a CG even when running AC.

With this new 2007 and the extra options, I'm going to have to get used to using that 50A cord.

ols1932 · 03-05-2007, 02:41 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

The only thing I have to check is if the park's 15 amp service is GFI. Apparently this box will not work in that situation. I'll check.

You're right Dave. It won't work on GFI circuits. I have one that I purchased 5 years ago when we did a lot of parking in some of the old county parks in Iowa where they didn't yet have GFI circuits installed. The adapter worked as advertised. I don't use it any more and every time I get parked where there is a yard sale I put it up for sale.

Orv

dsprik · 03-05-2007, 08:49 AM

This is an older county park, Orv. I'll check. If they don't have GFI I would be interested in buying it from you.

ols1932 · 03-05-2007, 04:37 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

This is an older county park, Orv. I'll check. If they don't have GFI I would be interested in buying it from you.

If you want it you can have it for $35 and you pay the shipping.

Orv

dsprik · 03-06-2007, 06:46 AM

Orv, I'm going up to that CG next week. Is there a way I can tell just by looking at the CG outlets - the 30 amp ones? On the 15amp, I asssume they will have a GFI reset button, like in a house, right? Don't know how to tell if a 30 amp outlet is GFI protected?

Might be able to use both 30 amp plugs if I don't have a neighbor this summer on my post. Happened for a good part of last year... (Yes, we take showers and use deodorant...

)

PatnRich · 03-07-2007, 06:27 AM

This should help.

http://www.rvbasics.com/techtips/50-...p-adapter.html

PatnRich

ols1932 · 03-07-2007, 08:14 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

Orv, I'm going up to that CG next week. Is there a way I can tell just by looking at the CG outlets - the 30 amp ones? On the 15amp, I asssume they will have a GFI reset button, like in a house, right? Don't know how to tell if a 30 amp outlet is GFI protected?

Might be able to use both 30 amp plugs if I don't have a neighbor this summer on my post. Happened for a good part of last year... (Yes, we take showers and use deodorant...

)

Dave,
I've never seen a 30-amp receptacle with GFI. The only ones I've seen are 20-amp, you know, the standard appliance receptacle.

Orv

dsprik · 03-07-2007, 04:27 PM

The adapter you have has two 30 amp plugs, right? If needed, I'm guessing that I can use my 30 amp to 15 amp adapter for one leg if I can't get to 2, 30 amp outlets?

wileecoyote985 · 03-08-2007, 01:41 AM

I agree that the big, heavy, stiff 50 amp cord is a pain. Having said that, I continue to use it because I feel that the load carrying capacity of the larger conductors is worth the effort.

Long story short..... I've had occasion to work on a couple campground electrical systems and found them to have very marginal wiring. Anything I can do to increase the voltage I'm seeing inside the RV is a plus in my book.

While using a cord with heavier conductors doesn't make up for poor campground wiring, it does keep from making things worse.

That, as they say, is just my 2 cents worth.

Gary

garyka · 03-26-2007, 03:53 AM

has anyone found a 50 to 30 amp adapter that connects to the back of the montana so you don't have to use the heavy 50 amp heavy cord first to reduce down to 30 amp service.

CRUZIN 2 · 03-26-2007, 04:54 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

Orv, I'm going up to that CG next week. Is there a way I can tell just by looking at the CG outlets - the 30 amp ones? On the 15amp, I asssume they will have a GFI reset button, like in a house, right? Don't know how to tell if a 30 amp outlet is GFI protected?

Might be able to use both 30 amp plugs if I don't have a neighbor this summer on my post. Happened for a good part of last year... (Yes, we take showers and use deodorant...

)

Dave

Is the hair dryer for you? I'm glad you asked these questions, I'm using a splitter box where we are at now. I'm using two 30 AMP and works great, we all can learn from others questions and no question is a dumb one.

Larry & LaVonne

sreigle · 03-26-2007, 05:04 AM

We often use a 30 amp cord if we don't have need for the full 50 amps. And we can run the AC, the washer and the dryer all at the same time on 30 amps. As Patodonn said, the only difference is that the total amperage draw must not exceed whichever amperage (30 or 50) you are plugged into or it will trip the breaker.

Technically, you could run two AC units if the total draw is less than 30 amps (when connected to 30 amp). You could probably do that but anything else running might put you over the 30 amp limit. If that's a problem, you can help the situation by switching the refrigerator and the water heater to gas, and unplug any other electric appliance you don't need. I'd be willing to bet it would be difficult to run two ac units at once on 30 amps, though, just because you still want to use other appliances, too.

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