50 amp connection - Montana Owners Club

dannyl · 11-17-2007, 12:33 PM

My 348RLS has a 50 amp connection and cable.
The cable is heavy and others have told me they use a 50 to 30 adapter then use a lighter 30 amp cable which is easier to carry and store.
I do not have a need for and most RV parks I have used only have 30 amp service.
What experiences have you guys had.

ole dude · 11-17-2007, 12:40 PM

I mostly use a 30 amp cord with a 50 amp plug made into it, Camping World. However if you have the second a/c unit and want to run both units the 30 amp cord could be a problem.

richfaa · 11-17-2007, 12:57 PM

This are modern campers with a lot of stuff in them. We always ask for 50 amp service .We like to be able to enjoy the full capabilities of our camper.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 11-17-2007, 01:37 PM

We love to go where we want to go. We find a place to stay, and take advantage of what facilities are available. We have stayed with 50 AMP service, yummy, run just about anything, whaaaahooooo.

We have also stayed with 30 AMP services, many many times. You learn what you can turn on at the same time.

We carry cords that will connect to both.

We hate to limit our experiences because there are no 50 AMP services.

Go where ya wanna go, just go prepared. Have fun!

stiles watson · 11-17-2007, 01:37 PM

Sometimes we have to settle for 30 AMPs, but when we do, it usually means we can't use everything. Then we will have to determine priorities about using equipment. We would prefer to have everything available, i.e., washer and dryer and second A/C.

TLightning · 11-17-2007, 01:38 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

This are modern campers with a lot of stuff in them. We always ask for 50 amp service .We like to be able to enjoy the full capabilities of our camper.

We do the same thing.

In the winter we run a couple of electric heaters, when combined with everything else, require 50 amps.

ols1932 · 11-17-2007, 02:00 PM

We use 50 amps when available, otherwise it's 30 amp. I believe that's what most full timers do. When we were only weekenders or vacationers, we stuck with 30 amps. I don't find the 50-amp cable that hard to handle. It's worth the extra amps.

Orv

exav8tr · 11-17-2007, 03:57 PM

I carry both cables and all kinds of adapters for any occasion. Use 50 amp whenever available. Cord is a pain, but worth it to have the extra power....Of course, Cathy and I are fulltimers so need to be prepared for whatever comes up. Agree the 50 amp is an anaconda but I and DW sure like the 50 amp......

Glenn and Lorraine · 11-17-2007, 11:59 PM

I ONLY use the 50AMP cord when we are sitting here in Florida for the winter or if I feel we will be needing the second AC which is very rare. Other than that, the 50AMP cord doesn't see the light of day and I operate using my much lighter, easier to handle 30AMP cord with a short 50AMP to 30AMP adapter and have all the power I could possibly need. I should also note that we do not have a washer/dryer.

garyka · 11-18-2007, 12:05 AM

I use what I can get at the time

Emmel · 11-18-2007, 03:57 AM

We too like Glenn use the 30amp conversion adapter. We do have thw w/d and we have used it on a GOOD 30amp connection.
I like the 50amp female to 30amp cord, it illiminates the need for the short adapter. One less cord to carry.

Parrothead · 11-18-2007, 04:23 AM

We agree with Orv. Ed said when the 50 amp is to hard to handle, it is time to stop. However, we have never been in really cold weather. It was in the 40's one morning when we left camp and he did complain a little about it being hard to handle. We stayed at a small city campground (6 sites - $15) in Fredonia, Kansas and they had 50 amp hookups!
Happy trails....................

bsmeaton · 11-18-2007, 04:49 AM

Danny,

I don't know what year your rig is, nor am I familiar with how they did the Mountaineer electrical service, but here is what I found:

Keystone used an early 30A or optional 30A+20A(50A) service until late 2003, then went to a 50A+50A (at least on the Montana).

We had the optional 50A on our 2003 Montana. However, all it did was provide an additional 20A circuit for a 2nd AC. We didn't have a 2nd AC, so that breaker was always off. The 50A cord was a waste of time and it stayed home in the basement. We always used the 30A and an adapter for the Montana, as it was much easier to lug around.

Our 2007 is the newer 50A+50A service and we always get the 50A service when available. The cord is a pain to drag around, but we need the 50A service to take full advantage of the features. One time I plugged into 30A, and had to reset it several times before I learned what I could and could not run together.

IF you check the two main breakers, you'll see what you actually have.

OntMont · 11-18-2007, 04:59 AM

We only use the 50 amp when we are set up for a long term stay, usually in the fall and winter. I don't even carry it during the summer, because we rarely, if ever, camp at places with 50 amp power during the summer. Marinco make a very nice light flexible 30 amp cord with the end fitting to match up with the 50 amp fitting on the trailer. This is quite expensive, but it is one of those things that I bought a long time ago and have never regretted the extra cost. I bought mine at Camping World.

OntMont · 11-18-2007, 05:01 AM

We only use the 50 amp when we are set up for a long term stay, usually in the fall and winter. I don't even carry it during the summer, because we rarely, if ever, camp at places with 50 amp power during the summer. Marinco make a very nice light flexible 30 amp cord with the end fitting to match up with the 50 amp fitting on the trailer. This is quite expensive, but it is one of those things that I bought a long time ago and have never regretted the extra cost. I bought mine at Camping World.

ols1932 · 11-18-2007, 01:59 PM

Our unit is like Brad described. So, I installed another 20-amp receptacle that is connected to the 20-amp breaker for the washer/dryer (which we don't have). This allows me to run an extra electric heater separate from the 30-amps that feeds the rest of the rig. Additionally, I re-routed my air conditioner to a second 20-amp breaker that was vacant. It also is connected to the other side of the 50-amp feed. This also allows the air conditioner to operate separately from the power connected to the rest of the rig. This is one of the reasons we use 50 amps whenever it's available.

Orv

Waynem · 11-20-2007, 02:46 PM

I have only used 50Amp. Yes, the cord is heavy, but the dealer provided a "clothes basket," that I wind the 50Amp cord into. Once in, it's easy to manage and store in the under compartment. I also have all the connectors for 20, 30 Amp conversons.

Semper Fi!

rickfox · 11-22-2007, 03:33 AM

From time to time, I end up in situations where neither the 50 nor the 30A cords are long enough. That's one reason why I carry both. I get to choose what works best, and with a 50 to 30A adapter, I can even connect the 2 cables together so I can get the additional length I sometimes need.

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