50A service question

[Dat]

I have a 50 amp service do I need to hook power to each leg or just 1 leg. Because I have 2 ac units and washer and dryer

[rohrmann]

To answer your question, you need to provide more information. What year and model rig do you have and where are you at, an RV park, boondocking with a generator or how will you be connecting to power? You have options, but to run everything, you will have to be plugged into a full 50 amp service with your shore cord. You really should have posted to a new thread too.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by rohrmann

....You really should have posted to a new thread too.

Bob, this was moved to a new Thread after you posted. You are just too quick for us.

[scottz]

Welcome to the forum.

The short answer is 50A service consists of two 50A/120V legs or 12k watts (3 times the power of 30A service). Yes, you must have power on both legs. Your breaker panel is probably set up to power some loads off the first leg and other loads off the second leg. If you only have power on one leg, some things will not work. I try to speak in generalities because there could be other configurations out there.

Are you wiring up your own 50A service jack? Why the question? If you plug into a properly wired 50A jack at an RV park or elsewhere, you will have two 120V legs. Contrary to what some people think, most RV's do not have 240V service available.

PS: Changed your original title; voltage in the US is 120/240; it has not been 110 for 60 years.

[Daryles]

If you are asking about how a 50A plug is wired I hope the pictures helps.
Inside your circuit breaker panel you have two 50A legs as Scott was talking about.
The left 50A breaker powers everything on the left side of the circuit breaker panel.
The right 50A breaker powers everything on the right side of the circuit breaker panel.
The NEMA 14-50r receptacle should read voltages as in the other picture.

[rohrmann]

Just as an extra thing that you may run into, that 240 volt measurement may in some parks, be 208 volts, and that is perfectly acceptable because you are only looking for the two 120 volt legs.

[pyoung47]

I haven’t investigated but at least in residential load centers, th he legs alternate down the panel. This allows the installation of 240 breakers. I.e. adjacent breakers are tied to different legs.

[scottz]

Yes, but these are not residential load centers.

The load center in my RV, and I suspect most others, does not alternate. Leg 1 feeds half the breakers, leg 2 feeds the other falf; see photo above. There is no provision for 240 service.

[Mark7]

Originally Posted by scottz

Yes, but these are not residential load centers.

The load center in my RV, and I suspect most others, does not alternate. Leg 1 feeds half the breakers, leg 2 feeds the other falf; see photo above. There is no provision for 240 service.

Exactly. You have to really get creative to get a 240 V load to work in most RV panels. Then it would not be legal or safe as there is no way tie the handles.

Interesting situation I found in my 5er. The 2 roof air conditioners were both on the same phase. I moved some breakers around and tried to balance everything. Never understood why the factory put both of A/C’s on the same phase given they are the biggest load in the rig. Maybe someone could enlighten me!

[jimcol]

Originally Posted by Mark7

Never understood why the factory put both of A/C’s on the same phase given they are the biggest load in the rig. Maybe someone could enlighten me!

Wired by Amish Electricians!

[BB_TX]

Originally Posted by pyoung47

I haven’t investigated but at least in residential load centers, th he legs alternate down the panel. This allows the installation of 240 breakers. I.e. adjacent breakers are tied to different legs.

My 2007 had a load center just like residential. The main breaker was on the left with all subbreakers to the right, and on alternating hot legs. So I could have installed a linked 240 breaker if I had wanted. Newer models all seem to have gone to the center main with subs, and separate hots, on each side.

[Mark7]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

My 2007 had a load center just like residential. The main breaker was on the left with all subbreakers to the right, and on alternating hot legs.
.

That’s interesting. My 3295 is a 2004 and has the typical load center mentioned in other posts here.

Why would they have done something different in ‘07 and then reverted back? Are you sure your load center is OEM?

I have abandoned my converter /charger and added a smart charger to better manage my battery’s so I could put in a small “residential” panel but I have no need for a 240 V feed for anything.

Post a pic of your load center if you have time. I’m really curious.

[rames14]

No Montana has ever been 240V. The 50 amps have two legs each providing 50 amps at 120V. If you run an EMS, you will see the voltage and amps on each leg. Montana has both AC’s on different legs as a practice, but they sometimes get miswired on the line. My 2015 was miswired and we swapped wires to the correct breaker.

[BB_TX]

Originally Posted by Mark7

That’s interesting. My 3295 is a 2004 and has the typical load center mentioned in other posts here.

Why would they have done something different in ‘07 and then reverted back? Are you sure your load center is OEM?

I have abandoned my converter /charger and added a smart charger to better manage my battery’s so I could put in a small “residential” panel but I have no need for a 240 V feed for anything.

Post a pic of your load center if you have time. I’m really curious.

I sold the 2007 two years ago and do not have a picture of the panel. And I bought the trailer new, so yes it was OEM. It was similar to the PD55K000 shown in the link below. Scroll down in the link to see the schematic diagram showing left side main and right side sub breakers on alternating hots. Out of curiosity, I verified the alternating hots with a meter to show 240 vac on adjacent breakers.

A MOC member (who used to be very active but hasn't posted in a long time) actually installed a 240 vac clothes dryer by simply inserting a linked 2 pole breaker in his load center, if I remember correctly.

https://www.progressivedyn.com/pd5500-ac/

[Mark7]

Originally Posted by BB_TX

I sold the 2007 two years ago and do not have a picture of the panel. And I bought the trailer new, so yes it was OEM. It was similar to the PD55K000 shown in the link below.
https://www.progressivedyn.com/pd5500-ac/

That’s cool! I never knew they made that panel. Sure would open up some options!

[Todd & Mary]

you would connect 2 out of phase legs, one to each hot leg. The neutral is carrying both hot circuits but due to being out of phase they more or less cancel each other out. And the 4th is ground. Just google RV 50 amp connection wiring.