House RV Plug-- 30 Amp

[gaylemarlowe]

I know you knowledgeable fellas have answered this before, but could not find it in the old posts. I want to install a 30 amp rv plug on the house exterior and question whether the 30 amp is 110 or 220? Our electrician is also questioning it. Thanks in advance for your answers.

[kaypsmith]

IT is 110, please do not install as 220, it will fry your coach electrical if wired 220.

[jrwitt]

There are several youtube videos out there that discuss installation of RV outlets at your home. Google "30A RV electrical Outlet".

[elkhartjim]

You may want to consider installing a 50amp outlet. You may someday have a RV that uses 50 amp service and you'll be glad you have the outlet. You would need a 50 amp male to a 30 amp female dogbone pigtail adapter. The only price difference would be in materials, the labor should be about the same.

Personally, I would also be looking for a different electrician.

[wolfe10]

30 amp RV outlet:

One hot

One neutral

One ground

50 amp RV outlet:

Two hots (240 as measured between the two hots)

One neutral

One ground

[dickandlois]

Gay, the 30 amp circuits for coaches consist of a hot 30 amp, a neutral and ground. NO 220 please! The plugs look like dryer connections, but they are wired different!!

The post by Jim is a very good option. You need to get the supplies and pay the labor so running one more wire is very cost effective option.

50 Amp = 2 hots 120 volts each (L-1 and L-2) a neutral and ground.

Rich.

[RVerOnTheMove]

110, 110, 110! (or 115V or 120V, but never 220/240). If you have a 30 amp coach you also have no reason to install a 50 amp circuit (it would be silly and of no benefit of any kind).

[mpierce]

110, 110, 110! (or 115V or 120V, but never 220/240). If you have a 30 amp coach you also have no reason to install a 50 amp circuit (it would be silly and of no benefit of any kind).

Unless at some point in the future you get a 50 amp RV.

[RVerOnTheMove]

No, you don't need 50 amp. It's like saying I will put in a 100' driveway in case they ever build a 100' RV. Should you ever need to update in the future it's not a bid deal.

[dickandlois]

Bill, You are full-timing. I still have a sticks and bricks base camp.

We have some friends that do travel more then we do and having a 50 amp service available would be a nice extra should they want to stop over.

Everyone has a different perspective or thoughts of what is important or useful. We would need to park our coach in another location should we wish to offer a stop over location for others if needed.

Rich.

[elkhartjim]

I never thought I would need a storage building larger than 40' x 50' either but I never thought I would need to store two Jeeps, a Chevy Silverado pu and a golf cart, well I did know about the pu. I sure wish it was 50' x 60'.

All I was suggesting is while you're installing an outlet why not spend a few extra dollars and know you'll always be covered. Heck, I managed for years on a 20amp circuit but I sure enjoy being able to run the ac while we're loading for trips since we have 50amps available.

It was only a suggestion and maybe to some its a foolish suggestion.

[StellersJay]

I have a 30 amp coach, but if I was installing an outlet at home, I would install a 50 amp outlet. Gives a lot more options. If you ever want to install a 220 volt appliance such as a welder or air compressor, the 50 amp plug can be used. Many campgrounds out west only have 50 amp service.

Sam

[hermanmullins]

OK, folks lets get back to the original question. "A 30 amp RV outlet is 110 volts only NOT 220 volts." Gayle please pass this on to your electrician.

Herman

[elkhartjim]

Oops!

I apologize to the OP, sorry for hijacking the thread. I somethimes overlook the simpler things until someone points it out. I sure wish someone had told me "build a larger building".

[kaypsmith]

I thought about making suggestions for 50 amp as opposed to 30 amp, then thought what I origionally wrote was appropriate.

[gaylemarlowe]

Thanks ya all for the responses. Now I know the details on the 30 amp plug!!

I did consider the 50 amp as my brother is bringing his coach out west to stay for a few weeks, but it appears as we are limited to amperage available due to running a lot of other high amperage stuff (hot tub, welder, air compressor, 2 house ac units, etc.)

If I can squeeze it for 50 amps, I will do so, but may be limited to 30, which does do pretty well.

Thanks again guys!!

[RVerOnTheMove]

50 amp service provides up to 100amps to the RV. 30 amp service provides up to 30 amps to the RV. Be absolutely certain which of these you want to get involved with.

No one likes my response but you need to completely understand the differences.

[wolfe10]

Bill is correct.

30 amp is ONE hot leg 30 amps.

50 amp is TWO hot legs of 50 amps EACH= 100 amps.

[tilldee]

We will be staying at a friends who says he has 100amp in his work shop. Our M/H is 30amp, how can we use this?

[wolfe10]

Tildee,

That will depend on how his 100 amp is wired.

For 30 amp service, you will need ONE hot, ONE neutral and ONE ground. The critical part for RV's compared with some welding equipment, etc is ONE hot.

So, as long as he has a neutral to the work shop, wiring it should not be much of an issue.

[wayne77590]

Check this out.

[tbutler]

Here is a web site with diagrams and explanations for wiring 30A and 50A outlets for RV's. Read it, examine the pictures, if you don't understand it completely, hire an electrician and have them do the work. If you think they don't understand RV electrical requirements, have them look at the web site. The web site also has information on campground electric and testing outlets. If you are interested in knowing about your electrical supply for your RV, you should read this. If you are thinking of doing any electrical work related to your RV, you definitely should read and study this carefully. There is also a page on welding service and an explanation of why you may not be able to use the welding service for an RV outlet.

RV Electric

[ajcotti]

A couple of suggestions:

1. Use copper wire.

2. Both Lowes & Home Depot sell a weather proof metal box with the 30 Amp outlet already inside the box. Made for RVs @30 amps and 120 volts

.

3. Spoke to Tiffin Motor Homes yesterday and a local RV park owner. All 30 Amp RV outlets are 120 volts.

4. You should also consult with someone that knows about voltage drop. If the 30 Amp outlet that you are going to plug your RV into is over 100 feet away (the distance between the fuse block and the plug you may need to increase the wire size to more than a # 10 gauge. The longer the

distance between to fuse panel and the motor home the greater the chance that your voltage will drop below the 115v to 120v needed to run your appliances such as refrigerator, tvs, microwave, heat pump etc and you could burn them out.

Allen

acjc18@gmail.com

[tbutler]

You will find wire size recommendations for various lengths of wire on the web site posted above. Yes, copper wire is still the standard conductor. While aluminum wire can be used, it is not normally an in-stock item in most retail stores in my experience.

[tilldee]

Tildee,

That will depend on how his 100 amp is wired.

For 30 amp service, you will need ONE hot, ONE neutral and ONE ground. The critical part for RV's compared with some welding equipment, etc is ONE hot.

So, as long as he has a neutral to the work shop, wiring it should not be much of an issue.

Thanks Wolfe10. Sorry it has taken me so long to respond. It's been a busy winter here and I'm so over it and ready to get on the road again. But I can't complain too much, we could have been in the northeastern states. Brrrrr.