Mutha wrote:

This is a very good explanation of all types of RV wiring, including the 50 AMP service:

50 AMP RV WIRING

Capt.Storm wrote:


Which is interesting since there is no nuetral going to a stove.
I believe the ground becomes the neutral to run lights and timers on them since the ground and neutral come together at the panel.
Correct?

Capt.Storm wrote:

Never had one but may latter in life.
I have heard diff versions on how they are wired and protected.
For this discussion I only really want to know about the ones that don't have 240 volt appliances.

(a)I have heard that there is two hot legs...some say in phase some say out,one neutral and one ground. Might as well call it out of phase, because they are not the same phase, or they would have 0 volts between the two hot legs. Out of phase, you can share the grounded conductor netural wire, so if you are using 15 amps on phase A and 32 amps on phase B, the netural will only need to carry 17 amps that is the amount of "Inbalance". So there is much less voltage loss across the netural.

(B) I have heard that there are two 50amp breakers also heard some say there is a 30 and a 20 amp breaker,which is it? That can be confusing to some. I even heard a wrong answer once, that it was two 25 amp breakers. Actually it is a double pole 50 amp circuit breaker. You can technically draw up to 50 amps from each pole, or 100 amps that you mentioned. Using up to about 10,000 watts without worry of overloading either phase.

While 12,000 watts is possible, the system would have to be perfectly balanced to have exactly 50 amps without going over a tiny bit.

Typically the geneartor in a 50 amp motorhome is about 5,500 to 7,500 watts, so it might have a 30 and 20 amp circuit breaker, or a pair of 30 amp circuit breakers, or even larger breakers if over 7,500 watts. So yes, you might see a 20 and 30 amp 120 volt breaker on the generator, allowing up to 6,000 watts at 120 volts.
While we are on this if there is two 50 amp breakers is that not like 100 amps available?

(C) Since there is only one neutral for two hot legs and lets say the load is balanced I would think their would be little if nothing going back through the neutral. But if you were drawing 40 amps on one leg and nothing on the other would not the neutral be carrying 40 amps back? And if that neutral ever opened it could be really bad for things right? The Netural is "Full Size COnductor" so it is rated to carry 60 amps - even though the hot legs are fused at only 50 amps, #6 wire will carry more power than the fuse will limit the power to.

The receptical is only rated to carry 50 amps, and might have some voltage drop on it - if you have close to 50 amps going through it.

Thanks in advance!

Capt.Storm wrote:



Man...
I think I'll just stick to 30 amp rv's..but thanks!

The Texan wrote:

Please tell me where to buy 6/3 with ground, direct burial cable, that all 4 are the same size, 6 ga. I have not been able to find any where the ground is also 6 ga. I am going to install a pedestal at our new house, is why I'm looking.

Capt.Storm wrote:

Which is interesting since there is no nuetral going to a stove.
I believe the ground becomes the neutral to run lights and timers on them since the ground and neutral come together at the panel.
Correct?

Teacher's Pet wrote:



Bob

I buried all of ours in 2" PVC conduit 4 single 6 ga wires on our lots in Mission.

jcthorne wrote:



Wrong. Stoves use a 50A 4 wire connection the same as RVs that have both a ground and a neutral. Older 3 wire 240/120V outlets (no longer current code) did not have a ground. Any remodeling or new construction requires the newer 4 wire connetion.

Capt.Storm wrote:


In NY it must still be ok to use 3 wire 240 for stoves.
I'm a tech at a 320 unit apartment complex and the stoves we buy take three wires and the pig tails only have three.
Must be diff where you are.
BTW..the three wire has two hot legs and a ground..no nuetral.