I am a newbie as far as fifth-wheels are concerned. I have a 37' Challenger fifth wheel that has a 50-amp electrical connection. So I am making my reservations for this summer's camping and have found a campsite that offers very expensive 50-amp sites, and much more reasonably priced 30-amp sites.
My fifth-wheel has one 13,500 A/C (and wired for a second bedroom A/C) plus everything else you'd find in a trailer of such size. As I look over the trailer, it doesn't seem to have any more electrical appliances than my pop-up did (same size A/C even!) and that only had a 30-amp cord. Why this trailer needs a 50-amp connection is beyond me, but someone else here probably knows better than I.
So what is the biggest electrical draw in such size trailer that I'm not thinking about? And do you think a 30-amp site would work?
I only had 30 amp service up to my recent trailer... If your trailer has a 50 amp cord that does not mean you have to use 50 amps... The 30amp site will work just fine,,just remember that you will need to watch the electrical appliances.. AC , coffee maker , hair dryer , hot water heater , microwave.. You will just have to adjust to the draw. When we were in Myrtle Beach and running 30 amp we would sometimes have to turn off the AC if we wanted to run the coffee pot and hair dryer,, or turn the hot water heater to propane..ect.... Joe
BCSJBaylor wrote: I am a newbie as far as fifth-wheels are concerned. I have a 37' Challenger fifth wheel that has a 50-amp electrical connection. So I am making my reservations for this summer's camping and have found a campsite that offers very expensive 50-amp sites, and much more reasonably priced 30-amp sites.
My fifth-wheel has one 13,500 A/C (and wired for a second bedroom A/C) plus everything else you'd find in a trailer of such size. As I look over the trailer, it doesn't seem to have any more electrical appliances than my pop-up did (same size A/C even!) and that only had a 30-amp cord. Why this trailer needs a 50-amp connection is beyond me, but someone else here probably knows better than I.
So what is the biggest electrical draw in such size trailer that I'm not thinking about? And do you think a 30-amp site would work?
Thanks to all who answer!
Brian
Hey Brian,
30amps will work, but you'll need an adapter pigtail from 30amp line to 50amp load.
50 amps just allows for addition of 2nd AC and maybe washer dryer among other thing. I suspect you can get along fine unless you start using the a/c, microwave, coffee pot etc all at the same time. If it trips the breaker, just start reducing what you use at the same time.
Try the 30A on a trial run - you won't really know until you try it out. There are a few things you can't see, like the converter, that pull a good part of the power. When we go to 30A, I'm pretty much limited to the AC and a coffee pot. If somebody uses the microwave or a hair drier at the same time, I'm out resetting breakers. Workable but annoying.
Just remember - 50A service is actually 100A capacity at 110VAC, but 30A is just 30A. (long story but if you think in this perspective it will explain why the 50A is so much more expensive than the 30A at your campground).
When we are on 50A service - no issues whether I'm runnig 2 ACs or 2 electric heaters, washer and dryer, microwave, 3 TVs, hair dryers.....I've never overloaded. Occassionaly I'll even switch to an electric griddle outside instead of propane.
2006 Ford F350 4X4 SB CC SRW Powerstroke 6.0
2013 Redwood 36RL - full paint - disk brakes
"Comparison is the thief of joy! - Theodore Roosevelt"
I have a 50 amp cord with a 30 amp reducer for the times I need to use 30 amps.
My suggestion is that if you are running the A/C, DON'T run the microwave or any other high amp usage appliance. A lot of rigs only allow one or the other.
What happens if you do use both? What happened to me was it took out the A/C and I had to replace it. Very, very careful about what I use when the A/C is running now.
I don't seek out 50 amp sites, but if I get a 50 amp site, I use 50 amps. I have gotten along quite well using 30 amps.
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