Well, that does equal 50 doesn't it? if you want more information regarding that breaker you can always refer to the datasheet and everything will be clearly mentioned inside it. assume the last 50 amp space is 260 feet from the meter. Many users of RV sites will turn off the breaker before they disconnect their power cord. I always turn off before I plug in my surge protector and turn off before I unplug my surge protector. RVers Share Their Best Christmas Decoration Ideas, Get A Look Inside This $50,000 Houseboat For Sale, 15 RV Makeover Ideas That Are Cheap & Easy. This is the maximum amperage that the circuit can take before the circuit breaker trips. First, Locate the Main Breaker . If the appliance draws 30 amps, you need a different type of … 12,000 watts at 240 volts will require 50 amps. He claimed that his breakers were fine and said the most I can pull is 25 amps per leg. Do You Need A Portable Air Compressor For Your RV? 8 AWG may carry a maximum of 70 Amps in free air, or 50 Amps as part of a 3 conductor cable. At one time I thought you could get 50 amps on each leg of the circuit ( 2 legs times 50 amps each leg equals 100 amps a available to the coach) but now I'm not so sure. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. Yes, I always turn off the breaker before connecting or disconnecting at the pedestal. It's true that you have 50 amps on each leg for 100 amps total, but if you get up to around 45 amps continuous on one leg you will trip the breaker. At 220 volts, this is 50 amps! Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more! We know that 40 amps is the max for 8 awg AND we know there are always exceptions to these rules. I - Answered by a verified Electrician. A 15 amp circuit breaker should trip at 15 amps regardless of the load voltages or impedances. Timothy Thiele is an electrician who advises residential DIYers on how to make home installation projects safe and easy. Only a 10-gauge copper wire with either a 75 ℃ or 167 ℉ or 90 ℃ or 194 ℉ ambient temperature rating, as well as a 10-gauge aluminum wire with an ambient temperature rating of 90 ℃ or 194 ℉ can handle 35 Amps. Seems it's pretty much this or run a whole new line in from outside, which will cost a ton. Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1. Well, one would think a 50 amp breaker would be 50 amps but alas, not quite true, I think it's about 45 amps that it can carry sustained, possibly less. Do you need advice on what products to buy? As you have mentioned a “30 Amp“ breaker can withstand a max of 30 Amp after which it will trip if the design is good (or else burn). This was to an outdoor jacuzzi. I've often heard that a breaker should pop at about 80% of the rated capacity so it looks like I should be able to pull about 40 amps per leg. 30 ampere breaker defines the limit at 30 amperes strictly so you should not be using more than 24 to 25 amperes when using a 30 Amp breaker. Here is the dirty little secret about 50 amp RV plugs. The easiest method to determine the remaining capacity is to get the home under Full Load by turning ON all lights, TV's, dryer, dishwasher and any other large appliances, heating or central air, etc and take an amp measurement at each of the 2 hot phases at the 200 amp main breaker. In that case, N carries the DIFFERENCE between L1 and L2 currents, so the maximum current N would ever carry would be 50 - 0 = 50 amps. Can a 12-Gauge Wire Handle 25 Amps? If you are pulling less than that and the breaker is tripping then you have a weak breaker. A double pole circuit breaker provides an appliance with 2, 30 amp, 120 volt services, for a maximum draw of 30 amps at 240 volts. No! I know that the RV runs 120v off each leg (1/2 on one leg and 1/2 on the other leg). I thought it is more than 50 amps. Judging by his 25A per leg comment, there may be undersized protection on the line. They aren’t exactly 50 amps. By this standard, the total current draw on a 20-amp circuit shouldn't exceed 16 amps. It has two 5600 watt heating elements in it, which is 11,200 watts. At the power post, they are wired for 240 volts and split into two 50 amp breakers. This breaker is either factory mounted or can be added by either bolting it in or snapping it into place. 14-Gauge Cords: Any 14-gauge cord between 0 and 50 feet long will adequately handle loads between 10 and 15 amps. I am installing a 50 AMP 2 pole breaker for my RV. Can I put a 50 Amps plug on a 30 Amp breaker? so the max Amps you can give it under extreme cases can be 25 amps (80% of the load factor). When it comes to designing a circuit breaker panel, you must understand how the appliances "pull" current. You are correct in that 50A per leg is what to expect. Can I use a 50 amp breaker for a 40 Amp hot tub? Or maybe you can give others some advice? Jeffrey is correct. be safe and always fall in good limits. That means 40 amps per line on a two pole 50 amp circut. I carry two different 50 amp breakers in case I run into this. However, circuits should not be loaded to greater than 80 percent of their maximum capacity for long periods, which makes 1,920 watts the safe maximum for a 20-amp circuit. 50-amp 240-volt circuit: 50 amps x 240 volts = 12,000 watts 60-amp 240-volt circuit : 60 amps x 240 volts = 14,400 watts The simple A x V = W formula can be restated in a … Without a fuse to disrupt the flow of power when too many amps are pushed through a circuit, wires overheat, wire insulation melts and fires break out. Well, one would think a 50 amp breaker would be 50 amps but alas, not quite true, I think it's about 45 amps that it can carry sustained, possibly less. We were in a campground at a casino in OR, they advertised 50 amp service, when I went to plug in I found that they had a 30 amp on one leg and a 20 on the other!! Remember that the cable must have an extra hot wire. You should be able to draw a constant 80% of the rated circut. Changing out the breaker to 30 amps is one thing, but making sure everything on the circuit (receptacle/wire feeding it) is all rated for 30 amps. But because the circuit requires a 20 percent safety margin, the circuit needs to provide at least 27.48 amps (120 percent of 22.9 = 27.48 amps). Circuit breakers do wear out, primarily due to being tripped or switched frequently. I did the same before I started using a surge protector. Specific appliances may need dedicated, high-load circuits for 30 or 50 amps. You will have 60 amps of 240 volt power available. An electrician would install a 30-amp 240-volt circuit to serve such a water heater. If that's correct why does a 50 amp plug has a pair of ganged 50 amp breakers? If an appliance attached to a 120V energy source requires 1200 watts to run, it will automatically pull 10 amps of current through the line. Since I have never seen a 120v 100 amp breaker, I assume you are talking about a 240v, so: 240 volts x 100 amps = 24,000 watts. By using The Spruce, you accept our, Calculating Electrical Load Capacity for a Home, The Basics of 240/250-Volt Air Conditioner Circuits, Learn What Happens When an Electrical Circuit Overloads, Sizing Electrical Wire for Underground Circuit Cable, What You Need to Know About Kitchen Electrical Code, Safety Rules for Using a Portable Generator, Electrical Circuit Requirements for Kitchens, How to Avoid Overloaded Circuits With Christmas Lights, How to Replace a Standard 120-Volt Outlet Receptacle, The Electrical Circuits Needed When Remodeling a Kitchen. Best of all it's totally FREE! If the panel is almost full, and you have to move a breaker to make space for the double-pole one, don't forget to balance the load between the two hot buses for safety and efficiency. Each circuit breaker should have its amperage marked on the handle. The breaker that i took out was a 60 amp, bottom of the panel, so only 1 breaker next to it with a small, non constant load. 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