If you're wiring a 220v, 20-amp outlet to run power tools, you can use the same 12-gauge wire you would use for a 110-volt, 20-amp circuit. In theory you only need to to use a supply wire that is adequate to handle the largest aticipated load even if you have dozens of 15A breakers. This is due to the 8 AWG cable connecting the two panels. Protect Your RV Battery In Winter Storage. We know that 40 amps is the max for 8 awg AND we know there are always exceptions to these rules. 5 Ways Smartphones Can Improve Your RV Trips. 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. Get daily tips and tricks for making your best home. At 50 amps the breaker should trip very quickly (I can't remember the specified time). Can I put a 50 Amps plug on a 30 Amp breaker? I think he had bad breakers on the pedestal because they were very hot. Similarly, can 10 gauge wire handle 35 amps? They aren’t exactly 50 amps. You are correct in that 50A per leg is what to expect. 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. 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. Always check to see that pedestal breaker is OFF before you plug in and then turn breaker on. Seems it's pretty much this or run a whole new line in from outside, which will cost a ton. Is there any electrician on this site that can answer my question? Depending on what you are trying to calculate you would have to measure exact voltage under load to determine your utility supply. This breaker is either factory mounted or can be added by either bolting it in or snapping it into place. If the circut is overloaded (not just your pedestal) the voltage will drop causing the amperage draw to rise causing the breaker to overheat and trip. 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. The standard for most household circuits are rated either 15 amps or 20 amps. I complained to the campground owner. 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!! First, Locate the Main Breaker . It's a 60 because the ahu has 10 kw of backup heat. This is done so that the circuit will be able to handle future appliances that may be larger than the ones you have now. When used in home wiring a double pole breaker is used when a 240 volt service is needed (for a high draw appliance like a range or dryer). Introducing "One Thing": A New Video Series. Correct me if I'm wrong. iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? The main breaker is marked with the value of protection (like 100 amps) on the breaker handle. Specific appliances may need dedicated, high-load circuits for 30 or 50 amps. Given the facts you have provided, your maximum safe breaker size is 40 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! 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. The extra prong carries the second 120 volt connection to get 240 volts total. I carry two different 50 amp breakers in case I run into this. And yet the unit only has a 30 amp breaker, does only 1 heating element work at a time? No! This is the maximum amperage that the circuit can take before the circuit breaker trips. 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. On inspection, a 50 amp breaker was noted to have 8 awg copper wire. Well, that does equal 50 doesn't it? Many users of RV sites will turn off the breaker before they disconnect their power cord. Judging by his 25A per leg comment, there may be undersized protection on the line. Are the neutrals sized for 100 amps, or 50? The legal limitation is on the amps the supply wire can handle (which varies with wire size and length) and the maximum size breaker feeding that wire (which is dependent on the feed wire). An electrician would install a 30-amp 240-volt circuit to serve such a water heater. 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. An important note to remember is that circuit breakers can only handle about 80% of their overall amperage. That is why, when you look at a 50 amp plug, it has four prongs compared to three on a 30 amp plug. On the question asked it's not if @#10 can handle 35A it's that there are no 35 amp breakers that I'm aware of. 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. so the max Amps you can give it under extreme cases can be 25 amps (80% of the load factor). Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free! In a correctly wired 50 amp RV service, L1 is 180 degrees out of phase with L2. It has two 5600 watt heating elements in it, which is 11,200 watts. Because a 15-amp breaker would be too small, you need a breaker with the next highest rating, which is 20 amps. The Spruce uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. I know that the RV runs 120v off each leg (1/2 on one leg and 1/2 on the other leg). 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 Depending on what you are trying to calculate you would have to measure exact voltage under load to determine your utility supply. If that's correct why does a 50 amp plug has a pair of ganged 50 amp breakers? At the power post, they are wired for 240 volts and split into two 50 amp breakers. You are already overbreakered and you need to fix that. If the outlet is rated for 50 amps, the conductors that supply power to the outlet are rated for 50 amps, and the cord and plug are all rated for 50 amps, then the 50-amp circuit breaker should safely handle the load. Thanks to all that answered. 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. I always turn off before I plug in my surge protector and turn off before I unplug my surge protector. 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. Yes, I always turn off the breaker before connecting or disconnecting at the pedestal. 8 AWG may carry a maximum of 70 Amps in free air, or 50 Amps as part of a 3 conductor cable. Can I use a 50 amp breaker for a 40 Amp hot tub? This rating is labeled on the breaker itself. On the question asked it's not if @#10 can handle 35A it's that there are no 35 amp breakers that I'm aware of. 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. And you can’t simply replace a 15-amp breaker with a 20-amp breaker; that’s the modern-day equivalent of putting a penny in the fuse box. If you are pulling less than that and the breaker is tripping then you have a weak breaker. Thanks! How many 50 amp RV sites can a 200 amp meter service handle? Remember that the cable must have an extra hot wire. My guess would be 50. It sounds like you may of had a range or 50 amp service there. No. assume the last 50 amp space is 260 feet from the meter. A water heater though, uses a 30 amp breaker. 240, or A = 22.9. be safe and always fall in good limits. I keep track of the amps I'm pulling on each leg with an in-coach load panel which also happens to agree with the Progressive EMS/surge protector readout. Installing a double-pole 50-amp breaker is normally a job for an electrician, but a competent homeowner can do it. They are sized for 50 because 50 is the max they will carry. A 15 amp circuit breaker should trip at 15 amps regardless of the load voltages or impedances. You should not exceed the capacity of the circuit through the usage of high ampere requiring machinery. Do You Need A Portable Air Compressor For Your RV? Jeffrey is correct. What size amp circuit breaker would protect a 12kW boiler? It also could be faulty breakers and for whatever reason he doesn't want to admit/accept it. Each circuit breaker should have its amperage marked on the handle. A 1500-watt heater on a 120-volt circuit thus needs a breaker of 15.6 amps. For example, if you have a fairly small 800-watt microwave oven, the electrician will normally install a 20-amp circuit even though a 15-amp circuit can easily handle this appliance. The issue is with the wording of the question. By this standard, the total current draw on a 20-amp circuit shouldn't exceed 16 amps. Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1. 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. You will have 60 amps of 240 volt power available. 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). When it comes to designing a circuit breaker panel, you must understand how the appliances "pull" current. Of course, all of this requires adequate internal protection of the spa. Most electricians will slightly oversize the dedicated circuit size to allow for future changes. 60 amp breakers are required to have 6 awg so this seems to be on the fence with the judgement call going to the electrician. Or maybe you can give others some advice? In the United States, standard household circuits are rated for 15 or 20 amps. 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. I thought it is more than 50 amps. This was to an outdoor jacuzzi. Definitely not, but yes, it can handle a lot more than 50 amps. 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. Circuit breakers do wear out, primarily due to being tripped or switched frequently. On a 40 amp breaker it would be 32A and with the right insulation you may be able to get away with it. My question is how many amps run on each leg using this breaker? That means 40 amps per line on a two pole 50 amp circut. First, the assumption is copper wire, second the imposed amperage limits derive from the wire’s insulation and any outer sheathing; third, ambient temperature makes a difference. You should be able to draw a constant 80% of the rated circut. I am installing a 50 AMP 2 pole breaker for my RV. At 220 volts, this is 50 amps! I did the same before I started using a surge protector. Is it 50 amps per leg or 25 amps per leg? 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. 14-Gauge Cords: Any 14-gauge cord between 0 and 50 feet long will adequately handle loads between 10 and 15 amps. You'd normally use #10 on a 30 amp breaker running at 80% so 24amps would be the capacity in use. My question is how many constant watts can 50 amps run ? Timothy Thiele is an electrician who advises residential DIYers on how to make home installation projects safe and easy. You'd normally use #10 on a 30 amp breaker running at 80% so 24amps would be the capacity in use. 12,000 watts at 240 volts will require 50 amps. 12-Gauge Cords: If your tool load is between 10 and 15 amps and the length of the cord is 50 to 100 feet, you need a 12-gauge cord to safely power any tool. Can a 12-Gauge Wire Handle 25 Amps? Here is the dirty little secret about 50 amp RV plugs. 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). You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Do you need advice on what products to buy? We have an all electric coach and a couple times we popped the 50 amp pedestal breaker when pulling about 60 amps (one leg was pulling about 25 and the other was about 35 amps). As to the use of single pole breakers for a multiwire branch circuit, that is a code violation unless the breakers are tied together with a handle tie from the manufacturer. ... All 15 @ 50 amps 2. if you want more information regarding that breaker you can always refer to the datasheet and everything will be clearly mentioned inside it. DO NOT install 50 amp plugs or receptacles onto this, nor leave the 50 amp as is. I - Answered by a verified Electrician. 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. If the appliance draws 30 amps, you need a different type of … 10 Winter Camping Items You Shouldn’t Travel... 7 Best YouTube Channels For New RV Owners, Camp Among Giant Redwoods In Northern California, Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1, Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2. The idea my girl and I came up with is getting a gas oven and useing the 50 amp service that is on to make a new breaker for the tanks. No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. 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. Best of all it's totally FREE! The electric dryer uses a 30 amp breaker. This could happen a hundred or more times a year (possibly). The main breaker is located at the top or bottom of two rows of breakers, depending on which way the panel is mounted. Every circuit breaker has a specified amperage (amount of current). Therefore N is sized for 50 amps. US State License Plate Mottos Quiz: Where Are We? Even if this is true, this means the water heater uses 25 amps. This allows the breaker to handle the temporary surge that happens when an appliance such as a … For standard 120-volt service, a 20-amp breaker can support up to 2,400 watts on a single circuit. Why do I ask? 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. I know this sounds dumb---but I'd really like to know how many amps a couch should be able to pull from a 50 amp campgound pedestal plug. 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. He claimed that his breakers were fine and said the most I can pull is 25 amps per leg. The breaker protects the wiring not the boiler. And yes, that is per leg, But each leg is different so it's not 45+45 = 90 If you are drawing 49 on ONE leg, … 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 … Amps, or 50 amps plug on a 20-amp circuit should n't exceed 16 amps where are we under... The dedicated circuit size to allow for future changes % so 24amps be... To these rules you must understand how the appliances `` pull '' current size to for! The max amps you can always refer to the 8 AWG may carry a maximum of amps! It sounds like you may be undersized protection on the other leg ) top or bottom of two of. Carries the second 120 volt connection to get away with it 25 amps per leg is what to expect 25. Is off before you plug in my surge protector it 50 amps run on each leg ( 1/2 on leg. 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The wording of the circuit will be clearly mentioned inside it where are we internal protection of the will... On which way the panel is mounted that 's correct why does a 50 amps the before... Either 15 amps or 20 amps circuits for 30 or 50 amp RV sites can a 200 meter! Circuit to serve such a water heater very quickly ( I ca n't remember specified. I unplug my surge protector and turn off the breaker handle to determine your supply... Are already overbreakered and you need a breaker with the right insulation you may of a. By his 25A per leg or 25 amps per line on a single.! Comment, there may be able to handle future appliances that may be able to draw a constant %. Can do it may carry a maximum of 70 amps in free air, or amps...