Wiring a 50 amp 120v rv service

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
My problem is supplying the rv with enough amps to run. In 120v 1ph, the 5k will supply 52 amps. In 240v 1ph, it will only supply 26 amps. If I wire it with 4 gauge wire from the genny to the rv sub panel and then slit it off to 2 legs, I think I would be getting more amps.

think about what your saying, 26*2=52, there is no more power. the only difference is if the loads are greatly unbalanced and one side pulls more then 26 amps. generally though the big use items are on either side of the panel.

ultimately if you are sure you will never run anything 240, connecting l1 and l2 in the panel together, you would not need to worry about balancing the loads, simply overloading the generator in general

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

98G said:
How many amps of 120v single phase do you plan to run at once?

Could be as much as 50 or more. A/c = 16, battery charger = 20, microwave = 12, lights = 5. Now I'm over 50 without trying to hard. I know power management will have to come into play.

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

LittleBill said:
think about what your saying, 26*2=52, there is no more power. the only difference is if the loads are greatly unbalanced and one side pulls more then 26 amps. generally though the big use items are on either side of the panel.

ultimately if you are sure you will never run anything 240, connecting l1 and l2 in the panel together, you would not need to worry about balancing the loads, simply overloading the generator in general

Are you saying that each leg of the 240v would supply 26 amps? If so, you are the first to make that claim and, if you are correct, then my problem does not exist. My understanding is that, in 240 config. I would be getting 26 amps TOTAL.

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
Could be as much as 50 or more. A/c = 16, battery charger = 20, microwave = 12, lights = 5. Now I'm over 50 without trying to hard. I know power management will have to come into play.

you are using a 200 amp dc battery charger?

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
Are you saying that each leg of the 240v would supply 26 amps? If so, you are the first to make that claim and, if you are correct, then my problem does not exist. My understanding is that, in 240 config. I would be getting 26 amps TOTAL.

yes ranger, when you flip the switch to 240, it reverses one of the winding's in the generator head to give you 240v, the wattage does not change, just the amperage per leg, so in 240v you get 26a per leg, or l1(26A) +l2(26A)= 52A total, in 120v single phase mode the winding's are in parallel and the amperage doubles, and the voltage stays the same, thus you get 52 amps at 120v. your rating plate confirms this..

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

LittleBill said:
you are using a 200 amp dc battery charger?

No. The charger draws 20 amps/hour during full charge mode.

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
No. The charger draws 20 amps/hour during full charge mode.

Ranger, be careful, that 20 amp charger is prolly at 12v DC, not 120v AC. if it pulled 20A AC, it would have to be capable of almost 200A DC ( which is about 1% chance it is).

98G · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
Could be as much as 50 or more. A/c = 16, battery charger = 20, microwave = 12, lights = 5. Now I'm over 50 without trying to hard. I know power management will have to come into play.

50 amps at 120v = 6000 watts. I'd consider that a hard limit.

We were playing with an MEP802 using my plasma cutter. My plasma cutter is 240V 50 amps. Like clockwork, if we turned it past halfway (25 amps @ 240v) the 802 would drop the load.

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

LittleBill said:
yes ranger, when you flip the switch to 240, it reverses one of the winding's in the generator head to give you 240v, the wattage does not change, just the amperage per leg, so in 240v you get 26a per leg, or l1(26A) +l2(26A)= 52A total, in 120v single phase mode the winding's are in parallel and the amperage doubles, and the voltage stays the same, thus you get 52 amps at 120v. your rating plate confirms this..

Thank you sir for your assistance (this goes for everybody!!). I am NO electrician, far from it, I am a near complete novice. I must not know how to read the data plate because all I see is that in 120v/240 config, it puts out 26 amps. I dont see anywhere that it says 26 amps per leg.

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

LittleBill said:
Ranger, be careful, that 20 amp charger is prolly at 12v DC, not 120v AC. if it pulled 20A AC, it would have to be capable of almost 200A DC ( which is about 1% chance it is).

The charger requires a 20 amp outlet to operate.
Progressive Dynamics model PD9100L
input voltage 105-130 volts 1025 watts
output voltage 14.6 vdc 60 amps

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
The charger requires a 20 amp outlet to operate.
Progressive Dynamics
PD9160ALV 60-AMP
Input Voltage: 105-130 VAC 50/60 Hz 1025 Watts
Output Voltage: 14.6 VDC 60 Amps
Dimensions: 9.15” L x 7.38” W x 3.6” H
Weight: 5.8 lbs.

Have to read the specs. right from your post
Input Voltage: 105-130 VAC 50/60 Hz 1025 Watts

1025/120=8.5A,thus at max load the charger will use about 8.5A, not factoring in power factor(that's another subject)

98G · Mar 16, 2018

Your battery charger looks big and bad. I find it plausible it pulls 20 amps of 120v. (Edit - looks more like 10amps, I didn't see the red)

120v x 50 amps = 6000 watts = 240v x 25 amps = just about all that very nice little Lister Petter is going to do.

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

98G said:
Your battery charger looks big and bad. I find it plausible it pulls 20 amps of 120v.

120v x 50 amps = 6000 watts = 240v x 25 amps = just about all that very nice little Lister Petter is going to do.

That charger is used for 2 100 amp/hour Lithiom iron batteries. It charges them from completely dead to full in under 2 hours.

98G · Mar 16, 2018

I can't' read your black on OD list of what uses what. I tried unsuccessfully to change the color. My goal was to see if you're likely to see exceed 6kW.

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

LittleBill

98G said:
50 amps at 120v = 6000 watts. I'd consider that a hard limit.

We were playing with an MEP802 using my plasma cutter. My plasma cutter is 240V 50 amps. Like clockwork, if we turned it past halfway (25 amps @ 240v) the 802 would drop the load.

This indicates to me that in 240v. it puts out 26 amps TOTAL.

Ranger Danger · Mar 16, 2018

98G said:
Posted to try to fix color

Thanks, I tried as well.

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
LittleBill

This indicates to me that in 240v. it puts out 26 amps TOTAL.

correct 26 amps total PER LEG 2 LEGS = 26+26=52

120v is 1 leg =52A

His cutter is 240v, NOT 120v

98G · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
LittleBill

This indicates to me that in 240v. it puts out 26 amps TOTAL.

Yes absolutely. But if you drop it to 120v by whatever means, that 26amps becomes 52amps. The relationship of amps times volts = watts remains constant. Watt value shouldn't exceed 6000.

LittleBill · Mar 16, 2018

Ranger Danger said:
That may be where a problem could arise! Its a 50 amp service because to run all or most of the appliances, 26 amps wont cut it! I really need about 25 amps per hot leg!

120 Volt AC Amp Ratings

Appliance or Electronic Equipment Estimated Amps
Air Conditioner (X number of A/C) 12-16 Amps
Blender 5-6 Amps
Coffee Maker 5-8 Amps
Compact Disc Player 1 Amp
Computer (Laptop) 2-3 Amps
Converter 1-8 Amps
Crock Pot 1-2 Amps
Curling Iron <1 Amp
Drill 2-6 Amps
Electric Blanket 0.5-1.5 Amps
Electric Fan 1 Amp
Electric Water Heater 9-13 Amps
Electric Skillet 6-12 Amps
Hair Dryer 5-12 Amps
Iron 5-10 Amps
Light (60 watt % 120V) <1 Amp
Microwave 8-13 Amps
Microwave (Convection Oven) 13 Amps
Refrigerator in AC mode 5-8 Amps
Space Heater 8-13 Amps
Television 1.5-4 Amps
Toaster 7-10 Amps
Vacuum (handheld) 2-6 Amps
VCR 1-2 Amps
Washer/Dryer 14-16Amps

12 Volt DC Amp Ratings
Appliance or Accessory Estimated Amps
Aisle Light 1 Amp
CO Detector 1 Amp
Fluorescent Light 1-2 Amps
Furnace 10-12 Amps
LP Gas Leak Detector 1 Amp
Overhead lights (Per Bulb) 1 Amp
Porch Light 1 Amp
Power Roof Vent 1.5 Amps
Radio/Stereo 4 Amps
Range Hood (Fan & Light) 2-3 Amps
Refrigerator (LP Gas Mode) 1.5- 2 Amps
Security System 1 Amp
Television (12 volt) 4-5 Amps
TV Antenna Booster <1 Amp
TV Antenna Booster 12 Volt outlet Up to 8 Amps
Variable Speed Ceiling / Vent Fan 4 Amps
VCR Recorder / Player 2 Amps
Water Pump 4 Amp

should be fixed

98G · Mar 16, 2018

When it's hot outside and time to do laundry you're going to have to choose between the air conditioner and the water heater.

120 Volt AC Amp Ratings
Appliance or Electronic Equipment	Estimated Amps
Air Conditioner (X number of A/C)	12-16 Amps
Blender	5-6 Amps
Coffee Maker	5-8 Amps
Compact Disc Player	1 Amp
Computer (Laptop)	2-3 Amps
Converter	1-8 Amps
Crock Pot	1-2 Amps
Curling Iron	<1 Amp
Drill	2-6 Amps
Electric Blanket	0.5-1.5 Amps
Electric Fan	1 Amp
Electric Water Heater	9-13 Amps
Electric Skillet	6-12 Amps
Hair Dryer	5-12 Amps
Iron	5-10 Amps
Light (60 watt % 120V)	<1 Amp
Microwave	8-13 Amps
Microwave (Convection Oven)	13 Amps
Refrigerator in AC mode	5-8 Amps
Space Heater	8-13 Amps
Television	1.5-4 Amps
Toaster	7-10 Amps
Vacuum (handheld)	2-6 Amps
VCR	1-2 Amps
Washer/Dryer	14-16Amps

12 Volt DC Amp Ratings
Appliance or Accessory	Estimated Amps
Aisle Light	1 Amp
CO Detector	1 Amp
Fluorescent Light	1-2 Amps
Furnace	10-12 Amps
LP Gas Leak Detector	1 Amp
Overhead lights (Per Bulb)	1 Amp
Porch Light	1 Amp
Power Roof Vent	1.5 Amps
Radio/Stereo	4 Amps
Range Hood (Fan & Light)	2-3 Amps
Refrigerator (LP Gas Mode)	1.5- 2 Amps
Security System	1 Amp
Television (12 volt)	4-5 Amps
TV Antenna Booster	<1 Amp
TV Antenna Booster 12 Volt outlet	Up to 8 Amps
Variable Speed Ceiling / Vent Fan	4 Amps
VCR Recorder / Player	2 Amps
Water Pump	4 Amp

Wiring a 50 amp 120v rv service

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