AgilityLabs
California
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Joined: 09/19/2008
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Can somebody give me the rundown of what these terms mean and what their effect is on choosing an RV and obtaining necessary equipment.
One of the agility trial sites I requested space info on sent me an email confirming my size parameters. Apparently you can park rigs at either 20 amp or 30 amp services, depending on length.
Is there special equipment we need on board to connect to a 20 amp, instead of a 30 amp? Would I ever need a 50 amp size?
Just need a little help here.
Heather
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MAJESTYPOINTERS
MONROE, MI.
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Joined: 04/08/2008
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You can buy adapters to go from any (20 amp 30 amp 50 amp) plug into what is offered at the sight. Best thing is to ask for what you have on your rig. Look at your plug and if it has a small three prong plug similar to what is in your house it is a 15 to 20 amp plug. If it is larger than a normal house plug yet still has only three prongs it is a 30amp plug. If it has a larger than normal house plug and four prongs it is a 50 amp plug.
Again you can get (and realy should have just in case) adapters to switch between all of these sizes at nearly all camper and RV stores and even wallmart and meijers have them in stock some time. Just don't expect to run a lot of electrical devices(air condition,microwave,refrigerator,hair dryer ect.) through a small 15 or 20amp plug or adapter.
Hope this helps
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AgilityLabs
California
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Joined: 09/19/2008
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Ahhhh, Ok...
So all trailer can run on any amp service (with correct adapter). The biggest difference is the amount of power that you can safely draw at any moment. Am I getting this? 
Do I think about it like this:
20 amp: pretty much just for lights- refrigerator should be on gas
30 amp: can run most "normal" stuff - refrigerator, microwave, etc.
50 amp: for larger draw- 2 ac units, etc...
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outdoorsman2007
In the Woods - Somewhere!
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Joined: 04/12/2007
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The amount of amperage draw (electricity needed) of a trailer has nothing to do with it's length - it has to do with it's equipment.
To run everything in my RV at once, I need 50 amp service. My RV has 2 air conditioners and is wired for 50 amps, but since I don't have to run both air conditioners at the same time, I can camp at a 30 amp site which allows me to only run one air conditioner and everything else in my coach.
At home I am always plugged into a 20 amp outlet to keep my batteries charged, but I can also run one air conditioner, and nothing else if I want to cool the inside down a bit. I wouldn't be able to camp at 20 amps unless I didn't need a microwave and air conditioning.
It only takes adapters to be able to plug into each of the different amperage outlets.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Joined: 03/21/2005
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The RV will come with what it needs. Your stick house probably has 100 or 200 amp just for comparison.
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Steveque
Central California
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Joined: 08/11/2004
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You can run the refirgerator on 20 amp service with no problem. I have mine in my driveway getting cold for a short vacation run.
I have a 30 amp coach. I have to turn the AC off when we Microwave or the wife uses her hair dryer - sometimes but not always.
Usually you see the 15/20 amp service for smaller trailers like pop-up and older coaches. Most newer ones have the 30 amp service. 50 amp comes into play on larger coaches that have distinct rooms and two air conditioners.
I carry the various connectors with me. Even if you use a 50 amp to 30 amp connector, you will still only be getting 30 amps.
Steve Quesenberry
Central California
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AgilityLabs
California
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Joined: 09/19/2008
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outdoorsman2007 wrote:The amount of amperage draw (electricity needed) of a trailer has nothing to do with it's length - it has to do with it's equipment.
I gotcha. The only issue with the size/amperage would be because of the parking at their facility. It would seem that I should aim for parking in their 30 amp parking...
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NORM WADDELL
PENSACOLA FL 32514
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Joined: 11/16/2000
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Keep this in the back of your mind
15 or 20 Amps Two wires (hot and neutral).plus a ground & one breaker
30 Amps Ditto but larger wires and one breaker
50 Amps Different.....THREE wires. (TWO hots and a neutral)
Plus a ground.this is
TWO 50 Amp circuits
and you could draw
100 Amps if you had
enough load
But, when you 'adapt' a 15, 20, or 30 Amp plug into a 50 Amp
receptacle, you 'touch' only ONE of those two circuits, so COULD
draw only 50 Amps.........except the breaker IN YOUR RV will trip
at 30 Amps,or 20 Amps whichever size it is......Iknow this is confusing, but when you 'adapt' into a 50 Amp
receptacle you will see TWO breakers feeding it, and although you
may close both, only ONE will be feeding your RV.
L NORMAN WADDELL
30 FOOT ALLEGRO
SATURN TOAD
WIFE AND 2 DOGS SUGAR BEAR & COCO BEAR
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PopBeavers
San Jose, CA
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Joined: 03/19/2005
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AgilityLabs wrote:Ahhhh, Ok...
So all trailer can run on any amp service (with correct adapter). The biggest difference is the amount of power that you can safely draw at any moment. Am I getting this?
Do I think about it like this:
20 amp: pretty much just for lights- refrigerator should be on gas
30 amp: can run most "normal" stuff - refrigerator, microwave, etc.
50 amp: for larger draw- 2 ac units, etc...
that is pretty close.
My trailer has a 30 amp plug that I plug into 20 amps at home. That will:
1) run the converter to charge the dual group 24 batteries
2) run the fridge on 120 volts
3) run every light I have
If I turn everything off, including the fridge and converter, I can run the a/c for about 15 minutes.
With 20 amps you may be able to run a small microwave and the other non a/c stuff.
With 30 amps I can run it all, including a/c and my small microwave.
50 amp rigs will likely either have dual a/c's or perhaps washer and dryer.
Wayne in San Jose
TV1:2002 Chevy 1500HD 4wd Crew Cab,Valley Odyssey brake ctlr,McKesh mirrors
TV2:2008 GMC 2500HD long bed 4wd Crew Cab,GMC brake ctlr,GMC mirrors
TT:Trailmanor 2720
Honda 2000
Yamaha WR250R,Polaris Sportsman 700 X2,Polaris Scrambler 500
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crickeydog
Marietta, Ga.
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Joined: 01/29/2004
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AgilityLabs wrote: Would I ever need a 50 amp size?
Absolutely. I wish the system would go to 100 amp service. If that ever happens, I'm buying 100 amp service in our coach.
Happy camping!!! See ya'll down the road!!!
AIR FORCE RETIRED "EITHER LEAD,FOLLLOW,OR GET OUT OF MY WAY"!
2006 GMC 3500 SLT CC DRW 4X4 D/A LBZ,PREDATOR & FS2500 OIL FILTER
2004 HR PRESIDENTIAL 30 SCD 5'ER.
CHEROKEE & CHEYENNE, MINI DOXIE'S
LOADED LIKE A FREIGHT TRAIN, FLYIN LIKE A JET PLANE!!
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