Home » Public Forums » GMCnet » Do I really need a 50A cable? (Before I swap it out...just thought I'd ask.)
| Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 08:43  |
kerry pinkerton
Messages: 2565
Registered: July 2012
Location: Harvest, Al
Karma: 15
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Ok, I have ONE AC a DuoTherm Briskair, NO stove or oven. Just the Hot Water heater, Microwave, a 5 K heat strip in the AC unit, and a 5kw quartz space heater, TVs, phone chargers, etc. Then add in some lights, all converted to florescence or LEDs except for the bath which are still 1056.
I'm tired of wrestling with the original 50A #6 cable and would much prefer a slightly longer and much more flexible 30A #10 SOOW cable.
I can't see any downsides unless I decide to add another AC down the road in which case I'd need to put the 50A cable back.
Thoughts?
Kerry Pinkerton - North Alabama
Had 5 over the years. Currently have a '06 Fleetwood Discovery 39L
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203706 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 08:56  |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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Grass is greener? I bet some 30a guys wish they had 50 which is really 100a available on 2 legs. I just carry a 50a extension and 2 adaptors. 50 to 30 and 30 to Edison. I reverse coil onto the compartment (over/ under) to keep kinks and cable shift stress to a minimum.
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203708 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 09:11 |
lqqkatjon
Messages: 2324
Registered: October 2010
Location: St. Cloud, MN
Karma: 5
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lots of factors to be built in.
Distance is the big one. you might need the heavier cord, if you are further away.
keep in mind about the source. not just the outlet. your 30 amp outlet you are using, might be 150' of cable from the panel.
I learned that with just trying to run my A/C off a 15 amp cord. when I was at the outlet near the panel, no problem. When i moved the gmc over and plugged into the outlet on the other side of garage, it melted my cord end.
I now am running 50 amp big cable when it is at the house. No power worries now.
Jon Roche
75 palm beach
EBL EFI, manny headers, Micro Level, rebuilt most of coach now.
St. Cloud, MN
http://lqqkatjon.blogspot.com/
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203711 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 09:23 |
jknezek
Messages: 1057
Registered: December 2007
Karma: 5
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Kerry -- use your GMC for a couple years down here in the south before making this change. You may decide you need 2 roof airs in the summer heat and humidity. That would make a 50 amp cord more necessary (though as people pointed out, you CAN generally run the two roof airs through a 30).
I hated wrestling with that cord and that small compartment as well. So I cut off the cord just longer than the back bumper, put a new fitting on the cord still connected to the coach and the extra that I cut. Now I just keep the extra as an extension cord under one of the seats.
At many well-maintained campgrounds, I don't need to break out the extension cord. With half the cord cut away, there is no problem getting the remainder coiled back into the compartment and plugged in for generator purposes.
I've been quite pleased with this solution as it preserved my larger capactity while doing away with many of my struggles. The only downside is the storage of the heavy duty extension cord.
Thanks,
Jeremy Knezek
1976 Glenbrook
Birmingham, AL
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203716 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 09:45 |
zhagrieb
Messages: 676
Registered: August 2009
Location: Portland Oregon
Karma: 0
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Kerry,
you might cut your 50A cord short, 2 feet or so, and put a 50A male plug on the stub. Then make up a 30A cord as long as you want but with a 50A female receptacle on the coach end. That way you don't have to make any wiring changes inside and can always add a 50A cord if needed.
Glenn
Glenn Giere, Portland OR, K7GAG
'73 "Moby the Motorhome" 26'
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203717 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 09:46 |
JohnL455
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
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Senior Member |
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Or buy a long 30 extension, leave the 50 coiled in the compartment and put the 50-30 adaptor mid stream. That way you only wrassle the 30 and have all the extra length when needed
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203718 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 09:53 |
Wayne Newland
Messages: 75
Registered: February 2004
Karma: 0
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You really don't have 50 amps. You have two legs of 20 amps through a big
cable. Keep the cable, You will be glad that you did.
Wayne Newland F9300 75 Palm Beach Sebastian, FL
-----Original Message-----
From: gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org
[mailto:gmclist-bounces@temp.gmcnet.org] On Behalf Of Kerry Pinkerton
Sent: Friday, April 05, 2013 9:43 AM
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Subject: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable?
Ok, I have ONE AC a DuoTherm Briskair, NO stove or oven. Just the Hot Water
heater, Microwave, a 5 K heat strip in the AC unit, and a 5kw quartz space
heater, TVs, phone chargers, etc. Then add in some lights, all converted to
florescence or LEDs except for the bath which are still 1056.
I'm tired of wrestling with the original 50A #6 cable and would much prefer
a slightly longer and much more flexible 30A #10 SOOW cable.
I can't see any downsides unless I decide to add another AC down the road in
which case I'd need to put the 50A cable back.
Thoughts?
--
Kerry Pinkerton
North Alabama, near Huntsville,
77 Eleganza II, "The Lady", 403CI, also a 76 Eleganza being re-bodied as an
Art Deco car hauler _______________________________________________
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203723 is a reply to message #203718] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 10:08 |
Ken Burton
Messages: 10030
Registered: January 2004
Location: Hebron, Indiana
Karma: 10
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Senior Member |
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If you do it, keep an adapter around for 50 amp service. I checked into a campground once that said. "Sorry the only spaces we have available have 50 amp - 240 volt service. You are welcome but we can not supply you any power other than that." When I said that I had the same 50 service they were surprised.
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203724 is a reply to message #203718] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 10:13 |
tphipps
Messages: 3005
Registered: August 2004
Location: Spanish Fort, AL
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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I suggest that you completely extend the power cord, regardless of amperage. Those convenient coils inside the little power storage area can create heat problems.
I do agree that the 50 amp cord is tough, especially cold. Wrestling a large snake. I roll mine in counter-clock wise and it seems to store better. I also leave all my power adapters inside the power cord box, along with coax for the TV outlet that I installed there. I used to leave the water hose in the box also, but room is getting a little tight.
Depending upon how your coach was wired, you may or may not have 110 at the rear vent opening. Some coaches have the rear vent wired with an additional power outlet. The P.O. wired my 50 amp so that both lines are tied together, bummer. I need to restore the original Avion power distribution design.
Tom, MS II
2012 Phoenix Cruiser model 2552
KA4CSG
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203727 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 10:22 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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Well if you don't draw more'n 30 amps, the drop shouldn't be any worse'n the 30 amp cable now should it?
One of the things I inherited with the fleas market stuff was about 100' of heavy cable. I decided I'm going to put two sets of plugs on it, giving two 50 footers. That way, the loss is minimized when all I need is an extra ten feet.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
________________________________
From: Kerry Pinkerton <Pinkertonk@MCHSI.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Friday, April 5, 2013 9:43 AM
Subject: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable?
Ok, I have ONE AC a DuoTherm Briskair, NO stove or oven. Just the Hot Water heater, Microwave, a 5 K heat strip in the AC unit, and a 5kw quartz space heater, TVs, phone chargers, etc. Then add in some lights, all converted to florescence or LEDs except for the bath which are still 1056.
I'm tired of wrestling with the original 50A #6 cable and would much prefer a slightly longer and much more flexible 30A #10 SOOW cable.
I can't see any downsides unless I decide to add another AC down the road in which case I'd need to put the 50A cable back.
Thoughts?
--
Kerry Pinkerton
North Alabama, near Huntsville,
77 Eleganza II, "The Lady", 403CI, also a 76 Eleganza being re-bodied as an Art Deco car hauler
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203731 is a reply to message #203724] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 10:45 |
Jim Bounds
Messages: 842
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 0
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Senior Member |
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We replace the original "Amazon" cable with a more flexible 8ga., 4 conductor, SOW cable. We get it from Hughes Supply. 15' of that is much easier to handle. The GM floorplan coaches with a split box use 1 leg for each side (2 sides to the box). It's not what your local electrician calls "50 amp" because he is thinking 220vac. You really don;t want to run that into a coach. One wrong wire and you let the smoke out! In restorations, we also usually install a 50 amp transfer switch so you don;t have to plug the cable in-- 2 schools of thought there, you may not want to rely upon the contactor but it sure is nice just stuffing the cord in the hole and be done with it. Coachmen models with the 30 amp cord stuffed into the LF corner presents another issue, you must use a transfer switch there. You must also resize the cable box for a 50 amp plug and split the breaker box which we did on RC's Royale to make 2 circuits for his 2 3000 watt
generators.
Jim Bounds
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________________________________
From: Thomas Phipps <tph1pp5@yahoo.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Friday, April 5, 2013 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable?
I suggest that you completely extend the power cord, regardless of amperage. Those convenient coils inside the little power storage area can create heat problems.
I do agree that the 50 amp cord is tough, especially cold. Wrestling a large snake. I roll mine in counter-clock wise and it seems to store better. I also leave all my power adapters inside the power cord box, along with coax for the TV outlet that I installed there. I used to leave the water hose in the box also, but room is getting a little tight.
Depending upon how your coach was wired, you may or may not have 110 at the rear vent opening. Some coaches have the rear vent wired with an additional power outlet. The P.O. wired my 50 amp so that both lines are tied together, bummer. I need to restore the original Avion power distribution design.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion, under forever re-construction
Vicksburg, MS. 3.7 miles from I-20
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| Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203740 is a reply to message #203731] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 11:30 |
jhbridges
Messages: 8412
Registered: May 2011
Location: Braselton ga
Karma: -74
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Senior Member |
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There was an SOB next to me at the rally which had a scary transfer system... and it was commercial. Two relays, with >no< mechanical interlock. 220v cable, 110V genset. So, the genset relay had both poles tied together and feeding the two busses in the breaker box. They were parallelled with the two incoming on the 220v cable. Get a stuck relay (or any circumstance wherein both relays pull in at once) and you will have Problems. There was a circuit board full of electronics which I didn't study which energized the relays. Dam' poor design, in my opinion.
--johnny
'76 23' transmode norris
'76 palm beach
________________________________
From: Jim Bounds <gmccoop@yahoo.com>
To: "gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org" <gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org>
Sent: Friday, April 5, 2013 11:45 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable?
We replace the original "Amazon" cable with a more flexible 8ga., 4 conductor, SOW cable. We get it from Hughes Supply. 15' of that is much easier to handle. The GM floorplan coaches with a split box use 1 leg for each side (2 sides to the box). It's not what your local electrician calls "50 amp" because he is thinking 220vac. You really don;t want to run that into a coach. One wrong wire and you let the smoke out! In restorations, we also usually install a 50 amp transfer switch so you don;t have to plug the cable in-- 2 schools of thought there, you may not want to rely upon the contactor but it sure is nice just stuffing the cord in the hole and be done with it. Coachmen models with the 30 amp cord stuffed into the LF corner presents another issue, you must use a transfer switch there. You must also resize the cable box for a 50 amp plug and split the breaker box which we did on RC's Royale to make 2 circuits for his 2 3000 watt
generators.
Jim Bounds
-----------------
________________________________
From: Thomas Phipps <tph1pp5@yahoo.com>
To: gmclist@temp.gmcnet.org
Sent: Friday, April 5, 2013 11:13 AM
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Do I really need a 50A cable?
I suggest that you completely extend the power cord, regardless of amperage. Those convenient coils inside the little power storage area can create heat problems.
I do agree that the 50 amp cord is tough, especially cold. Wrestling a large snake. I roll mine in counter-clock wise and it seems to store better. I also leave all my power adapters inside the power cord box, along with coax for the TV outlet that I installed there. I used to leave the water hose in the box also, but room is getting a little tight.
Depending upon how your coach was wired, you may or may not have 110 at the rear vent opening. Some coaches have the rear vent wired with an additional power outlet. The P.O. wired my 50 amp so that both lines are tied together, bummer. I need to restore the original Avion power distribution design.
Tom, MS II
--
1975 GMC Avion, under forever re-construction
Vicksburg, MS. 3.7 miles from I-20
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Foolish Carriage, 76 26' Eleganza(?) with beaucoup mods and add - ons.
Braselton, Ga.
I forgive them all, save those who hurt the dogs. They must answer to me in hell
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203808 is a reply to message #203703] |
Fri, 05 April 2013 21:31 |
habbyguy
Messages: 896
Registered: May 2012
Location: Mesa, AZ
Karma: 3
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Senior Member |
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Johnny, I agree that sounds like a recipe for disaster (one can only hope that a lot of the complexity in the control circuitry was redundancy).
I DID build in an autoswitch for my inverter - there's just too high a probability that both the shore/generator circuit and the inverter will be powered up at the same time. But it's a simple 3-pole, double throw 60 amp (per leg) relay that is either all inverter (when the relay is not powered) or all shore/generator (which also energizes the relay).
I like the way my coach is wired so I will never NEED an autoswitch. The generator output is wired to a female 50A box inside the generator compartment, so I just plug in the "shore power cord" there, until I connect to shore power, in which case the generator is disconnected very effectively by being unplugged. I haven't ever worked out a scenario where I'd be likely to need the power to auto-swtich between shore and generator power. If I was doing anything that couldn't be interrupted while I made that transition, I'd just turn on my inverter (which would keep anything but the A/C units running during the few seconds it would take to swap the plug from one box to another).
Mark Hickey
Mesa, AZ
1978 Royale Center Kitchen
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| Re: Do I really need a 50A cable? [message #203837 is a reply to message #203703] |
Sat, 06 April 2013 09:10 |
rcjordan
Messages: 1913
Registered: October 2012
Location: Elizabeth City, North Car...
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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Now you're really going to set the boys atwitter, Mike. I plan to roll my own shorepower cord to address the ampacity issues on the neutral and ground wires. Probably thhn pulled through some sort of protective jacket.
SOLD 77 Royale Coachmen Side Dry Bath
76 Birchaven Coachmen Side Wet Bath
76 Eleganza
Elizabeth City, NC
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