Advice on electric usage

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kellbell1069

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Feb 7, 2016
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I am new to 50 amp trailers. I had a 30x8 Fema that was 30 amps. I now have a nicely sized sandpiper  with slides that is 50 amps. I have noticed I cannot plug in any more appliances in the new RV than I did in the old RV. Actually I cannot even plug in the same things. I have noticed the GFI breaker is only a 10 amp, when the other one was either 15 or 20. This is a problem because the furnace is shot, like in my old one, so I am using space heaters. I used 2 easily in the old trailer, with fans to help disburse the heat. I can barely use 2 in the current one. If I try to use anything over and above the heaters, the breaker trips.
Any suggestions?
I have tried to spread out use of plugs. And tried different combos of plugging them in too.
 
Your electric heaters need to be on separate circuits.

You need to identify which outlets are on which breaker. Then put each heater on a separate 15 Amp one
Also make sure your microwave is on it's own circuit.

You need someone that knows electrical wiring to trace everything out for you and then make a directory at the breaker panel

jack L
 
Just turn off one breaker at a time and then plug in a small electrical appliance. Mark each receptical that is dead as that breaker number. Do all small breakers that way then plug each of your heaters into a separate one. Microwave, if built in should be on its own breaker anyway.
 
I live in a house built in 1952. The previous owners had added circuits,  but did so with no rhyme or reason as to what was grouped together. I did something similar to what Wizard said, but I used small colored stick on dots.
 
This has nothing to do with 50A vs 30A. As others have already described, it is a matter of how many outlets are on each branch circuit. Space heaters are high power draw - typically 1500 watts (1875 is the max for a 15A branch circuit), so two cannot be on the same circuit.

Also, be aware that having a 50A trailer does nothing extra if the 50A power cord is plugged to a 30A shore power source. You still have only 30A to work with. You gain extra power only if plugged to a 50A outlet.
 
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