SeilerBird
Well-known member
I stand corrected. Thanks for the info Rene.Rene T said:
Electrical Systems
- Thread starter grashley
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Rene T
Site Team
No problem Tom. 
Kevin Means
Site Team
Rene's right. I was just at an RV show today looking at a new AC powered RV awning, although I believe most are 12 Volt DC. One of our flat screen TVs is 12 volt and two are AC powered, our jacks are 12 volt, our refrigerator is AC but can run off 12 volts via the inverter... point is, you just can't blanketly answer yes or no to those questions.
Kev
Kev
SeilerBird
Well-known member
You are right Kev. I am trying to answer his questions because I feel sorry for the guy. He is asking specific questions and people are arguing about the electrical code.Kevin Means said:
Kevin Means
Site Team
Gotcha Tom.
SeilerBird
Well-known member
I know my answers aren't always correct but I am positive that the wrong ones will surface immediately. At least the conversation will be going in the right direction.
Mopar1973Man
Well-known member
Like myself. I'm battery powered both at home and RV.
So for the battery powers most all lights, water pump and most all electric motors for accessories in your RV. Now as for powering 120V stuff from batteries is based on how big the battery bank is. Not how big the inverter is. Plain and simple the battery bank say is 200 Amp//hours so you can power 200 Amps worth of loads for 1 hour. So you want to base you inverter size to your batteries. Like myself I've got a 1,200 Watt inverter. So that's a 100 amp load at 100% load. Now I can power small TV, laptop, anything that is less than 1,000 watts. (Yes. I'm giving a margin of buffer). So my uses of 120V power is limited but I can work with a laptop for hours on the inverter. Watch TV or DVD movies. Charge cell phone or tablet. Charge camera batteries. Use a small house lamp for mild lighting instead of the harsh ceiling lights. My inverter is big enough to power the fridge on 120V if needed. But it really does draw hard on the batteries.
What it can't do is power my microwave, A/C or water heater. These 3 item draw too much power to operate on a battery system.
Give you a feel. My house system is only 4,000 watt inverter. But to make it operate over 24 hours I need 1,000 pounds of lead acid batteries (820 Amp/hours).
More here.
http://articles.mopar1973man.com/members-rides/17-mopar1973man/479-rv-solar-power
So for the battery powers most all lights, water pump and most all electric motors for accessories in your RV. Now as for powering 120V stuff from batteries is based on how big the battery bank is. Not how big the inverter is. Plain and simple the battery bank say is 200 Amp//hours so you can power 200 Amps worth of loads for 1 hour. So you want to base you inverter size to your batteries. Like myself I've got a 1,200 Watt inverter. So that's a 100 amp load at 100% load. Now I can power small TV, laptop, anything that is less than 1,000 watts. (Yes. I'm giving a margin of buffer). So my uses of 120V power is limited but I can work with a laptop for hours on the inverter. Watch TV or DVD movies. Charge cell phone or tablet. Charge camera batteries. Use a small house lamp for mild lighting instead of the harsh ceiling lights. My inverter is big enough to power the fridge on 120V if needed. But it really does draw hard on the batteries.
What it can't do is power my microwave, A/C or water heater. These 3 item draw too much power to operate on a battery system.
Give you a feel. My house system is only 4,000 watt inverter. But to make it operate over 24 hours I need 1,000 pounds of lead acid batteries (820 Amp/hours).
More here.
http://articles.mopar1973man.com/members-rides/17-mopar1973man/479-rv-solar-power
havebikewilltravel
New member
I?ve joined this forum specifically to ask a question related to a topic touched on in this thread. But it?s tangential enough that I?ve posted it as a new question at:
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,87281.new.html#new
Subject: Installing a 50A Circuit in a Common Raceway
Looking for input from you who consider yourselves NEC-savvy. It specifically relates to the following two quotes from this thread:
?and?
http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,87281.new.html#new
Subject: Installing a 50A Circuit in a Common Raceway
Looking for input from you who consider yourselves NEC-savvy. It specifically relates to the following two quotes from this thread:
?and?
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Both statements are true both are incomplete
50 Amp RV service is 120/240 volt exactly as the 100-150-200-x00 amp service to your house. Exactly the same (Save for the amps).
The two hot legs need to be rated to carry the full 50 amps (For that is the breaker size feeding them) And the NEUTRAL has to be rated to carry the same (50 amps) because it is possible for all 50 to be on one leg.
IN normal practice this (Just one leg loaded to the max) almost (ALMOST) never happens so if say one leg is hauling 30 amps and the other 20 the neutral only hauls the difference (10) but it CAN happen.
So the Neutral should be the same size and rating as the hot wires.
SAFETY GROUND however, can be smaller.. How much smaller I can not state just now.
This is also why you should only plug into proper RV outlets (15 15/20 30 and 50 amp) and not outlets installed for other hardware such as machines (Welders, Air compressors) or appliances (Deep Fryer/Dryer)
Many of these devices use 3 wire outlets and some of them will accept a TT-30 and some folks custom build an adapter to handle the voltages but do not know that the 3rd wire is safety ground, not neutral and thus it is too small and they can set the place on fire..
But on a proper 50 amp the neutral has to be the same size as the two hot leads.. For it may have to carry 50 amps
50 Amp RV service is 120/240 volt exactly as the 100-150-200-x00 amp service to your house. Exactly the same (Save for the amps).
The two hot legs need to be rated to carry the full 50 amps (For that is the breaker size feeding them) And the NEUTRAL has to be rated to carry the same (50 amps) because it is possible for all 50 to be on one leg.
IN normal practice this (Just one leg loaded to the max) almost (ALMOST) never happens so if say one leg is hauling 30 amps and the other 20 the neutral only hauls the difference (10) but it CAN happen.
So the Neutral should be the same size and rating as the hot wires.
SAFETY GROUND however, can be smaller.. How much smaller I can not state just now.
This is also why you should only plug into proper RV outlets (15 15/20 30 and 50 amp) and not outlets installed for other hardware such as machines (Welders, Air compressors) or appliances (Deep Fryer/Dryer)
Many of these devices use 3 wire outlets and some of them will accept a TT-30 and some folks custom build an adapter to handle the voltages but do not know that the 3rd wire is safety ground, not neutral and thus it is too small and they can set the place on fire..
But on a proper 50 amp the neutral has to be the same size as the two hot leads.. For it may have to carry 50 amps
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Perhaps the confusion has to do with the term "Current carrying"? The hot and neutral wires are "current carrying". The ground is not.
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