Question on 50 Amp service using SurgeGuard hardwire unit

pday1213

Active Member
I have the SurgeGuard hardwired model 34560 with remote power monitor LCD display in my 2015 Bighorn. I understand that a 50Amp circuit has two lines of power, L1 and L2. I can monitor the display and it will show the current volts on L1 & L2 and the current amps being used on L1 & L2 and any faults. It appears most of the usage is assigned to L2 (Refrigerator, HW heater, and Main AC) with the 2nd AC in bedroom on L2. This past weekend I was plugged into a 50Amp circuit at a state park and with the refrigerator on and a couple lights was showing usage of about 6amps. I had the HW heater turned on to Electric mode and it took the current amps up about 17 or 18. I then put on the main AC which then went up to about 29. Turned on the 2nd AC and L1 showed 12 amps being used. After about 10 minutes of run time turned the TV on and the breaker at the 50Amp pole breaker tripped. I turned the HW heater to propane 12V and was able to run both AC's.

My question is how does a 50 Amp circuit work? Can you only use 30 Amps on one line and 20 on the other or can they both add up to 50 amp? I was not over 50 in total. Do I need to turn off the HW heater from electric mode if I want to run both AC's on a 50Amp circuit? What is the standard on how the circuits are wired from factory and do I need to make any changes to the circuits being wired up to L1 or L2?

Thanks for any assistance or explantion on how this works. Much apprecaited.
Phil
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
Re: Question on 50Amp servvice using SurgeGurad hardwire unit

L1 and L2 each supply 50A for a total of 100A @ 120VAC or 12KW. Suspect park power or breaker. Watch for a low voltage condition that was not severe enough to trip the SurgeGuard and have the park breaker checked.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Re: Question on 50Amp servvice using SurgeGurad hardwire unit

I agree with Bob. It's probably a campground problem.

If you'd like to read up on the 50 amp service here's a link.
 

pday1213

Active Member
Re: Question on 50Amp servvice using SurgeGurad hardwire unit

Thanks Bob and Dan. I hadn't thought too much about it being campground problem, but I should also mention that the 3rd night we were there, about 3am in the morning the electric went off (SurgeGuard threw a High Voltage fault on L1)and then came back on after the delay. I was woke up by the sound of the beep from the CO detector. Went to look at the display and was showing L1 and L2 at 128 and 129 volts. I went and put the dog-bone on from 50 down to 30 amps and plugged into the 30 amp plug for the rest of the night.

Thanks for the read up I will check out the manuals.
 

scottyb

Well-known member
Re: Question on 50Amp servvice using SurgeGurad hardwire unit

A healthy 50A service should be able to run everything in your rig at the same time. My vote is also for the breaker, since your rig is new.
 

SeattleLion

Well-known member
Re: Question on 50Amp servvice using SurgeGurad hardwire unit

My question is how does a 50 Amp circuit work? Can you only use 30 Amps on one line and 20 on the other or can they both add up to 50 amp? I was not over 50 in total. Do I need to turn off the HW heater from electric mode if I want to run both AC's on a 50Amp circuit? What is the standard on how the circuits are wired from factory and do I need to make any changes to the circuits being wired up to L1 or L2?

It can seem confusing. The 50 amp service refers to the fact that there are two 50 amp legs coming from the mains. In our RV's, we only use 125 volts, so we have a total of 100 amps available across the two legs, L1 and L2. You can use no power on L1 and a ful 50 amps on L2, it doesn't matter. All that matters is that you have a maximum on each leg of 50 amps. Heartland tries to balance the load across the two legs. For example, the LR AC may be on L1 and the bedroom on L2. Each draws about 15 amps. The same goes for the hot water heater and other stuff. Theoretically, you can use every electrical device at once without running out of power. In practice, sometimes the loads aren't balanced and one leg will blow. As your measurements showed, you never got to 50 amps on either leg, so you are fine. The breaker at your site (campground) is probably old and is tripping at less current. Since you can see your load, you can let the site management know that the 50 breaker is bad. This often happens in places where there are frequent surges. Circuit breakers are mechanical parts and are subject to weakening and wear. They should replace the breaker or let you try another site.
 
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