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RV glossary · Electrical & power

50-amp service

Also called: 50 amp

A 120/240-volt service with two 50-amp legs, used by larger RVs with two or three air conditioners. It can supply up to about 12,000 watts, far more than 30-amp.

The 50-amp plug has four prongs (14-50). Because it delivers two separate 50-amp, 120-volt legs, a 50-amp RV can run multiple air conditioners, a residential fridge and a washer/dryer together.

When only a 30-amp pedestal is available, a 50-amp RV can plug in with an adapter but is limited to 30 amps total, so you’ll need to run fewer appliances.

Related terms

30-amp service
A single 120-volt, 30-amp electrical connection, used by most travel trailers and smaller RVs. It provides up to about 3,600 watts, enough for one A/C plus a few other appliances.
Dogbone adapter
A short adapter cord for plugging an RV into a different pedestal outlet, such as a 30-amp RV into a 50-amp outlet or a 50-amp RV into a 30-amp outlet. The RV is limited by the smaller of the two.
Shore power
Plugging the RV into an electrical pedestal at a campground or home to run 120-volt appliances and charge the batteries.

More electrical & power terms

Surge protector · Converter · Inverter · Generator · Generator prep · House batteries · Lithium battery · AGM battery

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