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RV glossary · Electrical & power

30-amp service

Also called: 30 amp

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.

A 30-amp RV plug has three prongs (TT-30). With about 3,600 watts available, running the air conditioner, microwave and electric water heater at once can trip the breaker, so many owners stagger high-draw appliances.

A 30-amp RV can plug into a 50-amp pedestal with an adapter (a dogbone), and still gets 30 amps.

Related terms

50-amp service
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.
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.
Surge protector
A device between the pedestal and the RV that protects against power surges. An EMS also shuts off power for dangerous problems like high or low voltage, reversed polarity or open grounds.

More electrical & power terms

Converter · Inverter · Generator · Generator prep · House batteries · Lithium battery · AGM battery · Amp-hours

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