When did 50 amp service begin in campgrounds?

[1990HR]

My 1990 Holiday Rambler has 30 amp shore power and I can't run both AC units unless I use the 6500 watt generator.
I would think if they had 50 amp service in 1990, Holiday Rambler would have had it. I could be wrong.
Anyone know when 50 amp service started in campgrounds?

[khantroll]

I'm not sure when it started, but I'm reasonably sure there were 50a service poles when I was a kid (late 80s early 90s). They may not have been widespread though. I remember them at some campgrounds in CA and OK.

[Rickf1985]

I was thinking about that. Can you imagine the primary service line that would feed the loop in a campground with say thirty sites and all have 50 amp service?

[yellowrecve]

When I was building custom motor homes, the first request I had for 50A was 1989. Had to order the cord from the US as the Canadian RV part suppliers were not carrying them. 

[RedneckExpress]

We have forty odd at our park, takes about 600 amps of service (three different 200amp services) and we still have the occasional main pop.   

[tmsnyder]

This is an old post, but I remember this discussion and thought of it when I got the 76 GMC Motorhome and started looking it over.  Originally, the generator feeds a 50A receptacle mounted in an outside access compartment.  In the same compartment is the shore power cord terminated in a 50 amp plug.  Looking at the wiring diagram, one 'hot' leg of the 50A cord feeds one of the main breakers, the other 'hot' feeds the 2nd main breaker in the coach.   To run on generator power the user plugs in the cord in the compartment.  To run on shore power, the cord is disconnected from the generator and plugged into shore using the 50A plug. 


Somewhere along the line, a PO removed the 50A cord and replaced it with a 30A, 120V cord and plug, and used a short adapter to plug the cord into the generator receptacle.  Probably b/c of the scarcity of 240V 50A shore power at campgrounds.   I'll be returning it to the original setup, should allow running both A/C units without overheating the plug.

[Elandan2]

Worst thing is that now there are rigs that need 100 amp service and there are campsites to accommodate them!

[Rickf1985]

    My house had 50 amp service when I moved in! It has 200 now but I am powering welders, compressors and power tools. What in the world would an RV need 100 amp service for?

[tmsnyder]

My house was on a 60A service when we moved in.   The original fuse box had the two main fuses, then one or two for the drier/oven, plus 4 120V 20A fuses for the house.  1948 house, why would you ever need more than 4 circuits?


Off that panel were added several subpanels over the years until by the time we bought it, put in a new 40 breaker panel and almost filled it.

[Elandan2]

These rigs have three or four air conditioners, all electric (water heater, fridge and stove) plus the required fireplace, electric in-floor heating and then the usual lights and such.

[Froggy1936]

Add anything the Greedy Wealthy  Want ,cost is no object they have way too much money ! Heated floors , Ha Ha ! Frank

[Rickf1985]

Yep, And they are "camping". W% N:(  If they had a robot, And they will soon, it will go out and hook up the electric and dump hoses for them and that way they never have to step foot outside when they are "camping".

[Elandan2]

Or maybe Elon could design something for the campgrounds.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMM0lRfX6YI

[Rickf1985]

I don't think they are called "campgrounds" but wherever these things stay they most likely have valet service that comes out to do all the hook ups. Can you see one of these people handling a dump hose?


Years ago I was traveling back from upstate NY and I stopped at a campground somewhere in Pa. and I got a primitive spot since I had my slide in pick up camper at the time and I was self contained. It was just me and my big German Shepherd.  It was a beautiful fall evening so I went out for a walk with the dog and I am walking through the main part of the place and here are all these high class rigs with the AC running and all closed up tight. People are looking out of the windows sort of hiding behind the edges of the curtains like I am a stalker. Their little ankle biter dogs yapping away inside. I did not see one person from any of those monster rigs outside. I did run into one other guy who ironically also had a pickup camper and he told me he actually moved to another site further out to get away from the running AC units. He had his big dog with him also so now they really had something to stare at TWO people OUTSIDE!!!!!! I walked my dog in the morning before leaving and though I didn't go up into that area I could see it and still nobody, Do the ankle biter dogs use litter boxes like cats? As I was leaving I passed by the other truck camper and he was OUTSIDE, COOKING BREAKFAST!!!!!!!!! Heaven forbid!   I stopped and we had a laugh about the rich folks. He said he was headed west to look for places that those types of rigs could get to. I hope he found what he was looking for.