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Old 06-26-2017, 06:48 PM   #1
rcmike
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50 amp power cord

the stock cord that came with my raptor Th for shore power is about 40 feet. I only use this one cord when I'm hooked up at a site. When my rig is parked at the warehouse id like to add about a another 40 feet cord to the stock cord to reach the power plug of 50 amp that I had installed some time ago. Is 80 feet to long of a cord ? I also have a progressive industries hard wired surge protector in Th. Wouldn't it detect if something was not right when I had the 80 foot cord hooked up and register an error? I don't think a 80 foot cord would be a problem. I know at one of the last nascar races locally I saw a bunch of cords longer than 80 feet hooked up to 5th wheels and travel trailers. Just wanted to get an opinion ,,,Thanks in advance
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Old 06-26-2017, 06:55 PM   #2
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Your EMS will display line voltage and amp draw, so I say plug it in and with everything OFF, see what line voltage it sees. Then turn on one appliance at a time and monitor the voltage and amp draw.
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Old 06-26-2017, 07:03 PM   #3
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It's not just "your 80 feet" but the length of supply line (romex or extension cord) from the supply source that runs to the distribution box as well as the amp load that the other trailers connected to that line are drawing. So, you may check it carefully (when only a couple other trailers are connected and they have nothing turned on) and then later, with 8 or 10 trailers on that distribution circuit, all of them running their A/C and water heater and you may find that you're down to 90 volts and everything it "winding down"...

Of course with the progressive circuit monitor to "guard against damage" you should be OK, but you may find that whether you're running a 40' or an 80' cord, depending on the "quality of the power source and the load on it" your length of cord may not even be a factor. I've seen a number of "long cords" on both 30 amp and 50 amp trailers that work extremely well, just protect the plug in the middle of the line with a bucket or a watertite can. You may find that with a little rain shower, that plug is in exactly the same place as the only mud puddle in the entire campground......
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Old 06-26-2017, 07:09 PM   #4
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You will be fine. A 50 Amp #6 cord at 120v is good for over 100'.
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Old 06-27-2017, 03:30 AM   #5
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The only concern I would have is that the extension was a true 3 x #6 and 1 x #8 awg set of conductors. I say this as some of the after market sellers have been using 4 x# 8 awg which, depending on the wire code may or may not be enough ampacity but is marginal in any case. I've had no problem with our pigtail and extension running 2 a/c units and whatever else at 90 feet.
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Old 06-27-2017, 04:53 AM   #6
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I have the OEM cord that came with the TH (50') and a purchased 30' cord, both of them being 6ga. with the 8ga ground. Where I park my TH, I have to use the extension to plug into my shore power cord. Measuring voltage at the supply is normally 124/125 volts. My progressive brand EMS tells me that it is usually seeing 122/123 volts. That is an acceptable voltage drop, and well within the 10% range of drop.
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Old 06-27-2017, 06:50 AM   #7
Outback 325BH
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50 amp power cord

Quote:
Originally Posted by rcmike View Post
the stock cord that came with my raptor Th for shore power is about 40 feet. I only use this one cord when I'm hooked up at a site. When my rig is parked at the warehouse id like to add about a another 40 feet cord to the stock cord to reach the power plug of 50 amp that I had installed some time ago. Is 80 feet to long of a cord ? I also have a progressive industries hard wired surge protector in Th. Wouldn't it detect if something was not right when I had the 80 foot cord hooked up and register an error? I don't think a 80 foot cord would be a problem. I know at one of the last nascar races locally I saw a bunch of cords longer than 80 feet hooked up to 5th wheels and travel trailers. Just wanted to get an opinion ,,,Thanks in advance


80 feet of copper #6 driven by 120 volts pulling 50 amps will have a drop in voltage of 3.16, or 2.63%. Voltage at camper would be 116.84. Completely fine.

Odds are you will never pull 50 amps, so the voltage drop would be even less.

It would take a 250 foot run to get to 110 volts, which is considered the low end of the safe range.

If the source is greater or less than 120 volts, that changes things.


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Old 06-27-2017, 01:53 PM   #8
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Shore power cords are mighty expensive!

If this is going to be a permanent arrangement, have you considered moving your 50amp outlet to an area that you can reach with one 40 footer? You already have the 50 amp wall outlet, and a junction box. All you would need now is a 50 foot roll of solid wire, another junction box, and a few wire nuts. The added advantage is that you don't have 80 feet of very expensive power cords laying on the concrete/ground, waiting to be run over or dragged out od the way.

Just a thought.

Good Luck,
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