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02-27-2024, 11:14 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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Upgrade 30 amp campground pedestal to 50 amp
Hello all,
I was looking for some advice. My wife and I just bought a new Keystone Retreat park model trailer and now have a bit of an issue. This trailer is a 50 amp trailer but the campground I'm in does not have any sites that are 50 amp. I pay for my own power and have my own meter with the power company. The owner has given me permission to upgrade the pedestal to 50 amps(at my own expense of course). I have zero experience with electrical other than I know that the power comes from the holes!!!. What I would like to know is if anyone here has run into the same issue and have paid an electrician to upgrade their service. If you have, what's involved? I know that new electrical cable would have to be run and buried from the meter to the pedestal with new outlet, breaker and those components. I'm looking for a very rough ballpark for cost to upgrade if anyone else has experience with this type of thing. I'm just looking for a baseline for when I call some electricians to ensure I don't end up getting hosed. Also I live in Nova Scotia, Canada. Thanks for any advice you can provide.
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02-27-2024, 11:20 AM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,702
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How far is it from the pole/meter to your ped? The length of the run will have a significant impact on the cost. I had approx. 100' of cable ran through an attic, down a wall then buried to a ped they installed. They installed a new 50A breaker in the box and 50A receptacle on the ped - $1800. I have no idea what pricing is like in Nova Scotia.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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02-27-2024, 11:30 AM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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It's approximately 30 metres from the meter to the pedestal more likely less. I was figuring in around 2000.
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02-27-2024, 12:18 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Middleton
Posts: 255
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We were charged $1000 to add a fifty amp RV plug. Most of the expense was 50 feet of proper wiring. Just ran across attic and down wall. No digging.
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02-27-2024, 12:22 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 993
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If you are allowing 2000.00 I think you should be able,to,get it done for less then that.
__________________
Bob/Kay
Jacksonville, Nc
2020 Keystone Cougar 5th wheel 29 rks traded now
2021 3761 fl Montana 5th wheel
Pulled with a 2022 F350 King Ranch
Retired LEO after 35 years just enjoying life now.
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02-27-2024, 12:25 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Middleton
Posts: 255
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Camping family
If you are allowing 2000.00 I think you should be able,to,get it done for less then that.
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Maybe, maybe not in Canadian dollars.
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02-27-2024, 01:16 PM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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Hopefully I can get it done without too much BS. It'll be a shame if I can't take full advantage of all the trailers luxuries. Thanks for the input!
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02-27-2024, 01:50 PM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by totaljustice
Hopefully I can get it done without too much BS. It'll be a shame if I can't take full advantage of all the trailers luxuries. Thanks for the input!
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If the pole and meter are there shouldn't be a big deal as far as the installation. Get a good electrician, make sure he understands and knows it's for a RV and not a household 50A circuit (and is familiar). Make sure he gauges the wire correctly for that length of run. I said mine was about 100' but rethinking I think it was about 85-90' (I had estimated 100' for the electrician). Measure your distances to be sure for wire gauge. Keep it under 100' and you can use 6 gauge wire (memory). After 100' the wire needs to be resized which is more expense. My installation went like clockwork; no surprises, no questions....just came in, went to work and knocked it out.
Who owns the meter loop? Did you have it installed or does it belong to the park? After the upgrade to 50A who then owns the wiring/plug etc. you pay to install.....the park owner?
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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02-27-2024, 02:25 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,763
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My first piece of advice would be to get the campground OWNER to put their permission IN WRITING. Secondly, hire a licensed and insured electrician.
There can be a couple of factors that can add cost to what you are describing. Example: is the wire direct burial, seperate wires in a conduit?? What does the local code call require? Do you have to get Hydro ( Canadian for the electric utility company) to remove the meter or do other work? These are just a few questions that a licensed electrician should know the answers to. My advice, call a min of 3 companies to give you a WRITTEN estimate. Then do your due dillagence by fully vetting them before awarding a contract. Ask for references and ask if you can contact former customers to get a recommendation.
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Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
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02-27-2024, 02:26 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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The meter belongs to the power company I imagine, and the owner would own it after I paid for it. He's a nice person but he has no intention of paying for my upgrade.
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02-27-2024, 02:44 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,998
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Quote:
Originally Posted by totaljustice
The meter belongs to the power company I imagine, and the owner would own it after I paid for it. He's a nice person but he has no intention of paying for my upgrade.
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First question I'd want answered is "What is the ampacity of the wiring from the campground grid to the meter location? In some older campgrounds, that wiring may be 30 amp rated, so you would need to not only run new 50 amp wire from the meter to your trailer, but also run 50 amp wire from the meter back to the closest place they can connect to a 50 amp service... So, it depends not only on the wiring cost from the meter to the trailer, but MAY also require a SIGNIFICANTLY more expensive "rewiring for several hundred additional feet....
I'd call a couple of electricians, get them to come out and give you an estimate, then determine if you want to go with the least expensive bid or ????? But right now, you're "hoping the wire to the meter is adequate and all y ou need to replace is from the meter to the trailer. You may find that you're going to need to "rewire half the campground" to get what you want .....
Don't tell someone to do the job until you KNOW what the job requires !!!!!
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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02-27-2024, 03:08 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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That is precisely why I was asking here first! Lol. And it would only be a certified electrician because all I know is that the power comes from the holes!!! BAHAHAHA!!!
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02-27-2024, 04:24 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,702
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John brings up an interesting point. Not knowing what this campground looks like I took a few things for granted not thinking about some of the "less than stellar" places I've stopped in. If the entire campground is only 30A I'm assuming it's old since most newer ones offer 50A? If that is the case the entire campground infrastructure might be "on the ropes" or marginal at best. Adding that new 50A loop (remember that a 50A RV service is actually 100amps) may put a strain, or overload, the segment where you are located. A local electrician will look from the meter to you. I would be contacting whoever handles the power company and ask them what that meter is connected back to and if it would support the additional load.
Just out of curiosity - can you not put the trailer at a place that has 50A? That may be a stupid question but sounds like you are about to pull the lids off a few cans to get this done and some of them may be full of worms.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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02-27-2024, 06:02 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
John brings up an interesting point. Not knowing what this campground looks like I took a few things for granted not thinking about some of the "less than stellar" places I've stopped in. If the entire campground is only 30A I'm assuming it's old since most newer ones offer 50A? If that is the case the entire campground infrastructure might be "on the ropes" or marginal at best. Adding that new 50A loop (remember that a 50A RV service is actually 100amps) may put a strain, or overload, the segment where you are located. A local electrician will look from the meter to you. I would be contacting whoever handles the power company and ask them what that meter is connected back to and if it would support the additional load.
Just out of curiosity - can you not put the trailer at a place that has 50A? That may be a stupid question but sounds like you are about to pull the lids off a few cans to get this done and some of them may be full of worms.
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Well moving is not outside the realm of possibility but my wife and I have been in this park for years and we both are really attached to it. If I can get away with doing this upgrade without breaking the bank then I'll do it but if the cost is prohibitive then we'll look at moving. The problem in the region where I live is that a lot of campgrounds either don't have 50 amp sites or the sites they have already have seasonal campers filling them up. We'll be getting the professionals in regardless and see what's what.
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02-28-2024, 08:15 AM
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#15
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,998
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Kevin,
Keep us posted on what you find and if you decide to upgrade the electric service, post how the upgrade goes for you. The information may help someone else who is attempting a similar project, or even help someone in the same situation better understand what their campground has to do to help them out or even to understand the "why" decisions the campground has to make.....
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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02-28-2024, 08:45 AM
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#16
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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Absolutely! And I just got a call from the owner this morning. He had an electrician out yesterday for something else and had him look at it. The wiring will apparently handle the upgrade so all I have to replace is the circuit breaker plug and housing. The owner said that he was going to take care of it and that I'll only have to pay for the parts. So I'm thrilled about that. I will update when it's done in a month!
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02-28-2024, 08:53 AM
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#17
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,998
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Great news !!! Keep us posted on the upgrade...
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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02-28-2024, 09:51 AM
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#18
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,702
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Quote:
Originally Posted by totaljustice
Absolutely! And I just got a call from the owner this morning. He had an electrician out yesterday for something else and had him look at it. The wiring will apparently handle the upgrade so all I have to replace is the circuit breaker plug and housing. The owner said that he was going to take care of it and that I'll only have to pay for the parts. So I'm thrilled about that. I will update when it's done in a month!
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Excellent! Keep up posted on the progress and how it works out. Hopefully it goes without a hitch and you can enjoy that full 50A....it's a big change.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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02-28-2024, 10:57 AM
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#19
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Location: Middle Sackville
Posts: 12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
Excellent! Keep up posted on the progress and how it works out. Hopefully it goes without a hitch and you can enjoy that full 50A....it's a big change.
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I hope so this monster has 3 air conditioners!
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02-28-2024, 11:03 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2022
Location: Onaga, KS
Posts: 466
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Quote:
Originally Posted by totaljustice
I hope so this monster has 3 air conditioners!
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I recommend installing soft starts on the three ACs, that will alleviate some of the surge loading on the electric supply / service.
The starting load is the killer, not the running load.
Figured you would have a nice cool ocean breeze, or are you too far inland from the coast?
__________________
2021 Cougar 25RDS
2019 RAM 3500 Longhorn, Mega Cab, DRW,
Cummins 6.7 HO, Aisin 6 Spd HD, 4x4
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