I just had made a garage for my RV, so I’m planning to power it while it stays immobile. Running a 15-amp male to a 50-amp female adapter can only run a few lights. In that case, it is important to learn how to install a 50 amp RV outlet in my house to run every appliance in my RV simultaneously.
It would help if you had a few tools, like a breaker, wires, and a power outlet. Install the power outlet close to where you park the RV and run the wires into the breaker. Make sure that you make the proper wire connections to make it work.
The cost to install 50 amp RV outlet may be cheaper if you do the installation yourself. Here are the things you’ll need and the steps to follow below.
Table of Contents
What to Prepare
- 50 amp breaker
- 50 amp RV outlet
- 6/3 AWG wire
- Conduit
- Tape measure
- Metal straps or zip ties
- Multimeter
- Hole saw
- Drill
- Gloves
- Safety eyeglasses or sunglasses
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare The Materials
For this job, you’ll need to prepare only a few materials.
- You’ll need a 50 amp breaker, which you can find in the electrical aisle of any store.
- The best wire size for this job is 6/3 AWG. Make sure that it corresponds to the requirements of any local standards.
- A conduit makes it possible to run the wire from your RV outlet box over to the breaker panel.
- The next thing you’ll need is the 50 amp RV outlet itself, which you can find online and at any local hardware store.
- Prepare your gloves and eye protection for safety. You’ll need those safety gear for drilling concrete walls or dealing with any hot material.
Step 2: Shut The Main Breaker Off
Installing a 50 amp RV outlet involves plenty of electrical components, so you need to take safety precautions. In this way, you won’t increase the risk of damaging your home, the RV, and yourself.
- Turn the main breaker off at the main panel to help prevent yourself from getting electric shocks.
- Head to your electrical system and simply shut off that main breaker.
- To make sure that your power is truly off, use a multimeter.
Step 3: Ensure Adequate Breaker Space Available
Check whether you have ample space available for installing a 50 amp breaker in your electric panel.
- Look for space available at your electric panel.
- If your electric panel is full, ask an electrical contractor to either install a subpanel or upgrade your current panel. You’ll need to move some of the breakers to the subpanel to make space for your new 50-amp RV service.
- Once you have the vacant slot, you’re ready for the installation job.
Step 4: Locate Where To Install The RV Outlet
You have two options here- underground or at the side of your property.
- If you go underground, you might need to bury a line for 100 feet to move close to the house. This application looks neat, but it requires extra work for digging.
- Go two feet up when you want to install the wires at the side of the panel to prevent trips and falls. I especially love this option because it’s easier to do.
- Regardless of your choice of application, make sure that you’re near enough to where you park your motorhome so that you don’t need to buy an expensive extension cord.
Step 5: Determine How Much Wire Is Necessary
To determine how much wire is required for this project, learn the wiring schematic for fixing a 50 amp RV outlet. Also, draw a wiring diagram to show the layout of the wires.
- Now, measure how much you’ll need to wire a 50 amp RV plug.
- If you choose the side application, measure from the outlet towards the ceiling, then all the way across the side down to the panel.
- Don’t get just the exact amount of wire, but consider adding a few extra feet to give space for bends.
Step 6: Mount The Outlet Box
Next, we’ll be mounting the outlet box on the wall. I like to make a hole at the back of the box to run the wires and make a cleaner look.
- Use a hole saw to drill a hole into the back of the box.
- Temporarily mount the box to the wall. Make sure that’s level and mark the location of the hole.
- Drill that marked hole through the wall and run screws straight through the box.
Step 7: Run The Wires
Now, it’s time to run the wires from the outlet box to the main breaker panel.
- Feed the wires through a hard or soft conduit. A hard conduit or piping keeps the lines nice and tight, while the soft one is easier to work with.
- Route the wires according to plan.
- Secure the wires with some metal straps or zip ties every few feet. This setup will keep the wires from moving with the wind and prevent damage.
Step 8: Wire In The Outlet
Making the 50 amp RV outlet wiring is easy because everything is labeled inside. You can also refer to the outlet’s user manual for instructions on proper wire connections.
- Put two blacks or a black and a red into every side of the outlet.
- Connect white wire to neutral and ground wire to ground.
- Once all the wires are properly connected, tape to nicely tuck them into the box.
- Screw back the box. Make sure that you don’t pinch the wires.
Step 9: Mount The Breaker
Now, it’s time to install the 50-amp breaker into the electric panel. We’ll be connecting the wires coming in from the pipe into the breaker.
- Take off the electrical panel.
- Run the two blacks or black/red into the breaker that’s unseated on the busbar.
- Connect the white and the green or bare metal wires to the neutral and ground bus, respectively. The ground and neutral buses typically have small holes for easy wire insertion.
- Once you’re done, return the breaker panel back on.
Step 10: Test Power
At this point, you have the RV outlet mounted, the 50 amp RV plug wiring done, the conduits strapped, and the breaker installed. Now, it’s time to take the RV outlet to the test.
- Turn the main power back on, then flip the breaker onto that RV outlet.
- Open your outlet box and check for power using a multimeter.
- Is a 50 amp RV plug 110 or 220? Neither, because an RV plug offers 120 volts in each prong. This RV plug only becomes 220 volts if it’s built with four prongs.
- Once you’ve confirmed the power, turn the breaker off and plug the RV into the outlet.
- Turn the breaker back on and get inside your RV to check if there’s power. You should be able to use all the appliances, like the microwave.
Conclusion
So, that’s it for a detailed guide on how to install a 50 amp RV outlet. It’s pretty simple if you know your way around wires, electric panels, and outlet boxes. If you’re not confident about doing this electrical work alone, it’s better to ask the help from a professional.
If you find the tutorial helpful, feel free to share it with your friends.
Read more: RV outlets vs house outlets: what is the difference?
Okay, so I’m Philip Lopez. I join Riverside Trailer as an editor, where I will be doing research for both content and reviews. I contribute to studies aimed at understanding the most typical problems encountered by RVers on the road. I also keep up with the newest RVing gadget innovations so that I can promptly evaluate and recommend the best options.