Can I Plug My RV Into The 50 Amp Service For A Welder?

by Nancy
(Selma, NC)

My camper is 30 amp and I wondering if it can be plugged into a 50 amp service that is used for a welder??

ANSWER Greetings Nancy thanks for submitting your question on our Ask An RV Question Page.

No you cannot plug your RV into a plug designed for a welder. The plug for the welder is 220 volts. If you figured out some way to rig a plug to fit the welder plug and it was not configured right you would immediately blow up all of your RV's electrical appliances. The RV's electrical system is designed to run on 120 volts AC.

Depending on who did the wiring for the welding plug, they may have used a receptacle that looks similar to the one you use in your RV. But do not use it or you will be in for some very expensive repairs on your RV.

My suggestion to you is to get an electrician in and have them set up a properly wired 30 amp circuit for your RV. A less expensive alternative is to buy a 30 Amp To 15 Amp 125 Volt Straight Adapter and plug into your normal 15 amp or 20 amp house receptacle. Our RV has 50 amp service, but when our RV is at home we use a 50 Amp To 30 Amp Adaptor and use the the 30 Amp to 15 Amp adapter to plug into our house. The house receptacle I plug into is only 15 amps, but has no other items plugged into it. Even with this connection I am able to run one of the roof Air Conditioners and still use the TV and 12 volt lights in the motorhome.

Now I cannot run the Air Conditioner and the microwave at the same time as it kicks off the circuit breaker in the house. How I know this is because Mrs. RVing Al tried to do that and I had to reset the breaker in the house. If you are lucky enough to have a 20 Amp circuit you can plug into, you will be able to run even more appliances (you still will not be able to run the A/C and microwave at the same time).

If you are planning to live in your camper; you may have to opt for getting the proper 30 Amp circuit installed by an electrician. If not; using the adaptors to hook up to a normal house circuit will do a very good when storing your RV and you will still have the ability of limited use of the appliances in your RV.

I hope that this information has been helpful to you. If any of our visitors have any suggestions for you they can leave them by clicking on the add a comment link near the bottom of this page.

Happy RVing

RVing Al

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