Best 50 Amp Generator for RV Reviews & Buying Guide-2022

Going camping or any outdoor activities with your RV is very useful once you carry along with you the best 50amp generator for RV. You may experience power outages while out there in the wild, which is where this generator comes in. Moreover, it makes sure all electronics run appropriately.

The DuroMax XP12000EH dual fuel electric start portable generator is one of the best 50 amp generators available in the market. With its noise-reducing feature, together with the dual-fuel ability, it is sure to deliver excellent results, not forgetting that it has a wide variety of applications.

How To Choose The Best 50 Amp Generator For RV?

What Are The Best 50 Amp Generators for RV?

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How Many Watts Does A 50 Amp RV Use?

A 50-amp RV uses more power and will have electronics that have high wattage needs. There are 4 AC outputs present; two 120V hot wires with ground wire, and even neutral wire.

If you want to know how much a 50amp can offer, there is a simple formula for this; volts* amperage. Because there are two AC outlets, the calculation will be as below: 2*120*50A=12,000 watts

Simply put, we multiply 120volts by the amperage, which is 50 to get a rating of 6000 watts. But remember our 50 amp RV has two hot wires. Hence, this needs us to multiply the 6000 watts by two to get 12,000 watts total voltage.

Generally, your 50 amp generator will need 12 000 watts. However, it does not justify you to get a generator with the same wattage as this will be very powerful. You will first need to consider the number of appliances you have in your RV and total kWh per device.

Usually, manufacturers recommend the best generators between 4000 and 8000 watts, which are not far from the 12,000 watts of the 50 amp RV.

How To Know If Your RV Trailer Is 30 Or 50 Amp

As an owner of an RV, you may not know whether it is 30 or 50 amps. It is essential to know this to determine the size of the generator you need or your electronic appliances' wattage needs.

The first and easiest way to know this is through looking at the plugs found on your RV. The plugs of a 50 amp RV differ from those of a 30 amp one. Therefore, if you know how to differentiate each, you will know what your RV trailer is.

A 30 amp plug usually has 3 prongs, including a 120V hot wire and even ground wire. It is meant for use on RVs that have lower requirements. On the other hand, 50 amp plug consist of four prongs; 2 120 volts hot wires, neutral wire, and a ground wire.

In addition to this, a 50 ampere RV gives out 12,000 wattages at maximum, while the 30 amp one is limited to 3,600-watts. This means it cannot go past the 3,600 wattage limit.

Besides, a 50 amp RV can run multiple electrical appliances simultaneously without any tripping happening. A microwave, air conditioner, drier, and TV can all run at the same time. A 30 amp RV can only run one appliance at a time.

In terms of outlets, a 30 amp RV does not have many of them, while a 50 amp one has various them. If you ever need to upgrade your 30 amp RV power, you need to increase the number of outlets, each of them on their circuits.

What Size Generator Do I Need For A 50 Amp RV?

Before you buy a generator for your RV, you first need to know your RV's electrical system. Is it a 30 or 50amp? We have discussed this in detail above there. Secondly, it is essential to determine the power needs of all the electronics present in your RV.

Usually, the amount of power needed by an appliance is indicated somewhere on it or its packaging. We will identify some of the most common appliances that will be found in an RV together with their wattage below.

Once you add up all the power needs of these appliances, then you will know the size of the generator to buy. A 50 amp RV needs more power as compared to the 30amp one. Hence, for a 50 amp RV, the generator will be more significant in size and power output.

It is also vital to factor in running watts and starting watts when calculating the power needs of your various appliances. To get the total power need of your refrigerator, you will need to add together its starting watts plus the running watts to get an accurate figure.

However, in a list of appliances, start by adding the running watts to the highest starting watts. We will show you an example starting with lighter appliances. Meanwhile, the minimum size of the generator for a 50amp RV should be about 4000W.

To calculate the power needs of the above, you will add together all the running watts plus the highest starting watts on the list;

1000W+ 180W+ 800W+ 400W+ 250W+ 1150W+500W+1500W=5,780W

The total wattage of these appliances will be 5780W

Because the starting watts are usually higher for most appliances, you should look out for a generator that delivers enough starting watts. Remember, we said each generator has its starting and running watts. It is also good to focus on the big appliances on your RV, such as the air conditioner.

Air conditioners usually have high kWh, and it depends on their sizes too. Choosing an RV generator largely depends on such appliances, and if you want to operate multiple appliances at once. If so, then you will need a generator that gives out more power than 4,000W.

A 15,000 BTU AC has starting watts of 3300 and running watts of 2000. This can comfortably be run by a generator of 4000W considering the starting watts. You can then run your other lighter appliances concurrently after the AC has started.

All in all, to be safe, you need to get a generator that is bigger in terms of the wattage needs of your appliances. It should have an extra 600-1000 watts more than the required. Do not get one that is too small as it will likely overload and end up not working.

If you are planning on using many appliances at once, then your generator should be between 7000-8000 watts. On the other hand, if you are operating appliances that use less power, then a generator between 4000 and 6000 watts is perfect for you.

Plugging A 50 Amp RV Into A 30amp Power Source

Can I plug my 50 amp RV into a 30 amp power source? This is a very common question that many RV users ask whenever they want to get a generator for power backup on their RV.

We notice that most RVs are 30 amps unless you need to power heavy appliances. At this juncture is when you will consider a 50 amp generator. To answer this question, yes, it is possible to power your 50 amp RV using a 30 amp source of power using an adapter.

However, it may not power it up efficiently. As we know, the total wattage from a 30 amp generator is likely to be 3,600 at maximum. So if the appliances in your 50 amp RV have a rating of 10,000 watts, the power source will not be able to provide sufficient power.

Connecting to a 30 amp power source largely limits you the number of appliances to use in your 50amp RV. If you click high wattage appliances, the circuit breakers are likely to trip, and this is not what you want to achieve.

For high performance, you will need to connect the appliances one by one. The dog bone electrical adapter is the most recommended adapter that connects a 30 amp power source to a 50 amp RV.

Nonetheless, experts do not recommend this type of connection. You are either using a 50 amp generator with a power source of the same wattage or just use a 30 amp one.

Best Ways To Maintain Your 50 Amp Generator

You should never expose your generator to harsh weather conditions such as rain and snow, as it is hazardous. If the engine and wiring get exposed, there will be lots of damages. Also, you would not want to risk electrocution due to the outlet panel’s exposure to water.

To avoid this, you can come up with an outdoor structure to shelter your generator. This can either be temporary or permanent, depending on how you want. But usually, we recommend a rigid and durable permanent structure for efficient results.

It is also important to occasionally lubricate it with regards to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Be sure to change the engine’s oil. If you use stale oil that has overstayed, it may cause damages to your generator.

After every use and before storage, make sure to drain fuel from the generator carefully. This is when you do not intend to use the generator as soon and want to store it away for a while.

Procure professional servicing for your generator regularly. This may be costly, but well, it will be worth it. You would not want to spend more monies on repairs and replacing the different parts of the generator.

Reasons Why Generator Will Not Start

We have seen customers complaining severally about their generators not starting. Therefore, we outline below some of the common reasons why your generator does not start.

• Your generator may be low on fuel. The first thing to do before operating your 50 amp generator is to check that the fuel tank is not empty. Also, check that the tubing and the valves on the tank are open.
• Engine does not have oil. The generator’s engine needs oil to run, so the fat is low for as long as it will not start. Not changing your oil in more than 50 or 20 hours may cause this or any leakage.
• Dead batteries may cause your generator not to start. If you are using an electric starter to start up your generator, check whether the starter’s battery is dead. If this is the case, try using another method of starting it up or jump-start the battery using your car’s battery.
• There should be no cables plugged on to your generator’s outlets when you want to start it, as this will prevent it from creating.
• Having too much air or too little of it, mixing with fuel during combustion will cause the generator not to start. Besides, your air filter may be blocked with dust particles, and debris prevents enough air combustion in your carburetor.
• When the generator’s carburetor blocks, your generator will fail to start. This is due to old gasoline or propane clogging, thus preventing the new fuel from penetrating. To avoid this, you have to clean the carburetor.
• Low oil sensor may be malfunctioning, and thus your generator will not start.

Conclusion

If you want to achieve excellent backup and uninterrupted power while camping away with your RV, you should opt for the best 50 amp generator for RV. You are sure of powering most of your appliances with ease as long as you use the right wattage rating.

Choose any 50 amp generator from our list, and you will not regret it. Ensure to check the starting and rated watts, noise levels, runtime, fuel consumption, and portability before purchase. We are confident that this article will help you have enough insight into 50 amp generators for your RV generators.

However, if you face any problem using this best 50Amp generator for RV, you can visit our website anytime. On our website, you can get enough information to enable you to make maximum use of our products.

FAQ’s

• Which type of fuel is perfect for my RV?

Gasoline is the most popular because it is readily available in many gas stations and is usually efficient. Propane is environmentally friendly but may not be easily accessible in case it runs out.

• How many watts generator can run my 10,000 BTU air conditioner?

For a 10,000 BTU air conditioner, you will need a generator between 2000w and 4000W depending on the conditioner’s starting watts.

• Will a 30 amp generator run a 50 amp camper?

Yes, it can, but this is not recommendable as the camper has more appliances and will strain the 30 amp generator, leading to the tripping of the circuit breakers. Moreover, a 50 amp RV has a 12,000 watts rating, while a 30 amp generator has a limited rating of 3,600-watts.

• How long will a generator run to charge my RV batteries fully?

If your battery has some charge remaining, like at least 30%, it will take it 1.5 hours to fully charge it. But if the battery is empty, it will take longer to charge fully.

• Can I use a generator that is running low on fuel?

No, it is not recommendable. The first thing to do is to shut it down and allow it to cool, after which you can add more fuel. Other generators have the low oil auto shut off feature that will shut down the generator once it is low on fuel.

• Why is a 50 amp generator significant?

50 amp generators are suitable for powering more powerful appliances and deliver enough power needed for your RV.