Are RV Plugs 110V or 220V?

Written by Jeff Campbell in RV Electrical Last Updated January 17, 2024

RV electricity can be a tad confusing. After all, shore power is often 50 amp/220v, and household outlets are 110v AC. So are RV plugs 110V or 220V?

RVs plugs that connect the RV to a power pedestal in a campground are typically 220v 50-amp plugs. However, not all campgrounds can accommodate that plug, so many campers bring adapters with them to power down from 50 amp to 30 amp and also from 30 amp to 110v. 

Of course, the outlets in an RV are all standard 110v outlets, just like in your home.

But there’s a lot more to know about your RV’s electrical system. In this article, we’ll explore whether most campgrounds have 50-amp service and if a 30-amp or 50-amp power cord utilizes a 110 or 220 volt. But we’ll also look at how many things can operate if you’re only connected to 110v.

Let’s get started.

rv plugs 220 lg

Do most campgrounds have 50 amp?

Most modern campgrounds have both a 50-amp outlet and 30-amp connections, sometimes in addition to a standard 110v outlet. However, state and national park campgrounds, if they provide electricity at all, rarely have 50-amp outlets.

Now, as the names imply, each type of connection offers a different kind of service. The capacity of a 50-amp connection is naturally higher than that of a 30-amp connection.

50-amp is ideal for all modern motorhomes and fifth wheels that have a lot of different things needing power, such as:

  • 2 or more AC units on the roof
  • Multiple televisions
  • A full-sized refrigerator
  • A microwave oven
  • Outdoor entertainment options

But, if you’ve got a small camper with minimal energy requirements, you can definitely get along just fine with only 30-amp and can still cover the basics even with just 110v.

Just make sure you have those adapters!

That way, you’re covered no matter what the campground you’re at has. A 30 amp to 50 amp cord adapter like this one from Amazon allows you to convert shore power down to a 30-amp cord if your RV’s plug is a 50-amp.

But a 110v to 30 amp adapter like this one from Amazon is a great option to connect a 30-amp RV or that first adapter I linked to, to a 110v outlet. It’s durable and gets excellent reviews on Amazon.

I carry both of those at all times in my RV. You know that RVs also have multiple batteries for powering the insides, and motorhomes also have a battery for starting the engine.

But what’s the difference, and does 1 set of batteries charge the others?

Not to worry, I‘ve got you covered because a recent article explores whether an RV generator charges the battery and if plugging in an RV charges the battery. But I also looked at whether driving the RV charges the house battery.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Is a 30-amp or 50-amp RV plug 110 or 220 volt?

A 30-amp RV plug runs off of 110 volts, while a 50-amp RV plug can run off of both 110 and 220 volts. The former can produce a total of 3,600 watts, while the latter can produce 12,000 watts.

And technically, a 30-amp outlet has a 120v hot wire, not 110v. And consequently, a 50-amp connector simply has 2 of those for a total of 240v.

It’s easy to distinguish the plugs from each other because 30-amp plugs have 3 pins while 50-amp plugs have 4 pins.

A 30 amp is used in RVs that that are not power-hungry. Think medium-sized trailers or maybe a Class B RV. I will say, however, that these days, almost all RVs have the option of using 50-amps.

And that way, you don’t have to worry about appliances flipping off when you max out the electricity. 50-amp service can easily power 2 AC units, and many modern RVs on the larger side have that.

Are RV outlets 120 or 240?

RV outlets put out 120 volts but work on 240-volt service that’s been split into two 120 volts. Just like your home electricity, RV outlets are 120 volts made up of a 240 volts service that’s divided into two using a center tap transformer.

The 240 volts transformer is split in the middle by a neutral conductor such that each hot leg provides 120 volts each (2 *120 = 240).

When an appliance is connected to either of the hot legs and a neutral, you get 120 volts. But if anything is connected to booth hot legs, the voltage adds up to 240.

In virtually all RVs, despite the fact that the voltage is coming to your power center on Hot 1 and Hot 2, the device is wired such that the circuit breaker ensures that only one of the split phases connects to an appliance at any time. The circuit breaker ensures that it trips both legs, even if it’s only one leg that goes over the 50 amps current.

What happens to electricity in the outlets while you’re driving in a motorhome?

Are your outlets being charged at the same time? That’s what I explored in a recent article. I looked at what powers the outlets in an RV and whether your RV has an inverter. But I also looked at whether RV outlets work on battery power.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Can I plug my RV into a 110 outlet?

All RVs can be connected to a 110v power outlet with the appropriate adapter as most RV connector cables are either 50-amp or 30-amp. However, on 110v, only a handful of appliances will be able to work simultaneously.

So don’t expect to kick back with the AC on, one or more TVs going, the outdoor entertainment system blaring music while popping popcorn in the microwave.

That is guaranteed to trip the breaker due to the overload, especially in a large RV with a lot of electrical requirements.

Do expect to keep the fridge going (it likely works off both propane and electricity), and maybe 1 appliance at a time. Chances are your AC system (especially if you have more than 1 unit) will not work.

I bet you’ve probably wondered why some outlets won’t work in your RV. 

That’s the theme of a recent article of mine. In it, I looked at whether RV outlets work on battery power and how to fix an outlet.

But I also explained why your RV GFCI electrical outlets keep tripping. And I cover how to find the faulty outlet when multiple outlets are tied to 1 GFCI outlet.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

Can I run my RV AC on 110?

In most cases, an RV AC unit will not work on 110v. It doesn’t have adequate power. The exception would be for 1 very small AC unit. However, that is still likely to use all available power limiting the use of anything else simultaneously.

One trick, though, would be to turn off everything else and crank the AC.

Keep the windows, and doors closed and get the RV temperature nice and comfy. Then switch the AC off and use a few other things such as the microwave or watch some TV.

As it starts to heat up inside, just repeat.

But that’s not the only tip! In a recent article, I got into more detail about how to run your AC on 110V and how many amps does an RV AC use. But then I also shared what will work in an RV off a 110V 20-amp outlet.

Just click the link to read it on my site.

What appliances and devices will work in an RV using 110v power?

If you are at a campground that only offers a 110v standard household outlet just like in a home, that will limit the number of things that can be run simultaneously in your RV.

For starters, things like air conditioners will likely not work. Other things may work as long as you aren’t running too many at one time. Those things can include:

  • TVs
  • Hair dryers
  • Electrical appliances (toaster, toaster oven, Instant Pot, etc)
  • Water heater
  • Electric stove

Larger appliances, such as maybe a washer/dryer, and certainly HVAC units will likely not run.

The good news is that if you overload the circuit, it will simply trip the breaker on the pedestal. In that case, unplug 1 or more things, and flip the breaker back on. Repeat if necessary until you have the correct amount of things going simultaneously.

What’s the difference between 110v and 220v?

As the names imply, 110v is half the power of 220v. As such, it’s safer to work around due to the potential level of injury.

Household outlets such as the regular outlets in your home or RV are 110v outlets. If your home has a 220-volt outlet, it’s likely the dryer outlet if it’s not a gas-powered dryer.

110v plugs have 3 wires:

  • Hot wire
  • Neutral wire
  • Ground wire

220v plugs, by comparison, can have 3 or 4 wires.

No matter what the setup, the color of the wires is pretty standard. Those colors will be:

  • Red wires or Black wires – Carry 110v (a 220v circuit will often have both)
  • White wire – Neutral
  • Green wire – Ground wire

As you’ve probably guessed, a standard 110v plug will either have 2 prongs or 2 prongs and a ground plug (if it’s a higher-powered appliance). 220v plugs will have 3 or 4 prong plugs although in my experience, 4 is most common.

Does a surge protector help with both 110v and 220v issues?

Yes, an RV surge protector (click to read my in-depth guide to them) will help protect the electrical components and appliances in your RV to matter whether you are connected to a campground pedestal via 110v, 30-amps, or 50-amps.

An RV surge protector simply plugs into the pedestal at your campground.

Then you simply your RV’s power cord into it. And if your plug is 50-amp but you only have 30-amp plugs or 110v plugs, then simply use one of these adapters I mentioned above.

A 30 amp to 50 amp cord adapter like this one from Amazon allows you to convert shore power down to a 30-amp cord if your RV’s plug is a 50-amp.

But a 110v to 30 amp adapter like this one from Amazon is a great option to connect a 30-amp RV or that first adapter I linked to, to a 110v outlet. It’s durable and gets excellent reviews on Amazon.

I have both of those and they go everywhere with me just so I’m ready for anything.

Conclusion

In the article, we explored whether most campgrounds have 50-amp services and if a 30-amp or 50-amp plug utilizes a 110 or 220 volt.

But we also discovered whether RV outlets are 120 or 240. Then, we looked at whether it is okay to plug your RV into a 110 outlet. Lastly, we found out if you can run your AC on 110.

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