Neat electrical workaround

[bruceh]

I was in a campground near Sacramento and it was hot. Was plugged into a 30 circuit and my motorhome is 30 amp. Had the AC going full blast and pulling 27 amps. The park breaker kept blowing even though it was a 30 amp breaker.

I was thinking about moving to a different site when the camphost suggested hooking into the 50 amp circuit. I picked up an adaptor and no more problems for the next 4 days.

Maybe everybody else already know this but it was news to me.

[AFChap]

As breakers age they can get weak and can trip when the load is less than their rating. When you use a dogbone adapter to plug a 30a RV into a 50a outlet you are using one side of the 50a, so theoretically have 50a available. That should remove the problem of a weak breaker on the shore post ... great solution, and one I imagine the RV park owner has had to deal with before. Perhaps time for him to replace some weak breakers? ...although a constant 27a is kind of pushing the capacity of a 30a circuit.

[tvman44]

The 30 amp breakers are famous for tripping because they are worn out from being over loaded so often and tripping that they get weak.

[Jackm]

Quote:

The 30 amp breakers are famous for tripping because they are worn out from being over loaded so often and tripping that they get weak.

This is a fact.

Jack