30 amp connection

[Cookieman]

How do y'all deal with 30 amp connections, on generator/inverter or other situations. I currently use a jumper to get all circuits to work. I have set up my site here at home base on 30 amp but curious if there is another solution. Haven't had any tripped breaker problems.

[Cookieman]

How do y'all deal with 30 amp connections, on generator/inverter or other situations. I currently use a jumper to get all circuits to work. I have set up my site here at home base on 30 amp but curious if there is another solution. Haven't had any tripped breaker problems.

[LindaH]

We have a 50-amp to 30-amp adapter that we use. Of course, your Honda EU3000 takes a special 30-amp adapter...it's a locking one rather than the *regular* 30-amp adapter that is found at Camping World or most other places that sell adapters. And it's not cheap--as I recall, when we bought ours several years ago, it cost $80-$90.

[ChiefJohn]

Linda's got you covered -- we have a Yamaha 3000 and the adapter--can't remember if the adapter was included or an accessory. Also have the standard 50 to 30 AMP adapter for shore power

[Cookieman]

I have both adapters you mention, that isn't my problem. When you plug in your 50 - 30 amp adapter you only get half of the circuits powered up. My breaker box requires to hot lines(like a 220 household wiring configuration). The first time I plugged into 30 amp circuit, ceiling fan, fridge and some other items didn't work. An electrician put a jumper across the poles in the box so I get 110V to both sides. Linda, when you use your 50-30 adapter does everything work?

[ChiefJohn]

Unless I'm having a 'senior moment', all of my 110v accessories work off the 50-30 amp adapter. I need to be aware of my amperage usage to avoid popping a circuit breaker.

[Still Working "NOT"]

Hopefully I not haveing a senior moment also.

Are you trying to use a 30amp male to 50 amp female adapter factory made or homemade? If it is homemade it would require a jumper on the 50amp end to power the whole fifth wheel. Factory made are wired this way within the 50 amp end. This does not have 220 volts. Just the same 110 volt on both sides of the 50 amp plug.

[Cookieman]

That is what I didn't understand. I had a homemade coupler, but bought a commerical brand at camping world last winter. So you're telling me a 50 amp connection is splitting the same leg, not using two separate legs? Is this true in a 50 amp outlet at a campground? Thanks.

[LindaH]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Cookieman:
When you plug in your 50 - 30 amp adapter you only get half of the circuits powered up. ... The first time I plugged into 30 amp circuit, ceiling fan, fridge and some other items didn't work. ... Linda, when you use your 50-30 adapter does everything work? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes, everything inside the rig works when we're plugged into a 30-amp outlet using our 50-amp to 30-amp adapter.

Have you tried using a different 50-amp to 30-amp adapter? Either there's something wrong with your current adapter, or (more likely) there's something wrong somewhere in your rig's wiring. Don't ask me what...what I know about electricity would fit in a thimble with lots of room left over ; however, I do know what you're describing isn't the way it's suppose to work.

[RustyJC]

A 50 amp RV circuit has 4 conductors - L1, L2, N and ground. L1 and L2 must be 180 degrees out of phase; otherwise, the N (neutral) leg can be overloaded. A properly-wired 50 amp circuit will show the following readings with a voltmeter:

L1 to N - 120VAC
L2 to N - 120VAC
L1 to L2 - 240VAC

When a 50 amp rig is plugged into a 30 amp circuit using a properly-wired 30 amp adapter (such as a 50 to 30 dogbone), the rig's 2 each 50 amp busses are jumpered together in the adapter such that they act as a single 30 amp bus. As such, all devices in the RV should be powered, but one most likely cannot use all the devices simultaneously without tripping the 30 amp breaker in the shore power box.

Rusty

[Cookieman]

Thanks for the info, I think I have a grip on the problem now. Wired like a home at 2 120v legs. I have a wire that has a wire nut on it, and only one of the 50 amp breakers was hard wired, the jumper was run from one to the other 50 amp breaker. I'll test the capped wire, which I now suspect is the second leg. Problems become simple with some expertise. Thanks again.