30 amp to 50 amp conversion

[tanstaafl]

Originally Posted by sclaryusa

OK,I get it!! I have 2 air conditioners that work well on 30 amps together. Have to turn one off to run microwave or washer/dryer. Might be going to work in North Carolina and they said they only have 50 amp service.

I only had a motorhome for a month so forgive my stupid questions! I am trying to learn how to do things the correct way!! Thanks to all for your help and understanding!!!

Just get an adaptor.

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by sclaryusa

OK,I get it!! I have 2 air conditioners that work well on 30 amps together. Have to turn one off to run microwave or washer/dryer. Might be going to work in North Carolina and they said they only have 50 amp service.

I only had a motorhome for a month so forgive my stupid questions! I am trying to learn how to do things the correct way!! Thanks to all for your help and understanding!!!

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked.

You just need a 50A Male to 30A Female adapter, available at WalMart or any RV store.

I have found that if a CG has 50A service, they almost certainly have a 30A plug in the same pedestal. Still, you should have an adapter for your coach. If there are problems with the 30A it gives you a fallback position.

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by sclaryusa

OK,I get it!! I have 2 air conditioners that work well on 30 amps together. Have to turn one off to run microwave or washer/dryer. Might be going to work in North Carolina and they said they only have 50 amp service.

I only had a motorhome for a month so forgive my stupid questions! I am trying to learn how to do things the correct way!! Thanks to all for your help and understanding!!!

Your question was a lot of things but was not stupid. I and others are concerned about your safety. Trying to find out if it was something that could be done and whether or not it was feasible is a good reason to ask it at this forum. The question you did not address was whether or not you were going to do it yourself and that was the question I was worried about.

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by Ramblin

The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked.

You just need a 50A Male to 30A Female adapter, available at WalMart or any RV store.

I have found that if a CG has 50A service, they almost certainly have a 30A plug in the same pedestal. Still, you should have an adapter for your coach. If there are problems with the 30A it gives you a fallback position.

My experience has been that there are a lot more parks with 30 amp hookups or both than there are with just 50 amp hookups and as I have said on other posts I consider that a dangerous thing to do.

[flaggship1]

Originally Posted by gemini5362

Actually that is not what he needs and as I have said on other posts I consider that a dangerous thing to do.

So what does he need in a few words or a picture?

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by hanko

I wouldnt listen to anyone on this forum concerning electrical unless they are a state licensed master Electrician. I would contact a Rv service facility with your questions. Some the replies here are down right dangerous and ignorant.

While I agree that some replies are dangerous. I think the statement about only licensed electricians is a bit insutling. Actually a lot of licensed electricians only know the NEC, how to bend conduit and a bit of ohms law. I could pass the test. I knew ohms law when I was 16 and learned a few hundred other electrical/ electronic formulas in the last few decades, I am not that good at bending conduit but really do not like to do it so I do not practice. You do not have to be a master licensed electrician to be an industrial electrician in a factory environment. Bottom line there are a lot of people that know more about electricity than a state licensed electrician. But I do promise that I will not advise anyone on here how to bend conduit.

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

So what does he need in a few words or a picture?

flaggship, my mistake I went back and corrected my post. He could plug in with an adapter. I consider that an unsafe thing to do based on having a circuit breaker that can take more current than his power cable. I am hoping that he will find that they have either 30 amp power available or have both 50 and 30. In the campgrounds that I have seen there are usually more 30 than 50 and the ones that have 50 have both 30 and 50.

I have not looked to see what was out there. If he had to absolutely do this then follow the advice on another post I have seen. pull his entire power cable out on the ground and only run the minimum amount needed in his MH. If he can find an adapter that has a 30 amp fuse or breaker in the end where his power cable hooks up it would be better. Like I said I am hoping he will not have to do this.

[flaggship1]

^^^ - I think we both read with horror - about the fire / coiled cord / adapter fire. And agree 30 Amp is more widely available, especially in older CGs, state and Fed parks etc.

Having 50 amp, I have both dogbone and an PI adapter to 30. I don't like to do it though - not so much due to the connection but the additional load balancing the EMS goes through. So far with 50 amp service I have not had load shedding at all and have had lots of things running at the same time. Only once did my rear bath GFI kick off and refrig not start. That was on start up after I had some work done by a shop. I think they tripped it and didn't reset it. They installed two battery disconnects, one for house and one for coach batteries. Pushed the button and all was well and has been ever since.

Sorry for wandering a bit OT.

On Edit - notice which terminal is indicated as disconnected in the imprint on the switch. This is often debated as well. Mine is wired as indicated - even though the shop wanted to go the other route. I said look at the instruction and I will keep your opinion (and many others) in mind.

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by gemini5362

My experience has been that there are a lot more parks with 30 amp hookups or both than there are with just 50 amp hookups and as I have said on other posts I consider that a dangerous thing to do.

I consider it not, at all, a dangerous thing to do. But I will concede that plugging in without using ANY sort of adapter is always preferable.

Plugging a 30A RV into a 50A outlet is exactly the same as plugging a 1A coffee maker into a 15A branch circuit. 99.999% of items are rated for fewer amps than the circuit they are plugged into is capable of providing. It is, in fact, only when it is the OTHER WAY AROUND that problems arise, and circuit breakers need to do their jobs.

And so, I would respectfully submit that plugging a 50A coach into a 30A pedestal is (by far) the more dangerous thing to do, not the other way around. The OP will be perfectly fine using the prescribed dogbone adapter for his 30A coach.

Perhaps one of those "state licensed Master electricians" could weigh in on this.

[hanko]

Originally Posted by gemini5362

flaggship, my mistake I went back and corrected my post. He could plug in with an adapter. I consider that an unsafe thing to do based on having a circuit breaker that can take more current than his power cable. I am hoping that he will find that they have either 30 amp power available or have both 50 and 30. In the campgrounds that I have seen there are usually more 30 than 50 and the ones that have 50 have both 30 and 50.

I have not looked to see what was out there. If he had to absolutely do this then follow the advice on another post I have seen. pull his entire power cable out on the ground and only run the minimum amount needed in his MH. If he can find an adapter that has a 30 amp fuse or breaker in the end where his power cable hooks up it would be better. Like I said I am hoping he will not have to do this.

I see you know enough to be dangerous

[Sky_Boss]

To the OP...

If you checked out the other recent thread you should see that it is possible to convert a 30A RV to a "true" 50A (100A total) one but it isn't real simple.

OTOH, you may have seen that it is reasonably possible to run a second 20A circuit and breaker box and then move a few things to it like your second AC unit and perhaps a dedicated circuit you can use for low power items like (forgive me RVM1) an outside outlet for rope lights or an inside outlet for light weight use like phone & computer chargers. (Of course, if you don't have the AC unit on that circuit turned on, you can use it with nearly anything you would have in an RV) With this kind of set up you would use your current RV's 30A plug in the CG's 30A outlet and then run a second cord from the 20A breaker box the CG's 20A outlet.

The pros to this would be that you could run both AC units without having to shut one down to make coffee or use of the microwave. Of course, if you had need for a hair dryer...

The only negative I see is that you would loose use of your second AC unit by removing it off of the RVs main breaker panel if you didn't have the second beaker plugged in. I suppose there is a work around for that too but I think that removes the "simple" option and reintroduces the complicated.

[jerichorick]

All of the input and advice seems to be on the money from all of the contributors. A good rule of thumb is 'If it ain't broke don't fix it.' Buy a 30 to 50 amp adapter and be done with it. There are many discussions on irv2 about brands. Maintain your cord contacts by burnishing them and applying a scant amount of dielectric grease. Some good contact cleaners are out there also. When plugged in check the plug for heat when under full load. Warm is normal. Hot is trouble.

The bottom line from most of us is 'KISS'. Keep it simply simple.

Happy and safe trails.

Rick

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by Ramblin

It is, in fact, only when it is the OTHER WAY AROUND that problems arise, and circuit breakers need to do their jobs.

And so, I would respectfully submit that plugging a 50A coach into a 30A pedestal is (by far) the more dangerous thing to do, not the other way around. The OP will be perfectly fine using the prescribed dog-bone adapter for his 30A coach.

Ramblin,

I totally agree. There have been FAR more problems with people who own a 50 amp coach WITHOUT an on-board EMS shedding system over loading the 30 amp shore circuit and not monitoring their amp usage appropriately. Also there have been WAY more 30 - 50 amp dog-bone failures and fires with that configuration versus 50 amp to 30 amp.

For those that have an on-board EMS shedding device, you do not have to worry so much because it is automatically taken care of by the system.

I've been to RV Parks that ONLY have a 50 amp pedestal. Beverly Beach Camptown RV Resort in Flagler Beach FL is one of them. They are not common but they are out there.

It would be VERY difficult for a 30 amp coach to overload a 50 amp shore circuit versus a 50 amp coach to overload a 30 amp pedestal.

Common sense must prevail.

Dr4Film ----- Richard

[Dr4Film]

Originally Posted by flaggship1

Sorry for wandering a bit OT.

On Edit - notice which terminal is indicated as disconnected in the imprint on the switch. This is often debated as well. Mine is wired as indicated - even though the shop wanted to go the other route. I said look at the instruction and I will keep your opinion (and many others) in mind.

Steve,

That method used for battery disconnects is fairly common. Notice the color of wires going to and from the two battery disconnects in my electrical bay photo.

It's only when working on the batteries directly where you should disconnect the negative BEFORE the positive eliminating the possibility of accidentally grounding the tool while removing the positive cable from the battery.

There is NO debate as to which way is safer or correct. It's purely common sense.

Dr4Film ----- Richard