Community Forums

mel s · 07-31-2015, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darwin

You can by an adaptor box that plugs into the 30 amp plug and the 20 amp plug with a 50 amp receptacle.

Darwin
Those "adapter boxes, (aka: "cheater" boxes/cords adapters), ONLY work if both the 20A AND the 30A pedestal receptacle ARE NOT GFCI protected.
Mel
'96 Safari

NFlcamper · 07-31-2015, 07:14 PM

I have a 30A trailer and the previous owner modified the breaker box and changed it out to a 50A cord. I carry RV adapters to go from 50A down to 30A, 30A down to 20A/15A house type plugs and step up adapters from 20A/15A household to 30A RV, 30A RV to 50A RV because some campgrounds I go to only have 30A service. I have used these adapters at one place or another or loaned them to friends tent camping beside me. These adapters are fairly inexpensive and don't take up much space and are nice to have if needed.
I even have a 30A down to 20A twist lock adapter to plug into a cord that I had given to me. It is a 100' yellow cord and I use it to keep my TT plugged in for the A/C and fridge. I could stretch out my 2 50A cords to reach a plug I have, but that would have a plug laying on the ground in the rains. The twist lock female plug was available at my local hardware store and easy to install.

cheekster96 · 07-31-2015, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Winepress

Lee, the simplest solution is to call the campground and ask. Most likely will have the 30 amp outlet that you need and save you $ by not buying an adapter.

I did call, twice. I asked the lady if they had 30 or 50 amp setup. First lady was unsure and guessed that it was 30 amps.

I called again today to confirm our reservation and asked again..this time, another lady said they only have 50 amp service connections.

Lee

Old Scout · 07-31-2015, 08:50 PM

Yes-step down adaptors are available and if used properly, will work ok. However, I am generally not in favor of the potential for having 50 amps go thru a cord designed for 30 amps, or worse yet, 50 amps thru a 15 amp cord [two step-down dog-bones]. 50 amp cord in a 15 amp plug-in--ok; vice versa--not so much.....

69Stang · 08-01-2015, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheekster96

I did call, twice. I asked the lady if they had 30 or 50 amp setup. First lady was unsure and guessed that it was 30 amps.

I called again today to confirm our reservation and asked again..this time, another lady said they only have 50 amp service connections.

Lee

I'll bet it has both.

69Stang · 08-01-2015, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Scout

Yes-step down adaptors are available and if used properly, will work ok. However, I am generally not in favor of the potential for having 50 amps go thru a cord designed for 30 amps, or worse yet, 50 amps thru a 15 amp cord [two step-down dog-bones]. 50 amp cord in a 15 amp plug-in--ok; vice versa--not so much.....

The adapter only taps into one leg of the 110 and stops the other leg at the adapter. Now I'm not sure about the pulling 50 amps of 110 through your 30 amp cord. Is that what's it's doing?

Rockwood27 · 08-01-2015, 05:28 AM

I have a light on my table with an 18 gauge cord, plugged into an outlet protected by a 20 amp circuit breaker. How is this any different than a 30 amp RV plugged into a 50 amp service?

mel s · 08-01-2015, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 69Stang

The adapter only taps into one leg of the 110 and stops the other leg at the adapter. Now I'm not sure about the pulling 50 amps of 110 through your 30 amp cord. Is that what's it's doing?

69Stang
Each leg of a 50A campground pedestal receptacle can supply UP TO 50A, (100A total), to the RV.
Which means a 20A or a 30A cord could be overloaded, (heat up and burn), if you try to use more amps in the RV than the amp rating of the cord because the 50A pedestal breaker will not trip unless/until you try to pull more than 50A through either leg of a 50A cord.

However "common sense electrical management", (along with the RV's on board 120VAC circuit breakers), will allow you to safely use UP TO as many amps in the RV as the cord is rated for.

Mel
'96 Safari

69Stang · 08-01-2015, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockwood27

I have a light on my table with an 18 gauge cord, plugged into an outlet protected by a 20 amp circuit breaker. How is this any different than a 30 amp RV plugged into a 50 amp service?

Good point. The converter should still only be able to draw 30 amps. Maybe an expert can confirm this.

NFlcamper · 08-01-2015, 06:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Scout

Yes-step down adaptors are available and if used properly, will work ok. However, I am generally not in favor of the potential for having 50 amps go thru a cord designed for 30 amps, or worse yet, 50 amps thru a 15 amp cord [two step-down dog-bones]. 50 amp cord in a 15 amp plug-in--ok; vice versa--not so much.....

It is ok IF you watch what you use when plugged in this way. That 15 amp cord can power the fridge and power converter to keep the battery charged.

I have a 20 amp cord and I power the fridge, power converter, and A/C. I have checked the cord many times and no heat. Is also on a 20a breaker. I make sure nothing else is on or plugged in. I don't camp on this cord, I just use it at home to keep it ready to camp any weekend without having to charge the battery and cool the fridge. A/C is set to 82 and doesn't run except on the hottest part of the day. Keeps mold from forming and makes it so the fridge doesn't work so hard.

rideandslide · 08-01-2015, 06:42 AM

It's what you draw thru the cord, not the amount available. If you have a 30 amp cord, plugged into a 50 amp source, just do not draw more than 30 amps thru it.
We try to plug in all our exterior gadgets into the 15 amp receptical in the power pole, then thru an extension cord,.instead of drawing it thru the campers exterior 15 amp recepts.

Randalpho · 08-01-2015, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okiedoke

Get the adapter. We have an rv with 30 amp wiring but have been to a few places where the 30 amp outlet is worn or otherwise malfunctioning. It's good to have a backup.

I agree, I too have a 30 amp RV and have had to deal with 50 amp only as well as loose/worn 30 amp sockets and wrong polarity/bad grounds.

Half Dimes · 08-01-2015, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandyKathyM

In my 20 years of RVing never ran across a 50 amp only pedestal.

Went to Rock Crusher Canyon RV Park in FL in 2001 with our old 30 amp rig. Outlet was 50 amp only. For a small deposit, the campground would furnish a 50 to 30 adapter. Still the same way the last time we visited but it doesn't matter anymore.

Anyway, we now have adapters for most any situation and have used them all at one time or another.

Bigbird65 · 08-01-2015, 03:06 PM

I have run across some 30 amp outlets in camp grounds that are really worn out mechanically. My Surge Guard wants to fall out of these due to its weight. Therefore I carry a 50 amp to 30 amp "dogbone" adapter that allows me to connect to the 50 amp outlet. There seems to be some misconception about 50 amp outlets compared to 30 amp outlets. If your trailer pulls 23 amps from a 30 amp outlet it will, using an adapter, pull the same 23 amps from the 50 amp outlet. The 50 amp outlet is usually needed for RVs with 2 AC units. Here is a schematic of the dogbone adapter.