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Old 08-27-2012, 11:29 AM   #1
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50 amp Splitter

Has anyone ever used one of these 50 amp splitters? Are they safe?
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Old 08-27-2012, 11:38 AM   #2
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Won't give you true 50 amp power, you'll have 20 amps on one leg and 30 on the other for a potential of 50 amps
A true 50 amp RV circuit will have 50 amps on both legs and actually have a potential of 100 amps.
Safe? I wouldn't do it.
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Old 08-27-2012, 11:39 AM   #3
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And sometimes they will give the ground fault interrupter a case of heart burn and trip.

Ken
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Old 08-27-2012, 12:27 PM   #4
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Personal opinion...

I'm thinking that the practice of using such devices is not fair to the CG and maybe to your fellow campers. I have to ASSUME that CGs designed to provide 30amp service and an extra 20 amp outlet for light/occasional use are setting rates on these factors. If 50 amp rigs roll in and use something like these to draw more current, the CGs have to raise rates. On top of that, if the CG is not set up to handle lots of rigs doing the same thing, the net result could be bad power through out the CG.

Yes, I realize that 1 or 2 rigs doing this isn't gonna break the bank or toast the circuits. Perhaps for me there is a principle at play here...play nice in the sand box.

Now, if you pay for your power separate then I don't feel the same way except that I would be concerned about ability of the CG to give you good power.

BTW...devices like these are easy to spot and could get some CG owners reason to visit you. Do they? I don't know.

If folks think CGs are too expensive and this is a way to get some of the money back...vote with your wheels and find another one. Don't use trickery to work around it.

It's an opinion worth nothing since I can't even share a cup of coffee with it.
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Old 08-27-2012, 12:57 PM   #5
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To answer your question yes they work. On a 30 amp service the 30 amps is shared
on both legs of a 50 amp coach, with this one leg is supplied with 30 amps the other
is supplied with 20 amps.
This devise does not supply the same service that a regular 50 amps service does.
As to safe that depends if the CG is wired to code yes, if not trouble.
As stated above if the CG has a GFIC installed it will not work in most cases.
A few CG do not allow them or any other devise to protect their electrical system.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:00 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TXiceman View Post
And sometimes they will give the ground fault interrupter a case of heart burn and trip.

Ken
Not quite true: IF the 20 amp outlet (or even the 30) Is a GFCI type or protected by a GFCI breaker back at the box. IT WILL TRIP IT 100% of the time, if it does not the GFCI is defective.

I would recommend against this device.. Even though I have one not unlike it and do use it.. But there are only a couple of places where it works. (NO GFCI)

And one of them may be closing soon.
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Old 08-27-2012, 07:37 PM   #7
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I have one and use it occasionally, though not at a campground as shown in the photo. That would be fraudulent unless I was paying for the extra electric service.

At home I have twin 30A outlets so I can connect two coaches when we have guests. Otherwise I supply my own coach from the two outlets using the "splitter". [It's actually a "combiner", though.]

Mine has twin 30A plugs but I sometimes use it with a 30-->15 adapter on one or both. When parked in my BIL's yard I use a pair of 15A outlets to supply my coach - it's all that is available. They aren't GFCI circuits, so it works well enough.
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Old 08-27-2012, 07:48 PM   #8
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They do not work well on GFCI as already stated. On the issue of 'supposed fraud' I totally disagree. When 50Amp and 30Amp is available, is one who only uses the 30Amp entitled to a reduced rate? Or they being 'overcharged' by the campground? Using this device, when it does work, is simply taking advantage of the available power. What's next? Telling a person were to set their thermostat in hot climates so an not to abuse the availability of electricity. Is 78 degrees to low? How about 84 degrees? Let get real.
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Old 08-27-2012, 08:03 PM   #9
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Not sure if i agree on not working with gfci's, my dock has 2 30amp twistlock marinco recepticals and i split it this way for my 50amp boat receptical. was easier than rewiring the dock when I got the new boat. I have gfci breakers at the house to dock and seconds set in series on the dock. also many campgrounds/ resorts we have been to did not charge different for 30 or 50 amp service. just my 2 cents worth.
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Old 08-27-2012, 09:05 PM   #10
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You see this page for the differences and precautions.
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Old 08-28-2012, 08:48 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by athuddriver View Post
Personal opinion...

I'm thinking that the practice of using such devices is not fair to the CG and maybe to your fellow campers. I have to ASSUME that CGs designed to provide 30amp service and an extra 20 amp outlet for light/occasional use are setting rates on these factors. If 50 amp rigs roll in and use something like these to draw more current, the CGs have to raise rates. On top of that, if the CG is not set up to handle lots of rigs doing the same thing, the net result could be bad power through out the CG.

Yes, I realize that 1 or 2 rigs doing this isn't gonna break the bank or toast the circuits. Perhaps for me there is a principle at play here...play nice in the sand box.

Now, if you pay for your power separate then I don't feel the same way except that I would be concerned about ability of the CG to give you good power.

BTW...devices like these are easy to spot and could get some CG owners reason to visit you. Do they? I don't know.

If folks think CGs are too expensive and this is a way to get some of the money back...vote with your wheels and find another one. Don't use trickery to work around it.

It's an opinion worth nothing since I can't even share a cup of coffee with it.
I really wasn't asking you guys to be judge and jury on why someone should not use one to screw a campground. All I was asking is "IF THEY WORK and ARE THEY SAFE".
The Reason: I was at a state park here in Texas a month ago and all they have are 30 amp services. I plugged my 50 amp plug into their box and all I could get was enough to run 1 a/c unit, I could not run anything else in the bus. No water heater, no tv, no micro-wave..........the breaker would flip everytime. I pulled out my volt meter and checked the plug and it was 106v. I called the park ranger over and he changed out the breaker and the plug for me and as he was finishing up, "he was the one" that suggested that I buy one of these splitters for campgrounds, for CG like theirs that only offers 30 amp service. He admitted that they had an older state park and suggested that I drop a note in the park office on the way out asking to upgrade to a larger service. He said he has seen lots of guys use them at his CG and they don't mind the use of them at all. By the way, him changing out the breaker and plug for me did not help.
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Old 08-28-2012, 09:19 AM   #12
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What you see on a lot of replies is what someone thinks and claims
as fact, a lot are pure B.S.
As to "cheating the campground" not true.




Quote:
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I really wasn't asking you guys to be judge and jury on why someone should not use one to screw a campground. All I was asking is "IF THEY WORK and ARE THEY SAFE".
The Reason: I was at a state park here in Texas a month ago and all they have are 30 amp services. I plugged my 50 amp plug into their box and all I could get was enough to run 1 a/c unit, I could not run anything else in the bus. No water heater, no tv, no micro-wave..........the breaker would flip everytime. I pulled out my volt meter and checked the plug and it was 106v. I called the park ranger over and he changed out the breaker and the plug for me and as he was finishing up, "he was the one" that suggested that I buy one of these splitters for campgrounds, for CG like theirs that only offers 30 amp service. He admitted that they had an older state park and suggested that I drop a note in the park office on the way out asking to upgrade to a larger service. He said he has seen lots of guys use them at his CG and they don't mind the use of them at all. By the way, him changing out the breaker and plug for me did not help.
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Old 08-28-2012, 10:40 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wb7auk View Post
What you see on a lot of replies is what someone thinks and claims as fact, a lot are pure B.S.
As to "cheating the campground" not true.
I qualified my posting as PERSONAL OPINION. I said that at the top of my post and again at the bottom. If folks want to get all upset because someone posts an opinion then so be it. Many times postings generate side bar issues related to the original posting and subsequent participation. That is fact. If an OP doesn't want side bar issues to crop up, they should say so.

I did not judge nor did I play jury to the OP. I gave my opinion on a side bar issue without intent of shaming them but it appears they took it that way. Wasn't my intent but that happens. My apologies to the OP if they took it that way.

That being said...

It is my OPINION based on a couple FACTUAL experiences that some CGs frown on such devices. There are actually 3 reasons that have been FACTUALLY expressed to me:

1. Exposed pig tail adapters don't meet some areas' safety codes because they are not weather proof. I would not be allowed to use this adapter at my home CG. (This is a side bar I did not discuss because it wasn't germane to the instant issue in front of us.)

2. One specific CG owner would charge more to units that paid on a per-night rate when using such a device on 30 amp service lots. (I'm not going to get into a debate on whether they should or shouldn't because that is their business...just expressing a FACTUAL situation that guided my OPINION.)

3. I base my OPINION that it is "trickery" to use such devices as a work around since it is my view of respecting the fair expectations of others, including CG owners. (You can decide if "trickery" means "cheating", I'm not going to parse words.) Now, if a camper gets the permission of a CG manager to use these devices, GO FOR IT.

I leave it to any reader to decide whether or not my rather long winded postings with an OPINION are going to be used or ignored. I can't even offer a cup of coffee to make my OPINION worth more than the time I put into it to provide the reader something to think about and in turn read some feedback to my missives. If it is found by anyone to offensive "BS", so be it and just kindly ignore it with at least respecting I am not trying to tick anyone off personally.
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Old 08-28-2012, 02:12 PM   #14
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I think "athuddriver" was needlessly attacked. He did state that it was his opinion. There are some mixed emotions on using these and the power boosters that can put an extra load on a campgrounds' electrical service.

I use a similar splitter about once a year. Personally, I don't see it being much more different than plugging in an extension cord into the spare 15/20 amp outlet to power stuff on your patio table like lights, stereo, griddle or small compressor for air toys.

Recently, I added two additional outlets in my coach, one in the main cabin and one in the bathroom, that are powered by a separate cord that plugs into the power pole. The separate outlets let me run an electric heater or hair dryer without it running through my inverter circuits, plus it helps from overloading my circuits when only 30 amp is available.
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