Replacing 20 amp electrical land line plug with 30 amp?????

[Ragman]

On our son's older MH one of the prongs broke off the 120 shoreline male plug. Can he replace it with a 30 amp plug? He has to use a 30 amp adapter in some campgrounds as they only have 30 and 50 amp connection...no 20 amp. This may be a dumb question, duh? But just to be sure, thought some electrician that would know could answer this question for me. Want my kids to be safe. Thanks.

[Ragman]

On our son's older MH one of the prongs broke off the 120 shoreline male plug. Can he replace it with a 30 amp plug? He has to use a 30 amp adapter in some campgrounds as they only have 30 and 50 amp connection...no 20 amp. This may be a dumb question, duh? But just to be sure, thought some electrician that would know could answer this question for me. Want my kids to be safe. Thanks.

[Renegades]

Larry,
Unless the cable is 10/3 wire size, DO NOT change the end from a 20amp to 30amp. This is a fire hazard. If the cable coming from the MH is 10/3 then that is perfectly safe to change the end to mate to a 30amp female.

I'm a little surprise that National would have a 12/3 cable coming from the motorhome. The smallest I have seen is 10/3. Just remember that the cable from the motorhome that plugs into the CG power outlet should be a minimum of 10/3. If this was changed and a smaller cable was installed then your inviting trouble. Please check and let us know.

[jamorton]

In my opinion (and you know what those are worth!) I would put a high-quality 20 Amp connector back on the cable. Get one of the good ones that screw together and give a good strain relief to the cable. Good Luck

[Ragman]

Renegade & jamorton,
Thanks for the info. Appreciate you taking the time. I went ahead and put on a 20 amp plug and were gonna be happy with it. If need be, we'll just use a 30 amp. adapter which we already have. Thanks again.
Larry

[Gary RVRoamer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Unless the cable is 10/3 wire size, DO NOT change the end from a 20amp to 30amp. This is a fire hazard. If the cable coming from the MH is 10/3 then that is perfectly safe to change the end to mate to a 30amp female. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've got to disagree, Jim. It is not a fire hazard to change to a 30A plug, no more than if the wire itself were oversized for the job. When the 20/30A adapter is used, he has exactly the same electrical situation as if he installed a 30A plug. In either case, the power draw is limited by the breaker on the coach end, which presumably is 20A in this case. The only electrical no-no would be to replace the 20A breaker with a 30A breaker without also up-sizing the wiring and plug.

[Renegades]

Well yes and no.
For one thing, you do not put a 30amp plug on cable that is only rated for 20amps, that is a BIG no no. Good way to have a problem. You need to look at the wire size coming from the coach. If it's 12/3 then only a 20amp plug on the end, if it's 10/3 then you could either put a 20amp and use a 30 to 20 adapter or just put a 30amp plug on the end. This is what I was trying to point out.
And yes, you don't replace a 20amp breaker with a 30, bad bad. I have never seen a cable for power input to a coach/TT that was 12/3 other than small popups. Most were 10/3 with 30amp plug and breaker in the panel.
Later Gary.