Double 20amp Breaker of 30 Amp RV Plug?

[Parafango]

Originally Posted by reubenray

More than anything else I want to be able to plug up a travel trailer to run the lights and refrigerator while prepping for a trip. This could just be a 20amp outlet. Being it is a double 20amp breaker I did not know what type of outlet I could put there. I would use a standard 30amp to 20amp setup.

Before the 30 RV socket was installed, I was just using the 20 Amp socket on the side of the shed with an adapter to the 30A plug .
I couldn't find a single pole 30 Amp GFCI, so after installing the 30Amp breaker with 2 poles, I just don't use one of the poles on the breaker.

I only put the 30 amp circuit in for RV plug-in convenience without an 20 to 30A adapter and for those times before a trip where rig was exceptionally hot, and I wanted to run the A/C. Now if we have visitors, they can stay in the RV and stay cool in the summer.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by TandW

Everyone following GFCI threads on IRV2 should know that we can't have shore power GFCIs feeding RVs that contain more GFCIs.

I do it at home on occasion, use a GFCI outlet for my RV, works fine.

I also plug my 20 amp hot tub heater , that has a built in GFCI, into a GFCI outlet. My pressure washer GFCI plug works in a GFCI outlet..Last but not least, my wifes hair dryer has a GFCI plug and it works in the bathroom GFCI protected outlet.

Don't see a problem if the RV doesn't have a ground fault.

Sent from my SM-A025V using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app

[Olyteddy]

Originally Posted by TandW

Everyone following GFCI threads on IRV2 should know that we can't have shore power GFCIs feeding RVs that contain more GFCIs.

Nonsense. GFCIs get cascaded all the time, with no adverse effect. Have you ever used or seen a hairdryer for instance? Plugged in an electric pressure washer? A modern window or portable air conditioner? When I have my rig home to work on it I plug it into my GFCI protected garage outlet. Heck, I've even plugged my pressure washer into the GFCI protected outside outlet on my Southwind.

[TacomaJoe]

Originally Posted by reubenray

More than anything else I want to be able to plug up a travel trailer to run the lights and refrigerator while prepping for a trip. This could just be a 20amp outlet. Being it is a double 20amp breaker I did not know what type of outlet I could put there. I would use a standard 30amp to 20amp setup.

See post #7. If you have 4 wires you are good to go. Those wires are probably sized for a 20A and changing to a 30A breaker is a bad idea. Keeping it at 20, your options would be a regular duplex outlet with adapter for your cord, or a 30A RV receptacle and understand that you are still limited to 20A which is good for the lights and refrigerator.

[dssl]

Assuming it's using a 12 guage wire you can only use it for a 20 anp circuit. If the wire has a neutral you could wire a 15/20 amp outlet. The breaker should not exceed 20 amps, otherwise the wire could overheat and be a fire danger.

You could potentially use a 30 amp recepticle with a 20 amp breaker, but that doesn't get you anything and potentially causes confusion and probably isn't code compliant.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by dssl

Assuming it's using a 12 guage wire you can only use it for a 20 anp circuit. If the wire has a neutral you could wire a 15/20 amp outlet. The breaker should not exceed 20 amps, otherwise the wire could overheat and be a fire danger.

You could potentially use a 30 amp recepticle with a 20 amp breaker, but that doesn't get you anything and potentially causes confusion and probably isn't code compliant.

I'm an old country boy who sometimes gets the job done doing things that others would never do. Even so, I would not want to use a TT-30R receptacle with 12 gauge wiring, especially if the length of run is very long. Imo, it'd be better to use a good quality 20 amp receptacle.

Wouldn't be able to run everything at once in a 30 amp rig but it would probably be enough to run the frig, converter/invertor charger, and the a/c together when needed.

[Parafango]

It's great to have such experienced folks to learn from.

When it warms a little, I'm going to make sure there is 10 gauge wire going to the 30A outlet.

[shootist]

Originally Posted by Mudfrog

I'm an old country boy who sometimes gets the job done doing things that others would never do. Even so, I would not want to use a TT-30R receptacle with 12 gauge wiring, especially if the length of run is very long. Imo, it'd be better to use a good quality 20 amp receptacle.

Wouldn't be able to run everything at once in a 30 amp rig but it would probably be enough to run the frig, converter/invertor charger, and the a/c together when needed.

The breaker protects the wire. Doesn't matter if you have a 50 amp plug on #12 wire, if it's the proper 20 amp breaker there is zero danger.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by shootist

The breaker protects the wire. Doesn't matter if you have a 50 amp plug on #12 wire, if it's the proper 20 amp breaker there is zero danger.

I know this of course. A 20 amp breaker covers it but it wouldn't be good if, for example, someone came along later, noted the 30 amp receptacle, and thought to himself, this needs a 30 amp breaker. It's probably best not to make things confusing by mismatching components.

[shootist]

Originally Posted by Mudfrog

I know this of course. A 20 amp breaker covers it but it wouldn't be good if, for example, someone came along later, noted the 30 amp receptacle, and thought to himself, this needs a 30 amp breaker. It's probably best not to make things confusing by mismatching components.

If someone comes along that's too ignorant to look at the wire he's hooking a breaker up to it's just not fixable.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by shootist

If someone comes along that's too ignorant to look at the wire he's hooking a breaker up to it's just not fixable.

Unfortunately, people do things like this everyday.