Community Forums

JBDISCOVERY · 11-10-2011, 06:51 PM

Members:
A question:Have any of you used a "cheater cord" to connect to a RV park electrical panel? Are there serious problems with the use of this cord? The information on the cord states that it will connect two 30 amp sources to a 50 amp coach power cord. Or, a 30 amp and a 20 amp source with an adapter to the 50 amp coach cord.
Please advise, I am trying to solve a problem with burning out the 30 amp cord plug. I have no problem within the coach with the electric power, just the problem with the power cord.
Regards.
JB

Ramblin · 11-10-2011, 06:57 PM

I have used a 2x30 to 50 cheater, no problems.

Bill Adams · 11-10-2011, 07:07 PM

The cheater cords (boxes) allow you to connect any combination of plugs. However, if any of the circuits has a GFI breaker you will not be able to use that connection as it will immediately trip that breaker leaving you with no power at all. 2 - 30 amp circuits work best with this kind of a setup. What you need to consider is what are you hoping to accomplish with this setup? A 50 amp circuit provides 100 amp service to your coach. A cheater box will provide up to 30 amps to each leg or your coach or a total of 60 amps. A 30 amp "dog bone" connected to your 50 amp power cord will provide a total of 30 amps to all circuits.

GaryKD · 11-10-2011, 07:12 PM

Hi JBDISCOVERY,
I have used a cheater box without any problems. Some will say the GFI circuit, in the coach, will not work with a cheater box. I have not experienced this.

As to the statement that you are burning out the electric cord. My assumption is you are melting the 30 to 50 AMP adapter. This means you are drawing too much power over a sustained period of time. Is it possible to reduce your power consumption?

There is another consideration. For a cheater box to be successful, the source power must come from two separate circuits (breakers). Just plugging the cheater box input plugs into different outlets at the site pedestal, most likely, will not work. All those outlets usually are connected to the same input source (breaker).

wa8yxm · 11-10-2011, 07:31 PM

I would recommend you save your money.. Of all the parks I've beein in I have one where it works, One where it might work if I ever get the right adaper and sight and one where it works... Only during part of the year (Manager will toss you out if you use one during most of the year, no refund)

In most all parks they violate the rules.

As Bill and others have said, If you use a 50 and a 20 amp outlet, the 20 amp, by code, should be a GFCI (one park I park at the 20 amp has a 30 amp breaker and is old enough to be "Grandfathered" out of the GFCI requriement)

If you use 2 30 amp outlets you are taking up two sites.

There used to be a web page www.psrv.net. That device DOES work.

RustyJC · 11-10-2011, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi JBDISCOVERY,
Some will say the GFI circuit, in the coach, will not work with a cheater box. I have not experienced this.

It's not the GFCI in the coach that'll give problems, it's the 20 amp GFCI-protected outlet in the campground shore power box that will trip.

Rusty

Ray,IN · 11-10-2011, 08:43 PM

If a burned plug is your concern, this is becomes more common as the 30A outlet ages. The receptacle prongs heat-up from prolonged high amperage draw and lose their spring tension. Now you come along, plug into a worn-out receptacle and this connection heats up quickly and remains so until you leave. This loose connection creates even more heat, which burns your cord plug.
My solution is to replace the make plug every time I notice the prongs blackened. I also notify the CG management that the worn receptacle is costing them more money as well.

bluepill · 11-10-2011, 09:09 PM

I have found a number of 30 amp outlets in poor shape. With the pedestal breaker off, I use a small screw driver to push the outlet's metal contacts closer together for a firmer contact. I then plug and unplug about five times to clean the contacts on both the outlet and my plug.

If the site next door is vacant, I will also try its outlet to see if it is tighter. If so, I use it. So far, I haven't been called out for doing this.

Iron Man · 11-10-2011, 09:19 PM

I recommend you get a cheater box. I have used ours 5 or 6 times always during the summer, on all of the the campround told me if I had a cheater box use it. It was nice being able to use 2 ac's and not worry about the power. The extra 30 amps came in handy. We were also able to use our 220 volt dryer.

JBDISCOVERY · 11-10-2011, 09:47 PM

Thanks to all of you who have responded. My problem is what RAY,IN spoke to: the burned cord plug. I like his answer which is what I have had to do in the past. The "CHEATER" might work based upon the reponses from you, but I will continue to clean the lugs, and replace when I have to.
Thanks. Really appreciate the responses and the support of IRV2 members.
Regards
JB

Gary RVRoamer · 11-11-2011, 09:52 AM

The Cheater won't really do anything to solve your burning problem anyway. It just moves the burn to the cheaper plug.

BTW, I have a cheater and use it in appropriate circumstances, e.g. parking in a friend's driveway with no 30 or 50A outlet available, or using the twin 30A outlets I have at home. Using one in an RV park is rarely useful and most often prohibited.

tvman44 · 11-11-2011, 03:18 PM

We found a couple of state parks in GA that had 2 30 amp receptacles and a 20 amp receptacle in the power box. At the3 time we had a 30 amp coach so did not matter to us.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-12-2011, 09:55 PM

Indeed, we used the twin 30A outlets at Georgia Veterans State Park just two weeks ago. A few of their long sites have twin 30A outlets instead of 50/30. I think they were set up to be double sites originally. But that's the only RV park I have ever found equipped like that.

tvman44 · 11-12-2011, 11:54 PM

Georgia Veterans State Park is one I was thinking about, can't remember the name of the other we stayed at.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

Indeed, we used the twin 30A outlets at Georgia Veterans State Park just two weeks ago. A few of their long sites have twin 30A outlets instead of 50/30. I think they were set up to be double sites originally. But that's the only RV park I have ever found equipped like that.