Adapter for 60 amps feed to RV

[JCrockett]

I just fyi- almost all services are brought in to a panel that has 3 phase. To lower the total load across a single phase. My point is that if the engineer / electrician wired a dual Rv box to feed 2 RV’s the two 30amp May actually be 3pase there and this plug if it is a true 30 amp with neutral could be disastrous. I could see that the manufacturer of this Wye adapter would only connect one power phase for each 30amp plug and the neutrals be connected. (So the plug is only 30amp not 60amp)
But diy’ers might connect both and have the 60 amp as long as these were the same phase otherwise boom!

[dssl]

Originally Posted by JCrockett

I just fyi- almost all services are brought in to a panel that has 3 phase. To lower the total load across a single phase. My point is that if the engineer / electrician wired a dual Rv box to feed 2 RV’s the two 30amp May actually be 3pase there and this plug if it is a true 30 amp with neutral could be disastrous. I could see that the manufacturer of this Wye adapter would only connect one power phase for each 30amp plug and the neutrals be connected. (So the plug is only 30amp not 60amp)
But diy’ers might connect both and have the 60 amp as long as these were the same phase otherwise boom!

If you have two 30 anp outlets wired to supply 2 separate RVs then by definition the neutral wires have to be set up to handle the full 60 amps, so I don't believe you will ever have an issue of overloading the supply neutral.

It's a commercial Y adapter so it's safe to assume that the neutral wires inside the adapter are wired to allow for the two 30 amp wires to both feed the 6 guage terminal in the 50 amp plug to allow 50+ amps on the neutral wire to the RV, since both outlets could be on the same phase.

You could potentially overload the neutral in the rv since 30+30>50 if both are fed from the same phase. But the 6 guage wires are really rated at 55 amps. So to overload it would require almost exactly 30 amps on each of the 2 sides of the electrical system, which is possible, but unlikely so as long as you don't go too crazy you should be fine.

I don't have one of these adapters and can't think of anytime it would have been useful. My motorhome is only 34 feet long and I have a Victron MultiplusII hybrid inverter, so a 30 amp plug doesn't require me to significantly change my electrical usage.

[Garyst]

I have an adapter that plugs into a 30a and the 15a standard plug to 50a plug, giving you 45a. so if you need 50a and only have a 30a plug it boosts you up to 45a.

[wolfe10]

Originally Posted by Garyst

I have an adapter that plugs into a 30a and the 15a standard plug to 50a plug, giving you 45a. so if you need 50a and only have a 30a plug it boosts you up to 45a.

While I understand what you are saying (assuming the 15 amp outlet is not GFI protected and therefore will not work), BUT


15 +30= 45 OK, but limits one leg to 15 amps.


But that is not 45 vs 50. It is 45 vs 2X 50= 100 amps


So, quite a difference is what you can run.

[dssl]

Originally Posted by Garyst

I have an adapter that plugs into a 30a and the 15a standard plug to 50a plug, giving you 45a. so if you need 50a and only have a 30a plug it boosts you up to 45a.

That is a different beast. If both the 30 and 15 amp circuits are on the same phase then this can overload the park wires an is a bad idea. You can check this by measuring the hot wire to hot wire voltage. If the voltage is 240 then they are on different phases and no problem. If however the hot to hot voltage measures 0 volts you SHOULDN'T use it.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Garyst

I have an adapter that plugs into a 30a and the 15a standard plug to 50a plug, giving you 45a. so if you need 50a and only have a 30a plug it boosts you up to 45a.

That adaptor gives you 30 amps one one leg and 15 amps on the other, not a combined 45 amps.

Your 50 amp cord, in a 50 amp outlet, gives you 50 amps on one leg and and 50 amps on the other leg.

[Tha_Rooster]

Originally Posted by Garyst

I have an adapter that plugs into a 30a and the 15a standard plug to 50a plug, giving you 45a. so if you need 50a and only have a 30a plug it boosts you up to 45a.

I believe you have 15 amps on half of Rv and 30 amps on other side.

[wolfe10]

Originally Posted by Tha_Rooster

I believe you have 15 amps on half of Rv and 30 amps on other side.

Correct. And that is if (unlikely) the 15 amp outlet is not GFI protected.

[Todd727]

Originally Posted by twinboat

A 50 amp breaker is a double bbreaker.

You can't put a 60 amp double breaker in its place. You would install a double 30 amp bteaker.

Hmmm... Guess my double pole 70 doesn't exist for my welder either?

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by Todd727

Hmmm... Guess my double pole 70 doesn't exist for my welder either?

The circuit in question is wired for 50 amps. It's against code and a fire hazard to install a larger breaker.

Did you remove a 50 amp breaker and just pop in a 70 amp one for your welder OR did you wire the circuit for 70 amps.

[bigb56]

Welding machines, like motors, have special rules and their own sections in the NEC which allows for circuit sizes that would otherwise be in violation. There are plenty of welding machines and AC units running on AWG 10 wire and 35, 40, 45 and 50 amp circuit breakers, all to code. That has nothing to do with RV circuits.

[TonyDi]

WARNING

The responses are starting to go off topic. Let's get back on track.

[Mongobird]

Originally Posted by JCrockett

I just fyi- almost all services are brought in to a panel that has 3 phase. To lower the total load across a single phase. My point is that if the engineer / electrician wired a dual Rv box to feed 2 RV’s the two 30amp May actually be 3pase there and this plug if it is a true 30 amp with neutral could be disastrous. I could see that the manufacturer of this Wye adapter would only connect one power phase for each 30amp plug and the neutrals be connected. (So the plug is only 30amp not 60amp)
But diy’ers might connect both and have the 60 amp as long as these were the same phase otherwise boom!

JCrocket brings up an excellent point that I skipped over. At a commercial site, three phase is the most likely source and distribution.

At this point, my take is that the risks of using such an adapter outweigh the potential convenience.

[permitwriter]

Pulled into a campsite yesterday, typical 50 amp pedestal with a 50 amp outlet controlled by 2 50 amp breakers ganged together, a 30 amp outlet, and a 15 amp outlet. Plugged into the 50 amp outlet and went on my merry way thinking I had all the power we needed.

We're camping with a church group and friends pulled in next to us today. She was complaining about the power supply and explained that they were told at check in that those 50 amp outlets only supply 30 amps. What?!?! I checked my power panel. Sure enough, 30 amps.

Why would they do that? I wonder if it meets code? They didn't tell us, we could have overloaded the 30 amp supply. I guess my dual 30 amp to 50 amp Y cord won't help.