30 amp campsites are NOT compatible with 50amp campers/RVs

lhpelton · 09-18-2021, 11:50 AM

I was looking to book a site at Ray Roberts State park in north Texas. When booking there is this warning on the page.
"30 amp campsites are NOT compatible with 50amp campers/RVs even with a 30A-to-50A adapter"

Has anyone ever seen this?
Does it mean that its not really 30amp?

ARoamer · 09-18-2021, 12:00 PM

Not sure why that is posted there other than uneducated RV'ers being upset they can't run both A/C's on 30A with an adapter. No you won't get full functionality with a 30A outlet from your electrical but most of it will run.

A 30A outlet can only supply 30A no matter what adapter you plug into it.

**norty1** · 09-18-2021, 12:10 PM

I still don't understand the op's comment!

Bookemdanno · 09-18-2021, 12:11 PM

We’ve stayed there in the past with our 50 amp to 30 amp adapter without issue.

**norty1** · 09-18-2021, 12:14 PM

I understand that no matter the adapter, you only have access to 30a but that statement that an adapter won't work does not and the last post bears that out.

lhpelton · 09-18-2021, 12:15 PM

To be clear, I have never seen this before and wondered if anyone else had.
Also from my limited electrical knowledge I don't understand how it would not work with an adapter.

**norty1** · 09-18-2021, 12:18 PM

But Bookemdanno just posted he has stayed there with the 50/30 adapter and it worked.

JohnWedell · 09-18-2021, 01:37 PM

It has to work, there’s no way it can’t. You just won’t get a full 50 A but you will get a full 30 A.

RPR · 09-19-2021, 04:11 PM

It’s a disclaimer by campground so someone would not expect full usage when showing up with a 50 amp service rig. May be a poor choice of words but keeps from printing a ton of words explaining to the camper with less experience the different combination of items you can use at one time for the 30 amp service.

LuckyDuck · 09-19-2021, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RPR

It’s a disclaimer by campground so someone would not expect full usage when showing up with a 50 amp service rig. May be a poor choice of words but keeps from printing a ton of words explaining to the camper with less experience the different combination of items you can use at one time for the 30 amp service.

Yep, “not compatible” was poorly worded. “Not fully compatible“ might have been more accurate and still kept the wording simple.

TxLoser · 09-21-2021, 10:48 AM

Texas is funny about that. Don’t know if it’s someone in management of the state parks or what. I was pulling into Mineral Wells state park for my reserved 30amp site. The lady asked if I was a 30 or 50amp. I said 50amp, and she acted like this just wasn’t going to work out and that I maybe should rebook a 50amp site. I told her I’d be ok and pressed on. It was really an odd exchange.

TWP723 · 09-21-2021, 12:01 PM

Sounds like they have their amperages in reverse.

Jagiven · 09-21-2021, 12:40 PM

There are a lot of people that just do not understand how things work. Does not matter if it is with an RV or something else.

I had a good laugh last night as I was researching information for the Fire Safety MB (Boy Scouts). I found one fairly well written website with a lot of good information, created by what I guess is a young man in his 20's (got his Eagle in 2014, per the website). Clearly does not know how fire sprinkler systems work. His comments were right out of the movies. He stated they go off if they sense smoke. That is wrong! Heat activated. I did have to add this to my notes, so I can ask the scouts how they think sprinkler systems work.

TCNashville · 09-21-2021, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jagiven

There are a lot of people that just do not understand how things work. Does not matter if it is with an RV or something else.

Agreed, I can just see someone going in there with a 50A camper and getting pi$$ed off because they can't get power to their unit, and not having a clue what an adaptor is.

tbray · 09-21-2021, 01:28 PM

Last year we stayed at a campground here in Michigan for 4 weeks and there was a significant difference between the cost of a 50A and 30A site so I said I would take the 30A one. I also made a 30A cord that plugged into the camper so that it didn't look like I was using an adapter. Nope, couldn't use both AC units but we rarely ever do, except when down south and we want to cool it down quicker.

As a comparison we had an old Fleetwood RV for a while that had two AC units on it but it only had a 30A power cord. It would sequence the AC units so they wouldn't start at the same time but it was pretty hard on the pedestals, I noticed that the connections would get quite warm running both AC units. That camper you needed them both if you wanted to have the bedroom cooled.

I make it a habit to have both 50A and 30A connections since I have stayed at campground where there was only one, usually 50A, and other where the 50A didn't work and I needed to use the 30A

**norty1** · 09-21-2021, 01:42 PM

Even if you have a 50a unit in a 30a site you only get 30a no matter what adapter!
Now if it has both you could be in trouble with the owners.

CAG · 09-21-2021, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhpelton

I was looking to book a site at Ray Roberts State park in north Texas. When booking there is this warning on the page.
"30 amp campsites are NOT compatible with 50amp campers/RVs even with a 30A-to-50A adapter"

Has anyone ever seen this?
Does it mean that its not really 30amp?

Why don't you call them and ask?

jghflys · 09-25-2021, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAG

Why don't you call them and ask?

Best answer yet.

Bullitt6283 · 09-25-2021, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CAG

Why don't you call them and ask?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jghflys

Best answer yet.

The answer might be enlightening....

Or at least humourous...

My guess would be that they KNOW that 50A rigs WILL max out the 30A drops and they're tired of replacing receptacles..

.

Vista · 09-25-2021, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lhpelton

I was looking to book a site at Ray Roberts State park in north Texas. When booking there is this warning on the page.
"30 amp campsites are NOT compatible with 50amp campers/RVs even with a 30A-to-50A adapter"

Has anyone ever seen this?
Does it mean that its not really 30amp?

I have seen this, and don't know what they are intending to convey. Asking them would probably solve the mystery.

Side note, I have plugged in to 30 AMP several times and run both my (easy start) A/Cs with no problems, once in 110 degree heat. Not everyone could do that, and my GUESS is that the park is trying to warn people of that as well as prevent a bunch of tripping breakers.

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