30 amp to 50 amp adaptor

[Moving Target]

I read on a Forum that using a 30 amp adaptor to 50 amp at the campsite is better due to less campers using the 50 amp post.

I bought one today and wonder if this is ok to do and safe? Just need some warm and fuzzy responses......or not.

Kathie

[clutch]

Just keep in mind that half of 50 = 25. So you will be operating your camper on 25 amps and not 30.

[Moving Target]

Originally Posted by clutch

Just keep in mind that half of 50 = 25. So you will be operating your camper on 25 amps and not 30.

WOW, I didn't realize that!!! Good to know.
Bad idea do you think?

[norty1]

Not exactly!

[norty1]

http://www.myrv.us/electric/

50a service is 2- 50a feeds, each at 120v. If you use a 50-30 adapter you will be using only one leg and will still have 30a to the rig.

[clutch]

I was under the imperssion that the 50amp doubble breaker was two 25 amp breakers hooked together with each side being 25 amps for a total of 50amps. I don't know much about electricity that is what I had read at some point.

[nylyon]

A lot of people think that, but in actuality, it is 2 feeds of 50A each giving 100A total. So when you break one leg off, you get a 50A leg into a 30A trailer (which is fine unless you have a problem with your electric cord).

[vwprostock]

I like to think of it this way. Electricity is water pressure and flow. 50A is not one big garden hose compared to a small (30A) garden hose...its two small garden hoses feeding the pool vs one small.

So the other comments are correct in that you gain nothing by using the 50A service on a 30A cord/plug/RV.

I am sure I will get beat up by the electrical wizards on my next comment but here it goes.

Electricity isn't "pushed" through the wire, the item on the end using the power pulls it through, and only pulls what it needs.

So if you have 15A vs 30A service, but the item on the end (trailer, blender, whatever) only needs 2amps, its only going to pull 2amps and has no idea if its plugged into 15 or 30amp since its getting all of the 2 amps it needs.

Where things get real interesting is when the "item" is asking/pulling for 25A and you are plugged into 15A. The water well is sucking all the water through the water hose it can get, and its still not enough, causing restriction, etc....this all equates to heat and additional loads on the system because the hose is too small, and the pool of water (amps) isn't enough feeding the hose either.

This is when you feel your cord/adapters/etc getting warm to the touch.

Just my goofy way of thinking about electricity.

Greg

[Seann45]

Originally Posted by clutch

I was under the impression that the 50amp double breaker was two 25 amp breakers hooked together with each side being 25 amps for a total of 50amps. I don't know much about electricity that is what I had read at some point.

Clutch is RIGHT!!! 25 amps each leg = 50 amps...

[Larry G.]

If your rig is 30amp just plug in and forget trying to 'trick' the system.

IMO of course.

[drfife]

I often use the 50A on the pedestal with a 30A adapter. The 50A receptacle are used less and often newer than the 30A receptacle. Therefore I get a better and more reliable connection.

[Moving Target]

Originally Posted by drfife

I often use the 50A on the pedestal with a 30A adapter. The 50A receptacle are used less and often newer than the 30A receptacle. Therefore I get a better and more reliable connection.

Russell, maybe your thread is the one I read that made sense. And that is why I bought an adaptor.
I am not trying to "trick" the system, just want to have it in case the 30a doesn't work and I can go to the 50a side.

[norty1]

Moving Target
The adapter is a good thing to carry. As drfife says, many times the 30a pedestal outlet will be worn from heat and use, also you may end up in a site with no 30a only 50a service.

The 30a breaker in your rig will protect the system from overload.

Nothing wrong with having options!

[RaveOn]

Remember that your shore power electrical cord is rated at 30 amps, 10awg cable. It is now being protected by a 50a breaker if you use a cheater plug. That is against electrical code. The 30a main breaker in your rv panel protects downstream only and not the shore power cable. The safe and proper way to do this would be to replace the entire shore power cable with a 6awg cable rated at 50amps. A costly upgrade but the right thing to do if you want to tie into the 50amp circuit.

Just my $0.02

Have a great day!

[RaveOn]

50a double pole breaker is used for 120/240v circuits. RV's are wired for 120 only so the 50a breaker is just that a 50a circuit at 120 volts and not 25amps.

Cheers

Originally Posted by clutch

I was under the imperssion that the 50amp doubble breaker was two 25 amp breakers hooked together with each side being 25 amps for a total of 50amps. I don't know much about electricity that is what I had read at some point.

[drfife]

Originally Posted by RaveOn

Remember that your shore power electrical cord is rated at 30 amps, 10awg cable. It is now being protected by a 50a breaker if you use a cheater plug. That is against electrical code. The 30a main breaker in your rv panel protects downstream only and not the shore power cable. The safe and proper way to do this would be to replace the entire shore power cable with a 6awg cable rated at 50amps. A costly upgrade but the right thing to do if you want to tie into the 50amp circuit.

Just my $0.02

Have a great day!

I don't follow your logic.

If the "cheater" plug drew from both legs of the 50A plugs, I could understand the need to upgrade the power cord. But, it is only pulling off 1 leg and a 10awg cord will suffice.

[nylyon]

50A RV service is 50A on EACH leg (for a total of 100A) not 25A. The potential issue is that "if" a short develops before the RV circuit breakers your 30A rated cord needs to trip a 50A breaker which would likely result in a lot of heat and / or fire. Upgrading the electrical cord to 6AWG enables the cord to handle the 50A service it is drawing from.

[RaveOn]

Rv only draws from one leg no matter what the amperage if your Rv is 120 volts. Don't get hung up on number of legs or phases. Point is weather you plug into 15a, 30a it is still 120 volts which is supplied by a single pole breaker. If your Rv has a 30 a service then your shore power cord is 30a which is #10 awg cord. At no time do u pull off of "2 legs". The 3 pins on your cord are the same as your 120 volt extent ion cord at home except the pin configuration is different to limit it to 15 amp circuits. All the cheater plug does is change the pin configuration. Same as you have a cheater adapter to adapt your 30a cord to a 15a Recepticles but that is legal as you can only draw 15 amps and your shore power cord is rated higher at 30 amps. Trust me...lol.

Cheers

RaveOn!

Originally Posted by drfife

I don't follow your logic.

If the "cheater" plug drew from both legs of the 50A plugs, I could understand the need to upgrade the power cord. But, it is only pulling off 1 leg and a 10awg cord will suffice.

[RaveOn]

Your 30a cord has 3 pins. Bonding (ground) pin, a identified(neutral) pin and a 120v (hot) pin.

Cheers!

Originally Posted by nylyon

50A RV service is 50A on EACH leg (for a total of 100A) not 25A. The potential issue is that "if" a short develops before the RV circuit breakers your 30A rated cord needs to trip a 50A breaker which would likely result in a lot of heat and / or fire. Upgrading the electrical cord to 6AWG enables the cord to handle the 50A service it is drawing from.

[nylyon]

Here's a good explanation of the RV electrical service on the left side you can click on the 50-amp link and it will describe the 50A service which is included in the 50A.

I needed to check my converter anyway and took this picture:



What we're looking at is a 50A RV service. Note the 2 50A breakers tied together one fed by the black hot line and one from the red hot line. While I can not speak for all RV's my 5th utilizes both hot feeds from a 50A service giving an effective 100A or more properly 50A and 50A.