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04-15-2012, 10:14 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 62
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wattage limitations
I thought I would purchase an electric heater to supplement my TT's heater and bought a 1000 to 1500 watt electric heater. Everything seemed just fine until I went to unplug from shore power and discovered that the 30 amp adapter had melted together with TT's power cord. It wasn't much as I was able to pull them apart, but still it was getting really hot. I have since purchased a 1850 watt 30 amp adapter and I am no longer using the electric heater. My recommendation, be careful of your wattage usage.
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04-15-2012, 08:34 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Germantown, TN
Posts: 4,923
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Good chance you had low voltage or a bad pedestal. I had a very similar thing happen to me when I was in an old pedestal What you were doing should have worked just fine, but if there was a bad connection it wold have created enough heat to melt it....
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04-15-2012, 09:36 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: North Idaho/Arizona
Posts: 5,446
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tafische
Good chance you had low voltage or a bad pedestal. I had a very similar thing happen to me when I was in an old pedestal What you were doing should have worked just fine, but if there was a bad connection it wold have created enough heat to melt it....
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I agree completely, On our old trailer we had a 30 amp cord and used two heaters to keep it warm. No melting or overheating.
__________________
2011 Eagle 330RLTS with just about every option.
2017 Silverado 1500 4x4 5.3 with tow package. (no, we don't tow the Jayco with it.)
2018 Surveyor 265RLDS well equipped.
Life in the slow lane is still life.
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04-15-2012, 09:45 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Dallas, Texas
Posts: 788
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I'm confused.
Why are you using an adapter?
Do you have 50 amp service on the trailer and used an adapter to connect to the 30 amp on the pedestal?
Or do you gave 30 amp service and used a 20 amp adapter to the pedestal?
__________________
Russell
'13 Excel Winslow 34IKE
'12 GMC Sierra 3500HD
Previous RV's: '03 MobileScout Titan 29DBS; '01 Sunnybrook Lite 2708 SLE; '99 Coleman Utah
Previous TV's: '02 Chevy Suburban 2500 8.1 4.10; '99 Chevy Express 1500 5.7
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04-16-2012, 12:43 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 1,393
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Sounds to me, the OP was not plugged into a 30A service, but rather into a 15A service.
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2013 Jayco Eagle 31.5RLDS
2018 Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
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04-16-2012, 05:24 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Friendswood, TX.
Posts: 163
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David472
Sounds to me, the OP was not plugged into a 30A service, but rather into a 15A service.
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That would make sense of why it got so hot. Must have been a 20a because it might have tripped a 15a.
__________________
2007 Toyota Tundra Crewmax LTD 4x4 5.7l w/4.3r 381 hp and 401 lb-ft of torque
2012 Jayco 32BHDS
Me, Wife and 3 kiddos
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04-17-2012, 06:05 AM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 62
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Thanks for the reply
It was a 30a adapter and I suspect that it was bad. I bought the trailer used and the adapter came with it. Some of the insulation on it looked kinda funny. It seemed to work just fine until I bought the heater. The trailer itself is 30a as well.
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04-17-2012, 06:42 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 1,393
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The adapter typically used has a 30A socket on one end, and a 15A plug on the other end. You cannot draw more than 15A thru the adapter, or it will burn up.
__________________
2013 Jayco Eagle 31.5RLDS
2018 Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
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04-18-2012, 05:59 AM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Northern Illinois
Posts: 64
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Guys, also remember that any small amount of resistance can be bad, those power pedistals in the campgrounds even though they are covered are exposed to outside conditions and the contacts in the plugs start to grow a layer of corrosion which leads to resistance which turns into heat. Pulling higher amp draws just adds to the heat. It's just one of those things that you just need to watch and be aware of.
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Mark, Debie & Belle the wonder dog
2013 Prime Time Crusader 36 ft 5er
2008 Chevy Silverado 2500HD crew cab, 6.0L
Mark, KB9OPW
Deb, KC9SCA
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04-18-2012, 06:55 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 1,393
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markndeb
Guys, also remember that any small amount of resistance can be bad, those power pedistals in the campgrounds even though they are covered are exposed to outside conditions and the contacts in the plugs start to grow a layer of corrosion which leads to resistance which turns into heat. Pulling higher amp draws just adds to the heat. It's just one of those things that you just need to watch and be aware of.
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Absolutely!
The current squared times the resistance is the power dissipated.
All electrical circuits have some degree of resistance. The conditions you describe will add considerably to the total resistance.
__________________
2013 Jayco Eagle 31.5RLDS
2018 Silverado 2500 HD Duramax
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04-19-2012, 10:48 AM
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#11
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 62
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Quote:
Originally Posted by drfife
I'm confused.
Why are you using an adapter?
Do you have 50 amp service on the trailer and used an adapter to connect to the 30 amp on the pedestal?
Or do you gave 30 amp service and used a 20 amp adapter to the pedestal?
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It's a 30 amp adapter to a 15 amp service from a home. The breaker in the home is 30 amp.
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