Using a "Cheater Box"

[GlenBAzle]

I purchased a Cheater Box w/ the 50 Amp to 2-30 Amp plugs based on a recommendation.
Last wknd, when we took our "maiden voyage", I plugged one of the 30-Amp ends into the 30A pole connection. The other one I tried to plug into the 20-Amp (110) pole connection...kept throwing the 20A breaker at the pole. I wasn't getting full power in the trailer, nor was my battery being charged off the one 30Amp connection.
I wound up using 2 10 gauge extention cords plugged into the cheater box to power all of the trailer, which is what I have to do at home.
I was told that the 20A connections must have been GFCI, thus the cheater box wouldn't work.
This was at a Texas State Park--we did/do a lot of camping at these when we had our other trailer, which was 30A, not a 50A, which our 5er is.

Any advice/toughts? I'm not that well versed on "electrical", so please don't get too technical with me--...lay man's trerm, please.

Is there a different type adapter cord available to get the full 50A service to the trailer, rather than this type hook-up I did?
Thanks!

[JRTJH]

If the cheater box you have is two 30 amp plugs wired to a 50 amp plug that you run to the trailer, and you are using another 30 amp/20 amp(15 amp) adapter on one of the 30 amp plugs, you may be overloading the 20 amp breaker. You could try switching the 20 amp adapter to the other 30 amp plug on your box to see if it will power the other side of your trailer input.

Another way to look at it is: If you have two 30 amp plugs running to the two legs in your 50 amp box, you have 30 amps on each leg into your RV. If you plug one of those 30 amp plugs into a 20 amp outlet, you no longer get 30 amps to your RV on that leg because the 20 amp outlet limits that leg. So, if your RV draws more than 20 amps on that side of the 50 amp plug, it will blow the 20 amp circuit breaker on the power pole.

There may be an issue with the GFI on the power pole 20 amp circuit, but I'd be more inclined to think that your RV is simply drawing more than the 20 amp breaker on the pole will supply. Try using a 30 amp extension cord on the one side and plug it into an adjacent 30 amp plug on another power pole and see if the box works OK. My guess is that it will.....

Good luck.

[SAD]

I have a cheater box and they work GREAT under the right circumstances.

The cheater boxes will NOT work if one of the circuits you're using is a GFI.

[BlindGuyNAR]

I guess the question is did it trip instantly or after a while. Instantly and it is probably GFI, but after a while it's probably load related.

[GlenBAzle]

BlindguyR--it threw the breaker on the pole instantly when I tried plugging in.

[SAD]

Originally Posted by GlenBAzle

BlindguyR--it threw the breaker on the pole instantly when I tried plugging in.

It's because of the the GFI.

[PARAPTOR]

Out of curiosity I searched the internet to see what a cheater was and found at least two. One from Camco and the other from Progressive, both stated in their AD that they can not be used with a GFI outlet, which is normally what I have seen on the power poles.

[BlindGuyNAR]

Originally Posted by SAD

I have a cheater box and they work GREAT under the right circumstances.

The cheater boxes will NOT work if one of the circuits you're using is a GFI.

The "under the right circumstances" is the best way to put it.

They really are only safe to use when the 20amp and 30amp circuits are connected with different wire runs to the pole or connected to the same wire run capable of supplying the 50 amp draw at the same time.

The problem then becomes how do you know how the pole wired?

[Htfiremedic]

Here are pics of the one I made.


Steve Hudson
Sent from my iPhone

[BigBearWV]

Originally Posted by Htfiremedic

Here are pics of the one I made.


Steve Hudson
Sent from my iPhone

No disrespect but as a camp ground owner this scares me to death I hope you keep a fire extinguisher near at all times. What size wire are those gray pig tails? You have 2 adapters that go from 30 amp to 15 amp then you plug them into something that you are going to try and suck 50 amps from good luck.

[Htfiremedic]

I had an electrician do the math and he supplied the correct parts. I did the connections.


Steve Hudson
Sent from my iPhone

[Bob Landry]

It kinda scares me a little also. If the 30s at the pedestal share a neutral and it happens to be undersized , which happens a lot with neutrals, it would probably survive one 30A load, but doubling the load on it would be dicey and I would be concerned about heat buildup. There are other places to camp and not have to risk an electrical fire. Personally I would go with the adapter that plugs into a 30A and combines the two 50s at the trailer connection into basically a 30A service feeding a 50 and just live with some energy management.