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View Full Version : 50 to 30 amps


john I
03-02-2012, 04:58 PM
At a campground that we are going to, they only have 50 amps sight avilable and not sure if it is a 30 and 50amp power post, so if it was just 50 can i get an adapter to change 50 amps down to 30

Thanks in advance
john i

Hunter757
03-02-2012, 05:33 PM
John, short answer is yes try CW, but I would call ahead to the campground and ask if they had a 30 amp post prior to running out and buying the reducer there not cheap. I have not seen a power pole with only 50amp service but that is here in the NW so?? Good luck and Happy Camping.

86GT2r
03-02-2012, 06:04 PM
On one trip last year, all that was available was a 50 amp plug at the site. Went to the campground office & they lent us a 30 amp adapter for our stay.

f6bits
03-02-2012, 06:23 PM
$20 at Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Voltec-16-00505-Adapter-Ezeegrip-Handle/dp/B002N2LKIO

I have one that the dealer gave me. I haven’t used it yet, but I don’t go anywhere without it. Should I end up where the 30A is dead or nonexistent, I’d still be able to plug into 50A.

hankaye
03-02-2012, 08:02 PM
Howdy All;

The CG i'm at have 30 or 50 amp service. If you show up and need 30 and a 50 is all that is avaiable they have adapters available. They also have adapters to go the other way, ya just won't be able to squeeze 20 more amps. though, no matter how hard ya squeeze. The power boxes only have main power available no 15 amp. household outlets. So we have to utilize the outlets on the side of the RV. Not a handicap, just older equipment that is maintained and functions well.

hankaye

chuck&gail
03-02-2012, 09:52 PM
Actual it is better to say they MAY have an adapter. They may not. We've been several places that only had 50 amp outlets, and several had no adapters for rent or for sale. In fact at last place I loaned our "neighbor" an adapter as there was a 30 and a 50 to service two sites. Since I had the 30, he was going to camp without power!!! He was glad I had one. Bet he carries one from now one.

One other point, we've been to a number of CG's where the 30 amp outlet was busted, so we used the 50. You all do as you wish, but I recommend carrying the adapter. We use ours several times a year.

SteveC7010
03-03-2012, 06:32 AM
One other point, we've been to a number of CG's where the 30 amp outlet was busted, so we used the 50. You all do as you wish, but I recommend carrying the adapter. We use ours several times a year.

Super advice, Chuck & Gail! Let me take that one step further.

Not all of our trailers come with the identical shore line. Some may be 50 amp, 220 vac while others could be 50 amp, 110vac. Many will have the 30 amp, 110vac cable.

It is to be expected that the power post at your next campsite may not have a working outlet that matches your one and only shoreline.

I don't think it is reasonable to expect the campground to have an adapter on hand for each and every camper that needs one. You might get lucky once in a while, but it is not something you should count on.

Based on these three assumptions, I think it only reasonable that each of us learn what kind of system we have, and what kind of adapters we might need, and then purchase them and carry them on every trip.

A while ago, there was a thread on essential items to carry in our trailers. These adapters belong on that list.

Our Cougar came with a 50 amp, 110 vac shoreline which is heavy monster. I know that at least 30 days of each year will be dry camping with the trailer plugged into a Honda eu2000 generator. And I know that many campgrounds that we might stay in have only 15, 20, or 30 amp 110vac power posts. So I purchased a 30 amp 110vac shoreline. It is much lighter making it easier to pack and unpack. I also carry a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter and a 20 amp to 30 amp adapter.

Bob Landry
03-03-2012, 06:57 AM
Everyone needs one. Relative to what you spent on your TT and truck, $20 is cheap. Go get one, store it away and travel without anixety over having ornot having power at your next stay.

Bob Landry
03-03-2012, 07:00 AM
Super advice, Chuck & Gail! Let me take that one step further.

Not all of our trailers come with the identical shore line. Some may be 50 amp, 220 vac while others could be 50 amp, 110vac. Many will have the 30 amp, 110vac cable.

It is to be expected that the power post at your next campsite may not have a working outlet that matches your one and only shoreline.

I don't think it is reasonable to expect the campground to have an adapter on hand for each and every camper that needs one. You might get lucky once in a while, but it is not something you should count on.

Based on these three assumptions, I think it only reasonable that each of us learn what kind of system we have, and what kind of adapters we might need, and then purchase them and carry them on every trip.

A while ago, there was a thread on essential items to carry in our trailers. These adapters belong on that list.

Our Cougar came with a 50 amp, 110 vac shoreline which is heavy monster. I know that at least 30 days of each year will be dry camping with the trailer plugged into a Honda eu2000 generator. And I know that many campgrounds that we might stay in have only 15, 20, or 30 amp 110vac power posts. So I purchased a 30 amp 110vac shoreline. It is much lighter making it easier to pack and unpack. I also carry a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter and a 20 amp to 30 amp adapter.

Your trailer is going to have one of two types of cable, 30A and 50A. The 50A is going to plug into a standard 240V plug, but the trailer is going to break it down to two 120V legs with 50A on each leg. You only need one adapter.

f6bits
03-03-2012, 07:54 AM
I also have the adapter that lets me plug my 30A into a 15A standard household plug. I use this regularly with my generator, but it may also come in handy if I end up somewhere that only has a house plug. It won’t be enough to run the AC, but it’s enough for everything else used in moderation.

Bob Landry
03-03-2012, 08:18 AM
I have a 15A adapter plug also. My trailer storage facility only has 15A service at the stalls,so that lets me keep power to the trailer. That keeps the battery charged and allows me to turn on the fridge to cool down before we go on a trip.

SteveC7010
03-03-2012, 08:38 AM
Your trailer is going to have one of two types of cable, 30A and 50A. The 50A is going to plug into a standard 240V plug, but the trailer is going to break it down to two 120V legs with 50A on each leg. You only need one adapter.

That is correct, but as we have seen in several other threads, a lot of owners don't initially know whether they have a 110 or 220 system even though the cabling is the same. I think it is very important for everyone who owns an RV to know exactly what system they have and how to cope with bumps in the road.

Some RV's actually have some 220-240 circuits in addition to 2 legs of 110 each. I've not heard of a Keystone having that, but the 220 plug on the shoreline can cause some confusion.

hankaye
03-03-2012, 09:06 AM
Howdy All;

I was speaking ONLY of the Park in which I'm at. not for any other.
There are only 24 slots and has been here since the mid 70's. The owner's
There are several slots taken by long term folks such as myself. I wasn't making a 'blanket statement'. I was only stating what is done HERE, nowhere else...

I return you now to your regular programming .....

hankaye

Bob Landry
03-03-2012, 09:13 AM
Every TV that has 50A service goig into it is a 220V50A system. How it is distributed is determined at the breaker/distribution panel. Unless the trailer has a washer and dryer or an electric range, it's not going to use 220V and it's going to be split into two 110V/50A legs and then distributed to the individual circuit breakers. From there it is essentially the same as a 30A system, the difference being that the leg has 50A to draw from as opposed to a 30A system. It's possible and common in marine applications to have 240V/50A input to a breaker panel and have a double pole breaker feeding a 240V leg and than have a 110V leg coming off of each of those to comprise 2 110V legs. I don't know that a trailer electrical system would be any different, thus it would still only have two types of power inputs, 50A & 30A, so that makes selection of power cords and periphreals about as simple at it can get.

Bob Landry
03-03-2012, 09:18 AM
Every TT that has 50A service goig into it is a 220V50A system. How it is distributed is determined at the breaker/distribution panel. Unless the trailer has a washer and dryer or an electric range, it's not going to use 220V and it's going to be split into two 110V/50A legs and then distributed to the individual circuit breakers. From there it is essentially the same as a 30A system, the difference being that the leg has 50A to draw from as opposed to a 30A system. It's possible and common in marine applications to have 240V/50A input to a breaker panel and have a double pole breaker feeding a 240V leg and than have a 110V leg coming off of each of those to comprise 2 110V legs. I don't know that a trailer electrical system would be any different, thus it would still only have two types of power inputs, 50A & 30A, so that makes selection of power cords and periphreals about as simple at it can get.

john I
03-06-2012, 06:01 PM
i will get the adapter

thanks again everbody