Thread: 50 amp??
View Single Post
Old 11-01-2012, 01:56 PM   #11
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,836
Quote:
Originally Posted by Htfiremedic View Post
It can be done. I made a "cheater box" and use it often. I bought two 30 Amp male to standard 15 amp adapters from Harbor Freight Tools. I took two 8-10" piece of extension cord and wired them into a 50 amp box. I connected the 15 amp ends and can run off of two 15 amp or two 30 amp outlets. Thusly creating a 50 amp service.
Google "50 amp cheater box"
If I understand you correctly, you're running two 30amp adapters into two 15amp plugs into a 50amp box. While this may provide 50 amps for a period of time. I'd be very suspicious of the 15amp plugs in the middle. They may well become overloaded, get hot, melt or short out. Those 15amp plugs just aren't designed to handle 30amps for any length of time. They may do fine for quick demands like starting an AC or other capacitive start loads, but a high amp long duration load like running an electric heater, heat tapes, hot water heater A/C heat strip and/or electric fireplace may put enough load on those 15amp plugs to cause problems.

When you plug the two 15amp plugs into the same circuit on the campground plug, you're only going to get the initial 15 (or 20) amps available at that plug. Electrical code calls for minimum 14 gage copper single strand romex for 15amp circuits, 12 gage for 20 amp and 10 gage for 30 amps. If you install your device in the campground power pole and it's wired with 12 gage romex protected with a 20 amp circuit breaker, you're only going to get 20 amps at your 50amp plug. The only way to get more than the CB protected 20 amps would be to run an extension cord to another power pole and plug the extension cord into your other plug. You'd then get possibly 40 amps, but if you're using 15amp plugs in your device, you're overloaded and stand to destroy the device or damage the campground wiring. You'd be better off simply using a 30 amp cable to your camper.

In theory, it's a great idea, but I'd look at some way to connect the 30amp plugs to the 50amp box with 30amp connectors and eliminate the 15 amp components in your high amperage pigtail.

Additionally, if you do have a problem with the 15amp plugs overheating, until they draw 30 amps, the circuit breaker on the campground pole won't trip protecting your circuit.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote