50 to 30 amp

[davvalh]

My fifth wheel is set up for 30 amps. My question is can I use a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter without any problems? Also I have a 30 amp surge protector can I use it if I am connected to the 50 amp service? Will I have 50 amps to the trailer or will the adapter lower it to 30 amps?

[Outback 325BH]

Yes. The adapter you seek is very common.

Just plug the adapter (dogbone) into the pedestal then plug your cord and any surge protection device(s) as you normally would.

Your 30 amp breaker inside your camper continues to function normally and protects/limits your camper total draw to 30 amps.

What you propose to do is done all of the time.


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[1st Chev Diesel]

This summer we were in a CG two spots over from a 30Amp 5th wheel who had plugged into a 50 Amp outlet on the power pedestal with a 50 to 30 pigtail and plugged the 30 Amp end of the pigtail into the RV 30 Amp power cord. They had been in the CG for two weeks when the pigtail burst into flames. Luckily the immediate neighbour and us were there when the flames and smoke were seen and the fire put out before any real damage was done. The pigtail was toast.

The CG electrician checked out the power pedestal and the RV and they was fine. The problem was that the 30 Amp power cord was plugged into a 50 Amp outlet on the power pedestal which caused a fire where the 50 Amp pigtail was connected to the 30Amp power cord.

Not a good thing to do. If your RV is a 30Amp RV do not plug into a 50Amp outlet.

[Mike484]

Originally Posted by 1st Chev Diesel

This summer we were in a CG two spots over from a 30Amp 5th wheel who had plugged into a 50 Amp outlet on the power pedestal with a 50 to 30 pigtail and plugged the 30 Amp end of the pigtail into the RV 30 Amp power cord. They had been in the CG for two weeks when the pigtail burst into flames. Luckily the immediate neighbour and us were there when the flames and smoke were seen and the fire put out before any real damage was done. The pigtail was toast.

The CG electrician checked out the power pedestal and the RV and they was fine. The problem was that the 30 Amp power cord was plugged into a 50 Amp outlet on the power pedestal which caused a fire where the 50 Amp pigtail was connected to the 30Amp power cord.

Not a good thing to do. If your RV is a 30Amp RV do not plug into a 50Amp outlet.

Sounds like the pigtail was bad, using a 50 to 30 amp pigtail is really more common than you would think. We carry one with us just in case we get to a campground that does not have any 30 amp available.

[GaryWT]

We use one anytime 50 amp is available as the 50 amp plug is usually in better shape than the 30 amp. Have not had any issues and never felt the dogbone getting hot.

[the sodfather]

Originally Posted by GaryWT

We use one anytime 50 amp is available as the 50 amp plug is usually in better shape than the 30 amp. Have not had any issues and never felt the dogbone getting hot.

Same here. The 50 amp plug always seems to fit a lot tighter.

[chuckster57]

We use 50 to 30 and 30 to 50 adapters all the time in the shop. Never had any issues, I too think the issue was a bad adaptor or pedestal.

I doubt a CG electrician would admit to faulty equipment.

[dirt33]

Our 30 amp TT has been plugged into a 50 amp breaker through an adaptor at our house 100% of the time when not "out on the road", for 3 years now. No issues.

Originally Posted by chuckster57

I doubt a CG electrician would admit to faulty equipment.

That has certainly been my observation as well.

[notanlines]

I wholeheartedly agree with what was said above (with one exception.) Major manufacturers like Camco would not be selling them if was a little "off the wall." It is a very common thing to do.
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_s...o%2Caps%2C1792

[KYFamily]

Did this all the time with my previous 30 amp 5ver. Always plugged into a 50amp when possible.

[bobbecky]

It might be a good idea to get the infrared temperature gun out occasionally and shoot all the electrical connections from the pedestal to the trailer to check for excessive heat. Once one connection starts to fail, the voltage will start to drop and besides a fire at a connection, low voltage damage to components in the trailer is also a possibility. Heat is the result of a high resistance connection, either a loose contact or dirt or corrosion will usually cause this.

[Outback 325BH]

Folks, a max 30 amp draw on one leg of a service that provides max 50 amps on both legs isn't going to hurt anything. If something melted or caught fire, it is because of faulty gear... not because of downsizing to 30 amps.





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[Hyseas]

Just like the earlier post, there is a risk of fire. The danger is between the 50A breaker at the campground panel and the 30A breaker in the RV. In other words, the 30A cord and where it makes the transition from outside cord to the RV's 30A hard wire that goes to the RV's breaker panel. I have repaired an RV where the 30A cord/hard wire transition (in a metal junction box) burned up all of the wiring inside the junction box. If it wasn't for the metal junction box, it would likely have burned up the RV instead. Everything between the campground panel and the RV's breaker panel (internal RV wiring and cord) is designed to carry 30A - and you will be plugging it into a 50A breaker. Ask any electrician about attaching a 30A cord to a 50A breaker. So be informed, or listen to folks who don't wear seatbelts because they never have been in an accident (so far).

[Outback 325BH]

Originally Posted by Hyseas

Just like the earlier post, there is a risk of fire. The danger is between the 50A breaker at the campground panel and the 30A breaker in the RV. In other words, the 30A cord and where it makes the transition from outside cord to the RV's 30A hard wire that goes to the RV's breaker panel. I have repaired an RV where the 30A cord/hard wire transition (in a metal junction box) burned up all of the wiring inside the junction box. If it wasn't for the metal junction box, it would likely have burned up the RV instead. Everything between the campground panel and the RV's breaker panel (internal RV wiring and cord) is designed to carry 30A - and you will be plugging it into a 50A breaker. Ask any electrician about attaching a 30A cord to a 50A breaker. So be informed, or listen to folks who don't wear seatbelts because they never have been in an accident (so far).

You don't know what you are talking about. The main breaker in the coach is 30 amps (if the coach is 30 amps). The cord and adapter will never be subjected to current more than 30 amps.

The current draw is based on the camper's devices consuming... not the pedestal "pushing".

You do realize that the 30 and 50 amp pedestals are connected to 200 amp (and bigger) services upstream right. Same deal. If what you are saying is true, the pedestals would catch fire because they are connected to 200 amp (and bigger) panels.

The 30 amp breaker in the coach will limit the total draw to 30 amps.

Any fires or overheating is due to faulty equipment (plug, receptacle, pedestal, adapter, etc.), not the use of an adapter.


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[Hyseas]

Originally Posted by Outback 325BH

You don't know what you are talking about. The main breaker in the coach is 30 amps (if the coach is 30 amps). The cord and adapter will never be subjected to current more than 30 amps.

The current draw is based on the camper's devices consuming... not the pedestal "pushing".

You do realize that the 30 and 50 amp pedestals are connected to 200 amp (and bigger) services upstream right. Same deal. If what you are saying is true, the pedestals would catch fire because they are connected to 200 amp (and bigger) panels.

The 30 amp breaker in the coach will limit the total draw to 30 amps.

Any fires or overheating is due to faulty equipment (plug, receptacle, pedestal, adapter, etc.), not the use of an adapter.


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For the purpose of clarification, I am retired and was a state-licensed electrical contractor. For those wanting additional information, look up "subpanel" in the NEC (National Electric Code). In the case of a camper, I consider the camper's breaker panel (say 30 amp) a subpanel of the campground pedestal panel. The camper's breaker panel is a subpanel because the wiring to it includes concealed (in-wall) wiring within the camper structure that is inaccessible by the occupant. Therefore, the NEC requires that the wiring between a main panel (campground pedestal) and a subpanel (camper breaker panel) be rated to carry the amperage of the main panel's breaker. So if your camper is built for 30 amps, its internal wiring to its panel is only rated for 30 amps (not 50 amps). So the issue at hand are not the circuits protected by the 30 amp camper panel, it is a short or other wiring issue (loose connections being a common one) in the internal concealed wiring prior to the camper's panel.

[Outback 325BH]

Originally Posted by Hyseas

For the purpose of clarification, I am retired and was a state-licensed electrical contractor. For those wanting additional information, look up "subpanel" in the NEC (National Electric Code). In the case of a camper, I consider the camper's breaker panel (say 30 amp) a subpanel of the campground pedestal panel. The camper's breaker panel is a subpanel because the wiring to it includes concealed (in-wall) wiring within the camper structure that is inaccessible by the occupant. Therefore, the NEC requires that the wiring between a main panel (campground pedestal) and a subpanel (camper breaker panel) be rated to carry the amperage of the main panel's breaker. So if your camper is built for 30 amps, its internal wiring to its panel is only rated for 30 amps (not 50 amps). So the issue at hand are not the circuits protected by the 30 amp camper panel, it is a short or other wiring issue (loose connections being a common one) in the internal concealed wiring prior to the camper's panel.

It doesn't matter that you have a 30 amp cord plugged into a 50 pedestal (via the proper cord adapter) going into a 30 amp coach... because the main breaker in the coach will prevent a draw of more than 30 amps.

If you are concerned about a short in the cordset between the 50 amp pedestal breaker and the coach's 30 amp breaker, that is somewhat valid... but a non-issue in real-life. The only load that would occur there would be from a dead-short in a damaged cord. In that case, the 50 amp breaker in the pedestal would still trip.

You do realize that 30-50 cord adapters have been around for a LONG time and in use by a ton of campers. This is such a non-issue.


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[bobbecky]

The one thing most electricians and almost all people don't realize is, a breaker or fuse is not intended to protect the the circuit it is feeding, but is really intended to protect the source of the electricity. That 50 amp breaker will only allow 50 amps, but does not push 50 amps to a trailer that is only rated 30 amps, just like a 30 amp breaker will only allow 30 amps to pass through. When any device trips or blows, it protects the panel or the rest of the system where the power is coming from, not the load side. When a 30 amp trailer is connected to the 50 amp socket, the 30 amp breaker inside protects the cable back to the pedestal. If the cable fails, the 50 amp breaker inside the pedestal protects the park's electric system from the failure in the cable or anything else downstream from the pedestal. You can not depend on outside breakers for protection. That is why is is very important to have an EMS or other protective device to keep your rig safe.

[CWSWine]

Originally Posted by Hyseas

Just like the earlier post, there is a risk of fire. The danger is between the 50A breaker at the campground panel and the 30A breaker in the RV. In other words, the 30A cord and where it makes the transition from outside cord to the RV's 30A hard wire that goes to the RV's breaker panel. I have repaired an RV where the 30A cord/hard wire transition (in a metal junction box) burned up all of the wiring inside the junction box. If it wasn't for the metal junction box, it would likely have burned up the RV instead. Everything between the campground panel and the RV's breaker panel (internal RV wiring and cord) is designed to carry 30A - and you will be plugging it into a 50A breaker. Ask any electrician about attaching a 30A cord to a 50A breaker. So be informed, or listen to folks who don't wear seatbelts because they never have been in an accident (so far).

When I had a 30 amp I use to plug into 50 all the time.

I had my garage wired with 20 amp plugs so are saying I have to use 20 amp extension cords and only plug in items that has a 20 amp fuse/breakers. I use 15 amp cords most of the time and things like my battery charger has a 10 amp fuse.

[notanlines]

Mark my word, the legal department of Camco and Voltec would insure that the company didn't produce and sell these if they weren't safe. They are very common all across the country, virtually at all major RV parks.