30 AMP (240 volt) Plug

[buddyu]

My 2011 GT 378 XL of course came with a 50 AMP plug but can via an adapter be converted to a 30 AMP. The storage building where I keep it has a 30 AMP 4 wire Dryer Plug available. Knowing nothing about electrical stuff my question is, is there an adapter available to convert my 50 AMP to this type of 30 AMP?

[Indymule]

Do not plug into a dryer plug..it's the wrong voltage!

[Pathfinder75]

At risk of starting a disagreement I would suggest you contact a local electrician and I am sure he would help you make a adaptor or rewire your location if you are permitted to do so.
Your 50 amp 250 volt and the 30 AMP 250 VOLT are compatible but will only supply 30 amps unless you can change the breaker and insure the wire is of proper gauge. Yes some refer to 110 volt and 220 volt it is all the same as there is a variable to the voltage readings. A 30amp RV plug uses ONE 110/125 volt lead and the ground lead and the ground fault lead. The 50 amp RV plug uses two opposite phase 110/125 leads and the same two ground leads. The Dryer outlet depending on the type you have may or may not have the ground fault lead.

SEE: RV Wiring for a simple explanation. QUOTE "50 amp RV service can deliver approximately 12,500 watts (125 volts X 50 amps X 2) to the RV. Some people believe that the 50 amp RV receptacle is a "special" part. This is absolutely not true. In fact, it is a commonly available 50 amp, 250 volt receptacle. Unlike the 125 volt, 30 amp Travel Trailer receptacle, this one is used in many different 250 volt applications. It carries part number 14-50R. The matching plug is a number 14-50P.
There is a lot of misunderstanding about how MOST 50 Amp RV's are wired. Some of the larger bus type diesel pushers are all electric and in fact, do have 250 volt appliances in them. In that case, both sides of the 50 amp circuit are used to power those devices (just like your home) and those coaches MUST have 50 amp, 250V service in order to run things like the 250V stove, AC and the electric water heater. In the case of the rest of the 50 amp RV's, 250 volts is still supplied to the coach just like your home electrical service but typically one side of the line is used for all the 125 volt appliances except the rear AC and the other side is used for the rear AC only. The service coming into the RV is still 50 amp, 250 volts. Please note that all of the 50 amp RV's (at least in the US) use the SAME receptacle wired in the SAME way. If they didn't, they couldn't all plug into the same outlets at the RV park. "

Like I said consult a electrician so you do it correctly but for your lower power needs in storage it would work well.

[jergeod]

Do not plug into that plug, your camper is 120 volt system and a drier is 240 volts you will fry your camper.

[Lloydg]

Originally Posted by jergeod

Do not plug into that plug, your camper is 120 volt system and a drier is 240 volts you will fry your camper.

There are several threads on this forum where unknowing RV'ers plugged into the dryer outlet and did just that!

[rm373]

Pathfinder is correct. If you check the voltage on any campground outlet you will find two 120 volt legs, if you check the voltage on a dryer or range outlet you will find two 120 volt legs. No difference. Doesn't matter if the dryer or range outlet is 30 amp or 50 amp, still two 120 volt legs. I would have no problem plugging my 50 amp motorhome into a dryer receptacle. (Assuming of course the receptacle is wired correctly.) However I doubt if such an adaptor exists.

Just my opinion.

[awwall]

Originally Posted by Rmexline

Pathfinder is correct. If you check the voltage on any campground outlet you will find two 120 volt legs, if you check the voltage on a dryer or range outlet you will find two 120 volt legs. No difference. Doesn't matter if the dryer or range outlet is 30 amp or 50 amp, still two 120 volt legs. I would have no problem plugging my 50 amp motorhome into a dryer receptacle. (Assuming of course the receptacle is wired correctly.) However I doubt if such an adaptor exists.

Just my opinion.

X2 It would not be hard to build...all you need is a dryer plug and a 50 amp RV receptacle and some 10 gauge wire. The 10 gauge is plenty big, it will carry 28 amps and should work fine. If you are not familiar with wiring, get a qualified electrician build it for you.

The urgency over not plugging into a dryer or similar receptacle applies to the folks who have a 30 amp service in their RV. It is only a single phase system and the 2 phase 220 will fry the 110 devices. In our coaches, we have a 50 amp 2 phase system.

[TURBS]

Normally the problem arises when you try and hook up a 30amp rv " one hot, one ground, one neutral" to a dryer outlet.

Not a 50 amp "two hots, one ground, one neutral"

If he used a 30 amp adapter on his 50amp cord and plugged into the dryer outlet he'd only have half the required voltage to the distribution center .


Correct?

Turbs

[awwall]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Normally the problem arises when you try and hook up a 30amp rv " one hot, one ground, one neutral" to a dryer outlet.

Not a 50 amp "two hots, one ground, one neutral"

If he used a 30 amp adapter on his 50amp cord and plugged into the dryer outlet he'd only have half the required voltage to the distribution center .


Correct?

Turbs

Turbs, not so. The dryer outlet will provide 220v at 30 amps. He will just be limited to 30 amps for his RV instead of 50. A normal 50 to 30 amp adapter will put single phase 110 to both of the 110 distribution systems in the RV,

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by buddyu

My 2011 GT 378 XL of course came with a 50 AMP plug but can via an adapter be converted to a 30 AMP. The storage building where I keep it has a 30 AMP 4 wire Dryer Plug available. Knowing nothing about electrical stuff my question is, is there an adapter available to convert my 50 AMP to this type of 30 AMP?

Buddy, is the dryer/appliance outlet you are referring to look like this one (NEMA 14-30R)?



or is it something else?

If it is a 14-30R, do you own a multimeter aka multi-tester (which is a $10-20 dollar tool all RV'ers really should have)?

[buddyu]

Wmtire. That is exactly what it looks like. The people that own the building have more money than God so it would solve a lot of problems if they would convert it to a 50 AMP. I don't understand the purpose of a dryer receptacle in a storage building.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by buddyu

Wmtire. That is exactly what it looks like. The people that own the building have more money than God so it would solve a lot of problems if they would convert it to a 50 AMP. I don't understand the purpose of a dryer receptacle in a storage building.

Good deal, I was figuring that's what it was. We actually have everything in place for it to work on your 50 amp RV......but we're not just quite ready.

Do you own a multitester? We want to test the outlet in the building first, just to make sure of everything.

If it all checks out good (and I will show you what to test/measure voltage for), then all you need is this first adapter shown at the link below, which is a NEMA 14-30P(Plug) to a NEMA 14-50R(Receptacle):

http://evseadapters.com/adapters-for-tesla-model-s.php

[Pathfinder75]

Good Job wmtire. I figured somebody had adaptors made for this. I did not enter the correct words in the search engine to find that site. Electricity just is not that hard if you got the hot and neutrals in the correct matching locations. Of course respecting the wire gauge and amps are important also.

[buddyu]

I don't own a multi-tester. Walmart??

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by buddyu

I don't own a multi-tester. Walmart??

Or any automotive parts store.
Menards.
Home cheapo.
Lowes.
Ace harware.
Etc etc etc

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by buddyu

I don't own a multi-tester. Walmart??

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

Or any automotive parts store.
Menards.
Home cheapo.
Lowes.
Ace harware.
Etc etc etc

Wal-Mart and All the above. Sears has them on sale all the time. Radio Shack too. You can get a digital or analog one. Some prefer digital. You just need to make sure it can measure up to 250 volts AC for our purposes. You don't have to get the professional grade ones, and the $10-20 ones do the job.

These multi-testers are good for tracing down DC 12 volt problems too you will most likely encounter as you own your RV.

Just let us know what you get, and we'll show you how to set it up and what to test. It's not hard at all, and these multitesters are good to keep in your RV.

You can post here what tester you end up with, or feel free to send me a PM to make sure I see it.

[wmtire]

I'm going to go ahead and post what we are going to measure voltage for in the NEMA 14-30 R (Receptacle), as I have time this morning. Buddy, when you get the multi-tester, and let us know what you get, we'll show you what to dial up to perform this test, and what not to touch on the probes with your bare hands.



The measured voltage (which can actually range somewhat but will probably be in the 110-125 volt and 220-250 volt range) should average between:

Y and X should be 240-Volt,
Y and W 120-Volt,
Y and G 120-volt

X and G 120-volt, ,
X and W 120-Volt,

W and G 0(zero)-Volt

Buddy, there is another reason why I think it's important that you learn the multitester uses, and I will explain it later, as I don't want to overwhelm you starting out. We'll dabble on that later for you, as well as anyone else who may read this in the future. We're just going to keep it simple now.

I also edited the title of your post to clarify for everyone that we are discussing a 240/120 volt split-phase service 30 amp outlet, and not a 120 volt single phase 30 amp one. I will also clarify these differences later too, but they have actually been correctly pointed out by others earlier in this thread.

[ependydad]

This is great stuff. Electricity scares the -ish out of me, but knowledge is power...

[dcheatwood]

Agree on multi tester. $9.99 at harbor freight. I've gotten 3-4 free with coupons. Must have.

[ependydad]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

Agree on multi tester. $9.99 at harbor freight. I've gotten 3-4 free with coupons. Must have.

When you get your next one, send it up my way.