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Old 04-27-2017, 10:23 AM   #1
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Can I plug in?

We are going to go to a site that only has 30 amp service. My question is: is it alright to plug one end of my pigtail into the 30 amp plug along with the other side being plugged into the normal 15 amp outlet? The 15 amp leg is the one that runs my gfi outlets and microwave. I know that it will work even though it will not be my usual 50 amps of service, but does this cause any problems?
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Old 04-27-2017, 10:45 AM   #2
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We are going to go to a site that only has 30 amp service. My question is: is it alright to plug one end of my pigtail into the 30 amp plug along with the other side being plugged into the normal 15 amp outlet? The 15 amp leg is the one that runs my gfi outlets and microwave. I know that it will work even though it will not be my usual 50 amps of service, but does this cause any problems?


Can you describe this "pigtail " a little bit more. I think I know what you are talking about, however some of your comments do not sync with what I am envisioning.

After that we can talk about any potential issues.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:07 AM   #3
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A few potential issues.
1. You will need a pigtail specifically set up for this The standard ones will not work as they connect both sides of the RV input to the 30A plug in a "Y" like configuration.
2. Many campgrounds are set up with three 30A pedestals on a 100A breaker upstream. If this is the case and the demand on the other two pedestals on your 100A leg is close to 30A, you could trip the 100A breaker upstream. These are usually locked and will need to be reset by staff. You will not be popular with your neighbors.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:08 AM   #4
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Can you describe this "pigtail " a little bit more. I think I know what you are talking about, however some of your comments do not sync with what I am envisioning.

After that we can talk about any potential issues.
I agree with this. If you have a normal 50a to 30a adapter pigtail, all circuits in your Wildcat will have power - including your GFCI loops and your microwave. You may not be able to run two A/C units, etc.

Your statement "the other side being plugged into the normal 15 amp outlet? The 15 amp leg is the one that runs my gfi outlets and microwave" is not accurate for my 50a Wildcat.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:13 AM   #5
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Can you describe this "pigtail " a little bit more. I think I know what you are talking about, however some of your comments do not sync with what I am envisioning.

After that we can talk about any potential issues.
I have a pigtail that plugs into my 50 amp plug and has two 30 amp plugs on the other end. At home I use adapters and keep our fifth wheel plugged into two separate 15 amp 120/240 normal plugs since I have not installed a 50 amp outlet yet. I hope this is a bit more clear. Thank you.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:13 AM   #6
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If you are refering to whats called a 'cheater cord' they will not work with the pedistle because the GFI will trip
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:33 AM   #7
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If you are refering to whats called a 'cheater cord' they will not work with the pedistle because the GFI will trip
Unfortunately I am not an electric guy so I do not know what it is called. I have actually done this at a site a long time ago and it sounds like I got lucky and didn't have any issues. However, now that I know that I could affect other campers, I will refrain from doing that again. Thanks everyone for your input.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:41 AM   #8
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I have a pigtail that plugs into my 50 amp plug and has two 30 amp plugs on the other end. At home I use adapters and keep our fifth wheel plugged into two separate 15 amp 120/240 normal plugs since I have not installed a 50 amp outlet yet. I hope this is a bit more clear. Thank you.


That is what I was thinking. If your pigtail is not some homemade one that is wired in a non-traditional manner:

1st. The power is combined from the two "30 amp" ends, so all circuits should be energized. (Of course you have to limit what you run due to receptacles you are plugged into.) Your statement regarding certain circuits being energized by one of the plugs was confusing because that is not how normal adapters work.

2nd. If you plug either end into a GFCI protected circuit, either by GFCI breaker or GFCI receptacle, this setup will not work because the GFCI will trip due to current flowing on the neutral and hot, on that circuit, will not match.

Plugging both of your ends into a 15 or 20 amp receptacle at home is OK, however it only works because those circuits are not GFCI protected.

Doing this at a campground will not work (most of the time) because the 15 or 20 amp receptacle is normally a GFCI receptacle.

These adapters really rock when you have access to two 30 amp receptacles, however you have to make sure they are on different legs or you risk overloading the neutral in your camper and cord. If at least one receptacle is 20 amp or less, no risk.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:44 AM   #9
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So your adapter has a 50A female plug on one side that you're plugging your trailer's 50A power cord into, and the other side of the adapter has 2 - 30A male plugs (or 1 - 30A and 1 - 15A)?
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:46 AM   #10
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So your adapter has a 50A female plug on one side that you're plugging your trailer's 50A power cord into, and the other side of the adapter has 2 - 30A male plugs?


That is how I understood it. I have one of these and they can be quite handy. It is a wye adapter: one end has a 50 amp receptacle where the camper plugs in and the other end are two 30 amp RV plugs.

One of the campgrounds I go to has an extra 30 amp pedestal close by (but no 50 amp pedestals). I plug into both 30 amp pedestals for a total of 60 amps... as apposed to the 100 amps available from a 50 amp pedestal.
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:55 AM   #11
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I realize that the 50A service has 2 - 50A legs for a total of 100A, so you could plug into 2 - 30A receptacles on the post, but I've never seen a campsite post with more than a single 50A, a single 30A and a single 15 or 20A plug. So I don't know why you'd need 2 - 30A plugs on the other side of the wye. I could see a 30A and a 15A, but not two 30s?
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Old 04-27-2017, 11:58 AM   #12
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Actually... I believe the OP has one if these...


In a 'typical' 30 amp pedestal, there would only be one 30 amp receptacle to plug one side of the adapter into. The 2nd side would require a 30 to 15 amp adapter. Although in 40 years of camping, I have seen two pedestals that had two 30 amp outlets. No clue how they were fed?

It might work but as mentioned and depending on how the pedestal is wired it could trip the breaker feeding the pedestal and with the addition of the 2nd needed adapter for the 15 amp side, that would be too many points of failure (loose connections/heat) for me. Also most pedestal's 15 amp outlet is GFCI. That usually doesn't play nicely with the GFCI's in the trailer.
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:05 PM   #13
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Can I plug in?

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I realize that the 50A service has 2 - 50A legs for a total of 100A, so you could plug into 2 - 30A receptacles on the post, but I've never seen a campsite post with more than a single 50A, a single 30A and a single 15 or 20A plug. So I don't know why you'd need 2 - 30A plugs on the other side of the wye. I could see a 30A and a 15A, but not two 30s?


You can use a 30 amp extension cord to a second pedestal if available. I have done this.

You can also use an adapter down to a 15/20 amp receptacle if available.

Certain conditions have to exist for this to work, but Is quite handy if they do.

The whole purpose of this of course is when 50 amp is not available.
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Old 04-27-2017, 04:42 PM   #14
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To me, the only reason to have a 50A service in your trailer is to enable you to run 2 ACs. Can you run 2 ACs when using that adapter to connect to a 30A and a 15A? I definitely wouldn't have the nerve to run a 30A extension cord to another site!
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Old 04-27-2017, 04:50 PM   #15
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To me, the only reason to have a 50A service in your trailer is to enable you to run 2 ACs. Can you run 2 ACs when using that adapter to connect to a 30A and a 15A? I definitely wouldn't have the nerve to run a 30A extension cord to another site!


You clearly have no idea about 50 amp set then. There is a lot more than an extra ac from it.

As long as you have permission to use both pedestals, I don't see what nerve is needed.
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Old 04-27-2017, 05:05 PM   #16
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Yup. Never had a 50A rig. We do fine with 30A. I'd definitely get 50A if I had the option but I buy my TTs used and save a lot - and most TTs are 30A. We made do with 15A when we had our popup!
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Old 04-27-2017, 08:37 PM   #17
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Keep in mind if both 30amp receptacles are on the same phase of the 220 volt feed the potential exists for overloading the neutral wire of the power cord and RV wiring to the power distribution panel. The neutral carries the delta of the two 50 amp legs (if both legs have the exact same load the current on the neutral will be zero). When both legs are on the same phase the load on the neutral is the sum of the two legs rather than the delta.
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Old 04-28-2017, 06:19 AM   #18
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Also, can you be sure the 15 Amp outlet is on the same leg as the 30 amp plug. It may be! This will give you no benefit over a standard "Y" adaptor and as previously mentioned, trip out the GFI plug due to the neutral imbalance.
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Old 04-28-2017, 07:04 AM   #19
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Once again I am clueless when it comes to how the phase, neutral, etc. all works. When I have one side of my y adapter plugged in at home, only the A/C works and the main lights and none GFI outlets. When I only plug in the other side of the adapter, the GFI, microwave, and other A/C works. After all of this discussion I realize that it is not all that important. Like itat stated, we can make do with just 30 amps. We are just camping and it is alright to go without once and a while. I would never run my pigtail end to a different pedestal other than my own and I am now not going to plug one end into the 15 amp outlet. Thanks for all of the responses.
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Old 04-28-2017, 07:09 AM   #20
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You clearly have no idea about 50 amp set then. There is a lot more than an extra ac from it.

As long as you have permission to use both pedestals, I don't see what nerve is needed.
itat I am with you on this one. I also have no idea about the 50 amp setup. Our TT also had 30 amps. We don't even use the A/C in the bedroom so this really isn't that important I was just being curious.
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