50 to 15 amp

[jimex]

I would like to know if there is a safe way to step down the 50 amp connection on my Rockwood ultralight to 110v connection. I would like to run the fridge at the house for a day or so before camping and don't have a 50 or 30 amp connection to plug into.
Anybody done this?


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[Ford Idaho]

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-55168-Po...15+amp+adapter

[FordHauler]

My refer is plugged into a 110v outlet behind the outside panel that the drain exits. I would say you could take off the panel and plug the refer into an extension cord.
About a 5 minute job.
Travel safe

[themounties]

That's what we do at the house 50 amp to 30 amp to 110 a day before we leave, DW bought a 50 to 110 this winter but havnt tried it yet, camping world online has them.

[jimex]

Originally Posted by Ford Idaho

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-55168-Po...15+amp+adapter

Thanks Ford, this looks like just what I need!


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[jimex]

Yeah, that's what I am doing now. Just wondered what was out there to provide power to fridge and the converter to keep battery up, use lights, etc. I know I can't run everything but wondered what options were there.


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[ferguson65]

I have this. even better than the other one posted as I now don't have to drag the 50A cord out at all. Install adapter, plug in 15A cord. 50A cord stays stowed in the trailer.


http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002IZJD5S/...50+amp+adapter


Kind of salty, but not having to deal with the 50A cord at home is worth it.

[Ford Idaho]

This is what I do.

Nice heavy duty cord from Lowes with an adapter from Walmart.

Just pull the plug out of it's hole and plug the smaller cord to the trailer and into the garage.

[BandJCarm]

It has not cost a fortune to have an electrician put in a 30 (and now will have to be changed to 50) power outlet on side of garage, on a dedicated circuit, with a weatherproof box. Solves all future problems when parked in the driveway at home.

[aceinspp]

I have 30 amp at side of house but I drop my tt from 50 to 30 to 110 so it stays plugged in all the time. Can have 30 to run air if need be. Later RJD

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by themounties

That's what we do at the house 50 amp to 30 amp to 110 a day before we leave, DW bought a 50 to 110 this winter but havnt tried it yet, camping world online has them.

Originally Posted by aceinspp

I have 30 amp at side of house but I drop my tt from 50 to 30 to 110 so it stays plugged in all the time. Can have 30 to run air if need be. Later RJD

I know it's just kinda a terminology thing, but as far as a RV is concerned you are going from a 120/240 volt split phase 50 amp, to a 120 volt 30 amp, to a 120 volt 15 amp.

Your RV utilizes 120 volts on any of the three connections. You only are changing the total amps available via the 120 volt connection. 100 amps total to 30 amps total to 15 amps total.

These links may better help everyone understand this:

AC Electricity

Electrical Tutorial - Chapter 3 - 30 Amp versus 50 Amp

RV Electric

The real reason I point this out, is it's best for those reading this to fully understand just what a 4-wire 120/240 volt 50 amp split phase service is, as well as a 3-wire 120 volt 30 amp. We have had MANY a horror story on these forums where a professional electrician has wired up someones home outlet as a 240 volt 30 amp service, thus burning up items in the RV when the member plugged in. The 3 wire TT30 RV plug confuses even the professionals who may not have previous experience to know it is ONLY 120 volts. This is why we keep the following pdf file here on the forums, for our members to always print out and give the electricians. If we save just one member from this RV catastrophe, it's worth all the typing.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...let-27223.html

[deebarjay]

glad you chimed in.......whats with this 50 amp to 30 amp to 110v....... guess no base knowledge.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by deebarjay

glad you chimed in.......whats with this 50 amp to 30 amp to 110v....... guess no base knowledge.

If you are referring to my above post, the links provided explain it well.

I really like this link below (and is also above). Click on all the left hand tabs on the page to peruse the different things. The 'campground service' tab has all the different electrical configurations you will encounter.

Also check out the "outlet testing" tab which explains how to test outlets, which everyone without a EMS system should be doing EACH and EVERY time before they plug in.

RV Electric

Hijack over

[jimex]

Thanks again! Great info on electrical. I'm a bit of a techie and really enjoy reading this stuff.


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[aceinspp]

Thanks for that link. Good stuff. Later RJD

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by jimex

Thanks again! Great info on electrical. I'm a bit of a techie and really enjoy reading this stuff.


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And thank you for allowing me a semi-hijack on your thread.

It's just important that those reading, know that the 30 amp RV outlet is ONLY 120 volt and has three wires, a hot, a neutral, and a ground.

It's when electricians (or homeowners) mistakingly believe that the 30 amp RV outlet is 240 volts, that bad things happen. They wire it with TWO hots (each at 120 volts), and usually a ground. Usually NO neutral is connected.

This is when you burn up things. You will also burn up a 50 amp RV connecting to a miswired 3-wire outlet, using an adapter...since the adapter shares the 240 volts across both legs in a 50 amp RV (which normally only has 120 volt per leg)

Looking at the schematic below for how outlets are properly wired, and even using an adapter on a 50 amp RV..... you will notice that the TT30 outlet has a L1(120 volt hot), a neutral, and a ground.

Now imagine that the neutral has been replaced with the L2(another 120 volt hot). This is what many electricians do, when they miswire the outlet using an also incorrect double pole breaker....and therefore you have 240 volts feeding the RV. Bad stuff.

Even though a 50 amp RV has two 120 volt hot legs (L1 and L2) feeding it, the RV's inside electrical distribution panel utilizes each leg separate, so that everything is STILL only 120 volts.......but you have two 120 volt legs each capable of providing 50 amps of power per leg, or 100 amps total.

So in conclusion, whether you use a 120/240 volt split phase 50 amp outlet, a 120 volt 30 amp outlet, or a 120 volt 15 amp outlet.....you are most always going to be using 120 volts only.

[wmtire]

Jimex, I also should have pointed out something you may find useful in the above schematic.

If you will notice, they have on the far right, how a 50 amp RV utilizes an adapter, when adapting to a 30 amp outlet...or even a 15 amp outlet is the same.

Since it was explained that the 50 amp RV utilizes two separate 120 volt hot lines (L1 and L2), when you use an adapter to plug into an outlet that only has one hot line (L1), then the adapter "jumps" the one L1 over onto the RV's second L2 side.

So this way, you have the one and only L1, providing power to both the L1 and L2 sides of a 50 amp RV....so everything has 120 volt power going to it, but you are still going to be limited to only 30 or perhaps 15 amps total power when using the adapter.


Is it clear as mud now? LOL

[hammer55]

as far as the problem with using the 50 amp service or power, there will be none if your limit your usage to the 20 or 30 amp connector, the only time you need to worry is if you exceed the amperage of your smallest connector, or wire, so if you use a 20 amp connector reduced down from a 50 amp cord on your trailer or coach, be wise and only use what you chose to adapt to, if that makes since