Connecting 30 amp RV to a 50 amp campground pedestal

[raptor]

So I can plug my 30 amp rig to 50 amp state parks pedestal?

[FFred]

"So I can plug my 30 amp rig to 50 amp state parks pedestal?"

YES , just purchase the proper adapter that has a 50A 240v end for the park and the 120v 30A socket your coach uses.

The adapter will tie into only one 120V leg on the 240V plug making it proper for your rig.

These are a must when traveling as the 240V 50A is common.

[Kirk S]

Originally Posted by FFred

"So I can plug my 30 amp rig to 50 amp state parks pedestal?"

YES , just purchase the proper adapter that has a 50A 240v end for the park and the 120v 30A socket your coach uses.

The adapter will tie into only one 120V leg on the 240V plug making it proper for your rig.

These are a must when traveling as the 240V 50A is common.

I've encountered more than one park with a damaged 30 amp receptacle. There were no other sites available. The 50 amp 240v to 30 amp 120v adapter was the only thing between staying or finding another park. I reported the issue and used the adapter which I purchased thanks to reading this forum ahead of our trip.

[wmtire]

The 50 amp male to 30 amp female adapter just uses one of the 120 volt hot legs of a 50 amp outlet, as per this diagram:

[gectisme]

Originally Posted by Netgain

I've encountered more than one park with a damaged 30 amp receptacle. There were no other sites available. The 50 amp 240v to 30 amp 120v adapter was the only thing between staying or finding another park. I reported the issue and used the adapter which I purchased thanks to reading this forum ahead of our trip.

In our travels we have noticed the sites that have 30 and 50 amp on the same pedestal, more often than not, the 30 amp is worn and the 50amp is in good condition. I think this is because there are more 30 amp RV's. I now always plug into the 50 amp side and use the 50amp to 30amp adapter to get a better connection.

[emjayuu]

Originally Posted by wmtire

The 50 amp male to 30 amp female adapter just uses one of the 120 volt hot legs of a 50 amp outlet, as per this diagram:

Thanks. I wondered how the 50-30 dog bone worked ..

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by wmtire

The 50 amp male to 30 amp female adapter just uses one of the 120 volt hot legs of a 50 amp outlet, as per this diagram:

So the outlet is protected at 50 amps from the post to the RV breaker?

[fella10]

we have found that a 50m to 30F and a 30m to 15f are two adapters that are certainly good to have on hand for a "just in case" situation, .... once we were at a cg that had only 50amp service on all their power poles, they provided the 50m to 30f adapters for loan to anyone who needed them, .... we run our electric heaters off the 15amp service when available and one of our favorite cg has several power poles that the 110 outlets do not work, .... at those sites we just draw 15amp from the 30/with adapter and the 30amp service from the 50/with adapter, .... both are very handy to have and they do what they're made for without any problem, ....

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N8UDPIJ...&pd_rd_w=7LbM2

https://www.amazon.com/RV-Power-Cord...15f+rv+adapter

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

So the outlet is protected at 50 amps from the post to the RV breaker?

Yes, but your 30 amp breaker inside your RV will limit your amp draw to no more than 30 amps.

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

Yes, but your 30 amp breaker inside your RV will limit your amp draw to no more than 30 amps.

Yes but a short between the post and the 30 amp breaker may fry something.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

Yes but a short between the post and the 30 amp breaker may fry something.

mwdilday is correct in that the 30 amp shore power cord does become the weak link in the circuit between the campground outlet being capable of 50 amps AND the RV's 30 amp main breaker in the distribution panel.

In a normal 30 amp campground outlet to 30 amp main RV distribution panel, everything is protected by either the RV's 30 amp main circuit breaker all the way to the campgrounds 30 amp main circuit breaker. Should an overload/short occur in the circuit, then hopefully one or the other 30 amp circuit breakers would trip, thus protecting the entire circuit/wiring.

When using this adapter, if the RV's main 30 amp circuit breaker fails to trip, then the campgrounds 50 amp main circuit breaker will not trip until 50 amps is reached.... which would be over the shore power cords 30 amp safe limit. You just have one 30 amp circuit breaker (the RV's) protecting the circuit in this scenario instead of two (the RV's and the campground pedestals).

1. Can this happen....yes
2. Will it happen..... probably not

It is a possibility with low probability. Many RV'ers use this adapter with absolutely no problem, which is why it's produced by manufacturers. It's also why you will see it used in those campgrounds with only a 50 amp outlet at the pedestal.

If a RV'er with a 30 amp RV just utilizes his RV in the same manner as they normally would when connected to the 50 amp outlet via this adapter (don't try to use more than 30 amps), then they probably will be fine, absent a cascading failure.

[Kirk S]

It would add to the cost, but a 30 amp circuit breaker on the 50 to 30 adapter wouldn't be a bad idea. Agree with wmtire's statement ... possibility with low probability.

[mwdilday]

Originally Posted by Netgain

It would add to the cost, but a 30 amp circuit breaker on the 50 to 30 adapter wouldn't be a bad idea. Agree with wmtire's statement ... possibility with low probability.

I like the idea of a breaker.

[757Dave]

We have had good results using a 50 amp splitter. Here's the one that we use.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Happy travels...

[fella10]

Since we're all electric(don't carry propane), I use a #12 extension cord(yellow cord in photo) to power our two small ceramic heaters from the 110 outlet on the power pole, .... that takes those amps off the 30 amp system, ... since the photos below were taken, I've included wiring to allow me to power the wh off that 110 system in the summer when the ac is almost full time on the 30 amp system, again, to remove those amps from the 30 amp system , .... works great, with no problems whatsoever, ....

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by fella10

Since we're all electric(don't carry propane), I use a #12 extension cord(yellow cord in photo) to power our two small ceramic heaters from the 110 outlet on the power pole, .... that takes those amps off the 30 amp system, ... since the photos below were taken, I've included wiring to allow me to power the wh off that 110 system in the summer when the ac if almost full time on the 30 amp system, again, to remove those amps from the 30 amp system , .... works great, with no problems whatsoever, ....

That sounds good, depending on how long your #12 extension cord is, and the total amount of amps your two space heaters combined are using.

I noticed a ? in your post title asking if 30 amps + 20 amps made you 50 amps. Yes and no

Yes, as in it would allow you up to 50 amps of power, or 6000 watts total.

No, as in this is not the same as a 120/240 volt split phase 50 amp outlet or the way a 50 amp RV utilizes such.....which is 12000 watts total.

This link may help explain it.

https://www.rvtechmag.com/electrical/chapter3.php

[fella10]

Originally Posted by wmtire

That sounds good, depending on how long your #12 extension cord is, and the total amount of amps your two space heaters combined are using

50 amp? was tongue in cheek, but ... 30 + 20 has always = 50, ..... 28ft #12 cord, ... kill-a-watt monitor says running both heaters on high 12.1amp, both on low 7.8amp, .... no problem whatsoever, ....

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

Yes but a short between the post and the 30 amp breaker may fry something.

Yes, but a short in the wiring between the 50 amp pedestal breaker and the 30 amp breaker will trip the 50 amp breaker. It doesn't matter if you have a 30 amp pedestal or 50 amp pedestal breaker, a short will between the pedestal and the distribution panel will trip only the one at the pedestal.

The breaker only protects the load side of the breaker from shorts or overloads. The line side (supply) is not protected by said breaker.

[rockfordroo]

Originally Posted by wmtire

mwdilday is correct in that the 30 amp shore power cord does become the weak link in the circuit between the campground outlet being capable of 50 amps AND the RV's 30 amp main breaker in the distribution panel.

In a normal 30 amp campground outlet to 30 amp main RV distribution panel, everything is protected by either the RV's 30 amp main circuit breaker all the way to the campgrounds 30 amp main circuit breaker. Should an overload/short occur in the circuit, then hopefully one or the other 30 amp circuit breakers would trip, thus protecting the entire circuit/wiring.

When using this adapter, if the RV's main 30 amp circuit breaker fails to trip, then the campgrounds 50 amp main circuit breaker will not trip until 50 amps is reached.... which would be over the shore power cords 30 amp safe limit. You just have one 30 amp circuit breaker (the RV's) protecting the circuit in this scenario instead of two (the RV's and the campground pedestals).

1. Can this happen....yes
2. Will it happen..... probably not

It is a possibility with low probability. Many RV'ers use this adapter with absolutely no problem, which is why it's produced by manufacturers. It's also why you will see it used in those campgrounds with only a 50 amp outlet at the pedestal.

If a RV'er with a 30 amp RV just utilizes his RV in the same manner as they normally would when connected to the 50 amp outlet via this adapter (don't try to use more than 30 amps), then they probably will be fine, absent a cascading failure.

And this is really no different than your house. You've got a 15 amp or 20 amp breaker in the basement. If it fails, then you've got a 100 amp or 200 amp breaker above it. Only difference is that in your house, the distance between the two breakers is inches of bus bar, while in your RV, it's the length of 30 amp cord.

That being said, I've never, ever seen or heard of a breaker that failed to open. I'm not saying they don't - I'm just saying I've never heard of one.

[SailorSam20500]

Originally Posted by mwdilday

Yes but a short between the post and the 30 amp breaker may fry something.

If you have a short between the post and the 30 amp breaker, the breaker on the post will trip.
This situation is no different than power at your S&B. Outside your house, is well over 200 amps. You have a main breaker of between 100 and 200 amps or so. Individual circuits in your house are usually 15 or 20 amps.

I was at the Kentucky Horse park this summer. They apparently have dual power loops with separate feeds to the 50 and 30 amp outlets. The 30 amp circuit was browning out which caused my Progressive EMS to shut down my camper. Put in my 50 amp adapter and was good to go. Fewer trailers on the 50 amp supply