ELECTRIC Service 50/30 amps

[BOB3288]

IF I have a 50 amp service in my rv can i plug into a 30 amp camp ground service and just don't go over on my amperage i use in the rv.

[757Dave]

Originally Posted by BOB3288

IF I have a 50 amp service in my rv can i plug into a 30 amp camp ground service and just don't go over on my amperage i use in the rv.

You will need one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Dogbone...50+amp+dogbone

Happy travels...

[Kimber45]

And you can adapt down again and plug it into a normal outlet for small stuff when getting ready. Hold onto your hat from all the electricians that are going to post 200 replys about amps and volts and everything else. As long as you don't run 2 ac's and or the microwave coffeepot and blow dryer all at the same time you will be fine.

[markb5900]

You , need an adapter as mentioned above, you only need 50amp to run both your ac's.
Otherwise you can run everything else on 30amp.

[wmtire]

Here is a great link I always point out in these situations that explains the differences in the two services, and the adapter you asked about. Hope it helps:

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

[DouglasReid]

The short answer is yes, with the adapter you can. You will not be able to run all your electric appliances at once.

Experience will teach you what will cause the breaker to trip.

I could run everything except AC at one time. IF AC was on, NO hairdryer for DW and NO microwave.

[emeth]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Here is a great link I always point out in these situations that explains the differences in the two services, and the adapter you asked about. Hope it helps:

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

This is a very good article, however, it does not explain the ramifications of being forced to plug your 30 amp RV into a 50 amp receptacle.

I recently had a situation where there was no 30 amp receptacle available so I tested the 50 amp outlet and it tested correctly, plugged in my 50 to 30 amp dog-bone and did not experience any adverse effects.

I would like to know the true effect of running a 30 amp RV from a 50 amp service?

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by emeth

This is a very good article, however, it does not explain the ramifications of being forced to plug your 30 amp RV into a 50 amp receptacle.

I recently had a situation where there was no 30 amp receptacle available so I tested the 50 amp outlet and it tested correctly, plugged in my 50 to 30 amp dog-bone and did not experience any adverse effects.

I would like to know the true effect of running a 30 amp RV from a 50 amp service?

The only effect would be if you exceed the maximum rating of your unit main power circuit breaker (30 amps). Hopefully it is operational and will open before any wire melt down issues. Circuit breakers are supposed to open at no more than 135% of stated amperage value.

[formerFR]

Originally Posted by BOB3288

IF I have a 50 amp service in my rv can i plug into a 30 amp camp ground service and just don't go over on my amperage i use in the rv.

Congrats, I think that you are the first person in history to actually ask this question, and answer it yourself, it the right way.... yes!


YES! easy...
with a 50a(100a total) RV you always 'step down' to any less amperage that you can find to use. Whether the typical campground 30a outlet, or your household 15a residential style outlet. If you have the adapter to do it, it can be done. And sometimes you may need to use several adapters at the same time, such as when going from 50 to 30 to 15.

Some folks even get 'jiggy' with this electricity thang' and go overboard, buying 'dual 30a' dogbone adapters to use with TWO 30a outlets! Crazy!!

If you keep a 50 to 30 adapter, and a 30 to 15 adapter in your tool box, along with a 30a extension cord, and some 15a 'heavy duty type' extension cords, you'll be set.

and, YES!, monitoring your usage to stay within those limits is exactly the problem that most folks can't quite understand fully. You'll quickly find yourself aggravated if you let the breaker trip several times before you start to realize that you simply can't do the same things the same way at the same time when you are only on 15amp service, or even 30!

Congrats again!

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by emeth

This is a very good article, however, it does not explain the ramifications of being forced to plug your 30 amp RV into a 50 amp receptacle.

I recently had a situation where there was no 30 amp receptacle available so I tested the 50 amp outlet and it tested correctly, plugged in my 50 to 30 amp dog-bone and did not experience any adverse effects.

I would like to know the true effect of running a 30 amp RV from a 50 amp service?

Not a problem. Your RV will only draw as much currrent (amps) as it needs. If you were to somehow attempt to draw more than 30 amps, the main breaker in the RV would open.

I don't want to make this too complicated, but maybe this will help.

• All the appliances are 120 volts.
• Each appliance draws a fixed number of amps.
• The numbers are additive.
• Consider a 100 watt light bulb (around 1 amp)
• A toaster (1000 watts, around 10 amps)
• A hair dryer (1500 watts, around 15 amps)
• The currents are additive. You will be drawing 1 + 10 + 15 = 26 amps.
• There are four amps left on your budget.
• If you were to turn on the microwave (1500 watts, around 15 amps), the 30 amp breaker inside the RV would trip (or maybe one of the breakers for the convenience outlets if these devices were on the same outlet circuit).

Larry

[formerFR]

Larry from Raleigh is right, electricity is not somehow PUSHED into your coach just because you plugged into it, it requires something to 'need' the electricity, such as when you turn on your Air Conditioner, or microwave. If, though, you try to use too many of these items at once, you could be asking for more than the 30amps your coach is designed to allow(30amp Main breaker), and therefore it will trip the breaker in the coach, NOT the 50a double pole breaker at the Power Pole. Your 30amp breaker is what protects you and your coach.

Now, for those of us with 50amp coaches, using 'less' than 100amp outlets(a 50amp RV outlet is actually TWO 50a hot lines), then we will trip the Power Pole breaker, or residential outlet's breaker, NOT our 50a coach L1 or L2 breaker. Similar issue, but we are asking the outside power source for too much power, not the coach's own breaker.


fun, aint' it!?!

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by emeth

I would like to know the true effect of running a 30 amp RV from a 50 amp service?

a 30 amp service is precisely that, 1 30 amp leg providing up to 30 amps.
a 50 amp service is TWO 50 amp legs supplying 50 amps each for a total availability of 100 amps.

The 30 amp service has less than 1/3 the total capacity as the 50 amp service.

You electrical equipment will not be harmed by this lack of capacity, but if you turn on too much at once, the circuit will be overloaded and either the main breaker in the Camper's Load Center or the circuit breaker on the supply pedestal will trip.

Simple solution if that happens,............. turn off the least essential and reset the breaker

[Miller A_A sport 385 RLTS]

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

Not a problem. Your RV will only draw as much currrent (amps) as it needs. If you were to somehow attempt to draw more than 30 amps, the main breaker in the RV would open.

I don't want to make this too complicated, but maybe this will help.

• All the appliances are 120 volts.
• Each appliance draws a fixed number of amps.
• The numbers are additive.
• Consider a 100 watt light bulb (around 1 amp)
• A toaster (1000 watts, around 10 amps)
• A hair dryer (1500 watts, around 15 amps)
• The currents are additive. You will be drawing 1 + 10 + 15 = 26 amps.
• There are four amps left on your budget.
• If you were to turn on the microwave (1500 watts, around 15 amps), the 30 amp breaker inside the RV would trip (or maybe one of the breakers for the convenience outlets if these devices were on the same outlet circuit).

Larry

a breaker is only good for 95% of its rated capacity for constant load. also wire and connections can over heat and smoke before the breaker trips so pay attention and be careful that's all. this electrician wasn't rude lol

[hankpac]

While staying at Schreiner Park in Kerrville TX, I was placed in a 30 Amp spot. I used the Progressive Cheater box, that allows you to use a 30 amp, and a 20 amp plug. Hooked my Progressive to it, and Although it read as no problems (E-0), the 20 amp kept kicking off.
I finally just went with the 30 amp side, with an adapter, and didn't run anything, since we were just using the park for one night to load and fill/empty tanks.
When I went to the Ag center (Lots of spaces on a flat parking lot, 30 and 50 amp), the EMS no longer worked. Warrantee service replaced the surge protector in 3 days.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by hankpac

While staying at Schreiner Park in Kerrville TX, I was placed in a 30 Amp spot. I used the Progressive Cheater box, that allows you to use a 30 amp, and a 20 amp plug. Hooked my Progressive to it, and Although it read as no problems (E-0), the 20 amp kept kicking off.
I finally just went with the 30 amp side, with an adapter, and didn't run anything, since we were just using the park for one night to load and fill/empty tanks.
When I went to the Ag center (Lots of spaces on a flat parking lot, 30 and 50 amp), the EMS no longer worked. Warrantee service replaced the surge protector in 3 days.

We've discussed this several times before. These cheater boxes state they will not work on a GFCI circuit. And since by code, most 20 amp circuits you will encounter in a campground are going to be the GFCI kind, then these cheater boxes will not work.

https://www.amazon.com/Female-Male-C.../dp/B005JKVJ4C

and here is Camco version of the same, also with the notice it does not work on gfci outlets

50Amp PowerGrip Power Maximizer Adapter

and a previous thread discussion on why it does not work on a gfci:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1638977

[Wolverine 1945]

Originally Posted by 757Dave

You will need one of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Dogbone...50+amp+dogbone

Happy travels...

I would check Wally World first !!!
even though I use Amazon all the time !!!