Using 50A vs 30A on a 30A trailer

[ProCharger]

Trailer is a 30A setup, 2017 Grey Wolf 26DBH. Is there any advantage/disadvantage to using the adapter and plugging into the 50A receptacle on the pole vs the 30A when both are available? I am sure it has been talked about before but my google search power must be weak, all I come up with are discussions using 30A power on 50A rigs. BTW will be using an EMS-pt30x as well.....or possibly hard wired if there looks like a decent place to do it. I know the breakers in the trailer are on the opposite side from electric in so not sure which route I will end up going.

Thanks!

[F.R.O.G.]

Even if you plug your 30-amp trailer into a 50-amp outlet with an adapter, you'll still have only 30 amps. A 30-amp outlet is wired to provide 120 volts on one side, and none on the other. That will provide you with 3,600 watts 30 x 120).

A 50-amp outlet is wired with 120 volts on each side for a total of 12,000 watts (50 x 120 x 2), but your trailer is wired to accept the voltage from only one side to prevent overloading your system, making the other side effectively dead.

There's no advantage or disadvantage to plugging into a 50-amp plug, so you might as well not bother with the adapter.

There's a pretty good non-technical explanation at

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoOR2AJGjOI

[WFD]

Except that it was discussed in a thread here not long ago that the vast majority of times people are using 30 amp, and with the constant flicking on and off of the 30 amp breakers that in some parks the 30 amp breaker becomes weaker and is more susceptible to tripping. So for that reason many prefer using the 50...seems to make sense.

[F.R.O.G.]

If you find the situation of a weak 30-amp breaker, it won't hurt to use the 50-amp side, but I'd quickly report the breaker to the park manager as well.

[davel1971]

amps are drawn, not forced. You will never get more in than your rig can handle

[bigmurph]

I like to use the adapter because it seems that many of the 30 amp plugs at parks have a burnt ground terminal at the post. I have been told a few different reasons why that is but the 50 amps connections always look good. So I plug in my 50 to 30 adapter and go with it. I had to replace the end on my trailer one time because of the bad connection at the park. It melted my plug because of the high resistance.

[itat]

How are the power posts wired? Is the 50A receptacle fed from an entirely different circuit than the 30A receptacle? I understand that the 50A receptacle has 2 legs of 50A at 120VAC with a double 50A breaker, so plugging a 30A trailer into the 50A receptacle means that your power cable is not protected at 30A but aside from that, I just wonder if the 50A circuits would have better, more reliable power since at most campgrounds the majority of trailers connect to the 30A circuit. In the heat of the summer, the 30A circuits tend to have lower voltage because of all the high loads.

I have a 50 to 30 dog bone but try to use the 30A receptacle unless I'm have power issues with the 30A supply.

[bigmurph]

You are right about the breaker being 50 amps. This summer we were hooked up through the 50 to 30 connector and we were using the a/c, water heater on electric, tvs and everything. When we turned on the microwave the main breaker in the trailer tripped. Upside to that though was that we didn't have to go out in the rain to reset it.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by ProCharger

I am sure it has been talked about before but my google search power must be weak, all I come up with are discussions using 30A power on 50A rigs.

Here are some previous discussions on this:

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1425415

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1391598

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post1312164

[NCBBA11043]

Even though your 30 amp breaker in your power center SHOULD trip, your cable is only rated for 30 amps. It will melt before the 50 amp breaker will trip. I wouldn't think that would be very likely, but just wanted to point it out in case you had a dead short before the load center (critter eating the insulation and wires on your incoming power feed).

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.;1449214
There's no advantage or disadvantage to plugging into a 50-amp plug, so you might as well not bother with the adapter.

There's a pretty good non-technical explanation at [URL

03-20-2017, 04:48 PM	#12
ScottBrownstein Senior Member   Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Englewood FL Posts: 2,797	There is really only one reason to use a 30 to 50 amp adapter on a 30 amp RV and that is to avoid a tired 30 amp receptacle and a worn 30 amp pedestal breaker. I have a 50 amp coach that really only needs 30 amps most of the time (single A/C). The cable, however, is wired for 50 amps and I generally use it when available. __________________ 2015 335DS

03-20-2017, 06:18 PM	#13
dmchapman Senior Member     Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Sierra Nevada foothills Posts: 236	Originally Posted by F.R.O.G. If you find the situation of a weak 30-amp breaker, it won't hurt to use the 50-amp side, but I'd quickly report the breaker to the park manager as well. Yeah, good luck with that. We were at a park at Big Bear Lake, CA where the 30A receptacle was worn so that it was open ground. No 50A at this spot and the park management was clueless. They have to call an electrician for this so I got by with the 20A and an adapter. Not a big deal. __________________ 2015 Microlite 21 DS 2012 Silverado extended cab Z71

03-20-2017, 07:00 PM	#14
4B11T Senior Member   Join Date: Feb 2016 Posts: 103	A few times camping with my ac and water heater running I kept tripped the 30 amp breaker on the pedistol. I plugged in my 50 amp adapter and never tripped the 30 in the camper. I would have to say there is an advantage to running off of 50 amps. __________________ 2016 Coachmen Apex 288BHS 2015 F150 Sport 4x4 3.5 Eco Boost

03-20-2017, 07:09 PM	#15
ScottBrownstein Senior Member   Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Englewood FL Posts: 2,797	Originally Posted by 4B11T A few times camping with my ac and water heater running I kept tripped the 30 amp breaker on the pedistol. I plugged in my 50 amp adapter and never tripped the 30 in the camper. I would have to say there is an advantage to running off of 50 amps. the only explanation for that would be a weak breaker in the pedestal and/or a bad pedestal receptacle that generated a large voltage drop when both were running. You weren't drawing much more that 30 amps or the breaker in your AC panel in the RV would have tripped. __________________ 2015 335DS

03-20-2017, 07:12 PM	#16
Herk7769 Site Team - Lou     Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Eastern PA Posts: 23,269	Originally Posted by NCBBA11043 Even though your 30 amp breaker in your power center SHOULD trip, your cable is only rated for 30 amps. It will melt before the 50 amp breaker will trip. I wouldn't think that would be very likely, but just wanted to point it out in case you had a dead short before the load center (critter eating the insulation and wires on your incoming power feed). I agree. Here is a photo of a camper that was using a 30 amp extension cord in addition to the OEM cord. It kept tripping the 30 amp breaker on the pedestal. They moved the extension cord with an adapter to the 50 amp service and the camper was "happy" not seeing more than 30 amps; the 50 amp breakers were "happy"; but the connection between the cord and the extension cord was not "happy". Attached Thumbnails   __________________ Lou & Freya the wonder dog 2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax 2019 Flagstaff 8529FL

03-20-2017, 07:15 PM	#17
SeaDog Senior Member     Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: x Posts: 12,423	This just may be me but I have found at times the 50 amp side of things seems to be more stable when allot of folks are running things like ACs. I always use a surge guard at the pedestal so there is no way I will overload my 30 amp cord. __________________ Retired Navy Jake my sidekick (yellow Lab) 10/04 - 05/20 2017 RAM 2500 CC 4X4 Cummins Diesel 2016 Flagstaff 26 FKWS AF&AM & El Korah Shrine of Idaho

03-20-2017, 07:18 PM	#18
B and B Senior Member     Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 10,833	I used to use the 50 amp to 30 amp all of the time. The 30 amp plugs at Goshen for example are loose and will cause the end of your plug to either weld into the outlet or fall out. Resistance in a connection will cause heating. My 30 amp breaker in my trailer was replaced due to tripping with a higher curve model. I do check all connections for heating and also clean them often. I also carry a temp gun and Fluke clamp on ammeter. __________________ B and B 2022 Venture RV SportTrek STT 302 VRB Travel Trailer 2018 Heartland Landmark 365 Louisville 5th Wheel 2015 Heartland Bighorn 5th Wheel 2013 FR Rockwood 8289WS 5th Wheel 2012 FR Rockwood 2703 SS Travel Trailer

03-20-2017, 07:24 PM	#19
CedarCreekWoody Senior Member   Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Cedar Creek Lake, TX Posts: 3,484	Originally Posted by SeaDog This just may be me but I have found at times the 50 amp side of things seems to be more stable when allot of folks are running things like ACs. I always use a surge guard at the pedestal so there is no way I will overload my 30 amp cord. The surge guard is not a breaker. It prevents voltage spikes, it will not prevent an overload. Only the pedestal breaker or RV breaker protects for overload.

03-20-2017, 07:31 PM	#20
SeaDog Senior Member     Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: x Posts: 12,423	I do have to check mine I though it also had over amperage and voltage features in it. __________________ Retired Navy Jake my sidekick (yellow Lab) 10/04 - 05/20 2017 RAM 2500 CC 4X4 Cummins Diesel 2016 Flagstaff 26 FKWS AF&AM & El Korah Shrine of Idaho

[ScottBrownstein]

There is really only one reason to use a 30 to 50 amp adapter on a 30 amp RV and that is to avoid a tired 30 amp receptacle and a worn 30 amp pedestal breaker. I have a 50 amp coach that really only needs 30 amps most of the time (single A/C). The cable, however, is wired for 50 amps and I generally use it when available.

[dmchapman]

Originally Posted by F.R.O.G.

If you find the situation of a weak 30-amp breaker, it won't hurt to use the 50-amp side, but I'd quickly report the breaker to the park manager as well.

Yeah, good luck with that. We were at a park at Big Bear Lake, CA where the 30A receptacle was worn so that it was open ground. No 50A at this spot and the park management was clueless. They have to call an electrician for this so I got by with the 20A and an adapter. Not a big deal.

[4B11T]

A few times camping with my ac and water heater running I kept tripped the 30 amp breaker on the pedistol. I plugged in my 50 amp adapter and never tripped the 30 in the camper. I would have to say there is an advantage to running off of 50 amps.

[ScottBrownstein]

Originally Posted by 4B11T

A few times camping with my ac and water heater running I kept tripped the 30 amp breaker on the pedistol. I plugged in my 50 amp adapter and never tripped the 30 in the camper. I would have to say there is an advantage to running off of 50 amps.

the only explanation for that would be a weak breaker in the pedestal and/or a bad pedestal receptacle that generated a large voltage drop when both were running. You weren't drawing much more that 30 amps or the breaker in your AC panel in the RV would have tripped.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by NCBBA11043

Even though your 30 amp breaker in your power center SHOULD trip, your cable is only rated for 30 amps. It will melt before the 50 amp breaker will trip. I wouldn't think that would be very likely, but just wanted to point it out in case you had a dead short before the load center (critter eating the insulation and wires on your incoming power feed).

I agree.

Here is a photo of a camper that was using a 30 amp extension cord in addition to the OEM cord. It kept tripping the 30 amp breaker on the pedestal. They moved the extension cord with an adapter to the 50 amp service and the camper was "happy" not seeing more than 30 amps; the 50 amp breakers were "happy"; but the connection between the cord and the extension cord was not "happy".

[SeaDog]

This just may be me but I have found at times the 50 amp side of things seems to be more stable when allot of folks are running things like ACs. I always use a surge guard at the pedestal so there is no way I will overload my 30 amp cord.

[B and B]

I used to use the 50 amp to 30 amp all of the time. The 30 amp plugs at Goshen for example are loose and will cause the end of your plug to either weld into the outlet or fall out. Resistance in a connection will cause heating. My 30 amp breaker in my trailer was replaced due to tripping with a higher curve model. I do check all connections for heating and also clean them often. I also carry a temp gun and Fluke clamp on ammeter.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

This just may be me but I have found at times the 50 amp side of things seems to be more stable when allot of folks are running things like ACs. I always use a surge guard at the pedestal so there is no way I will overload my 30 amp cord.

The surge guard is not a breaker. It prevents voltage spikes, it will not prevent an overload. Only the pedestal breaker or RV breaker protects for overload.

[SeaDog]

I do have to check mine I though it also had over amperage and voltage features in it.