Plugging 50A 5er into a 15A Circuit

[Boomerweps]

Originally Posted by SailorSam20500

You could also buy a roll of romex, a couple of connectors, and make your own extension/adapter cord.

NOOOooooooo! Most Romex is NOT weather exposure rated. Romex is solid core wire that does NOT like bending and rebending for coiling up. Romex is for permanent installation.

[Boomerweps]

Originally Posted by rmwmiata

I use adapter Skip 12 provided link for with 75 ft 16 ga extension cord at home to run residential fridge and charge battery. I plug into non GFI recep. Need a good charge on battery to run slides. If not may not operate well even if plugged in to 120.

Holy moly! 16awg to supply an RV 75' away. Save the 16awg for Christmas lights and leave it at home. Go at least 12AWG. Per the voltage drop calculator, starting at 120VAC with 16awg cable, IF you need the whole 15 amps from the house supply, voltage will drop 9.03. 110vac is still within most electrical design tolerances but I would not go there. Going 12AWG will cut the voltage drop in half.

[Retired JSO]

A 100’ 10 gauge extension cord from Harbor Freight is $125. An adapter from Amazon is $13. Together, that will solve any problem about voltage drop and run your converter and fridge without problems. Been using this set up for years.

[SimchaSabre]

Originally Posted by Retired JSO

A 100’ 10 gauge extension cord from Harbor Freight is $125. An adapter from Amazon is $13. Together, that will solve any problem about voltage drop and run your converter and fridge without problems. Been using this set up for years.

I removed the female end of a 12awg extension and replaced it with a 50A RV connector. That way there are no open connections to worry about

[Steveboe]

Hockey puck adapters are only good to charge battery's.
Brook stone has the best idea since it reduces the number of connections. No mention of rain or traffic, being a concern on your cord.
Now we have, all, over thought this.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by itat

We just bought a new 5er that has a 50A service. Where we store it, the only power source is a 15A receptacle in a garage that’s about a 65’ run from the trailer. I just need the power to run the refrigerator overnight before a trip, and when putting the 3 slides in and out, to supplement the cheap dealer Group 24 battery.

So, with this new 50A trailer I have a couple options to connect to the 15A receptacle:

1. Use a 50A to 30A dogbone, a 25’ long 30A extension cord, a 30A to 15A dogbone, and a 25’ long 12ga extension cord.

2. Use a 50A to 15A dogbone and two 25’ long 12ga extension cords.

In both options I’d be using the 25’ long 50A cord that came with the trailer.

Given the load I’m using, does it matter which option I use?

The extra dogbone will introduce an extra connection but the 12ga extension cord would be a smaller gauge wire than the 10ga wire in the 30A extension cord.

I’m getting cabin fever and probably overthinking this.

Mike Sokol knows what he is talking about. Look for a UL label.

Using the Southwire Voltage Calculator, It requires 10 ga, copper wire ex cord to produce a 15 amp load @ 100' with the recommended 3% voltage drop.

If you really have 65', and to do it correctly, you would have to cut your 12 ga cord at 65' to get within the parameters for the 12 ga cord to deliver 15 amps @120 volts.

Somebody saying "I've been doing xxxx for 20 years" doesn't make it right!

https://www.southwire.com/support/vo...calculator.htm

You need to use "Free air" for location. That vs direct bury make a difference that most people don't know about.

[itat]

Thanks for the link, cavie.

If I’m just running the refrigerator and the converter/battery charger, does anybody know how many amps that draws? I’m thinking it shouldn’t be more than 10A.

Using the calculator that cavie linked to, if I have a 10 Amp load, at 75 feet, I can use a 12awg extension cord. Correct?

[dcheatwood]

I had a 50 to 15amp dog bone that plugged into the 15a receptical on an old generator.
If all you're running is fridge and slide outs, then a regular power cord should work.

[dcheatwood]

Like this

[cavie]

Originally Posted by itat

Thanks for the link, cavie.

If I’m just running the refrigerator and the converter/battery charger, does anybody know how many amps that draws? I’m thinking it shouldn’t be more than 10A.

Using the calculator that cavie linked to, if I have a 10 Amp load, at 75 feet, I can use a 12awg extension cord. Correct?

That is correct. To figure the amp load on anything powered by 120 volts simply add up the wattage of each unit and divide it by 120. The total will be the amperage. This is the rule of thumb before voltage drop calculations

This is the rule of thumb before voltage drop calculations.

14 ga =15 amp
12 ga =20 amp
10 ga =30 amp

1 KW is 1000 watts.

[DKRITTER]

There is a hassle factor whenever you pull out a 50A cord, putting it up is worse.

A few years ago we bought a 50A to 15A adapter and love it.

Like you we use it primarily before a trip, I plug it in a few days before a trip to top off the batteries and get the fridge going. We've never had an issue with it and it takes 2 minutes to set up.

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

This is what we use and would buy it again.

[Boomerweps]

Originally Posted by itat

Thanks for the link, cavie.

If I’m just running the refrigerator and the converter/battery charger, does anybody know how many amps that draws? I’m thinking it shouldn’t be more than 10A.

Using the calculator that cavie linked to, if I have a 10 Amp load, at 75 feet, I can use a 12awg extension cord. Correct?

I use a 30 amp twist lock to 15 amp pigtail using the shortest 12AWG extension cord I can to the nearest outlet for my TT. I put a Kil-A-Watt meter on the pigtail and turned on and off each TT load for measurement. 2.7777amps for the fridge, .117 amps on the converter while maintaining charge. AC was 12.3amps, 10.25 amps for a 1250 watt microwave.
I learned the hard way about voltage loss, lucky no gear damage. I did take measurements at the various TT parking location I've used. Concrete pad out the back door, across the driveway in the side yard powered via the garage. Parked near side of the garage. 50', 178', 85' cable distances from circuit breaker box in house.

[JohnD10]

Any Camping World or Walmart store will have the adapter you need to go from 50A to 15A.

[itat]

Originally Posted by DKRITTER

There is a hassle factor whenever you pull out a 50A cord, putting it up is worse.

A few years ago we bought a 50A to 15A adapter and love it.

Like you we use it primarily before a trip, I plug it in a few days before a trip to top off the batteries and get the fridge going. We've never had an issue with it and it takes 2 minutes to set up.

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

This is what we use and would buy it again.

Thanks. That's the same adapter that Paulie1138 linked to. They claim that it's UL listed and CSA certified.

Camco says theirs is neither UL listed nor CSA certified.

I also found this one that appears to be the same thing and the ad specifically claims it's CSA certified and ETL listed, but the write-up below says "Do not use when wet". They're probably all made in China and the ads are prepared by people for whom English is a second language.

https://www.amazon.com/Proline-Power.../dp/B078SX79TV

[B and B]

Originally Posted by itat

We just bought a new 5er that has a 50A service. Where we store it, the only power source is a 15A receptacle in a garage that’s about a 65’ run from the trailer. I just need the power to run the refrigerator overnight before a trip, and when putting the 3 slides in and out, to supplement the cheap dealer Group 24 battery.

So, with this new 50A trailer I have a couple options to connect to the 15A receptacle:

1. Use a 50A to 30A dogbone, a 25’ long 30A extension cord, a 30A to 15A dogbone, and a 25’ long 12ga extension cord.

2. Use a 50A to 15A dogbone and two 25’ long 12ga extension cords.

In both options I’d be using the 25’ long 50A cord that came with the trailer.

Given the load I’m using, does it matter which option I use?

The extra dogbone will introduce an extra connection but the 12ga extension cord would be a smaller gauge wire than the 10ga wire in the 30A extension cord.

I’m getting cabin fever and probably overthinking this.

When is the first trip?

[itat]

Originally Posted by B and B

When is the first trip?

We have Site 866 booked at Sandbanks PP on the Victoria Day weekend. Hopefully it won't be party central because we typically don't do PPs on a long weekend as campers tend to be louder then, but we need to do a more local camp to start testing everything.

We'll have a FHU site at Brighton KOA the following weekend. That'll give us a chance to check out all the systems before we head to Bon Echo on May 28th.

We should have some decent weather before the May long weekend so I can sanitize the FW tank and install the PI EMS-HW50C.

[itat]

This would probably be "top of the line" since its from a very reputable manufacturer. Not sure its worth extra $ though.

https://www.amazon.com/ParkPower-150.../dp/B000PGXP5G

http://www.park-power.com/~/media/in...8130-39074.pdf

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

With only 15a available don't use a giant 50a or even 30a power cord. A 15a or 20a cord from Lowes or home depot is all ya need. $12 adapter (on Amazon) between this cord and the camper. There are several of these linked. I prefer them with a short section of power cord to take a bit of strain off the connection at the adapter.



-- Chuck

Yes to the above. And despite the cost I run a single 100 ft 12ga ( actual copper ) single extension cord. No connections laying on the ground, shorting in the rain Much easier to handle than dragging the 30amp heavy Cord and 30 amp extension cord. Plus compact to carry, if I suspect I might have a reach for power at destination.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by itat

This would probably be "top of the line" since its from a very reputable manufacturer. Not sure its worth extra $ though.

https://www.amazon.com/ParkPower-150.../dp/B000PGXP5G

http://www.park-power.com/~/media/in...8130-39074.pdf

That does not look like a 50 amp RV adapter to me.

[davidgle]

FWIW I simply use a battery charger with my 15a outlet. I figure as long as the batteries are charged the slides and frig will work...