Help with power for 50 amp service plugging into 30 & 15 amp with adapter

[randymoore5]

Need some advice.
I am headed to a campsite that only has 30 amp service. If there is also a 15 amp service was considering using this Camco adapter. As you can see in the description below states not to be used with GFI type outlets. Anyone have experience with these or advice on how to maximize available power.
Camco RV Power Grip Maximizer Adapter gets up to 45-Amp combined power. It draws the combined power from a 15 and 30-Amp outlet, which allows the RV to receive up to 45-Amp. This maximizer does not work when plugged into GFI type outlets. It is a polarized adapter designed solely for recreational vehicles and is not for use with any other adapter or device. This maximizer adapter must be used in conjunction with properly sized circuit breakers.
Draws the combined power from a 15 and 30-Amp outlet, which allows your RV to receive up to 45-Amp
Will not work when plugged into GFI type outlets
Used in conjunction with properly sized circuit breakers
125-Volt/1875-Watt 5-15P and 125-Volt/3750-Watt TT-30P to 125-Volt/5625-Watt 14-50R
Durable and easy to use

[JohnVtx]

The amp is all you need. I camp on 30 amp and have no issues. Just can't run 3rd ac. If you have a power control system it will regulate evrything for you

[SeaDog]

Keep in mind with this type of setup you are going to get 30 on one leg and 15 on the other so you will still have to manage your power.

[CedarCreekWoody]

Are you aware that 50 amp service is actually 100 amps at 120 volts (2 power legs, 50 amp each)? With your adapter you will have one leg at 30 amp, one leg at 15 amp, so you will still less than half the power of a 50 amp service. You can operate on this but you will have to be careful how much power you use.

[randymoore5]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

Keep in mind with this type of setup you are going to get 30 on one leg and 15 on the other so you will still have to manage your power.

I’m not an electrician so excuse my ignorance. The 30 amp service is 2 15 amp services combined is that correct? If that is true is it really even possible for this device to supply 45 amps.

[babock]

Originally Posted by randymoore5

I’m not an electrician so excuse my ignorance. The 30 amp service is 2 15 amp services combined is that correct? If that is true is it really even possible for this device to supply 45 amps.

It is only one 30A hence the reason it is a 3 prong plug.

Here is the adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024E70L2...bit_pcomp_sav0

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by randymoore5

I’m not an electrician so excuse my ignorance. The 30 amp service is 2 15 amp services combined is that correct? If that is true is it really even possible for this device to supply 45 amps.

No... 30amp service is a single 30amp input. 50a service is two 50a inputs.

[randymoore5]

Originally Posted by babock

It is only one 30A hence the reason it is a 3 prong plug.

Here is the adapter:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0024E70L2...bit_pcomp_sav0

That makes sense. I was thinking 2 hots and a common but it is as you say 1 hot 1common and a ground. So with that in mind I can see how the adapter could provide the 45 amp service.

[BamaBob]

I am assuming the OP has a Cardinal.


IIRC, Cardinals have a Power Management System (PMS), so just go ahead and plug in to the 30AMP service and let your PMS handle the electrical resource allocation.

[randymoore5]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

I am assuming the OP has a Cardinal.


IIRC, Cardinals have a Power Management System (PMS), so just go ahead and plug in to the 30AMP service and let your PMS handle the electrical resource allocation.

Yes a 2012 3450RL. New to me since July

[djousma]

Originally Posted by BamaBob

I am assuming the OP has a Cardinal.


IIRC, Cardinals have a Power Management System (PMS), so just go ahead and plug in to the 30AMP service and let your PMS handle the electrical resource allocation.

I didnt think they put in the power management system unless you had 3 A/C's? I dont know that for fact, maybe they are in all of them.

[Retired JSO]

If the pedestal has a 20 and 30amp outlet, the 20 amp is probably a ground fault outlet. If so, the Camcorder adapter will trip the 20 amp leg. Been there done that. However, several state parks had pedestals with 2/ 30 amp outlets which work fine with the adapter.

[bobsteele]

I have one of the 30+15 amp "cheater" cables. It works well unless the 15 or 20 amp outlet is a ground fault type, in which case it will trip immediately. I got to use my adapter cable only once before I started running into the GFI outlets, so that was very disappointing.


I also have a Progressive Industries EMS system that reads the ampere draw on each leg of my 50 amp feed. Since the 30 amp adapter feeds both legs of the 50 amp service from the same 30 amp source I still have to keep an eye on the total of the two legs and keep it below 30 amps.

[randymoore5]

Originally Posted by bobsteele

I have one of the 30+15 amp "cheater" cables. It works well unless the 15 or 20 amp outlet is a ground fault type, in which case it will trip immediately. I got to use my adapter cable only once before I started running into the GFI outlets, so that was very disappointing.


I also have a Progressive Industries EMS system that reads the ampere draw on each leg of my 50 amp feed. Since the 30 amp adapter feeds both legs of the 50 amp service from the same 30 amp source I still have to keep an eye on the total of the two legs and keep it below 30 amps.

Thanks I have the progressive EMS as well. Does the Camco adapter we are talking about feed both legs of the 50 or do you have a different adapter you are using for that.

[tomrob1161]

As said earlier., manage your amps


Note attached "Before you Blow your Breaker

[bjshp2]

If the pedastal is wired and fused or circuit breakered at 30 amp you will pop the breaket using sn adapter. You cannot get more power than the corcuit breaker is rated for.

[bobsteele]

Originally Posted by randymoore5

Thanks I have the progressive EMS as well. Does the Camco adapter we are talking about feed both legs of the 50 or do you have a different adapter you are using for that.

A standard 50 to 30 adapter puts both 50A legs onto the 30A feed. The 30+15 adapter puts one 50A leg on the 30A and one on the 15A. The problem with GFI outlets is that they detect differential current between the hot leg and the common leg and if they don't match, it trips. Since the common leg on the 15A connection is also common to the common on the 30A connection, any current draw on the 15A leg can return through the 30A common, which is detected by the GFI causing a trip.

The GFI is designed, of course, to protect from current flowing from the hot side to ground (not common) - possibly through a human being (i.e. it detects possible electrocution).

[Iwannacamp]

As stated several ways.... the GFCI and the cheater don't play nice in the sandbox.... I wondered about making a short cord and try and "cheat" the GFCI on the pole, but I haven't tried it. Most places i have camped(COEs mostly) are 30 amp only. I have only tried once to use the cheater(three different trips to same spot) and it didn't work the first time. Last spot I never tried to use it.

Does anyone think a "fabricated" cable "non-three prong" adapter for the 15 amp side would outsmart it? I have am EMS for protection.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by bobsteele

A standard 50 to 30 adapter puts both 50A legs onto the 30A feed. The 30+15 adapter puts one 50A leg on the 30A and one on the 15A. The problem with GFI outlets is that they detect differential current between the hot leg and the common leg and if they don't match, it trips. Since the common leg on the 15A connection is also common to the common on the 30A connection, any current draw on the 15A leg can return through the 30A common, which is detected by the GFI causing a trip.

The GFI is designed, of course, to protect from current flowing from the hot side to ground (not common) - possibly through a human being (i.e. it detects possible electrocution).

As Bob described in an excellent fashion, a GFCI is looking for the hot leg and neutral return to be extremely close in current, or it trips. If current was flowing thru you, then the GFCI trips to shut off the power since the hot leg(L1) and neutral aren't in balance since current is going thru you too. It's a great safety device and works well.

However, on a split phase service (which a 50 amp service is), where you have TWO hot legs (an L1 and a L2), a shared neutral, and ground..the GFCI can't work. This is because of load balancing between the L1 and L2, and the shared neutral. In this case the neutral only carries the imbalance between the L1 and L2, so if the GFCI was say on the L1 side, then the neutral and it would not be in balance depending on what loads were on the L2 side....and thus constantly trip.

Ex. On a normal 15 amp GFCI for example, the L1 will carry 15 amps, and the neutral return will carry the same 15 amps. It's all balanced. The GFCI stays closed to complete the circuit.

Now on the way you are using the cheater, between a 30 amp L2 and GFCI 15 amp L1.... if you were for example using 10 amps on L2 and 15 amps on L1, the common neutral will only carry the imbalance between L1 and L2 which is 5 amps. Now the GFCI on the L1 side will see that there is 15 amps on it's L1 hot leg, but only 5 amps on the neutral return, and thus trip/open since it's not in balance as per the L1/neutral that the GFCI is connected as.
.
This link will explain it so much better than I can.

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

[Flybob]

Be aware that most campgrounds that have 30A service ( a 30A RV plug and a 15/20A household outlet) tie three sites into a 100A breaker upstream in a locked panel. Using more than 30A from a pedestal when the other two sites are using 30A will trip the 100A breaker. This usually needs to be reset by park personnel and can take some time to get done. This will not make you friends at the other two sites.