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Old 07-30-2017, 03:17 PM   #1
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Using 30A when its supposed to be 50A?

We have an opportunity to take our 36ckts to a private campground but it only has one 30A hookup. The owner said he would change out the receptacle to a 50A so we could plug in, but the wiring is still 30A. Could this even work? We would not need to use both of the AC's but we do have the full size refrigerator.
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Old 07-30-2017, 03:25 PM   #2
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I plug in at 30 amp all the time
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Old 07-30-2017, 03:26 PM   #3
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Just get a 50 to 30 plug for the end of your cable
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Old 07-30-2017, 03:27 PM   #4
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Doesn't have to change the receptacle. Just get a 50 to 30 dogbone adapter
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Old 07-30-2017, 03:30 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by bkearney View Post
We have an opportunity to take our 36ckts to a private campground but it only has one 30A hookup. The owner said he would change out the receptacle to a 50A so we could plug in, but the wiring is still 30A. Could this even work? We would not need to use both of the AC's but we do have the full size refrigerator.

You really only need 50 amps to run both your AC's at the same time, otherwise, you can run one ac and everything else in your camper on 30amp. We do it all the time with what others said, a 50-30 amp adapter.
Just DON'T try to run both your AC units, you will burn them up. Only one at a time.
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Old 07-30-2017, 06:01 PM   #6
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Camco 55185 PowerGrip 30M/50F AMP 18" Dogbone Electrical Adapter

Camco 55185 PowerGrip 30M/50F AMP 18" Dogbone Electrical Adapter with Handles 3750W/125V

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 07-30-2017, 08:50 PM   #7
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Get the adapter as others have said you only need 50 amp for both ac units. Everything else will run on 50 including full size refrigerator.
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Old 07-31-2017, 01:25 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by bkearney View Post
We have an opportunity to take our 36ckts to a private campground but it only has one 30A hookup. The owner said he would change out the receptacle to a 50A so we could plug in, but the wiring is still 30A. Could this even work? We would not need to use both of the AC's but we do have the full size refrigerator.

I have a feeling you do not understand electrical circuitry at all and while everyone told you it is ok, you still do not understand what is going on. If this is the case, continue reading.

Your rig runs on 110v (sometimes called 120 depending on who is talking 110-120volt range). The amp rating is the size of the circuit breaker protecting the circuit (wire size and intended components). If your setup has a 50A connection, your unit has appliances that will require more than 30 amps to run everything. 50 is the next size up in RV capacities. If you plug into a 30, you will only be able to use up to 30amps of capacity before the breaker opens (trips). If this happens, you simply turn some stuff off and go outside and reset the breaker in the box where you connected.

I know because my wife couldn't stop complaining that the breaker was tripping this weekend while both A/Cs were on, the microwave and her hair dryer.

To further assist with your electrical "onboarding", if you have a 30A or 50A circuit at your house that is used for a dryer, welding machine, etc..... DO NOT create a plug to connect your RV to this unless you REALLY know what you are doing. EDITED BASED ON INCREASED LEARNING: You will want a 30A 110V circuit. For 50 A, these are 220/240v service and the RV accepts the wiring in a way similar to house wiring that makes it useable. Caution should be taken when trying to adapt from a 50A to a 30A that you do not accidently send 220/240v to the RV. **If you see smoke.... it's too late.

Someone mentioned not running both ACs on a 30A circuit, but the issue I think they are referring to is caused by something called "voltage drop". You can Google voltage drop calculators online and figure out how they affect long circuits. If you have poor connections at the campground, you can get low voltage situations that do not provide enough umpf to run the circuits. The immediate result of low voltage is higher amps. If the voltage drops, the amps go up (in simple terms). Usually low voltage is seen the further away from the transformer you get (distance from source) and the wire size being used. Smaller wire sizes have a larger voltage drop. My laymen's terms for this would be you could run 100' of a 14 gauge extension cord for your electric weedeater, but the voltage will be lower, amps will be higher and you decrease the life of the motor in the weedeater. If you used a 12 gauge extension cord it would work better and last longer.

I hope this unnecessarily long reply helps you understand electricity a little better by answering "Could this even work?"
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Old 07-31-2017, 02:08 PM   #9
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My understanding on the 50A verses the 30A . Is the 50A is two 120V lines not to be used as 240V . While the 30A is one 120V line. Everything on the camper is 120V . Am I right or not.
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Old 07-31-2017, 02:18 PM   #10
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My understanding on the 50A verses the 30A . Is the 50A is two 120V lines not to be used as 240V . While the 30A is one 120V line. Everything on the camper is 120V . Am I right or not.
You know... I believe I have misspoken and you are correct. I found a link online to a 50A RV connection and it is a 220/240V plug. It appears to wire into an alternating panel similar to house wiring. Everything is 110/120V. Looks like I was wrong. Thanks for pointing this out and making me go learn something!

I added additional text to make my previous rant longer and correct. I welcome other corrections if anyone sees any. **FYI - all my rigs have been 30A, except the the one time I built a toy hauler out of a Vintage Race Trailer. It was built to accept a 25KW Cat Generator.
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Old 07-31-2017, 02:18 PM   #11
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My understanding on the 50A verses the 30A . Is the 50A is two 120V lines not to be used as 240V . While the 30A is one 120V line. Everything on the camper is 120V . Am I right or not.
Exactly. The 50amp RV service provides two separate 50amp circuits at 110v, for an overall total of 100amps available, but NOTHING at 220V.
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Old 07-31-2017, 02:25 PM   #12
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I turn off my water heater and run both A/C units on a 30 AMP and nothing else. Really helps to cool the camper down fast.
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Old 07-31-2017, 04:15 PM   #13
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I turn off my water heater and run both A/C units on a 30 AMP and nothing else. Really helps to cool the camper down fast.
I do the same thing for initial cool down. I've also looked at the voltage requirements for the AC units in the manuals and looked at the voltage on the EMS and everything was well within spec. So no, it won't burn up your AC's BUT...I'd probably not risk it without a way to monitor the voltage coming in.
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Old 07-31-2017, 06:38 PM   #14
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I use to have my Keystone Springdale hooked up at my house and I had a electrician run a line from my house to the 30amp plug. When I moved up to a 50 amp camper I just had the electrician install a 50 plug. I still only have 30 amps but it's easier for my 50 amp cord to plug into
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Old 07-31-2017, 08:11 PM   #15
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Exactly. The 50amp RV service provides two separate 50amp circuits at 110v, for an overall total of 100amps available, but NOTHING at 220V.
And the amperage is the reason you can't run both ac units when you are on 30 amp.

On 30 amp, you only have a total of 30 amps to share between both of your (normally )120V 50A legs. That's simply not enough current to run two ac units unless you aren't running anything else. Maybe not even then.
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Old 07-31-2017, 08:20 PM   #16
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I have a Rockwood Freedom, is a tent camper. Has a 30A plug some times I have to use a 50A male to 30A female. On sites that only have a 50A plug in. Have had to reword boats & campers more than once. I hope the info I gave you helps. Good luck & Happy Camping. Started Camping at age 11 am 76 and still love it.
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Old 07-31-2017, 09:02 PM   #17
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If he has a 30 amp and wants to replace with a 50 amp see if he has 4 wires. A 50 amp has 2 120v wires a neutral and a ground. A proper 50 amp will be wired that way. IF he only has 3 wires and wires 2 at 120v then you will be without a neutral or ground. Years ago all 240 was wired that way. Should work but not to code.
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Old 07-31-2017, 09:29 PM   #18
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Maxwell D Pratt you are correct. 50A RV service is really two 120V circuits. The 50A to 30A dog bone adapter connects both circuits of the 50A amp service together so that every thing will still work in your Rv when plugged into a 30A service. If the dog bone did not connect the two circuits together half of the stuff in the RV would not be receiving power.
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Old 07-31-2017, 09:42 PM   #19
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Maxwell D Pratt you are correct. 50A RV service is really two 120V circuits. The 50A to 30A dog bone adapter connects both circuits of the 50A amp service together so that every thing will still work in your Rv when plugged into a 30A service. If the dog bone did not connect the two circuits together half of the stuff in the RV would not be receiving power.
Yes, the 30 amp male to 50 amp female adapter uses a jumper wire to jump the L1 over to the L2, so both legs are powered via the single L1 in the 30 amp outlet. Everything stays 120 volt. These diagrams may help in understanding how it works:



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Old 07-31-2017, 09:46 PM   #20
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My understanding on the 50A verses the 30A . Is the 50A is two 120V lines not to be used as 240V . While the 30A is one 120V line. Everything on the camper is 120V . Am I right or not.
From what I've read, you are correct.
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