Got a converter question

[mobilemechanic]

Attached is a picture of my converter, it currently has a 110v plug that goes from the camper to shore power, can I remove the 110v plug and replace it with a 30amp plug?

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Attached is a picture of my converter, it currently has a 110v plug that goes from the camper to shore power, can I remove the 110v plug and replace it with a 30amp plug?

How about posting year, make and model number of RV this is in? Or put that information in your profile or signature.

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[fonzie]

Why would you want to put a 30 amp 120 volt RV plug?

[ysidive]

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Attached is a picture of my converter, it currently has a 110v plug that goes from the camper to shore power, can I remove the 110v plug and replace it with a 30amp plug?

It will still be 110v unless you wire the 30Amp incorrectly. Only thing that will change is that you will be able to have 30 amp service as opposed to the current plug which is probably rated at 15amps maximu.

[glen1971]

Other than it is only rated for 6.2 amps and probably is designed and protected internally for that?
What are you looking to gain by doing it?

[Oaklevel]

My question too is why???

Worse case if you have a 30A only outlet plug with 120V you could use a dogbone adaptor 30A 120V to 120V plug.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Attached is a picture of my converter, it currently has a 110v plug that goes from the camper to shore power, can I remove the 110v plug and replace it with a 30amp plug?

Not understanding what you are even attempting to accomplish here. Your converter is just one piece of your electrical system in an RV. Do you not have a shore power cord that feeds an electric distribution panel inside the RV? Usually a converter is just plugged into an outlet, inside the RV itself. This outlet inside the RV that the converter is plugged into, is then powered from the electric distribution panel via the shore power/cord.


Please read this thread:


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...nt-152813.html

[TacomaJoe]

I'd vote for an adapter. The adapter plugs into the 30A receptacle and the converter plugs into it.

This doesn't change any charging capabilities of the converter just lets you plug in if no 120 receptacle is available.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Attached is a picture of my converter, it currently has a 110v plug that goes from the camper to shore power, can I remove the 110v plug and replace it with a 30amp plug?

mobilemechanic, No where do we see the make and model of your rig so that the more knowledgeably on this forum can give good advice. I've never seen a connection directly from the converter to the campground.
However, after a bit of research and if I understand your connections correctly, the simplest and cheapest solution would be an adapter from your 15 amp male to a 30 amp female like this
https://www.amazon.com/Adapter-Gener...09CS1XFWW?th=1

[Rhumblefish]

reminder: that device is actually 120v / 40amps.

I'm with wmtire.

[glen1971]

No it is not rated that way.

It's 120 VAC converter drawing 6.2 amps and putting out 12 VDC to a maximum of 40 amps.

[Rhumblefish]

Thought that's what I said, just short. 120v -> (12v) 40a.

Thanks for the correction, and apologies for the confusion.

[Larry-NC]

This question was pasted to the Vintage Trailerite/Collector, Retro, and Reproduction models. And judging from the converter label, it's got to be two decades old. (Our 2002 Nash uses a 30-amp plug and WFCO converter.)

I think we have guessed the real question: If the original poster (OP) goes to a campground with 30-amp outlets, how does he plug in his cord with a 15 amp plug (2 parallel blades + D-shaped ground)?

He definitely could use an adapter like this or this, if he prefers the flexible style.

Perhaps the OP doesn't realize that most campgrounds that have 30-amp outlets also have 20-amp outlets on the same pedestal which he could plug directly into. I expect that the original trailer never drew more than 20 amps.

If the OP has added a water heater with the electrical option or air conditioning or a microwave oven, then operation on a 20-amp circuit could be pushing it. In that case, an adapter for the 30-amp circuit makes sense BUT only if the power cord is AWG 10 (American Wire Gauge). If the power cord is AWG 12, then there's just one more upgrade needed. In that case, he might as well buy a new power cord with the 30-amp "crowfoot" plug and forego the adapter.

More information is needed to understand this concern.

[D W]

It's my guess that the OP's rig is a vintage model. Back in the day these models didn't have service panels for electrical service, just a wired converter/battery charger protected by an internal fuse. There was no 120V lighting, only 12V. Some had a propane lamp inside by the dining area. Water heaters were strictly propane, as were the refrigerators. They used manual screw jacks and hand crank tongue jacks. I seriously doubt there is any microwave, A/C or 110V lighting system involved or there would be a service panel. These rigs simply plugged into the NEMA-5 receptacles in the pedestal.

[jimmoore13]

Don't bother. A better solution is at hand.

On the label, the converter states 120 volts, 6.2 AMPS.
It also states that the 12 output can be up to 40 amps. (note that at 120 volts, that would only be 4 amps.) So your 6.2 amp, 120 volt converter can send as much as 40 charging amps at 12 volts to your battery. It can also supply the meager 120 volt loads designed into your rig. Seems about right.

In other words, the converter can't make use of a 30 amp connection.

Your rig's internal wiring, breaker and fuse panel is all designed for that level of input. Upgrading your converter/charger would be pointless, because your rig doesn't have the circuitry to make use of all that power.

So, assuming you don't intend to completely overhaul your rig's electrical system and converter, forget the 30 amp plug...EXCEPT that you might need to have this dogbone adapter for situation where the power pedestal doesn't have a conventional 15 amp outlet...where that might be, I don't know, but you might encounter such a place.

In my case, I have a 240 volt/50 amp male to 120 volt/30 amp female dogbone because some parks don't have a 30 amp socket on all sites.

At any rate, you don't need to do anything to anything other than buy the adapter for the rare occasion where you don't have a 15 amp socket to plug into.

If you intend to overhaul your rig's entire electrical system and circuitry and replace the converter, that's another discussion that needs to start by declaring that intention.

[Mr. Dan]

Back in the day, this unit was declared. Don’t know if it’s current.

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

I used to travel with my parents to the Goshen rally, last time I was there was in 2019, it has been hard for me, since my dad passed away up there, y'all were real helpful for my family when he passed away, I was looking for a forest river camper, unfortunately I couldn't find one in my price range, so I own an 1981 layton by skyline, yes it's older, but it's in amazing great shape, so yes I'm a S.O.B. lol, but my goal is to own a forest river camper, I'm currently staying at the Amana rv park, so I will get to see some of y'all when y'all are here. Thank y'all

[mobilemechanic]

My shore power cord has a 110v plug on it, I was looking to upgrade it to a 30amp plug, makes it safer at rv parks without that 110v to 30amp adapter, and some parks only have a 50amp plug in, so using a dog bone from 50amp to 30amp,to 110v is a hazard in my opinion

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

My shore power cord has a 110v plug on it, I was looking to upgrade it to a 30amp plug, makes it safer at rv parks without that 110v to 30amp adapter, and some parks only have a 50amp plug in, so using a dog bone from 50amp to 30amp,to 110v is a hazard in my opinion

I don't think we recommended a 50 to 30 to 110. They do make 50 to 110. https://www.amazon.com/Cable-Matters...462733&sr=8-22

You probably need an electrician to convert that 110 to a 30 amp. While we have very knowledgeable people on this forum, you need someone who can make certain it is wired correctly. That's an older rig and it doesn't appear anyone has that collectable rig

[mobilemechanic]

Yes still the same unit, slowly doing the upgrades to some of the stuff on a budget. Going to be upgrading the fusebox from glass fuses to blade fuses, and wanting to update the shore line, that why I was curious, trying to keep everything safe, gotta look out for my son and myself, as this is now our home

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

Attached is a picture of my converter, it currently has a 110v plug that goes from the camper to shore power, can I remove the 110v plug and replace it with a 30amp plug?

Originally Posted by mobilemechanic

My shore power cord has a 110v plug on it, I was looking to upgrade it to a 30amp plug, makes it safer at rv parks without that 110v to 30amp adapter, and some parks only have a 50amp plug in, so using a dog bone from 50amp to 30amp,to 110v is a hazard in my opinion

Ok, this is confusing. In your first post, you have it worded as though your "converter" has the 120 volt plug that you are wanting to replace with a NEMA 30TT plug.

Now your recent post says you have a shore power cord with a 120 volt plug you are wanting to upgrade to a NEMA 30TT plug.

Are you talking only about the shore power cord, or are you also talking about the converter?