Forum Discussion

mjvedo's avatar
mjvedo
Explorer
Apr 09, 2015

30 amp adapter- newbie here

Hi All;
Just picked up a fiver and planning a shakedown stay in the driveway. Our first trip will be to our property that has an unlivable house. It has a conveniently located dryer outlet. Is there an adapter offered that will adapt my 30 amp shore cord to the dryer outlet? Or do I need to make one up, or is this not recommended?

MJ
  • Water-Bug's avatar
    Water-Bug
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2015
    Dryer outlet is 220VAC. Your 30 amp RV is 110VAC. If you have to ask, you don't know enough to mess with it. Get an adapter to plug your 30amp into a 15/20 amp wall outlet.
  • Ed_Gee's avatar
    Ed_Gee
    Explorer II
    Apr 09, 2015
    mjvedo wrote:
    Hi All;
    Just picked up a fiver and planning a shakedown stay in the driveway. Our first trip will be to our property that has an unlivable house. It has a conveniently located dryer outlet. Is there an adapter offered that will adapt my 30 amp shore cord to the dryer outlet? Or do I need to make one up, or is this not recommended?

    MJ


    For Heaven's sake do NOT do that. Just because the dryer outlet appears similar to an RV 30A outlet does not make it so. The dryer outlet is a household 240VAC outlet. A similar looking RV 30A socket is 120VAC. If you tried plugging your RV into that house dryer outlet you would cause serious damage to your RV.
  • MFL's avatar
    MFL
    Nomad II
    Apr 09, 2015
    mjvedo wrote:
    Hi All;
    Just picked up a fiver and planning a shakedown stay in the driveway. Our first trip will be to our property that has an unlivable house. It has a conveniently located dryer outlet. Is there an adapter offered that will adapt my 30 amp shore cord to the dryer outlet? Or do I need to make one up, or is this not recommended?

    MJ


    I thought you were joking, but maybe not. It is not recommended.

    Jerry
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Apr 09, 2015
    30A dryer oulet
    2 hot legs (110V on each leg)
    1 ground eg

    30A RV
    1 hot (110V)
    1 ground
    1 neutral

    Plug 30A RV into 30A dryer outlet and you will fry the ac appliances and probably converter because of the 220V AC power.

    NO NO NO
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Apr 09, 2015
    NO! no adapter. This is one of the most common scenario's we read about on here. Ultimately the poster comes here with stories of smoke and failures of every electronic item in the RV.
  • AUwing2's avatar
    AUwing2
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2015
    Welcome to RV dot NET MJ. Glad you asked before doing something sure to turn out poorly. Your question isn't that unusual but it does signal you need to call an electrician who knows.
  • Bob_Shaw's avatar
    Bob_Shaw
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2015
    A good electrician could probably put in the correct 30 amp breaker and plug for you, using the existing wiring. You're going to need at least 30 amp to run your air conditioner in Arizona. I wouldn't recommend trying to do it yourself.
  • mjvedo's avatar
    mjvedo
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2015
    Thanks to all. That is why I asked.
    But my 50 amp cord plugs in to the fiver that is labelled "208y/120 or 120/240v". I don't understand why its labelled for 240 when it's really not.
    Or am I being obtuse...
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Apr 09, 2015
    50A RV 120/240V

    That is because it has 2 hot legs (110 each)
    1 ground leg
    1 neutral leg

    And wiring in AC Dist panel is 1 hot for 1/2 of panel and 1 hot for other 1/2 of panel. Balanced loading on circuits...110V each 50A breaker for each hot leg----6000W per leg
  • mjvedo's avatar
    mjvedo
    Explorer
    Apr 09, 2015
    Ok, good explanation. I will hire an electrician when I get there.
    Thanks again to all who responded.

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