Forum Discussion

onions's avatar
onions
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015

50 amp power to 30 amp pedestal

We have a 2013 jayco pinnacle 5th wheel and whenever we plug into a 50 amp park pedestal every thing works just fine. However whenever we go to a campground with only 30 amp power pedestal and use the "dogbone" 50 to 30 amp reducer we have no power to the microwave, water heater, fireplace, or outlets in the kitchen and bathroom. I have a short twistlock 50 to 30 amp to 15 amp that i use to plug a 110 extension cord in occasionally during storage season to charge the batteries. So this past weekend I used a 30 amp cord and plugged it into the twist lock 50 to 30 amp cord at the campground we were at and everything in the unit worked just fine. Microwave water heater outlets in kitchen and bath and fireplace. This is driving me crazy. Why won't the 50 amp power cord work with the dogbone adapter? Has anyone else had this problem? The 50 amp cord has 2 blue lights on the male end and both lights light up weather plugged into 30 or 50 amp. Thanks in advance to anyone who has any suggestions. I do not believe there is a problem with the 5th wheel as everything works just fine and never trips any breakers. We also have a 50 amp surge guard and it never gives any error code when using the dogbone adapter. Just some things in the unit don't have any power to them.

9 Replies

  • sdetweil wrote:
    sounds like the dogbone doesn't power both sides of the 50amp cord.


    X-2 - Try a different dogbone & report back if you still have the problem.

    .
  • Most dog bone adapters connect both sides of a fifty amp to the single one in the thirty amp. You either have one of the ones that don't or it has failed.
    You need a new adapter.
  • Chop the end off and replace with one of these. Camco with "D" handle. Moulded cords are typically junk!

  • Just have 1 dogbone adapter plugged into the 30 amp pedestal and 50 amp power cord plugged into that. Therefore do not have power to the mentioned items. But if I take the dogbone off and plug a 30 amp power cord into the pedestal and use my 50 amp twistlock adapter to 30 amp cord everything works just fine. Crazy!
  • sounds like the dogbone doesn't power both sides of the 50amp cord.
  • Are you saying that you have two 50 to 30 adapters, one a dogbone and the other a twist lock? If so, the dogbone appears to be defective. Your explanation was hard for me to follow, but it is late and could be just me.

    EDIT Maybe what is confusing me is that they should be 30 to 50 adapters and not 50 t0 30 adapters.