30 amp rig plugged into 50 amp outlet
With an adapter, can I plug my 30 amp rig into a 50 amp outlet? What I understand is, if I do not demand more than 30 amps at a time, I will not blow fuses, Somebody explain this 30 vs. 50 amp thing...
Forum Discussion
As others have said, you can plug into the 50A socket with an appropriate adapter.
It helps things make sense if you understand that the mains power supply is set up as a constant potential (or constant voltage) system and the current rating is simply the maximum that the socket, etc. can safely supply. The only current that flows is whatever is used by the stuff you have turned on. If you turn on too much stuff, a breaker trips due to the overcurrent (to prevent bigger problems, like melted sockets or wires catching on fire); but up to that point, for most all practical purposes, a 20A and a 30A and a 50A supply behave the same way--they give you 120V AC at whatever current your load is using.
It's a little like hooking up air tools to an air compressor with a regulator set at, say, 90 psi. If you hook up a little pin nailer, that uses very little air, it gets 90 psi. If you hook up an impact wrench that uses somewhat more air, it also gets 90 psi assuming the compressor is sufficiently sized. At some point if you try to use too much air the pressure does have to drop, but up until then it stays the same regardless of the air flow. You don't get larger airflow using the pin nailer by hooking it up to a larger compressor, nor is its operation any more or less safe.
It helps things make sense if you understand that the mains power supply is set up as a constant potential (or constant voltage) system and the current rating is simply the maximum that the socket, etc. can safely supply. The only current that flows is whatever is used by the stuff you have turned on. If you turn on too much stuff, a breaker trips due to the overcurrent (to prevent bigger problems, like melted sockets or wires catching on fire); but up to that point, for most all practical purposes, a 20A and a 30A and a 50A supply behave the same way--they give you 120V AC at whatever current your load is using.
It's a little like hooking up air tools to an air compressor with a regulator set at, say, 90 psi. If you hook up a little pin nailer, that uses very little air, it gets 90 psi. If you hook up an impact wrench that uses somewhat more air, it also gets 90 psi assuming the compressor is sufficiently sized. At some point if you try to use too much air the pressure does have to drop, but up until then it stays the same regardless of the air flow. You don't get larger airflow using the pin nailer by hooking it up to a larger compressor, nor is its operation any more or less safe.
