Forum Discussion

roadrat57's avatar
roadrat57
Explorer
Feb 05, 2016

30 amp rv

First time rv owner
Have reserved a few stops at rv camps for Spring. Just wondering, do I need to request a 30 amp hook up when they offer both 30 and 50 amp hook ups? You can see I am a rookie.

Thanks,
Mike
  • ALSO, if you do any home wiring for an rv receptacle or have anyone, even an electrician do it, DONT wire it 240 volts. It happens even with electricians.

    Most of the places I have stayed had all 3 sources in the pedestal. I have a 30 amp rig and the pedestal I'm connected to has a broken 30 amp breaker. You want coverage.
  • In ten years of RVing I've encountered maybe a half dozen parks where a site with 50 amp service had a different daily rate from a site with 30 amp. In these cases, I'll ask for the 30 amp sits.

    Otherwise, where 50 amp is available, the electrical service box usually includes 30 amp and 15 amp or 20 amp outlets as well.

    Only once have I been put in a site that had only a 50 amp and 15 or 20 amp connectors, no RV 30 amp. However, I've been put in sites where the 30 amp socket had corrosion problems, and the 50 amp socket was in better shape. I find it helps to have that 50->30 dogbone adapter with me, to deal with bad outlets and the occasional 50-only site.

    It us much more likely that you'll encounter sites with 30 combined with a 15 or 20 duplex, particularly in older RV parks and many public campgrounds.
  • Most of the RV parks in this part of the country have both 50 and 30 amp service on the same pedestal. A reducer from 50 to 30 may come in handy. We never state our service requirement upon reservation or check in.
  • In many parks, you'll have the option of either a 30 amp pedestal or a 50 amp pedestal. Typically, the 50 amp service might run a few bucks more. If you reserve and pay for 30 amp service, your 30 amp plug should be able to plug directly in. On a 50 amp pedestal, some of them offer both 50 and 30 amp sockets, and others just 50 amp. If you wind up in a site with just 50 amp service at the pedestal, you'll need an adapter in order to plug in your 30 amp cord.

    Here is a typical 30 amp receptacle:




    And here is a 50 amp receptacle:




    If you need to hook up to a 50 amp pedestal with your 30 amp plug, you'll need one of these:
    50amp male to 30amp female adapter

    Jim
  • Buy adapters so you can connect to 50 amp. Some prefer to run off 50. Also get one to go down to 20 amp
  • Yep sometimes the 50 amp sites cost more. But you will have no problem otherwise.
  • If you have a 30 amp RV then go for the 30 amp sites. Going for a 50 will provide no benefit but could cost you more money.