50 amp cheater

We have one and have used it at any campground that has a 30 amp plug. Ours is automatic and only boosts when it's needed. We are hooked up with one now and have used it all winter. We are running the water heater, frig and a 1500 watt heater (when it was cold) as our electric is included in our site rent. We do try not to overload though and do shut the frig off when using the convection oven or brew coffee. The cord on it is long enough that the actual device can sit inside a bay and is not visible. We purchased it when we were workamping for a summer and stuck on a 30 amp site that had low voltage and was causing problems. We couldn't run anything on electric, not even just 1 air conditioner. It worked there to solve the problem. Our unit was around $500

I am guessing you are referring to something like this... This one is available from pplmotorhomes


The first thing I notice is one of your 50A legs on the trailer side will have only a 30A capacity and the other 50A leg will have a 15/20AMP capacity. I also always worry about having a MALE connector out in the open that may be a safety issue in some instances causing a shock hazard. When you plug in the one side into the camp ground pedestal the other side of the male adapter is out in the open until you plug it in. It does not appear this adapter will have open HOT male connectors but just something to respect in case something is wired wrong inside the trailer.

Using this drawing from DMBRUSS showing where two 30A sources are connected to a 50AMP connector shows this same Scenario if one of the 30A connectors is substituted by a 15/20AMP connector...


The 50A side of this box would feed the two 50A Distribution Panel sides as shown here in this typical diagram


Other than GFCI issues mentioned above I don't see why this wouldn't work.

I would prefer having 30AMP capacity on both legs of the two 50AMP RV panel distribution and then you decide what is turned on at any given time to keep from tripping the camp ground pedestal circuit breaker.

Then I would run an extension cord to the camp ground pedestal and plug into the 15/20AMP service to run alot of things inside the Rv trailer to help with the possible overloading of the 30A service.

Be careful out there
Roy Ken

Some CGs don't allow the cheater cord. I have one that is rarely used.

I added a second circuit which plugs into a storage area plug or extension cord. I's used primarily for ceramic heaters.

I use mine all the time when there is only two thirty amp outlets. Mine works really good in the summer when you need to run both air conditioners. But you can only use it if there is nobody else in the adjacent parking spot that needs to use the second outlet. I use mine on two thirty amp plugs though.

The use of the cheaters is against the electrical code here in Canada.
FYI.

wa8yxm wrote:
Save your money.. I have one, There are two places I can use it out of all the places I park and in one of those only on selected sites.

Instead.. What you need to do is install a "Break out" system. I will describe it.

Now mine is an "Advanced" model (I designed it) but here is the basic model

Original wiring in my motor home

Main breaker box branch breaker will be called "BB" for this discussion

BB-------------air conditioner (rear)

New system

BB-----Outlet/Plug-----Junction box----Air conditieonr rear

What I did: Pulled the 12ga line out of the breaker box that fed the rear A/C
Took a 12 ga extension cord that was double the length needed to reach outside the RV, cut it in half, outlet end hooked to the breaker, and plug end hooked, via the Junction box, to the A/C.
So your using the cord as part of the permanent wiring system Now?
Extension cords are listed for temporary use only not suited to permanent use. NEC violation!!!

I later added a special 20 amp outlet What's so special about this outlet? (Different plug from regular outlets) T-ed in at that same junction box. all connections in the J-box are soldered and taped (Wire nutted and taped did not work).
Believe it or not Solider is not a listed means of connection at least for the last 50 years. I've never had a problem with wire nuts and there are listed insulated crimp connectors also.

I plug a space heater into the outlet, Do not use heat and A/C at the same time.

Now.. I'm on a 50 amp site, plug is in outlet, everything works as normal

Next week on a 30 amp site, I pull plug and using a 12ga Extension cord plug into park's 20 amp.. now rear A/C is independent of rest of motor home, Does NOT trip GFCI as your cheater box will.

The original design was a bit more paranoid than I am.. Here it is

BB-----Outlet/plug-Breaker------AC

Actually the "Plug" on the original design (WWW PSRV COM NET or ORG (forget which suffex and now closed) the plug was an "inlet" (Mounted like an outlet but prongs instead of slots) The outlet on both their and my design is a pigtail.

IF YOU HAVE AN ENERGERY NAMAGEMENT SYSTEM. you will need to find a spot to "Break out" teh Rear AC that is After the EMS.. (LIkely the EMS relay deck).

Your method scares the hell out of me!!!!

Save your money.. I have one, There are two places I can use it out of all the places I park and in one of those only on selected sites.

Instead.. What you need to do is install a "Break out" system. I will describe it.

Now mine is an "Advanced" model (I designed it) but here is the basic model

Original wiring in my motor home

Main breaker box branch breaker will be called "BB" for this discussion

BB-------------air conditioner (rear)

New system

BB-----Outlet/Plug-----Junction box----Air conditieonr rear

What I did: Pulled the 12ga line out of the breaker box that fed the rear A/C
Took a 12 ga extension cord that was double the length needed to reach outside the RV, cut it in half, outlet end hooked to the breaker, and plug end hooked, via the Junction box, to the A/C.

I later added a special 20 amp outlet (Diferent plug from regular outlets) T-ed in at that same junction box. all connections in the J-box are soldered and taped (Wire nutted and taped did not work).

I plug a space heater into the outlet, Do not use heat and A/C at the same time.

Now.. I'm on a 50 amp site, plug is in outlet, everything works as normal

Next week on a 30 amp site, I pull plug and using a 12ga Extension cord plug into park's 20 amp.. now rear A/C is independent of rest of motor home, Does NOT trip GFCI as your cheater box will.

The original design was a bit more paranoid than I am.. Here it is

BB-----Outlet/plug-Breaker------AC

Actually the "Plug" on the original design (WWW PSRV COM NET or ORG (forget which suffex and now closed) the plug was an "inlet" (Mounted like an outlet but prongs instead of slots) The outlet on both their and my design is a pigtail.

IF YOU HAVE AN ENERGERY NAMAGEMENT SYSTEM. you will need to find a spot to "Break out" teh Rear AC that is After the EMS.. (LIkely the EMS relay deck).

With building codes standardizing on GFCI outlets required, it does not work. though I have had the luck of the site power box having two 30A and been able to use it.

Building code most places specify all outdoor recepticals be GFI for safety sake. Doesn't mean they actually are, of course.

Most of these will not work if the 20 amp circuit has a GFI breaker.