Electric Cheater Box
We have a cheater box hook up to 20 & 30 amp receptacles. The 20 amp has trip a couple of times and the AC has quite working! So I am thinking the air is working off the 20 amp. If I switch the 30 amp...
Forum Discussion
With these types of adapters, if either the 20A or 30A receptacles are protected by a properly functioning GFCI, then it will trip as soon as the second male plug is connected. The GFCI will detect the shared neutral connection and open the circuit.
DrewE, while I agree with most of your summary, I believe there CAN be a situation where a male plug WILL heat up. Let's assume there's 15Amps flowing into the 20A male plug and 25A flowing into the 30A male plug. Both 20A and 30A breakers think everything is OK and will not trip. However, the neutrals to each plug are connected together and there is no way to determine HOW that 40A of combined current will get back to the neutral in the power pedestal. Maybe it'll split 15A/25A just like it did through the hots OR maybe it'll flow 10A through the 30A neutral and 30A through the 20A neutral. There is no way to be sure, and since the breakers don't protect the neutral wiring, there definitely could be an overheating and potential fire hazard issue should this occur.
I have been to campgrounds that do not allow these types of adapters and I believe the above reason is why.
Also, if both the 20A and 30A receptacles are protected by the same 30A breaker, then you're still limited to a total of 30A. Probably not standard, but I've seen some interesting campground wiring.
I have only been able to use ours in 2 campgrounds. One was so old the 20A circuit didn't have a GFCI on it and the other is a newer section in an older campground where each spot has 2 30A receptacles, but the hots of each are out of phase (i.e. 240VAC across them). So using the adapter effectively provides me with a 30A 240VAC connection, instead of the standard 50A 240VAC service. Still better than 30A 120VAC. :) And the campground is fine with me using the adapter.
~Rick
DrewE, while I agree with most of your summary, I believe there CAN be a situation where a male plug WILL heat up. Let's assume there's 15Amps flowing into the 20A male plug and 25A flowing into the 30A male plug. Both 20A and 30A breakers think everything is OK and will not trip. However, the neutrals to each plug are connected together and there is no way to determine HOW that 40A of combined current will get back to the neutral in the power pedestal. Maybe it'll split 15A/25A just like it did through the hots OR maybe it'll flow 10A through the 30A neutral and 30A through the 20A neutral. There is no way to be sure, and since the breakers don't protect the neutral wiring, there definitely could be an overheating and potential fire hazard issue should this occur.
I have been to campgrounds that do not allow these types of adapters and I believe the above reason is why.
Also, if both the 20A and 30A receptacles are protected by the same 30A breaker, then you're still limited to a total of 30A. Probably not standard, but I've seen some interesting campground wiring.
I have only been able to use ours in 2 campgrounds. One was so old the 20A circuit didn't have a GFCI on it and the other is a newer section in an older campground where each spot has 2 30A receptacles, but the hots of each are out of phase (i.e. 240VAC across them). So using the adapter effectively provides me with a 30A 240VAC connection, instead of the standard 50A 240VAC service. Still better than 30A 120VAC. :) And the campground is fine with me using the adapter.
~Rick
