can you reduce 50 amp service to 30 amp?

I am generally not in favor of tight regulations as many are are usless and politically motivated.

That said; our National Electric Code provides for very high electrical wiring standards. If 50 - 30 amp adapters (dogbones) were a hazzard they would not be allowed to be marketed to the general public.

As far as safety is concerned, the highest concerns are proper grounding and and solid tight wiring connections. The majority of electrical fires happen due to poor connections which cause heat due to a high resistance connection. This is one reason aluminum wire use in home wiring was outlawed many years ago.

Ground-fault circuit breakers and outlets also were not on the market when I entered the electrical / electronics business fifty years ago.

Grounding code and procedures have also advanced during the years. No longer does a single 8' ground rod meet specs. When I had my new shop building constructed a couple years ago I had to have two 8' ground rods ten feet apart wired with a single #6 copper ground wire passing through the first clamp to the second. I also had to have a second #6 copper ground wire attached to the rebar network in the footings and foundation.

Unyalli wrote:

ScottG wrote:

westend wrote:

filthy beast wrote:
I think the only caveat would be that the wiring from the 50 - 30, and the wiring that foes all the way to your main panel is only sized for 30 amp. However small the possibility, there could be an issue if there are worn spots on any of this wire that could cause a short. We do drag these things all over the country.

Wouldn't there be an issue if only connecting to 30 amp service with a bad cord?

If there are worn spots in the wire that could cause a short then it can just as easily do so plugged into either a 50 or 30 amp outlet.
No matter what, you RV is still protected by the 30A breaker in your RV's panel.

I'm with you. Over current protection is for the wire. You fuse to protect the wire. I can't believe stores are allowed to sell 50 to 30 dog bones with out a built in 30 amp breaker.

If the 30A wire is only feeding a subpanel in the RV with a 30A breaker, how is it possible to draw between 30A and 50A in this wire? A short will draw far more amps and only briefly. It will either blow open the short or trip the breaker or both.

Does the 18g wire on your 1/2 amp table lamp at home have a 1 amp breaker built in? It is plugged into a 15 amp outlet. What is there to protect the 18g wire from melting and causing a fire if the full 15 amps is pulled?

ScottG wrote:

westend wrote:

filthy beast wrote:
I think the only caveat would be that the wiring from the 50 - 30, and the wiring that foes all the way to your main panel is only sized for 30 amp. However small the possibility, there could be an issue if there are worn spots on any of this wire that could cause a short. We do drag these things all over the country.

Wouldn't there be an issue if only connecting to 30 amp service with a bad cord?

If there are worn spots in the wire that could cause a short then it can just as easily do so plugged into either a 50 or 30 amp outlet.
No matter what, you RV is still protected by the 30A breaker in your RV's panel.

I'm with you. Over current protection is for the wire. You fuse to protect the wire. I can't believe stores are allowed to sell 50 to 30 dog bones with out a built in 30 amp breaker.

EASY.RIDER wrote:
I have found a rv campground that I would like to use, however, they only have 50 amp service, and I need 30 amp service. Mgr tells me that he can use a reducer and I will be ok. Is this a good idea? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

A quick call to the CG will solve the guess work if there is 50, 30, and 20 amp, which i'm sure there probably are. But one should always carry a dog bone in case an outlet is loose or bad

Ka Ron wrote:
Yes, you can.
There are adapters you can buy that adapter a 50 amp plug down to the 30 amp plug that your unit has.

Yes. Just purchase an adapter. It will plug into the the 30 amp shore power and the other end into your 50A cord.

filthy beast wrote:

ScottG wrote:

westend wrote:

filthy beast wrote:
I think the only caveat would be that the wiring from the 50 - 30, and the wiring that foes all the way to your main panel is only sized for 30 amp. However small the possibility, there could be an issue if there are worn spots on any of this wire that could cause a short. We do drag these things all over the country.

Wouldn't there be an issue if only connecting to 30 amp service with a bad cord?

If there are worn spots in the wire that could cause a short then it can just as easily do so plugged into either a 50 or 30 amp outlet.
No matter what, you RV is still protected by the 30A breaker in your RV's panel.

But your wiring from the 30 amp connector on the side of the trailer to the 30 amp breaker is still rated at 30 amps. I did say that I thought it was a small chance but the chance is still there. Personally, I would inspect the wires to make sure all that bouncing down the road did no harm and possible secure them to minimize and possible issues. A 30 amp breaker on the pedistal, I imagine, would trip sooner than the 50 amp. But this is just my personal opinion.

I think an actual short in the cord would top 50A quick enough to trip either size of breaker before any heat can build up and melt anything.

ScottG wrote:

westend wrote:

filthy beast wrote:
I think the only caveat would be that the wiring from the 50 - 30, and the wiring that foes all the way to your main panel is only sized for 30 amp. However small the possibility, there could be an issue if there are worn spots on any of this wire that could cause a short. We do drag these things all over the country.

Wouldn't there be an issue if only connecting to 30 amp service with a bad cord?

If there are worn spots in the wire that could cause a short then it can just as easily do so plugged into either a 50 or 30 amp outlet.
No matter what, you RV is still protected by the 30A breaker in your RV's panel.

But your wiring from the 30 amp connector on the side of the trailer to the 30 amp breaker is still rated at 30 amps. I did say that I thought it was a small chance but the chance is still there. Personally, I would inspect the wires to make sure all that bouncing down the road did no harm and possible secure them to minimize and possible issues. A 30 amp breaker on the pedistal, I imagine, would trip sooner than the 50 amp. But this is just my personal opinion.

I use a 50 to 30 all the time when a 50 amp is available.

westend wrote:

filthy beast wrote:
I think the only caveat would be that the wiring from the 50 - 30, and the wiring that foes all the way to your main panel is only sized for 30 amp. However small the possibility, there could be an issue if there are worn spots on any of this wire that could cause a short. We do drag these things all over the country.

Wouldn't there be an issue if only connecting to 30 amp service with a bad cord?

If there are worn spots in the wire that could cause a short then it can just as easily do so plugged into either a 50 or 30 amp outlet.
No matter what, you RV is still protected by the 30A breaker in your RV's panel.