ELECTRICITY

TOMMY47 wrote:
My post seems hopelessly twisted.
I have a 30 to 15 reducer to plug into a 30 amp receptacle and reduce to household current. have a heavy duty 15 or 20 amp extension cord.
I have since discovered that the Oregon park has a 30 amp outlet which will suit my needs.

No twist here. I understood exactly what you were asking and said this:

"There's nothing stopping you from plugging a lower rated device into a higher rated receptacle."

All of the Oregon SP's I've been to have a 15A as well.

My post seems hopelessly twisted.
I have a 30 to 15 reducer to plug into a 30 amp receptacle and reduce to household current. have a heavy duty 15 or 20 amp extension cord.
I have since discovered that the Oregon park has a 30 amp outlet which will suit my needs.

wa8yxm is correct. The only time you will create a dangerous situation is if you use a light duty cord to bridge between a higher rated appliance (or RV) and a higher rated service. Something like a 30 amp RV adapted down to a 15 amp rated extension cord plugged into another adapter that adapts the 30 amp service down to 15 amps. That will melt the extension cord in short order. As long as your cord is suitable for the LOWER of either the RV or the outlet you plugged it into, you won't have any problems. Caveat coiling or having a rats nest of hundreds of feet of home extension cords will cause the cord to overheat and possibly melt even if 15 amps of service is not flowing through the cord. If you use a 15 amp household cord to provide service to your RV, use the shortest length possible.

wa8yxm wrote:

wnjj wrote:
Do you mean a 15 AMP to 30 AMP adapter in order to be able to plug a 30 AMP RV into a 15 AMP service. Going the other direction from a 30 AMP service to a 15 AMP cable will burn out the cable and accessories.

We normally speak of RV to Park adapters

So a 15 to 30 would mean you are plugging a 15 amp RV into a 30 amp outlet

however,,, I will ask, how is plugging a 15 amps rv into a 30 amp outlet, or a 30 amp RV into a 15 amp outlet going to burn out cable and accessories.

In the first case if you try to draw 16 amps (more than the RV's cord can carry) you will hear the CLICK OF DARKNESS from the main breaker inside the RV (That is to say it trips)

and in the second: From the parks.

no cables will be damaged, no accessories either

Now.. Plugging a 30 amp RV into a 30 (or larger) amp outlet using a 15 amp extension cord and a pair of adapters one at each end of the etension cord... NOT recommended at all.

You quoted the wrong guy. I asked the same question of PastorCharlie.

wnjj wrote:
Do you mean a 15 AMP to 30 AMP adapter in order to be able to plug a 30 AMP RV into a 15 AMP service. Going the other direction from a 30 AMP service to a 15 AMP cable will burn out the cable and accessories.

We normally speak of RV to Park adapters

So a 15 to 30 would mean you are plugging a 15 amp RV into a 30 amp outlet

however,,, I will ask, how is plugging a 15 amps rv into a 30 amp outlet, or a 30 amp RV into a 15 amp outlet going to burn out cable and accessories.

In the first case if you try to draw 16 amps (more than the RV's cord can carry) you will hear the CLICK OF DARKNESS from the main breaker inside the RV (That is to say it trips)

and in the second: From the parks.

no cables will be damaged, no accessories either

Now.. Plugging a 30 amp RV into a 30 (or larger) amp outlet using a 15 amp extension cord and a pair of adapters one at each end of the etension cord... NOT recommended at all.

Worst case the park will sell you any extra adapter you need.
Most likely you will you will not even need the adapter you have.

PastorCharlie wrote:

TOMMY47 wrote:
I'm having a brain fart,
Have a converted van. Going to use 15 amp on an extension cord. Have a 30 to 15 reducer.
Looking at Oregon SP sites that say--"electricity hookup 50 and full hookup 50" or just "electricity hookup 50".
What's the difference?
Do I need another reducer?
I will not be putting in a 30 or 50 amp system. Please don't suggest that.

"Going to use 15 amp on an extension cord. Have a 30 to 15 reducer."

Do you mean a 15 AMP to 30 AMP adapter in order to be able to plug a 30 AMP RV into a 15 AMP service. Going the other direction from a 30 AMP service to a 15 AMP cable will burn out the cable and accessories.

Parks have 20 AMP service and you will need a 12/2 with ground cable not a 15 AMP cable which will be too light for using with most appliances..

Will burn out the cable and accessories? How do you figure? Amps don't just flow in. Sure, the potential exists to overload the 15A cord if you pull too much power in the van but there should be a 15A main breaker in the van to prevent that.

There's nothing stopping you from plugging a lower rated device into a higher rated receptacle. 15A plugs fit into 20A receptacles, for example.

TOMMY47 wrote:
I'm having a brain fart,
Have a converted van. Going to use 15 amp on an extension cord. Have a 30 to 15 reducer.
Looking at Oregon SP sites that say--"electricity hookup 50 and full hookup 50" or just "electricity hookup 50".
What's the difference?
Do I need another reducer?
I will not be putting in a 30 or 50 amp system. Please don't suggest that.

"Going to use 15 amp on an extension cord. Have a 30 to 15 reducer."

Do you mean a 15 AMP to 30 AMP adapter in order to be able to plug a 30 AMP RV into a 15 AMP service. Going the other direction from a 30 AMP service to a 15 AMP cable will burn out the cable and accessories.

Parks have 20 AMP service and you will need a 12/2 with ground cable not a 15 AMP cable which will be too light for using with most appliances..

Electrical hookup 50 usually means you have your choice of 20,30 or 50 amp outlets (though having the needed pigtail/dogbone adapters is a very good idea.

FULL HOOKUP means water and sewer as well.

I have been a few campgrounds that had only 50 amp service, no 30 or 15 on the pedestals. I'd guess that would not be a problem in a state park. The dog bone adapters are a good thing to have with you in any case.
Russ