Power pedestal wiring question
When camping in our travel trailer, we usually camp at spots that have a power pedestal that has both 30 amp outlet as well as a 20 amp GFCI protected outlet net to it. If I plug the trailer into the ...
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Bobbo wrote:ken56 wrote:
All the amp designation is is the limit of amperage that you can draw from that receptacle. You don't add them together though it should be possible to draw 20A from that one and 30A from the other one without popping either of them.
Almost but not quite. The amp designation is the limit of amperage that you can draw from that BREAKER (not receptacle). If the 20 amp breaker is fed off of the 30 amp breaker, the 30 amp breaker will pop if the combination of both outlets together exceeds 30 amps. Wiring that way is within code.
Only a lazy or dishonest electrician or an amateur would wire it that way, within code or not simply because of what you described. You understood what I said, I was trying to keep things simple for the less electrically educated because you don't plug into the breaker, you plug into a receptacle. Many people do not understand electricity and are afraid of it but still will do stupid things concerning it. I'm sure there are pedestals out there wired like you described but there is no way of knowing without looking at how it's wired inside and that does not happen without opening up the pedestal and no one does that.
