Do they work as they say 45 amps

Not really. IF the 15 amp outlet is a code required GFCI outlet, they don't work at all. Otherwise, you get 30 amps available on one leg of a 50 amp service cord and 15 amps available on the other leg, making the stated 45 amp combined total available, but with the obvious limits on each leg total. It can still be an improvement over a standard 30/50 adapter though, that only allows a 30 amp total combined load. A standard 50 amp outlet in comparison, supplies up to 50 amps on each leg for a combined total of 100 amps.

Busdriver wrote:Do they work as they say 45 ampsYou are going to have to explain what you mean by "30/15 adapter".That term is most often used to describe a device with a male 15 amp plug on one side and a female 30 amp connector on the other......to allow you limited service from an under-rated outlet.

I do this all the time at a campground with my 30A Trailer plugged into the 30A service plug and an extension cord running my electric heater in the trailer plugged into the 20A pedestal service.On the 30A side my trailer can pull up to 30A before tripping the pedestal 30A breaker. On the extension cord side I can draw up to the 20A service before tripping the pedestal 20A breaker. So I guess you can say I an hooked to a total of 50AMP service here...Using this type of adapter would not be a good idea being plugged into a 50A Service connector at the site pedestal. The 20A plug used here would be fed by a 50A breaker in the site pedestal...Doing this at your house using one of these type 30A(M)-20A(M) to 50A(F) adapter may be a different story... You would think one of your 50A zones in your trailer would only get a 30A service and the other 50A zone would get a 20A service using one of these adapters...The adapters would be very illegal if the HOT side is a MALE PLUG that someone could touch when energized... Using this on a trailer like the Class C where you have an on-board generator might do this to an adapter plugged into the shore power connection. It should be protected from this by using a switchover contactor on the RV side but I would double check using a multi-meter just to be sure...Roy Ken

If your RV is 50 amp. using one of those adapters you can get (depending on the adapter) 45/2 50/2 or 60/2 amps.. Why do I keep saying /2Well 50 amp service is 50 amps TIMES Two.. That is two 50 amp legs. Now I can give you the technical reasons for doing this but please just take my word there are good reasons.. that's 12000 wattsThe most you can get with a 30/30 adapter is 7200 watts and at that there is riskSecond, as others have said if either outlet is GFCI protected (And I've seen 30 amp outlets so protected) Click of darkness ensues as soon as you plug in the 2nd plugFinallythe power in a 50 amp RV is "Divided" you actually have two 120 volt systems, we usually call them L-1 and L-2.. ideally for example the Kitchen and one A/C are on one leg (Does not matter which, L stands for Leg by the way) the other A/C and the water heater on the other. remaining outlets are also divided between themThe adapter gives you 30 amps on one legAnd whatever the other plug is connected to on the other legDO THEY WORK?I have one campground where it's all 30 amp outlets. about half of them are GFCI and no it does not work there.. The other half are NOT so I use one of the 30/30 cheater box devices, works greatI have one where there are a couple sites I can do the same thing.. But only a couple of sitesI can run nicely on 30/30 30/20 I have to be very careful but on 30/30 I'm good

Busdriver wrote:Do they work as they say 45 ampsKnown as a cheater cord. Will trip a GFCI which is a very common 15/20A plug. For the cheater cord that has 2 30A male plugs it may also overload the neutral depending upon how the 2 pedestal plugs are wired. There are other potential safety issues and the use of the cheater cord should be avoided. For various reasons some CG's do not allow it's usage.

30/ 15 adapters | Good Sam Community

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Dutch_12078
Explorer III
Mar 18, 2017
Not really. IF the 15 amp outlet is a code required GFCI outlet, they don't work at all. Otherwise, you get 30 amps available on one leg of a 50 amp service cord and 15 amps available on the other leg, making the stated 45 amp combined total available, but with the obvious limits on each leg total. It can still be an improvement over a standard 30/50 adapter though, that only allows a 30 amp total combined load. A standard 50 amp outlet in comparison, supplies up to 50 amps on each leg for a combined total of 100 amps.

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30/ 15 adapters

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