We're at a RV park near Jekyll Island, GA and as usual, for our 30 amp travel trailer, we were plugged into the 30 amp outlet with our Progressive Industries PT30C in use. The breaker tripped and we were in the dark. I went out to the power post and could not get the 30 amp breaker to reset, so I got out my 50 amp adapter and that solved the problem. At the time of the breaker tripping, the AC was running and the electric hot water heater was on and heating after I took a shower. The following morning, I went to the office and ended up speaking with the owner. He came over, and was able to reset the breaker...I wasn't using enough pressure to force the breaker to reset. But, here is where my question evolves. He said that the newer 30 amp breakers that he is required to use by law tend to trip much more easily than the older breakers and he said that because of that, it is better to always use the 50 amp adapter. Does anyone have any experience or comments about this advice?? I know the adapter simply draws power on only one of the spades, so I don't see any reason not to use the adapter, but just wondering if anyone else has received this advice or uses the 50 amp adpater rather than plugging into the 30 amp service.:@

I'm an electrical contractor. I don't know of any "federal laws" about breakers. Electrical installations are generally governed by the local city or county building department. Usually they inspect according to the National Electric Code. This is not a federal code but just the name of the code. Adopting it is voluntary and usually done on the state level.At any rate, there have been no changes to make breakers trip "easier". A 30 amp breaker is supposed to trip when more than 30 amps flows thru it. Time will always be a factor here. 31 amps might not trip it for several hours while 100 amps should trip it really quick. This is more a function of the breaker's design and varies among manufacturers a bit.I suppose it's possible he might have had Federal Pacific breakers before and now has something else installed. Federal Pacific breakers were very popular in the 70's and 80's until it was discovered they were faking the UL listing and printing their own labels. They got sued and went bankrupt. Their breakers sometimes didn't trip at all. If he used to have those and now has good breakers that might explain his comment.

The campground owner is blowing smoke.You need to run less loads to prevent the breaker from tripping. Turn off heavy loads before resetting a breaker.The only issue in using the 50A is that the wiring from the plug all the way to the trailers 30A breaker is not properly protected.

I always look at the campground pedestal connectors for burn marks or badly corroded/burned sockets. The 30-Amp connectors really get used more than the 50 Amp ones. I will plug into the cleanest one I see...Plugging into a socket that shows burned arcing marks may destroy your 30A RV Cable plug requiring replacement.The 50-Amp service actually has 50 Amps on both hot leads and true your 50A-30A Adapter only uses one of the 50-Amp legs. Your Trailer 30A MAIN breaker will keep you from using more than the 30Amps.50A to 30A RV Dogbone Adapter (DMBRUSS)Roy Ken

Your trailer still has a main breaker to protect your cables, when we had. 30amp unit we preferred to dog bone the 50 in hopes of not being a victim of park overload.Nice story about his requirements.. As mentioned, just smoke.

As RoyB pointed out, the 30 amp circuit gets used much more and often is worn and/or corroded causing the arcing pointed out in his post. The 50 amp outlet is more robust and used less often, almost always a better choice.

Use a 50 amp adapter instead of 30 amp service?

30 Replies

newman_fulltime
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
ac and water heater on along with fridge converter tv my bet and how is it the breaker is the problem when you exceeded the 30 amps?
scbwr
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
Lynnmor wrote:

The only issue in using the 50A is that the wiring from the plug all the way to the trailers 30A breaker is not properly protected.

But, if my Progressive Industries PT30C is connected at the post, would that not protect the wiring?
SoundGuy
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
I too carry a 30 amp F > 50 amp M dogbone but rarely use it as campgrounds we tend to visit usually don't offer 50 amp service. I also carry a 30 amp F > 15 amp M dogbone for use here in Canada where 30/15 amp service is most common or in the US where it's often 30/20 amp.

The OP said - "the AC was running and the electric hot water heater was on and heating after I took a shower" - but especially during hot weather when we're typically running A/C I normally run the water heater on gas, only occasionally using the electric heating option for quicker recovery time. Doing so reduces the chances we'll ever exceed campsite service and is IMO well worth the minor cost in propane gas used, particularly if I'm mindful enough to turn the WH off during the day when we have little need for piping hot water. Obviously this isn't a viable solution for those who may have an electric only water heater but I would have thought the OP's Winnie would have a conventional gas/electric water heater.
scbwr
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
KD4UPL wrote:
I'm an electrical contractor. I don't know of any "federal laws" about breakers. Electrical installations are generally governed by the local city or county building department. Usually they inspect according to the National Electric Code. This is not a federal code but just the name of the code. Adopting it is voluntary and usually done on the state level.
At any rate, there have been no changes to make breakers trip "easier". A 30 amp breaker is supposed to trip when more than 30 amps flows thru it. Time will always be a factor here. 31 amps might not trip it for several hours while 100 amps should trip it really quick. This is more a function of the breaker's design and varies among manufacturers a bit.
I suppose it's possible he might have had Federal Pacific breakers before and now has something else installed. Federal Pacific breakers were very popular in the 70's and 80's until it was discovered they were faking the UL listing and printing their own labels. They got sued and went bankrupt. Their breakers sometimes didn't trip at all. If he used to have those and now has good breakers that might explain his comment.

I'm pretty sure he would have been referring to local building codes, and the issue may be the Combination Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (CAFCI) breakers that are now required in some municipalities. They are required where we live in Ohio and they can cause problems. Plasma televisions are known to trip them, and in our house, we cannot plug our vacuum cleaner in the outlet in one bedroom because it will trip the circuit. If they are required here in the campground, it could be part of the problem. In all fairness to the owner, he has built a very nice facility that gets very high ratings. And, if the CAFCI breakers are required here, they very well may be more prone to trip.
Triker33
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
Every time when using the 30 AMP and the breaker trips. I will reset it once.
If it does it the second time. I get out my 50 AMP dog bone and then the problem is solved.
DownTheAvenue
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
As RoyB pointed out, the 30 amp circuit gets used much more and often is worn and/or corroded causing the arcing pointed out in his post. The 50 amp outlet is more robust and used less often, almost always a better choice.
MudChucker
Explorer
Mar 27, 2016
Your trailer still has a main breaker to protect your cables, when we had. 30amp unit we preferred to dog bone the 50 in hopes of not being a victim of park overload.

Nice story about his requirements.. As mentioned, just smoke.
RoyB
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
I always look at the campground pedestal connectors for burn marks or badly corroded/burned sockets. The 30-Amp connectors really get used more than the 50 Amp ones. I will plug into the cleanest one I see...

Plugging into a socket that shows burned arcing marks may destroy your 30A RV Cable plug requiring replacement.

The 50-Amp service actually has 50 Amps on both hot leads and true your 50A-30A Adapter only uses one of the 50-Amp legs. Your Trailer 30A MAIN breaker will keep you from using more than the 30Amps.

50A to 30A RV Dogbone Adapter (DMBRUSS)

Roy Ken
Lynnmor
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
The campground owner is blowing smoke.

You need to run less loads to prevent the breaker from tripping. Turn off heavy loads before resetting a breaker.

The only issue in using the 50A is that the wiring from the plug all the way to the trailers 30A breaker is not properly protected.
KD4UPL
Explorer II
Mar 27, 2016
I'm an electrical contractor. I don't know of any "federal laws" about breakers. Electrical installations are generally governed by the local city or county building department. Usually they inspect according to the National Electric Code. This is not a federal code but just the name of the code. Adopting it is voluntary and usually done on the state level.
At any rate, there have been no changes to make breakers trip "easier". A 30 amp breaker is supposed to trip when more than 30 amps flows thru it. Time will always be a factor here. 31 amps might not trip it for several hours while 100 amps should trip it really quick. This is more a function of the breaker's design and varies among manufacturers a bit.
I suppose it's possible he might have had Federal Pacific breakers before and now has something else installed. Federal Pacific breakers were very popular in the 70's and 80's until it was discovered they were faking the UL listing and printing their own labels. They got sued and went bankrupt. Their breakers sometimes didn't trip at all. If he used to have those and now has good breakers that might explain his comment.

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Use a 50 amp adapter instead of 30 amp service?

30 Replies

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