50 amp fiver - 30 amp service

[bodacious]

I'm looking to upgrade to a 50 amp 5th wheel and and keep it parked there for the winter. Not sure if my favorite campground has any 50 amps sites available. Would I be OK using the 30 amp service (with an adapter) as long as I don't exceed the 30 amp load?

[MartyG2]

Bumpyroad wrote:

outnabout wrote:
You may want to read this. It's one of those "just because you can, don't mean you should
http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformation/rvmaintenance/rv-electrical-101.asp

that article meandered off into the rare air area a bit. said if you hook a 50 amp RV to a 30 amp outlet that you were excessively affecting the campgrounds electric service. As far as I can tell, if you plug your 50 amp rv into a 30 amp outlet, you are "abusing" the campground's electrical service exactly the same as if you had a 30 amp RV. Can't be drawing more than 30 amps.
I think I would find some other "expert" to consult with.
bumpy

I disagree. Maybe you didn't read the part about how breakers run at a given tolerance, and also about the part how a 30 Amp design doesn't normally come close to exceeding 30 Amps, but a 50 Amp design does. Thus it will be expected to exceed the current design of the plug, the wire, and the breaker. You can very easily damage the 30 Amp outlet, just as either a 30 or 50 amp plug can overtax a 20 Amp outlet. Running it until the breaker trips is overload.

[JamesBr]

I run on 30A or less from time to time, you just have to pay attention to how much power you are drawing.

[RoyB]

These are a couple of drawings showing the use of a 30AMP Adapter. You can note that adapter is strapped between the two HOT CONNECTORS of the 50AMP side meaning that both of your 50AMP legs will be getting power.

Like others have said on here you can only draw up to a total of 30AMPS otherwise the the 30AMP Breaker on the campground pedestal will trip.

30AMP (M) to 50AMP (F) ADAPTER


TYPICAL TWO ZONE SETUP using the 30AMP ADAPTER


I would bring along a couple of good 120VAC Extension Cords to run inside your 50AMP Trailer to run the Electric OIL-FILLED heaters and plug these cords into the 20AMP SERVICE on the camp ground pedestal. These will operate from a separate circuit breaker and not bother the 30AMP Connection source. We do this all the time separating the 30A and 20A service when we are camping in the winter...

Roy Ken

[Bumpyroad]

outnabout wrote:
You may want to read this. It's one of those "just because you can, don't mean you should
http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformation/rvmaintenance/rv-electrical-101.asp

that article meandered off into the rare air area a bit. said if you hook a 50 amp RV to a 30 amp outlet that you were excessively affecting the campgrounds electric service. As far as I can tell, if you plug your 50 amp rv into a 30 amp outlet, you are "abusing" the campground's electrical service exactly the same as if you had a 30 amp RV. Can't be drawing more than 30 amps.
I think I would find some other "expert" to consult with.
bumpy

[christopherglen]

Few run ac's in the winter, let alone more then one at a time.
Understand there is less then 1/3 the max power available, and maybe click the space heater off to use the microwave.
The only thing I do different in the winter on 30 amp is run the water heater on propane only. I don't know when it is going to kick on to reheat water, and a space heater, tv, converter, more chargers then I have fingers in addition to the water heater can easily be over 3600 watts. I manually kick the space heater off to turn the water heater on for showers.

[outnabout]

You may want to read this. It's one of those "just because you can, don't mean you should
http://rvservices.koa.com/rvinformation/rvmaintenance/rv-electrical-101.asp

[BB_TX]

Since you say upgrade to a 50 amp rig I assume you currently have a 30 amp rig. So the answer is basically you can do with the 50 amp rig with a 30 amp adapter what you could do with your 30 amp rig.

A number of times we have connected our 50 amp rig to a 30 amp connection when 50 was not available. Tripped the park 30 amp breaker a few times, but learned to manage the power hungry devices to minimize that happening.

[glazier]

I think you will be OK, but it depends on your required loads as mentioned. The only time we have problems is while running the AC, and trying to use the microwave.

[retispcsi]

It all depends. My fiver is 50 amp and I am hooked up to 30 amp. I run my water heater on electric and have run both ac's at the same time. It just depends when everything is running. If you have a power management system it will help.

[MitchF150]

If you have dual A/C units, you will only be able to run one of them at a time.

If you have a W/D, you may or may not be able to run it??

If all you need is the basics of electric use, you should be fine.

I can run my 13.5k A/C and the microwave on high and be fine on 30 amp. But, if I do that with my Honda 3000i generator, it'll trip the breaker on the Honda..

I don't have an electric option for my hot water tank, so if you have one of those, you might need to consider that too, because if it's on, it'll be sucking up some amps.. When it's off, it's not using any.

Good luck!

Mitch

[HappyKayakers]

It could get tricky in the winter if you're running multiple electric heaters. As long as they're on separate circuits you should be OK. If you try the toaster, coffee maker, or hair dryer at the same time you'll probably trip a breaker.

[Ranger_Smith]

That would be fine. you probably won't be able to use both A/C units at the same time.