wiring 50amp connector to 30amp cable question

[Comet_Camper]

I want to connect a 50amp female repair connector to a 3 wire (hot, neutral, ground) 30amp cable. Which lugs do I wire to inside the 50amp connector? (I've used 30amps in my 50amp camper with no problems). Ok, I'll give some justification..lol I had a 30amp camper and my daughter installed a 30am service for me for when I visit. I now have a newer camper (2009 Forest River Cross Creek Silver Back) with 50amp service. I had made up a 50 foot 30amp cable for the old camper and now would like to put a 50amp female receptacle on the end. For home use I bought an adapter that goes between the 30amp cable and the 50amp cable, which works well. However, I prefer not to have to haul both heavy cables with me. Is it just a matter of not wiring to one side of the hot lugs? i.e green to ground, white to neutral, black to one side of the hot lugs and the other unconnected (where the red wire would be). Thanks.

[RoyB]

I would say YES... However just remember you will only be getting 30AMPS Service...

Using the adapters has their benefits however... You always keep your PLAN Bs in place so you cover other situations that come up...

I have two RV30A-15A adapters laying in the yard right now. I cut up a plastic snap on sandwich box that was big enough for the adapter to fit inside and cut holes in both sides for the cables to come in and go out.. Snap the plastic cover back on and it is pretty weather tight...

I still have my adapters available to us on my trailer when I am at other locations where I might need 30A and 15A service overnight... As long as you can still adapt your 30A MALE end to 50A pedestal connector with an adapter in case you can't plug into 30A anymore then what you want to do will be fine...

I have three sources of power to content with on my off-road POPUP being 50AMP to 30AMP service, 30AMP service, 15A/20A service, and my 120VAC flip lid plug on the side of my trailer that comes from my on-board 120VAC Inverter. This is a 20AMP receptacle.

Looks like this... The middle bottom connector is my shore power flip lid connection on my trailer. The 20AMP flip lid connector on the bottm right is my 1500 PSW Inverter output.
Not shown here is 50A(MALE) to 30A(FEMALE) for connecting into a 60AMP Pedestal connection.


Roy Ken

[sljkansas]

OK this thread got me thinking. My 5ver is 50 amp, and I have a 30 amp outlet at home (installed when I had a 30 amp RV) I use my 50amp cable to a 50 to 30 adapter and then use a 25 ft. 30 amp extension cord to the outlet. Question is, If I take a 30 amp extension cord and wire a 50 amp female twist lock plug to it, wired as the the adapter in Roy Ken's post, I could eliminate all adapters and extra cable? If this will work, I would not have to worry about rain/snow getting into the plugs.

[RoyB]

This is a good example that we folks should use the added information to our desired descriptions.

A 50A (MALE) to 30A (FEMALE) adapter is a whole lot different than a 50A (FEMALE) to 30A (MALE ) adapter...

This a wiring diagram of the two adapters

RV50A (MALE) to RV30A (FEMALE) Adapter


RV30A (MALE) to RV50A (FEMALE) Adapter


Both of these are considered a RV50A to RV30A adapter but more information added tells a completely different story of what is being discussed.

This is not related to the electrical situation discussed here just bringing up we should be more descriptive in what we are talking about to narrow down all the expected comments from all of us.

I am guilty as the rest of us on here for jumping to conclusions... It does however make for good reading...

Roy Ken

[flyinguy68]

"wborst" was the only person in this entire thread that figured out what the OP was looking for. I am looking for the same thing but can't seem to find it.

Scenario: I have a 50 amp camper. Most of the time I am camping without service and have to use a genny. The 5500 watt onboard Onan is overkill unless I want to run my AC which isn't very often. Most of the time I prefer to use my little Champion 2000 inverter genny. It is a pain in the buttocks to lug that monsterous 50amp cord that came with the camper in and out of storage. What I would prefer to do if I could find the proper adapter is use a 30 amp cord from my little portable genny and plug it into the 50 amp receptacle on the camper. None of the pig tails fit on the camper side, they only fit on the genny side.

**The key to this conversation is that we don't want to adapt a 50 amp cord to a 30 amp supply. We want to adapt a 30 amp cord to a 50 amp camper**

[Bobbo]

byronlj wrote:
Hook your green and white wires to their proper terminals. Run your black wire to L1 and then make an internal pigtail connecting L1 to L2. Make sure you keep your 30a circuit breaker.
Dave

While this is the correct answer to the question, as asked, let me say this is a disaster waiting to happen. Buy and use a 30 amp to 50 amp pigtail. It will be much safer, and useful in campgrounds that only have 30 amp service.

Someone's fire insurance company will thank you for it.

[pianotuna]

Hi Comet,

Twist Lock is NOT standard RV issue. It is a great system. Go to an electrician and he will be able to order male and female outlets from a supply house. It will be ruinously expensive.

[Comet_Camper]

Thats_Ok wrote:

Comet Camper wrote:
I want to connect a 50amp female repair connector to a 3 wire (hot, neutral, ground) 30amp cable. Which lugs do I wire to inside the 50amp connector? (I've used 30amps in my 50amp camper with no problems).

Comet
Were you trying to whip up something like this?
Except have the 30 amp RV male plug instead of a twist lock?

The above pic is what we use to connect our generator.

*************************************

That is what my finished product could look like (but I would want the 30amp RV male to be a twist lock and the female be a 50 amp RV twist lock). However, I will just wire a 50amp RV female to the end of my 30amp cable and be good to go. WBORST stated my situation accurately.

[Golden_HVAC]

Remember that a RV 50 amp receptacle is the same as a standard 50 amp stove receptacle. You can install a 50 amp stove receptacle on the end of your cord.

Fred.

[Comet_Camper]

wborst wrote:
I think that the problem that the OP is trying to address is that his 50 foot, 30 amp cable has a 30 amp twist-lock receptacle that would normally connect to the power inlet of a 30 amp trailer. He now has a 50 amp twist-lock power inlet on his new trailer. I have never seen any adapter that will allow you to connect a 30 amp twist-lock connector to a 50 amp twist-lock power inlet. What he is wanting to do is replace the 30 amp twist-lock connector on the 30 amp power cable with a 50 amp twist-lock connector so that he doesn't need to drag that heavy 50 amp cable plus a 30 amp extension plus the 50 amp to 30 amp adapter to his daughter's house for a visit just so he can connect to her existing 30 amp service outlet.

Hope that explains what I am reading and I also hope this is what the OP is talking about. :B I have been wrong before.:h

*******************

You have it exactly right. Actually you explained it better than I did..hahahah I've decided to bite the bullet and go to the RV Camping World and purchase the $75.00 50amp female locking connection and wire it to the end of my 30amp cable. Thanks for all the help!

[deleted-2]

Comet Camper wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I'd just use a 30 to 50 pig tail adapter myself.

Are you planning on replacing the 30 amp outlet with a 50 amp?

*************************************************

My adapter doesn't have an RV style plug on the end. If it did that would solve my problem. I haven't been able to find an adapter that has the female RV 50amp end, hence my need to make one. My 30amp cord is much lighter in weight than the 50amp cord so I would prefer to use the 30amp cord with a 50amp RV female end. Does anyone know of a site that carries this type adapter (50amp RV female - 30amp flat blade male)? Tks for the input.

Ahhh...my mistake!
You want this right?

[deleted-2]

Comet Camper wrote:
I want to connect a 50amp female repair connector to a 3 wire (hot, neutral, ground) 30amp cable. Which lugs do I wire to inside the 50amp connector? (I've used 30amps in my 50amp camper with no problems).

Comet
Were you trying to whip up something like this?
Except have the 30 amp RV male plug instead of a twist lock?

The above pic is what we use to connect our generator.

[wborst]

I think that the problem that the OP is trying to address is that his 50 foot, 30 amp cable has a 30 amp twist-lock receptacle that would normally connect to the power inlet of a 30 amp trailer. He now has a 50 amp twist-lock power inlet on his new trailer. I have never seen any adapter that will allow you to connect a 30 amp twist-lock connector to a 50 amp twist-lock power inlet. What he is wanting to do is replace the 30 amp twist-lock connector on the 30 amp power cable with a 50 amp twist-lock connector so that he doesn't need to drag that heavy 50 amp cable plus a 30 amp extension plus the 50 amp to 30 amp adapter to his daughter's house for a visit just so he can connect to her existing 30 amp service outlet.

Hope that explains what I am reading and I also hope this is what the OP is talking about. :B I have been wrong before.:h

[pianotuna]

Hi Comet,

The one I saw in Walmart was standard 30 amp male to standard 50 amp female.

[Comet_Camper]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

I'd just use a 30 to 50 pig tail adapter myself.

Are you planning on replacing the 30 amp outlet with a 50 amp?

*************************************************

My adapter doesn't have an RV style plug on the end. If it did that would solve my problem. I haven't been able to find an adapter that has the female RV 50amp end, hence my need to make one. My 30amp cord is much lighter in weight than the 50amp cord so I would prefer to use the 30amp cord with a 50amp RV female end. Does anyone know of a site that carries this type adapter (50amp RV female - 30amp flat blade male)? Tks for the input.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Walmart sells them. I saw one on last Saturday. $16.95 for 30 to 50 "dog bone" type.