Use 30 AMP in 50 Post?

Thank you for all the replies. The discussion went way beyond my understanding. LOL
I did phone the campground, and sure enough they do have adapters for campers to use. I would not have thought to ask had it not been for this forum.
Thank you.
Mike Leslie
2003 Winnebago Minnie 29B

Bobbo wrote:

Glenalt wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I just bought a 50-30 adapter. I now use it when 50A is available. nice to have! One question I have and I can`t find anywhere....is the one leg of the adapter dead or did they tie the 2 legs together when they go from 50A to 30A?

One leg not used. Be aware that the 30 amp wiring all the way from the plug to the breaker in the trailer is not properly protected.

Probably a dumb question but what do you mean by not properly protected?

Thanks, Glen

He is under the impression that the 30 amp power cord is somehow going to develop an electrical load that will be between a "safe" 30 amps and the "unsafe" 50 amps that will blow the breaker, like it is going to develop a couple of space heaters. If there is a load in the wire, it is likely to be a direct short, which will blow the 50 amp breaker just as fast as it would blow a 30 amp breaker. Don't worry about it. Thousands of us are doing exactly that.

It is exactly the same as plugging a lamp into a 15 amp outlet in your house on a 16g wire (the usual wire on table lamps). The 16g wire is no way able to handle 15 amps, but you don't have a problem.

I'm quite sure a 16/2 or 16/3 power cord is rated for 13 amps up to 50'.

I need 30A for my 'C'. But I carry a 20A to 30A adapter and a 50A to 30A adapter in my rig. I've been in a couple of RV parks where the 30A receptacle is worn. And on my way to Alaska, I found some CGs in Canada that only offered 20A and 50A on the post. Better to have the pigtails and not need them, than the other way around.

mikhen wrote:

Arte 50 amp RV's 240volts? If they are, that bottom digram will not give you 240 volts. Simply connecting 2 wires off of the same leg will not give you 240.

Even the high end RV's that may have an appliance or two that require 240 primarily use the service as two 120 supplies with a common neutral. The 120 loads are spread between them just as they are in a typical S&B residence.

mikhen wrote:


Nice diagrams.
Arte 50 amp RV's 240volts? If they are, that bottom digram will not give you 240 volts. Simply connecting 2 wires off of the same leg will not give you 240.

There are very very few 50A RV's that use 240V. I think there may be some higher end Prevost conversions that do that (use 240V for an appliance). But, its very very uncommon to see an RV use 240V on any appliances - but not impossible to find.

mikhen wrote:
Arte 50 amp RV's 240volts?

I don't think so. Using a 240V - 50A plug does allow for 100A of 120V though. If there are any 240V appliances on board, they'll simply have 0V when using the 30A-50A adapter and total power will be limited to 30A instead of 100A.

RoyB wrote:
This is DMBRUSS drawing of the 50A-30A adapter showing that only ONE HOT leg is being used on the 50A side... Your 30AMP Power Distribution Circuit Breaker will limit you to just 30AMPs of service.


On the other hand when you use a 30A-50A Adapter you can see that both 50A HOT LEGS are being fed by the 30A source. This will fed only 30AMP Service to both of your trailer 50A zones in your trailer. You will have to monitor what is being used at the same time so that you will not be tripping the 30AMP Pedestal service breaker.


Always neat to have all of these adapters on hand when you need them. Its all about PLAN Bs and keeping the wife happy in my case...

Roy Ken

Nice diagrams.
Arte 50 amp RV's 240volts? If they are, that bottom digram will not give you 240 volts. Simply connecting 2 wires off of the same leg will not give you 240.

Glenalt wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I just bought a 50-30 adapter. I now use it when 50A is available. nice to have! One question I have and I can`t find anywhere....is the one leg of the adapter dead or did they tie the 2 legs together when they go from 50A to 30A?

One leg not used. Be aware that the 30 amp wiring all the way from the plug to the breaker in the trailer is not properly protected.

Probably a dumb question but what do you mean by not properly protected?

Thanks, Glen

He is under the impression that the 30 amp power cord is somehow going to develop an electrical load that will be between a "safe" 30 amps and the "unsafe" 50 amps that will blow the breaker, like it is going to develop a couple of space heaters. If there is a load in the wire, it is likely to be a direct short, which will blow the 50 amp breaker just as fast as it would blow a 30 amp breaker. Don't worry about it. Thousands of us are doing exactly that.

It is exactly the same as plugging a lamp into a 15 amp outlet in your house on a 16g wire (the usual wire on table lamps). The 16g wire is no way able to handle 15 amps, but you don't have a problem.

Glenalt wrote:

Lynnmor wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I just bought a 50-30 adapter. I now use it when 50A is available. nice to have! One question I have and I can`t find anywhere....is the one leg of the adapter dead or did they tie the 2 legs together when they go from 50A to 30A?

One leg not used. Be aware that the 30 amp wiring all the way from the plug to the breaker in the trailer is not properly protected.

Probably a dumb question but what do you mean by not properly protected?

Thanks, Glen

The 50 amp outlet is protected by a 50 amp circuit breaker. You will be using a 30 amp cord between the outlet and your trailers circuit panel. Your trailer circuits will be protected by its own main breaker but the line between the pedestal and trailer's main breaker is not. It shouldn't be a problem load wise but could be if the cable is damaged and a short occurs.

Lynnmor wrote:

dodge guy wrote:
I just bought a 50-30 adapter. I now use it when 50A is available. nice to have! One question I have and I can`t find anywhere....is the one leg of the adapter dead or did they tie the 2 legs together when they go from 50A to 30A?

One leg not used. Be aware that the 30 amp wiring all the way from the plug to the breaker in the trailer is not properly protected.

Probably a dumb question but what do you mean by not properly protected?

Thanks, Glen