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Topic: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter (Read 1385 times) previous topic - next topic
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50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Yahoo Message Number: 40040
After nearly melting down from the heat in a park with only 30-amp and 15-amp service on the park power post (thermometer indicated 106 degrees in the shade - running only one air conditioner could only keep the interior of the coach in the 80+ degree range), I am considering getting one of the adapters that will let me plug a 50-amp coach cord into the 30-amp and 15 amp outlets so both air conditioners will run.
Has anyone here tried one? If so, do they work? Any problems with the surge-guard mounted in the coach? I have read that the adapters will not work if the park power post has GFI outlets mounted in it. However, I do not recall ever being in a park that had GFI outlets in the park power posts.

John and Linda Walton
'06 Inspire DaVinci

Re: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40041
John,

We have one, but only have used it in Georgia State Parks where there is usually 2 30 Amp plugs on the post (no I don't know why, maybe for trailers) instead of a 50 amp hook up. We also used our portable Progressive 50 Amp surge protector in conjunction with the "cheater cord" and did not have a problem. Ran both of our A/C units. Remember, you only will have 30 amps at 250 volts when you do this. You are right, they will not work with a GFI in the 15 amp plugs. I have had the opposite experience, most parks we visit have GFI on the 15 amp.

Before use, I would ask how the box is wired (is there separate runs to the 30 and 15 amp outlets) because we have stayed in older Florida State Parks in the Panhandle that warn you not to use them because they are wired with one line to the post.

Tom (and Sally) Bernardi, Odessa FL '07 National RV TropiCal LX 35' / Freightliner Chassis / 350HP Caterpillar® C7 turbo / '06 Honda CRV SE A/T

Re: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40043
John, I have the adapter that you mention. It is a box with a 50amp female with two short pigtails with 30amp male connectors.
It has been useful in very few parks. That is because virtually all 15 amp and most 20amp outlets are protected with a GFCI circuit. In almost all cases the GFCI will trip.
The way this adapter works is simple. Each of the male 30amp pigtails serves one of the 50amp legs in the motorhome. Thus, if all is well you will have 30amps to one 50amp circuit and 15amps to the other.
All is rarely well however and you are likely to have 30amps to one house circuit and a tripped GFCI and thus 0amps to the other. Even if you don't rip the GFCI you will want to figure out which circuit has 30amps and which the 15amps. It probably won't take long to figure out as the 15amp breaker will like open quite soon.
This is different from the common 30amp adapter that we all use. The common adapter shares the 30amps between the two on board 50amp circuits. In this way all appliances are supplied although only two or three can run at a time.

So, in summary.....I have had it work occasionally and have had it fail frequently. The best situation for this adapter is the rare occasion where the pedestal has two 30amp outlets. That works great.

I'll be happy to try again if my explanation is not clear.

George in Birmingham
'04 Allure 31038

Quote from: John Walton
George in Birmingham
2003 Magna 6298

Re: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40055
I have one and have used it a few times. The trick is that the 2 outlets you use MUST be 180 degrees out of phase. The easy way to check on this is to plug the box into the 2 outlets, then stick the probes of a 110/220v test light ( 2 parallel (hot) positions. You should get 220V. If you get 0 volts, the 2 outlets are in phase and they won't work (the Surge Gard should catch it; if it does not, you could put more than 50 amps on the common return and that is not at all good. After you get 220v across the 2 hots, also check between each hot and the common return (the 3rd blade) to ensure 110 volts. If you don't get 110 volts, then you might not have a common return which could put 220 volts rather than 2 110v circuits to your RV, with likely serious consequences for many of your electrical gadgets.

John 04 Inspire 51078

Quote from: Tom Bernardi
>

John,

We have one, but only have used it in Georgia State Parks where

there is

Quote
usually 2 30 Amp plugs on the post (no I don't know why, maybe for

trailers)

Quote
instead of a 50 amp hook up. We also used our portable Progressive

50 Amp

Quote
surge protector in conjunction with the "cheater cord" and did not

have a

Quote
problem. Ran both of our A/C units. Remember, you only will have

30 amps at

Quote
250 volts when you do this. You are right, they will not work with

a GFI in

Quote
the 15 amp plugs. I have had the opposite experience, most parks

we visit

Quote
have GFI on the 15 amp.

Before use, I would ask how the box is wired (is there separate

runs to the

Quote
30 and 15 amp outlets) because we have stayed in older Florida

State Parks

Quote
in the Panhandle that warn you not to use them because they are

wired with

Quote
one line to the post.

Tom (and Sally) Bernardi, Odessa FL > '07 National RV TropiCal LX 35' / Freightliner Chassis / 350HP

Caterpillar®

Quote
C7 turbo / '06 Honda CRV SE A/T >

Re: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40056
Thanks John,

Will keep your memo near my cheater cord. Appreciate the lesson in electronics.

I want to keep my unit in shape, so I can work toward that CC.

Tom (and Sally) Bernardi, Odessa FL '07 National RV TropiCal LX 35' / Freightliner Chassis / 350HP Caterpillar® C7 turbo / '06 Honda CRV SE A/T

Re: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40059
Thanks to all who replied. It sounds like the adapter may a 'pig in a poke' as far as usefulness, so it looks like the best thing is to stay with what I have.

John and Linda Walton
'06 Inspire DaVinci
 

Re: 50 amp to 30/15 amp park power adapter

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 40192
On another forum, there are a few people who have rewired their rear air conditioner to a separate plug in. They can either plug it into the motorhome, and it works as normal, or they can plug it into an extention cord into another outlet, without any of the problems with phase or with GFCI which plague the 'cheater' boxes.
Of course, this needs the skill at wiring and access to the wires which need to be cut into.

John 04 Inspire 51078

[quote author=John Walton" walton@\.\.\.\>] > > Thanks to all who replied. It sounds like the adapter may a 'pig in a > poke' as far as usefulness, so it looks like the best thing is to [/quote]
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