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Topic: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp (Read 805 times) previous topic - next topic
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Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Yahoo Message Number: 91200
We are in a location with the ability to use to 30amp but no 50amp connection. Pedestals are wired for 50amp according to the guy who installed them and he says the breakers are big enough. They are thinking of installing 50amp sockets next year. I was thinking about how to wire the 2 30's so I could use both. It seems that I could connect each 30amp hot to the respective hot on the 50amp and connect the two 30amp neutral to the 50amp neutral. Grounds would also be connected. I would create a box with a 50amp socket and two 30 amp pigtails. I have checked the wiring in the coach and it seems to be wired with the inverter on side 1 of the 50amp along with the front and rear AC. Side 2 has the washer/dryer, floor heat, mid-AC, and electric hot water heater.

Seems to simple. Anything wrong with this picture?

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91201
I have used the pigtail sold at Camping World that does just what you're asking. The catch is that you have to locate two separate 30a circuits to feed from. Also, it doesn't show the amperage available on the coach's interior electrical panel. There are blue lights that shine on this harness when the correct connections are made. I've also tried this harness going to the same house with two separate breakers and it didn't work, so finding two separate circuits in an RV park may be difficult.

Doug aaamarine '05 Allure 430 #31125

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91202
A Code no-no, but nice try.

The 30 amp outlets will be wired with #10 AWG wire which is only rated for 30 amps max. Your coach would have the potential for putting more than 30 amps on each of those hots if it was wired up the way you described.

Dave Trotter

01 Intrigue 11215

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91203
It's might be worse than you thought.
Each 30 amps from say two different pedestals still is one phase.
That means the neutral amps can reach 60 amps.
The coach for shore power is wired for 50 amps and with its split phase input of 240vac, the neutral amps go down from 50 amps as each leg is loaded. If both legs are drawing 50 amps, the neutral leg has 0 amps flowing. If one leg is drawing 40 amps and the other 30 amps, then the neutral has 10 amps flowing.
However, the gen set has only a 120vac output and its neutral is sized for the amperage. An 8Kw gen set can have a neutral approaching 70 amps for example. It's all about the neutral wiring sizing from the transfer switch to the circuit breaker panel.
Fred Kovol

2000 Allure 30593

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91204
If the two 30 amps outlets are the same phase it won't work. If they are each on opposite phases it would work, but you would still only have 30 amps on each lag. You should NOT change the circuit breaker to 50 amps this could overload the wiring inside the panel (post).

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91277
l am not an electrician, but, Don't think that both circuits have to be diffetent? Iif that was the case it would render the pigtail that is sold for that purpose usless. Now if you want 50amps or 230v you would need opposite phases. Two 30amp plugs would give you 2 neutrals also. Not a problem, the way I see it, and I do have a double 30 in my compartment, have used it without verifying phases. Marvin, 07 Allure,31459

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91278
Marvin..........If there are two 30 amp plug ins in the power post, each will be on opposite phases. If you were to stick voltmeter probes into the hot opening of each 30 amp outlets (one probe in each hot opening of each plug....at the same time) you should get a reading of about 230 to 240 volts. That's the same voltage as you would read if you stuck the probes into the hot openings of the 50 amp plug.

That will allow the 30 amp to 50 amp plug-in converter to make a total of 60 amps (30 amps on each leg) available to the coach whereas when you plug into a 50 amp socket, a total of 100 amps (50 amps on each leg) is made available.

The neutrals on each 30 amp plug are actually common to each other. That is because the power post is only supplied with one neutral, one ground and two hots.

Hope I haven't muddied the water too badly.

Dave Trotter

01 Intrigue 11215

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91286
The 50 Amp cord from the MH is two 50 amp 120 volt lines with a common neutral. If you plug in to two 30 amp of the same phase you will over load the neutral as the neutral will have the return of both the 30 amp lines.

Jim Logan

2006 Inspire 360 #51668

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91290
Theoretically your correct, if it were me I wouldn't worry too much about it, more than likely the 50A cord is #6 and only around 30' long and your don't usually run 30 A continuous in both legs. I'd do it but I won't recommend to someone else!!

Judy n Joe 98 Intrigue 10578

Re: Connecting 2 30amp outlets to 50amp

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 91306
Dave, both legs in a mh are separate 30amps (not connected together) so one leg doesnot know whst the other leg is doing., Only when you use both legs together to create 230v do you need two separate legs.
I have used my long 30amp cable to reach another pedestal, using two pedestals with my double pigtail, some older parks only have 30amp connections. Real muddy now. Marvin