Which brings us to another plug, the RV 50-amp plug, which is a NEMA 14-50. If having an electrician install a 30-amp service for an RV, make sure that it’s a TT-30 configuration, and that it’s properly wired to supply 120V with separate ground and neutral. The National Electric Code prohibited that practice in new home construction beginning in 1994, and a 4-wire plug has been used since then. This bonding means that the ground–which is designed to be a safety feature–is also current-carrying, which negates that function under certain conditions. The dryer plug supplies 240V, with a ground-neutral bond. The two plugs are physically different in the center pin, but more importantly, they’re wired differently. Perhaps the most confused RV plug is the 30-amp TT-30, which looks very similar to the common 3-wire clothes dryer plug (10-30) which was installed in homes built prior to 1994. Any price and availability information displayed on at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.)ĭifferences between RV Plugs and Common Household Plugs DO NOT USE!ģ.3 out of 5 stars ( 22) Available for Amazon Prime $29.99 (as of J15:15 GMT -05:00 - More info Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Also, if you look closely at the second one below, the handle for unplugging is a thin rubber strap that hooks on to the sides–that style isn’t very easy to unplug, and they’ll break, usually long before the plug itself needs retired. The bigger issue is that you have a 15-amp or 30-amp receptacle protected by a 50-amp breaker. Power adapter shown has 15-amp female receptacle (NEMA 5-15R) and 30-amp female receptacle (NEMA TT-30R) that are split from a 50-amp (NEMA 14-50P) plug. It either doesn’t work, or it does and you’re working off of electrical service that’s old enough to have concerns of its own.Īny combination of 15-amp and 30-amp receptacles plugged into 50-amp source Any 15 or 20-amp receptacle installed since the 1970s is required to be protected by GFCI. Any price and availability information displayed on at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.) 50-amp Receptacle plugged into 30-amp and 15/20-amp sourceįirst of all, these adapters won’t work on any receptacle that’s protected by GFCI. Power adapter has 50-amp female receptacle (NEMA 14-50R) and 30-amp male plug (NEMA TT-30P)Ĥ.7 out of 5 stars ( 10963) Available for Amazon Prime $8.97 (as of J15:15 GMT -05:00 - More info Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Look for UL-listed versions of these adapters, preferably with rigid grab handles. Power Adapters that are Safe to UseĪll of these power adapters will have a smaller, lower amperage plug (male blades) on one end, and a larger/higher-amperage receptacle (female terminals). If a plug goes in with little resistance, the receptacle probably needs replaced. A loose connection can easily generate enough heat to melt your plug or start a fire without tripping a breaker. Note that in any of these situations, and even when plugging your RV directly into a pedestal, a receptacle in poor condition is still a hazard. If there was a problem with the appliance, or its cord, you could easily melt it before the breaker is overloaded enough to trip. Now suppose you don’t have a 15-amp receptacle on the pedestal, or that you have something else plugged in.Ĭan you adapt down from a 50-amp or 30-amp receptacle on the pedestal to one for your 15-amp appliance? NO. That includes a patio light, a heated hose, space heater or a string of flamingo awning lights. Let’s say you have something you want to power with a normal 15-amp plug. 30-amp RV cord plugged into 20-amp or 15-amp receptacleįor any of these configurations, you can find a UL-listed power adapter, and operate your RV safely.īut the other way doesn’t work.50-amp RV cord plugged into 30-amp, 20-amp, or 15-amp receptacle.At worst, under one of these configurations, we experience a nuisance pedestal breaker trip: Keeping that in mind, when we adapt an RV with a 50-amp plug (NEMA 14-50P) to either a 30-amp or 15-amp receptacle, the circuit breaker at the source will shut off power the wire’s limit is reached. Any wire configuration has a current rating, and a circuit breaker typically protects that wire. The job of a circuit breaker or fuse is to protect the downstream wiring from overloading and short circuits. Just about every RVer has a few power adapters, often referred to as “dogbones,” to make sure that they can connect to whatever power is available to them–this post will go over which power adapter types are safe to use, and which ones you might want to carry.
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