50 amp vs 30 amp service

sabel

Does anyone know if using a 50 amp service will harm the T@B's 30 amp connection? Some of the campgrounds we've looked at only have 50 amp. I assume we'd have to get an adaptor for the plug but worry about frying something inside.

Verna

Get the adapter and it will send the voltage to the correct pins.  That is the one adapter I haven't used.  I have it in the tongue box, and I even stayed in a couple of RV parks, but there was always a 30 amp plug also, along with a 20 amp plug also.  Sometimes they just advertise the maximum they have.

Lisa33

Ditto what Verna said.  I've never used my 50-amp adapter because they always have the other plug options on the pedestal, too.  

Normfun

I have used mine  twice.  Once there was no 30 or 15 amp outlets on the site. The other the 30 amp was wired wrong but the 50 amp was good. easy fix plug in the adapter and all is well.  It is worth having stored somewhere.

JandJ92010

The 50 amp at the pedestal just means that 50 amp is available, your T@B will not use that much. It can't, unless something is wired wrong. Use the right adapter and it will be fine.

Michigan_Mike

True, the 50 amp hook-ups are for the BIG GUYS, the 60' gold-plated motor coaches with dryers, ovens and hot tubs, etc.!  

As Jandj noted above, your T@B is only wired for 30 amps and adapting (via an adapter) to a 50 amp receptacle will not harm anything, nor will it change the voltage entering your T@B, as you will only receive 110 volts.  

USWildflowers

Technical question - Since 50-amp is 220v and 30-amp is 110v, does the adapter simply leave one of the 50-amp connections open? Dead slot in the adapter, so to speak?

ChanW

.yep. 50A 220v would be a 4 prong connector, while 30A 110v is three prong.

Michigan_Mike

USWildflowers said:

Technical question - Since 50-amp is 220v and 30-amp is 110v, does the adapter simply leave one of the 50-amp connections open? Dead slot in the adapter, so to speak?

Yes....  The photo below shows the 50A plug-in prongs and the backside shows the 30A side.  The bottom plug entry point (shown below) on the 30A side is the universal or chassis ground and one of the flat pronged plug-in points also accommodates a ground wire.  I know it can be confusing (the wiring schemes) but it does work and these adapters come in handy when needed and yet are seldom used.  

Mouseketab

I've actually had to use a 50-30 Amp a few times. I've actually been to 2 campgrounds where the 30 Amp was bad and the 50 Amp worked. And another campground where the 30 Amp was just so overused and loose. My plug wouldn't stay in, so used the adapter on the 50 Amp there too.

wizard1880

The 50a connector is 240v, and like home it is supplied via two 120v "legs".  The adapter simply draws from just one of the legs.  You get 240v when both legs are tied together.

ChanW

I recommend not using the simple kind of adapter pictures above, instead going for a "pigtail" type, so it can hang out of the receptacle box and pedestal easily, and act as a sort of strain relief.

On Amazon: 

Cyclonic

I actually stayed in a campground in Golden, CO that only had 50amp outlets at each site.  They provided adapters if you needed one.

RZRBUG

Nathan, I hate to mention this, but your map doesn't have nearly enough color on it.