30 Amp RV plugging into 50 Amp campsite

[GerTex5]

Rookie question: We have a 30 Amp RV and have seen parks that only have 50 Amp campsites. I have read about the dog bone converters; however, I am a little nervous about the safety factor. Can any advanced RV veterans share experiences with this kind of situation? Thank you for your time and effort.

 

[Neal]

Yes, you can use it. A 50A connection is essentially 2 x 30A connections. You're only accessing one of them.

 

[J&JD]

Perfectly safe.

 

[docj]

You RV has a 30A breaker; there is no way that it can use more than 30A regardless of the rating of the outlet you are plugged into.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

• Plugs on RVs with 30 amp service and 50 amp service differ in design.
  • A 30 amp plug has three prongs – a 120 volt hot wire, a neutral wire and a ground wire – and is generally used on RVs with lower load requirements.
  • A 50 amp plug has four prongs – two 120 volt hot wires, a neutral wire and a ground wire – that supply two separate 50 amp, 120 volt feeds.
• A 50 amp service RV provides a maximum 12,000 watts.
• Even with an adapter, your 30 amp service RV won’t receive more power than the 3,600 watts it can handle.
• Conversely, if you use an adapter for a 50 amp RV, you’ll be limited to 3,600 watts.

Want to learn more about living on 30 amps? Check out this video for tips for RV living on 30 amps.