Camper will not run on 30 Amp

[Sunseeker22]

I have a 31feet Sunseeker camper, 2015. I have a problem. When we go to campgrounds we cannot plug our camper into a 30 amp. It will not run everything in our camper. Everybody said it should run on 30 Amp but it doesn’t. It will only run on 50 amp. Has anybody else had this problem and what did you do? Thanks so much Camper Fans

 

[John&Andrea]

Can you run anything? You will not be able to run everything on 30 amps. Are you using the 50 amp at the campground? is the breaker turned on at the pedestal?

Tips for RV Living on 30 Amps | KOA Camping Blog

Living on 30 amps? You bet! RV Expert Mark Polk tells campers everything they need to know.

koa.com

 

[JRW-NAW]

Have you tried using a different 50 to 30 amp adapter?

Safe travels.

 

[Rich W.]

This has a lot of good info - check out post #5

Question - 50 amp

Still learning. If I have a 5th wheel that is 50 amp but the park only has 30 what will I not be able to do?

rvforums.com

 

[Gronk]

Strange. I have a 38' fiver and I can run both ACs on 30A, but not much more. I need to run the water heater on propane and make sure one AC is off before I try using the toaster or microwave. In other words you need to understand how much power each appliance draws and use then accordingly.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

Thirty (30) amps at 120 volts is 3600 watts. You need to determine how many items you have turned on and not exceed 3600 watts or 30 amps.

Converter = 250 watts, Refrigerator on AC = 150 watts, Air Cond running = 1500 watts/starting 2160, Microwave = 1200 watts, .......this totals 3100 watts. What else do you have on? Coffee maker, heater, TV etc etc etc

The process is called "power management". No, you can't run EVERYTHING at the same time.

If you only have a 30 amp service for the camper, then powering it from one side of a 50 amp service using a dogbone or adapter will exceed the power wiring of the camper. This is not good!

If your camper is set up for 50 amps and you have a 50 amp to 30 amp dogbone or adapter, then you can easily overload the 30 amp breaker at the power post. You should always use the 50 amp service and not the 30 amp service on the power post.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

Someone asked why I said using a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter was not safe? Well because the 30 amp connectors and cable are protected by a 50 amp breaker on the power post. Yes, I know it is often done, but that doesn't make it safe.

Much like driving 65 MPH in a 50 MPH zone. It is OK until one gets caught. Then it is not so OK.

 

[Rich W.]

They are as safe as the operator - one does have to pay attention and understand the limitations involved.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

They are as safe as the operator - one does have to pay attention and understand the limitations involved.

Unfortunately, I have heard some say it allows one to have more power using a 50A service adapted down to 30 amp, as opposed to using the 30A service. Thus the electric service safe current limit is defined by the lowest-rated hardware in the system.

They don't realize the strength of a chain is defined by the weakest link.

 

[Gronk]

I got in an argument with someone on another site for this reason. He claimed to be an electrician and said it was fine to do that "because the trailer will only pull 30A"....... I gave up and left him to his 'proffesional' thoughts.

 

[Bob K4TAX]

Wonder if this person ever figured out the limitations and how to manage the power demand?

 

[Gronk]

Probably didn't get the answer they wanted.............