UNBELIEVABLE - please tell us we're right

[bpaikman]

We are currently staying at Larson Trail Ruts Golf Course and RV campground in Guernsey, Wyoming, a lovely little town of about 1000, with a golf course??!!! - we encountered a unique situation with the electricity. The OregonTrail Ruts and historic areas that we came to see are miles from nowhere, so there's not a lot of choices of places to stay. This place was our best choice and it advertised having 50 amp which is very important in mid July. They did not even mention at the website that there was 30 amps also.
So when we arrived, a young lady (trainee?) offered an adapter to use in a 30 amp post for our 50 amp motorhome.
Later, another, more experienced lady directed us to our site and explained the situation. (Her father is an electrician and she and he both have tried to explain to the city council that you cannot do this but ...well).... the posts have one 30 amp and one 50 amp outlets. The 'council' believes you can hook two 50 amp units to one post. So they direct employees to provide adapters for those people who need more than 30 amps, when 50 amp outlets are not available. The knowledgeable lady directed us to a post that was being shared by a Casita that was already hooked into the 30 amp so we took the 50 amp.
(that's our orange surge protector in the photo. Little Casita hooked up on the right. So we're good?)

 

[Holdmybeer]

Likely a min 100 amp post, so 50+30+20.

 

[Neal]

I'm not sure what you're talking about specifically but if the situation is using a y-adapter with 2 x 30A plugs to go to a 50A coach, yes you can and this is what I carry and have used at times:

Amazon.com

While some spots may only have 30A and two 30A receptacles for two coaches side by side, but if the other is not being used, I can use both to get 50A for my coach.

 

[redbaron]

Likely a min 100 amp post, so 50+30+20.

Your math is missing L2 -- this is 50+50+30 so 130amp===NOT GOOD

Often when these are wired, the 30amp is sharing the L1 with the 50 amp. If the casita is running an AC unit, then the L1 has 15-24 amps of load on it from the casita. THat will deduct from whats available on your 50amp.

The problem comes in how the circuits are wired with breakers, and the over voltage will be allowed.

SO the question now becomes how large is the input wire, and does it daisy chain to another box, and how far are you from the transformer.

Eventually wires will melt, but they will be on the park side as that is where the current is being overly consumed. Not good planning, but for you I woudn't worry about it as long as you have a low voltage cut out which I see in your picture, so all is good.

(Voltage will go low as the amps are pulled in excess of the infrastructure---OHMS law)

 

[redbaron]

I'm not sure what you're talking about specifically but if the situation is using a y-adapter with 2 x 30A plugs to go to a 50A coach, yes you can and this is what I carry and have used at times:

Amazon.com

While some spots may only have 30A and two 30A receptacles for two coaches side by side, but if the other is not being used, I can use both to get 50A for my coach.

That is the only case those adapters are good--when the park intentially wired L1 to one 30 amp and L2 to another.

Why they don't just add the 50amp plug is beyond me, but it is probably due to the wire size being a #10 or #8 wire, which means pulling 100amp would not be in code.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

If I understand you correctly, then simply put:

1. You’re connected to the 50A with a 50A plug and surge. Fine, and normal…so NO question.

2. The “neighbor” is connected to the 30A on the same post. Also fine, and normal, just as if it was a 50A outlet…so NO question.

But…you’ve eluded to someone “stepping up” by connecting a 30A-50A adapter? Yes, they have those, but those WILL NOT PROVIDE L1 and L2 50-amp service, nor supply a coach with 240v.

What @Neal refers to is a Dual 30A to 50A adapter and those DO work, with precautions, to supply the coach with L1 and L2 240v BUT ONLY AT 30 AMPS.

I made a video explaining this system and cautions. You MUST know the park has wired the 30 amp service at the post correctly, or else you’ve got problems!!!

 

[Chargerman]

I’m curious as to why there are two 50amp breakers in that panel. If one of them is a main disconnect for that panel then an 50 amp and 30 amp being used at the same time could trip that breaker during a high demand period

 

[CaptainGizmo]

I’m curious as to why there are two 50amp breakers in that panel. If one of them is a main disconnect for that panel then an 50 amp and 30 amp being used at the same time could trip that breaker during a high demand period

That's a normal bonded 2-pole 50A breaker for L1/L2.

 

[Chargerman]

My bad. I didn’t see the bonding strap. I prefer a true 2 pole breaker

 

[bpaikman]

I'm not sure what you're talking about specifically but if the situation is using a y-adapter with 2 x 30A plugs to go to a 50A coach, yes you can and this is what I carry and have used at times:

Amazon.com

While some spots may only have 30A and two 30A receptacles for two coaches side by side, but if the other is not being used, I can use both to get 50A for my coach.

we're not sure people understand what we're saying and I don't know which one to reply to so here's a better picture of what's going on. Here's a picture of one of the posts and unused posts and here's a picture of the site with the Casita before we parked to the left of it,
If there had been a coach like us using the 50 amp, the park supposedly would've advised us to use the 30 amp with an adapter. The electrician's daughter directed us to this site with an unused 50 amp plug. (Copying to some of you)

 

[redbaron]

Code allows for only one of the 2 plugs to be used.

Will it work otherwise --yes, but results may vary.

 

[bpaikman]

Code allows for only one of the 2 plugs to be used.

Will it work otherwise --yes, but results may vary.

well we're running two ACs off the 50 amp. The little Casita we are told usually only runs a fan. Due to cloud cover and a nice breeze, temperatures have been very mild today, and we're leaving tomorrow.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Gosh. Still not sure EXACTLY what your question is, without all the other distractions like a casita. I apologize…Not being snotty, but trying to make it clear and simple because I think you’re just getting confused by what the park is telling you.

This is not a big deal.

Both outlets can be used. Period.

The 50 amp can be used by whomever and they’ll get full 50A service with 240v.

The 30 amp can be used as well and will give you 30 amp service PERIOD. Doesn’t matter what adapter you use, it’s not gonna help you get more; it’s only changing the plug configuration.

I think you’re trying to worry about what the “other person” is using. Just use your side for its rating and be done with it. If you don’t pull more than 30 amps and don’t have 240v appliances then the rest is moot.

Hope this helps.

 

[bpaikman]

no no no we were just worrying that they had considered putting us in a 30 amp.
Evidently that's their practice - for example, if someone was already plugged into the 50 amp they offered a adapter from 30 to 50 for us. . However, this older lady who works there, whose father is an electrician, interfered and found us a spot for 50 amp.
She is well aware of the situation and they have been trying to convince the city council that you shouldn't plug 50 amp campers into 30 with an adapter. It seemed odd to us though the young lady at the front desk offered us an adapter in case we could not find a 50 amp plug. It's a very casual set up. Records are handwritten.
so are you saying, that if there had been nothing but 30 amp available for us we could've used their adapter but we would've only gotten 30 amps. yeah I can see that. I'm not sure why the older lady was concerned, but we wanted $.50 because it was supposed to reach up to 100° here and we wanted both our ACs working. However it never got above low 80s and it's been quite pleasant.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Code allows for only one of the 2 plugs to be used.

Will it work otherwise --yes, but results may vary.

Eek, well…kinda. We visit a park in which EVERY post is a duplex serving TWO sites!

Of course, they’ve had issues.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

no no no we were just worrying that they had considered putting us in a 30 amp.
Evidently that's their practice - for example, if someone was already plugged into the 50 amp they offered a adapter from 30 to 50 for us. . However, this older lady who works there, whose father is an electrician, interfered and found us a spot for 50 amp.
She is well aware of the situation and they have been trying to convince the city council that you shouldn't plug 50 amp campers into 30 with an adapter. It seemed odd to us though the young lady at the front desk offered us an adapter in case we could not find a 50 amp plug. It's a very casual set up. Records are handwritten.

Why?

We have a 45 foot with 4 ACs and 240v appliances throughout and have posted up on 30A services LOTS of the time including the dead of winter!

It just takes the knowledge of knowing you can’t run a dryer, etc when we’re on 30A.

Orrrrr, I do the double 30A-50A adapter like we’re gonna do next month and then we’re good to go with 240v service and I just make sure we don’t exceed the 7600 watt capacity of the two legs of 30 amp.

 

[CaptainGizmo]

Incidentally, if that park has a load problem, and YOU are protected with a top rated EMS protector, then THEIR breakers and wiring should take the hit.

 

[bpaikman]

Why?

We have a 45 foot with 4 ACs and 240v appliances throughout and have posted up on 30A services LOTS of the time including the dead of winter!

It just takes the knowledge of knowing you can’t run a dryer, etc when we’re on 30A.

Orrrrr, I do the double 30A-50A adapter like we’re gonna do next month and then we’re good to go with 240v service and I just make sure we don’t exceed the 7600 watt capacity of the two legs of 30 amp.

we went to park once in March, in Texas and it was already getting a bit warm. 30 amp only. We couldn't run both air conditioners. Kept flipping. Barely could run one.
We considered the soft start, but talked to some someone who told us not a good idea. Can't recall why. We decided it was just easier to stick to 50 amp campgrounds. This campground only advertises 50 A but they have 30.

 

[DennisT]

Sounds like the question is “what if they had put you in a spot that only had 30 available”…

Yes with the 30 to 50 adapter you would be ok. Would not be able to run everything like you normally do but, electrically, it would work just fine.

 

[Holdmybeer]

we went to park once in March, in Texas and it was already getting a bit warm. 30 amp only. We couldn't run both air conditioners. Kept flipping. Barely could run one.
We considered the soft start, but talked to some someone who told us not a good idea. Can't recall why. We decided it was just easier to stick to 50 amp campgrounds. This campground only advertises 50 A but they have 30.

Yep, ordinarily you can't run a 15k a/c and a microwave simultaneously off a 30 amp pedestal. Even with soft starts on both a/c's it would be iffy unless there was load shedding involved.