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Saturday, August 25, 2012

30 Amp To 50 Amp Adapter Box

The other day I had posted how I was able to get 50 amps from a 30 amp power pedestal at the campground we’re staying  at.  It drew a lot of emails from folks wanting to know about it.
Here is a picture of the Adapter Box.

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It has two cables that merge into the box.  On both cables there is the 30 amp plug.  You need to use a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter on one cable end.  The box comes supplied with it.

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The cables go into the box and through some circuitry magic, they give you 50 amps at the 50 amp socket.

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You can plug your 50 amp power cord or first your surge protector into this socket.  The Adapter Box does not offer any surge protection.

The key to all of this is on the power pedestal you need to have one of the old 20 amp electrical sockets, like this.

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If the pedestal has one of the updated GFCI sockets (Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter), it will not work.  The GFCI socket will sense a missing ground and trip.  There is no danger, just the GFCI doing its job.

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You plug the 30 amp plug into the 30 amp socket and the 20 amp plug into the 20 amp socket and you get 50 amps.

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Finding power pedestals with the non GFCI sockets are getting pretty rare.  The electrical code requires a GFCI socket at the pedestals, but there seems to be a grandfather clause and the old style non GFCI socket can apparently be left in place until the pedestal is updated or replaced.

The Adapter Box is available from Camping World.  I do not know if I’d spend the money for another one based on the rarity of non GFCI sockets anymore.  The box I have I’ve used maybe two or three times in the several years that I’ve had it.  But when you can use it, it is a nice to have item.

 Ahhh, that air conditioning feels good!  :c)

Thanks for visiting and feel free to leave a comment.

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12 comments:

  1. Is there some kind of voodoo that goes on in that little box?

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  2. Very interesting. If you have a 50 amp coach, can you not use your AC if you only plug into a 30 amp outlet? We have two Air conditioners and never have any trouble running them both on 30 amps. Is that some Winnona magic because she is an old fashioned 30 amp girl??

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    1. I can run my A/C on 30 amps, but when using the microwave or the washer/dry or the coffee pot of the hair dryer, the A/C has to be shut off.

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  3. The magic of it all :) George is already thinking!

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  4. Hummm, useful knowledge! Thanks

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  5. I wonder if these contraptions work when boondocking. What do you think?

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  6. Thanks Paul, that was really helpful!! Don't think we will get one since you can use it so rarely. We can manage with 30...but ENJOY 50amp;o))

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  7. Very helpful. Perhaps if it cost less, we'd invest in one, but considering the rarity of the non GFCI pedestals, we'll get by on 30A when we need to.

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  8. Yah, we bought one but it kept blowing the GFCI... then we read the fine print on the label that said it would do that. LOL ... the RV store we bought it at, took it back and gave us a refund.

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    Karen and Steve
    (Our Blog) RVing: Small House... BIG Backyard
    http://kareninthewoods-kareninthewoods.blogspot.com

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  9. Thanks for the pictures and explanation. You really piqued my interest when you first mentioned it. :)

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  10. we're at one of those pedestals now,but it also has 50 amp.

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