Steping down power

[rynosback]

OK, I have a 2016 DRV with 50 amp service with the power management system and the EMS surge protection. Can I hook up to a 20 amp service and run some electrical? Do they make a 50amp to 20 amp conversion piece/dog bone? Would i have to buy two dog bones? 50-30-20?

Thanks

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

I haven't seen a 50 - 20 adapter. We use the 50-30, then 30 to 15 adapters. You really have to be careful though. Your converter charger will probably max out the 15 amp availabe.

[socaltoolguy]

Yes, they make a 50/20 3 prong adaptor. I had one until we sold our 5er.

 

Ray

[GlennWest]

DRV on a 20 amp plug, I don't think so. They are not designed for that. Yes keep battery up but not much of anything else.

[Kirk W]

You can connect your 50A RV to a 15/20A with a combination of dog-bone adapters or there is at least one single step adapter which could do the job and for a circuit that has very likely just a 15A circuit breaker, I really see no problem in using one.

In all probability you can keep your batteries up and run a few lights, but little more if you do this.

[oldjohnt]

Sure, you can run "some" electrical. The 50 amp had two legs of 120 VAC, one fed like one AC and the other another AC or other loads, while you're going to end up with just a single 120 VAC leg after adapting down. I've seen and own a 50 to 30,,,,,,,,,,, and a 30 to 50,,,,,,,,,,,,,and plenty of 30 to 15,,,,,,,,,,,,but don't recall seeing a 15 to 50 but that sure don't mean they aren't out there.

 

John T

[GlennWest]

Oh I did it. Adapter on 50 amp plug for 30 and adapter on 30 to 15 on it. Won't run much though.

[Bill B]

We've lived just fine on 15 - 20 amps. The inverter can load share 5-10-15-20 etc to 30 amps. You can run the micro and the A/C just not at the same time. You have to watch the large loads.

 

The battery, once it's charged, requires ~12 watts to maintain it. You have 2400 watts.

[GlennWest]

In our DRV we couldn't run much at all. Definitely no microwave.

[MrSeas]

Here's what I use......

http://www.amazon.com/ParkPower-150SPPRV-Marinco-Pigtail-Adapter/dp/B000PGXP5G/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1432436915&sr=8-28&keywords=marinco

[Jimalberta]

If I plug into anything other than 50 amps using adapters I go to my panel in the coach and set the load limiter to either 30 amps if thats what I am plugged into or 20 or 15 . The system then will not allow me to overload the pedestal. Dont know if you DRV has this feature but its good to set if you have one.

[rynosback]

I'm not looking to run much at all. A couple of lights and maybe a fantastic fan. I know that I will not be able to run microwave with anything else. As the one in my home is on a 20 amp dedicated circuit.

[skp51443]

We used to do the 50 to 15 amp step down, a bit of a pain and all too much chance of popping a fuse or breaker.

 

What we did instead is use our inverter to power the rig and run a 15 amp extension to our smart converter. The inverter was happy to provide us with 3000 watts of AC power and the converter was happy to work 24x7 at recharging the batteries while never drawing more than a few amps.

[WeBeFulltimers]

So are you saying it won't work but only on a DRV?

[WeBeFulltimers]

DRV on a 20 amp plug, I don't think so. They are not designed for that. Yes keep battery up but not much of anything else.

 

 

Oh I did it. Adapter on 50 amp plug for 30 and adapter on 30 to 15 on it. Won't run much though.

 

 

In our DRV we couldn't run much at all. Definitely no microwave.

I forgot this.

[Mark and Dale Bruss]

There are 20 amp dogbones. They are found in the marine world. A lot of sailboats have a 20 amp (round) connector.

[Bill B]

Glenn - he has a dedicated 20 amp. Were you on with anything else? how long was the cord? and the size?

Microwaves are usually on 15 amp circuit.

We regularly prep the trailer on a 20 amp - water heater on - fridge on - converter on - and if it's hot enough - one A/C on. BUT, I have a dedicated 20 for it. I do have a 50 available, but it is usually attached to a welder (WARNING - DO NOT TRY THIS!! - Mine is wired for a trailer feed and the welder plugs have been changed to fit the 125/250 (14-50 R) receptacle). It is just more convenient.

[rynosback]

These are a couple of dog bones that I have found. It looks like I would have to step down twice.

 

50-30 http://www.ecspremier.com/30-Amp-Male-RV-Plug-to-50-Amp-14-50R-Female-Adapter-with-handles-and-Lighted-End-6743T_p_52.html

 

30-15 http://www.ecspremier.com/RV-Adapter-NEMA-5-15P-Male-to-RV-30-Amp-Female-with-handle-and-lighted-ends-6740T_p_22.html

 

I find it interesting that they do not have a 30-20 step down. Just to a 15 amp.

[dblr]

Here's what I use......

http://www.amazon.com/ParkPower-150SPPRV-Marinco-Pigtail-Adapter/dp/B000PGXP5G/ref=sr_1_28?ie=UTF8&qid=1432436915&sr=8-28&keywords=marinco

 

That's what we use but just when we bring the camper home to get ready, turn the fridge on and maybe a light and the fantastic fan, but that's about all.

[Bill B]

These are a couple of dog bones that I have found. It looks like I would have to step down twice.

 

50-30 http://www.ecspremier.com/30-Amp-Male-RV-Plug-to-50-Amp-14-50R-Female-Adapter-with-handles-and-Lighted-End-6743T_p_52.html

 

30-15 http://www.ecspremier.com/RV-Adapter-NEMA-5-15P-Male-to-RV-30-Amp-Female-with-handle-and-lighted-ends-6740T_p_22.html

 

I find it interesting that they do not have a 30-20 step down. Just to a 15 amp.

 

 

Remember that a 20 amp plug has the horizontal neutral blade. All the guts of the plug / receptacle are the same. http://www.powercabling.com/content/nema.html

[rynosback]

 

 

Remember that a 20 amp plug has the horizontal neutral blade. All the guts of the plug / receptacle are the same. http://www.powercabling.com/content/nema.html

Look at the third chart. The two on the left. The prongs are in the same configuration. But a 20 amp set up will have a heavier gauge wire then a 15 amp one.

[oldjohnt]

Ryno, EITHER a standard 15 Amp NEMA 5-15 P Male plug orrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr a 20 amp NEMA 5-20P Male plug will fit into what may be called 15/20 amp NEMA 5-20R female receptacle. HOWEVER a 20 amp NEMA 5-20P Male Plug (one blade 90 degrees off) WILL NOT FIT INTO A 15 ONLY AMP FEMALE RECEPTACLE. They make what may be called 15/20 amp female receptacle with the T Slot so they can accept 15 or 20 amp male plugs. If you wanted a full rated 20 amp extension cord, it would have 20 amp rated male and female ends.

 

John T

[Al F]

To those who are saying it won't run much. 15 amps is still 15 amps. As long as you have a good extension cord, 10 gauge wire for 75' to 100' you can run your microwave or the water heater or a single portable electric heater. You do need to be sure your batteries are charged up. Of course if you stay connected to the 15 amp outlet your batteries will stay charged and you don't have to worry about that load. Just keep in mind you can only run ONE of these devices at a time.

 

To be safe, it would be best to check the voltage at the outlet to be sure it really is 115V to 120V and not 105V to 110V if you want to power these appliances. There will be some voltage drop at the RV end of the extension cord.

 

Make sure you get the 10 gauge extension cord and not the 12 gauge or the cheapie 14 gauge cords.

 

Be sure to check the 15amp outlet you are plugging into to be sure the contacts make a good tight connection. If the extension cord slips in and out easily and feels loose in the outlet then install a new outlet before trying to use one of the higher powered appliances in the RV.

 

If you have a 20amp outlet available and a 75' 10 gauge wire extension cord you can run one air conditioner.

[Al F]

If you are experienced with electrical wiring you can make an adapter cord to plug into the 30 amp clothes dryer outlet.

 

The 30 amp dryer outlet is a 240V outlet. However it has two hot legs, each at 120 volts and 30 amps. You build a dogbone which takes one of these 120V legs and wire it to a 30amp RV outlet. Then go to Camping World or Amazon buy 30amp RV extension cord. Now you can easily run one air conditioner or any of the other appliances.

 

We park in our daughters back yard about 3 times a year and have used this set every time we have visited for the last 9 years. We do have to schedule the clothes washing/drying times though. Sometimes we hook up the 15amp 10 gauge wire extension cord if the dryer needs to be used for a couple of hours.

[oldjohnt]

INTENDED AS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY for those who use older home clothes dryer or range outlets or perhaps welder outlets to power an RV.

 

 

YES I know they still "work" and can work for years no problem if wired to older 2 pole 3 wire 3 prong outlets!!!!!

 

 

1) In years past the NEC permitted the use of 2 pole 3 wire grounding (3 prong) outlets for 240 volt appliances such as stoves and dryers etc. Some of those older appliances operated purely on 240 VAC (no 120 VAC was used) so the 3 wires ran to the outlet were L1 & L2 (240 VAC line to line) plus the safety equipment grounding conductor (NO NEUTRAL). YES, I'm well aware its 120 if measured between L1 or L2 and Ground

 

2) Some household appliances used BOTH 120 VAC as well as 240 VAC internal devices. The main heating elements may have been 240 but a clock or timer or controls etc may have operated on 120. Some 240 volt stoves (served by 2 pole 3 wire 3 prong outlets) even had a 15 amp 120 volt outlet mounted right on them

 

3) BUT those older appliances that had BOTH 120 and 240 used the green/bare safety equipment grounding conductor TO CARRY LIVE NEUTRAL RETURN CURRENT, and that bare/green safety equipment grounding conductor was wired and attached directly to the appliances outer conductive metal case/frame .

 

4) In order to correct a potential safety problem, the NEC changed and started requiring 3 pole 4 wire (4 prong) grounding outlets for 120/240 dryers and ranges. Those had separate poles for L1, L2, Neutral and Ground. That way the Neutral carried live return current,,,,,,,,,,was NOT wired to the appliances outer metal case/frame,,,,,,,,,,,,the safety equipment grounding conductor was used for its dedicated purpose of carrying FAULT CURRENT ONLY and was attached to the outer metal case/frame.

 

Now to explain all the reasoning and theory and the NEC about the uses and differences of a Grounded Conductor Neutral and the Safety Equipment Grounding Conductor can take books to explain and is farrrrrrrrrrrrr beyond the scope of this post. I could do it if necessary given the time.

 

BOTTOM LINE AND MY BEST FREE ADVICE (take or leave it at your pleasure, do as you please) If you're going to rig an RV to be powered from a dryer or range outlet, its safer and more NEC proper if the outlet is a modern 3 pole 4 wire grounding (4 prong) Neutral equipped device whereby you correctly can use the Neutral to carry live return current and the safety equipment grounding conductor (which is attached to RV frame) to ONLY carry fault current.

 

PS the older dryer or range receptacles ONLY had Hot(s) and Ground feeding them NO NEUTRAL, but the RV Plug has Hot(s) Neutral and Ground and Ground is attached to the RV's case/frame/skin so how is it to be connected?????????? Does that cause any concern??? Think about it, It should

 

Best wishes FOR INFORMATION ONLY do whatever you may like.

 

John T Long retired EE