Making a 50 Amp Splitter

[Sean]

Forgot the most important safety tip:

Once you have this adapter, never, ever, ever leave one plug in a receptacle and the other one out.  That's because you could have an exposed "hot" on one of the tangs.

Always disconnect the dryer from the adapter before plugging the adapter into the pedestal.  Always turn off the power at the pedestal before attaching the adapter.  Plug the dryer in only after both the TT plugs are securely in their receptacles.

This advice applies equally to those with 50-amp coaches using this type of adapter to plug in to two 30-amp (or one 30 and one 20 amp) receptacles.

Also, I forgot to mention that this type of adapter will not work with GFCI circuits.  I presume the two 30's on your pole are not GFI.  But I am seeing more and more 30-amp GFI breakers in campgrounds.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[Stan]

Sean: Now that you have Ron's problem solved I would like to go back to your statement "If your dryer is really 50-amp, there is no way to do this."
I have been using transformers all my life to reduce voltage and raise current. Are you telling me that my welding transformer doesn't work with 40 amps in and 200 amps out?

Edit: Ron's dryer may be similar to the Whirlpool LDR3822 which is 120 volt.

[Sean]

... "If your dryer is really 50-amp, there is no way to do this."
I have been using transformers all my life to reduce voltage and raise current. Are you telling me that my welding transformer doesn't work with 40 amps in and 200 amps out?

I started from the assumption that the heating element in his dryer was 240-volt, as are most.  In which case, my statement was correct.

Even if it was 120-volt, I understood the question to be "how can I build an adapter out of plugs, sockets, and wires?" and not "is there some expensive device I can use to do this conversion?".  In which case, again, my statement was correct.  A 6Kw autotransformer (which is what you'd need to make one 30-amp 240-volt circuit into one 50-amp, 120-volt circuit) would run upwards of $800 -- something I knew from the outset was not in Ron's budget.

And, I'm pretty sure I didn't say anything at all about welding transformers, yours or anyone else's.  The original question had nothing to do with welding, or transformers.

You seem to think that somehow I was contradicting your earlier statement.  In fact, I hard started typing my "no way to do this" post long before you posted your suggestion about using a transformer.  So I had not even seen your post when I posted that.  (If you look at the post times, you will see my post went up a mere 2 minutes, 59 seconds after yours -- I can assure you, I don't type or think that fast).  So please, put your hackles down -- nothing I've said in this thread had a thing at all to do with you or your suggestion.  (Which would have been a good one, under a completely different set of circumstances.)

Hope this clears things up.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[Sean]

... Check out a Square D T750D1 from Grainger...

Your last post caused me to go back and read this post (I confess, I had not really done so earlier).  In case anyone else is following along, I should point out that the suggested part number (T750D1) is a very low-power control transformer having a UL rating of 750VA, and an IEC rating of 500VA.  So, barely one tenth the size needed to run a 6-Kw dryer.

We've already determined that Ron's dryer is 30-A, 240-V, so this is not really relevant to the original question.  But the subject of step-up or step-down transformers may be of interest to some.  For example, IIRC, Jerry Liebler is using such a transformer to derive 240VAC for his split-system air conditioner so that he can run it from his 120VAC inverter.

I believe Jerry used a naked (unenclosed) toroidal transformer, which is a higher-efficiency design than typical laminated transformers, for his application.  These sorts of things can be had in a number of ratings for a good price by watching eBay, for example.  But there is a certain amount of engineering that goes into this process, including properly sizing the transformer for the load, whether an autotransformer will suffice or if a normal step-up or step-down unit is needed, removing the heat from the transformer enclosure, etc.  Not for the faint of heart or the uninitiated.

FWIW.

-Sean
http://ourodyssey.blogspot.com

[captain ron]

Thank you Sean, Although most of your knowledge is way beyond my comprehension you are a great asset to this forum. I will make the splitter after this week end and let you know how it turns out.

[DrivingMissLazy]

Or as my great grand-pappy used to say, that is way too copious for my comprehension. LOL
Richard

Thank you Sean, Although most of your knowledge is way beyond my comprehension you are a great asset to this forum. I will make the splitter after this week end and let you know how it turns out.