Any differences between 30 amp to 50 amp converters?

[belfert]

I need to get a 30 to 50 amp converter so I can plug my bus in at home.  Any differences between these?  Reasons to get one over another?  The ideal would be a Marinco 50 amp to 30 amp cord, but I can't afford one of those.

I installed a 30 amp RV outlet in my backyard for my old travel trailer.  I can't upgrade to 50 amp without redoing the whole thing since I used 1/2" conduit.  I really don't to go to the expense anyhow since I am trying to sell so I can move.

[JackConrad]

I have had several people tell me the "dogbone" type are better that the "plug" type.  We had a couple of the plug type fail from getting hot. We have went to the dogbone type and have not had any problems so far.  Jack

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Brian,

The device that you choose will only supply the 30 amps to one leg of your bus's 50 amps.

The dogbone is for when a rv park has a 30amp plug and a 20amp outlet in the box. This will supply

you with 50 amps but, not a true 230volts. If your house outlet just has a 30 amp plug, you will

only be supplying 30 amps to one leg of your 50amp in your bus. Not both legs.

Good Luck
Nick-

[Gary '79 5C]

Depends also as to what you are powering when in Home Port.
I made up a converter plug to enable me to plug into a 120 Vac with an extension cord, just to power the refrig & inverter, Nothing else.
It consists a 1900 box with a 50 Amp recp, and the other with a male cord end. Need to wire the 50 Recp correctly to get the one phase on the refrig & inverter.
This works for me at home as I load the night before leaving and start out with a cold frig. My storage building has the full 50 Amps, I installed but never get close to that...

Good Luck,

Gary

[HighTechRedneck]

NOTE:  The following will provide 110-120v from a 30 amp outlet to both legs of a distribution panel wired to use both 110-120v legs of a typical 50 amp campground connection.  It will not provide 220-240v service.

WARNING:  When doing anything like this, understand that you must practice sensible restraint in limiting your power usage.  Your breakers/fuses are set up for 50 amps.   You are relying on the 30 amp breaker on the host (park post or your home) circuit to protect the wires.  As an upgrade to the following, you could add a 30 amp fuse to the adapter.

I built my own like this:

Use a suitable 10/2 w/gnd cord rated for exterior use (for an adapter just use a 1-2 foot piece).  On one end wire a 30 amp RV plug.  On the other end use a 50 amp dryer type surface mount outlet.  Use a piece of 10 AWG wire to bridge the two hot legs together inside the receptacle.  Connect the hot (black) wire of the 10/2 wire to one of the hot legs of the 50 amp receptacle.  Connect the ground and neutral wires normally.  For added weather resistance, I sealed mine with 100% silicone.

[belfert]

I was going to ask if I could make my own adapter and someone already answered.  I really need both legs hot to run my two A/C units.  I am reasonably certain I can run both A/C units at the same time except if both start at the same time.  I would not run anything else while I ran both A/C units.

A retired electrician gave me a pretty good chunk of 10/2 cable.  Since the post is really close to the bus I might better off making a longer adapter for home and setting the receptacle under the bus to keep most moisture out.

[gumpy]

Just buy a dogbone connector. It has the crossover of the two hot wires built in so both legs of your 50 amp are hot, though on the same phase. 30 amp male on one end, 50 amp female on the other. Plug your 50 amp cord into the dogbone, and the dogbone into the park plug.

You can also get a simple 15/20 amp male / 30 amp female to convert the dog leg to 15/20 amp outlet.

[Dallas]

Why would you need to run both A/C's when it's parked in the yard?

I was going to ask if I could make my own adapter and someone already answered.  I really need both legs hot to run my two A/C units.  I am reasonably certain I can run both A/C units at the same time except if both start at the same time.  I would not run anything else while I ran both A/C units.

A retired electrician gave me a pretty good chunk of 10/2 cable.  Since the post is really close to the bus I might better off making a longer adapter for home and setting the receptacle under the bus to keep most moisture out.

[HighTechRedneck]

You can also get a simple 15/20 amp male / 30 amp female to convert the dog leg to 15/20 amp outlet.

Yup, I've got one of those too.  Makes it handy to run on any connection you find.  Just with limited power.

[HighTechRedneck]

Just buy a dogbone connector. It has the crossover of the two hot wires built in so both legs of your 50 amp are hot, though on the same phase. 30 amp male on one end, 50 amp female on the other. Plug your 50 amp cord into the dogbone, and the dogbone into the park plug.

I built my own because at the time I was looking, it seemed like all the 50 to 30 adapters stated on the packaging that depending on how the panel was wired they may not power all 110 circuits in a panel.  In other words, those adapters only powered one leg of the 50 amp cord.  Maybe today's have overcome that.  But I would definitely read the package before buying.

[belfert]

Just buy a dogbone connector. It has the crossover of the two hot wires built in so both legs of your 50 amp are hot, though on the same phase. 30 amp male on one end, 50 amp female on the other. Plug your 50 amp cord into the dogbone, and the dogbone into the park plug.

Other posters have said that the converters only power one leg of the 50 amp.  I'll just buy one if they do both legs.

[belfert]

I might want to run both A/C units at home for the same reason you run both in a park:  One unit might not be able to handle the heat load.  When I'm working in the bus I might be runnng back and forth and want A/C in the whole bus.

My A/C units are hooked to seperate subpanels so I need to have both legs hot to have a choice between the two units even if I don't run both.