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Old 02-03-2009, 01:27 PM   #1
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30A to 50A cord?

Cosmo's in a long term RV park that has only 50A service at the box. I'm currently using the original 30A cord to a 50A "dogbone" to the service box.

Ideally I'd like to have a solid cord with no adapters on the line, so I need a 50A male to a 30A Marinco female.

Does anyone know if there is a 30A to 50A cord (i.e. 30A Marinco quick connect on Cosmo to a 50A plug)?

I looked at Marinco's website and could only find a 50A to 30A cord...

Thanks.
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Old 02-03-2009, 03:00 PM   #2
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Don`t really understand your question,you have a dog bone adapter,that`s all you need.If you want to change out to 50 amp cord,just run a new cord to your breaker panel,or upgrade to a 50 amp breaker panel.
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Old 02-03-2009, 03:30 PM   #3
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Why are you worried about this? There are very few RV parks that don't have 30 amp hookups. I doubt very seriously that what you're looking for is available but if it is I'll bet it costs 150 bucks or more. In 8 years of extensive RVing including the last 2 fulltime I doubt I've been to more than half a dozen parks that didn't have 30 amp hookups. This does not count the older parks - mostly in Canada but a few here - that still only have 20 amp service. When I run into a park with 50 amp hookups I just break out the dogbone and hook up. Never had a problem. If you've just got some money you need to spend you can find something much more worthwhile than this.
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Old 02-03-2009, 04:07 PM   #4
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You could cut the original plug off the cord and replace it with a 50 amp plug. You can get them at most home and building outlets.

Just leave one of the legs unconnected. Shouldn't matter which one.

If you do this the cord will only be useful for 50a supply, so don't do this if this is your only power cord. If you want to use it where there is only 30 amp service you will need a new cord.
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Old 02-04-2009, 09:00 AM   #5
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easyride / Al - K4GLU: Sorry if you don't understand my intentions here. Cosmo is parked long term at this park, which is very old (was mobile homes park prior life) and there is only a 50A outlet. I was wanting to have a single power cord with no adapters running from the 50A outlet to the 30A Marinco inlet. A clean cord so to speak, to be used only at this park.

The long term use of the dogbone does not look aesthetically pleasing, and I have some concern on this adapter on the ground with moisture and rain. (I do have the connection wrapped in electrical tape currently).

Since I cannot find a commercially available cord, I think markdoane's advice is the best. I can cut the 30A plug off my current cord and change it to a 50A but only have one lead.

I have nicer Marinco 30A cords (that are ply-able in the cold) that I carry when traveling. The original Airstream supplied cord will be sacrificed for this park and application only.
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Bandit the Siberian Husky (RIP) & "G" the Min-Pin (RIP)
Cosmo the Custom 2008 27FB Intl CCD
Maxwell the 1964 Globe Trotter
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Old 02-04-2009, 09:11 AM   #6
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What about this? 50-30a Adapter This should hide the connection and you don't pay the big bucks for a custom cord. Two places that it's not "Out of stock" Here and Here
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Old 02-04-2009, 09:42 AM   #7
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No Adapters

A circuit breaker is designed to protect what ever is down stream from that breaker.
It is a gate-keeper, it keeps out what you can't deal with.
You really don't want to plug anything into a circuit breaker that is not being protected by that breaker.
A 50 amp supply will let 50 amps through, your cable NEEDS to be able to handle 50 amps. (period) sorry no exceptions.
When that 50 amps gets to your trailer there is a power-box that has fuses or circuit breakers that are smaller than 50 amps (usually 15 or 20 amps) these protect the wiring and appliances inside your trailer.
The wiring in your trailer can't even handle 30 amps, that is why the gate-keepers (fuses) in your trailers power box are there.

Any adapter that goes from 50 amps down to 30 amps MUST have a 30 amp fuse or circuit-breaker included in the design.
BWH
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Old 02-04-2009, 10:14 AM   #8
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This is a good read.

Using a 50 to 30 Amp RV Power Cord Adapter


Have you ever been in an RV park site where the 30-amp outlet was broken or the circuit breaker was weak and kept tripping? If it happens again and the RV power pedestal has a 50-amp outlet you can use it instead of the 30-amp outlet. All you need is the right adapter.
There are different types of adapters but the most common power adapter is often called a dog bone because of how it looks. Below is an explanation of why this works.
An RV power pedestal 30 amp outlet has a single 120 leg and breaker rated at 30 amps at 120 volts along with a neutral leg and ground.
An RV power pedestal 50 amp outlet has two 120 volt legs that supply current to the RV plus a neutral and ground. Each power leg can supply 120 volts to neutral or the two can supply 240 volts from Leg 1 to Leg 2. The outlet is protected by a double breaker rated at 50 amps on each leg. What that means is there are TWO 50 amp breakers, usually physically connected together, supplying the RV with current. (If you flip the breaker off, both are flipped at the same time)

In an RV wired for 30 amp service all outlets and appliances are connected to the single 30 amp leg. In an RV wired for 50 amp service some outlets and appliances are connected to one leg while other outlets and appliances are connected to the other leg. Manufacturers try to anticipate the power requirements and balance which outlets and appliances are connected to which leg. For example, all the kitchen outlets and appliances might be connected to leg one and the rest would be connected to leg two. RVs with two air conditioners would have one connected to each 120 volt leg.
When you plug your dog bone adapter into the 50 amp outlet the adapter taps only one of the two 110 volt legs and transfers the power to your power cord as though it was plugged into a 30-amp outlet. Yes you technically have up to 50 amps available at the adapter but the 30 amp circuit breakers in your RV's power panel will only allow you to draw 30 amps. As far as your RV is concerned nothing is different.
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Old 02-04-2009, 02:36 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BWH-Utah View Post
A circuit breaker is designed to protect what ever is down stream from that breaker.
It is a gate-keeper, it keeps out what you can't deal with.
You really don't want to plug anything into a circuit breaker that is not being protected by that breaker.
A 50 amp supply will let 50 amps through, your cable NEEDS to be able to handle 50 amps. (period) sorry no exceptions.
When that 50 amps gets to your trailer there is a power-box that has fuses or circuit breakers that are smaller than 50 amps (usually 15 or 20 amps) these protect the wiring and appliances inside your trailer.
The wiring in your trailer can't even handle 30 amps, that is why the gate-keepers (fuses) in your trailers power box are there.

Any adapter that goes from 50 amps down to 30 amps MUST have a 30 amp fuse or circuit-breaker included in the design.
BWH
I'm pretty sure the 30a main breakers in the coach will protect the power cord and everthing back to the pedestal.

Otherwise, wouldn't the common dogbone adapters be forbidden under the same "no exceptions" rule?

In fact, replacing the dogbone with a 50 amp plug on the cord would be safer because it eliminates a connection which could short out between the 50a pedestal and the 30a breaker in the coach.
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Old 02-04-2009, 03:57 PM   #10
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just have park install 30 amp service. or call an electrician and pay yourself.this may require a sub box with a 30 amp brkr about 25.00 at lowes,feed 30 amp off 1 leg of 50amp
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