Campsite with 30 amp service

[ratraget]

Not sure about the amperages, but i reserved a group site at kaibab lake, az and it has 30 amp service. can i just plug my pu into this plug and hit the 120 switch?
1998 coleman cheyenne by fleetwood.

[AustinBoston]

Not sure about the amperages, but i reserved a group site at kaibab lake, az and it has 30 amp service. can i just plug my pu into this plug and hit the 120 switch?
1998 coleman cheyenne by fleetwood.

If you have a 30 amp plug (larger than a household plug, three prongs with two flat ones at an angle), YES.

If you have a 20 amp plug, PROBABLY.  At nearly every campground I have seen, If a site has "X" power, it also has all of the lower levels available as well.  In other words, if it has 50 amps, it also has 30 ams and 20 amps, if it has 30 amps it also has 20 amps.  I can't remember seeing an exception, but an exception might exist.

Austin

[dupreet]

...campsites have X amps and lower at each site...

You know, I thought this to be true until this past week.  I was at the Outer Banks in an area of the campground that was clearly for tents and PUP's with Water/Electric sites.  I went over to the power box to plug in and found only a 30-Amp receptacle. I spotchecked some empty sites and they were all this way.

I have a a 'homemade' power setup with two 10/3 power cords as I have added an AC and other items to my camper. Each of these cords has a regular Edison outlet to plug into 1 or 2 20-Amp outlets.  It was lucky for me that I happened to toss an adapter I made that drops a 30-Amp feed down to two 20-amp plugs.

Long-story-short, I was cool for the week and had 2 neighbors come up to me during the stay sheepishly holding an extension cord looking for somewhere to plug in!  I am sure this is great way for the campground to sell lots of overpriced 30-to-20 Amp adapters.

Later,

Todd

[AustinBoston]

I am sure this is great way for the campground to sell lots of overpriced 30-to-20 Amp adapters.

I don't recall ever seeing such an adapter, but I would question both their legality and their safety unless they have a 20 amp breaker built in.

The 120 volt systems in pop-ups do not have a main breaker, instead relying on the pole breaker.  But it does have what function as "branch" circuits.  This means it is possible to draw 30 amps through a cord that is designed for a maximum of 20 amps.

I'll sell you all the 20-amp to 30-amp adapters you want.  I won't sell a 30 amp to 20 amp adapter at all.

Austin

[tlhdoc]

I don't recall ever seeing such an adapter, but I would question both their legality and their safety unless they have a 20 amp breaker built in.

I am surprised that you didn't get one with your PU.  They are a very common RV adapter.  My 1999 came with a triangular 30 to 20 amp adapter, I also have a round adapter.  Even Wal-Mart sells them.  If you want to plug your camper in at home and don't have a 30 amp plug you need a 30 to 20 amp adapter.   My power converter does have a do amp breaker on one circuit and a 15 amp breaker on the other circuit.

[mike4947]

Tracy you got it slightly confused. The "standard" adapter is a 20 amp male to 30 amp female. What Austin was talking about was a 30 amp male to a 20 amp female. When talking about adapters the standard nomenclature says list the male/source end amperage first, then the female/output amperage second.
BTW anyone using the "cube/block style" adapters keep an eye on them. They can tend to overheat and melt. The "dogbone" style of adapter with the plug ends connected with a section of extion cord wire work much better in the long run.

[AustinBoston]

I am surprised that you didn't get one with your PU.  They are a very common RV adapter.  My 1999 came with a triangular 30 to 20 amp adapter, I also have a round adapter.  Even Wal-Mart sells them.  If you want to plug your camper in at home and don't have a 30 amp plug you need a 30 to 20 amp adapter.   My power converter does have a do amp breaker on one circuit and a 15 amp breaker on the other circuit.

No, we're talking opposite devices...the original question was about plugging a 20 amp cord into a 30 amp plug, not the other way around.  Not all pop-ups ship with 30 amp service cords.

Austin