Juat purchased a new MH and will be using a 50/30 amp adapter occasionally. the 30amp plug has 3 blades, the 50 amp plug has 4 blades.
How are they wired internally so as to maintain 120 VAC??
What Ivylog said is correct. You will be able to run ANYTHING in your RV, you just won't be able to run EVERYTHING. The capacity of the 30 amp circuit is TOTAL, 3600 watts. The capacity of a full 50 amp circuit is 12000 watts. If your total load doesn't exceed 3600 watts, you will be ok with the adaptor. For instance, you will be able to run one A/C, but not while you run your microwave. DW will be able to run her hair dryer, but not while you have the A/C on, etc. the 30 amp circuit requires constant attention to total load. We use 30 amp frequently and always get by very nicely. If you happen to "overload" the circuit, the 30 amp breaker on the campground power pole will trip. You can reset it, and go on with life, having had a "smack on the hand" so to speak.
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Basically everything said is correct, with one exception.......even though you have 30 amps available, if you exceed the "pass-through" wattage of your inverter, you will probably trip the INVERTER breaker. My inverter is 2000 watts. My AC does not run through the inverter, but my microwave does. If I have my microwave on, drawing 1500 watts, and turn on a hair dryer, drawing, say, 700 watts, my inverter breaker will trip, even tho my total current usage is only about 18 amps out of the 30 amps that is available. The same thing happens if I am plugged into 50 amp service.
I guess my question would be why would you run your inverter if plugged in? The only time I run my inverter is when I am on the road and not plugged in. Run my refer and TV on the inverter when going down the road. The hardest thing about the 50/30 adapter is getting the DW to remember not to run everything at the same time!
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skeet4me wrote: I guess my question would be why would you run your inverter if plugged in? The only time I run my inverter is when I am on the road and not plugged in. Run my refer and TV on the inverter when going down the road. The hardest thing about the 50/30 adapter is getting the DW to remember not to run everything at the same time!
My inverter is NOT running, which is why I said "pass through" wattage. The current coming into the Trek has to pass through the inverter when it comes from shore power, to get to the outlets. there are different types of inverters. Some have breakers, some do not. Here is a link and the pass through current and inverter breakers are mentioned at the bottom. Inverters
Basically, if your inverter has circuit breakers on the side, it is subject to "pass through" wattage. If no breakers, the entire input wattage is fed through to your outlets, which are protected by separate circuit breakers.
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Ronzenith wrote: Juat purchased a new MH and will be using a 50/30 amp adapter occasionally. the 30amp plug has 3 blades, the 50 amp plug has 4 blades.
How are they wired internally so as to maintain 120 VAC??
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A 50amp service has 4 lugs...The neutral is the middle blade, the ground is the U shaped blade directly below the neutral, and each of the other blades are the hot legs. Each hot leg provides 120V. (50amps X 120Volts =6000Watts) Since there are two, (50amps X 120Volts X 2 = 12,000 watts) you have 12000 watts. Your coach, unless it's very high end, does not use 240V service, so each leg of the service provides 120V to your coach. Understanding that, it's easy to see that the 50/30amp adapter simply taps only one of the legs of the 50amp service providing you with power.....Dennis
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Look at the top section of this image. If you look there are 4 lines on the right which is symbolic of your rig.
On the left there are 3 lines which is symbolic of the park pedestal.
Within the adapter the lines of the 50 amp are connected together so all the appliances/devices in the 50 amp rig will operate. You are just restricted by the 30 amp breaker feeding the service.
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rgatijnet1 wrote: Basically everything said is correct, with one exception.......even though you have 30 amps available, if you exceed the "pass-through" wattage of your inverter, you will probably trip the INVERTER breaker. My inverter is 2000 watts. My AC does not run through the inverter, but my microwave does. If I have my microwave on, drawing 1500 watts, and turn on a hair dryer, drawing, say, 700 watts, my inverter breaker will trip, even tho my total current usage is only about 18 amps out of the 30 amps that is available. The same thing happens if I am plugged into 50 amp service.
I'm confused by your explanation. Are you saying that your inverter can tell the difference between a true 50 amp supply, and a 30/50 amp adapter, and given that difference, the inverter will trip out a breaker which would not trip if you were plugged into a true 50 amp circuit? Is that what you are saying?
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