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50 amp to 110V adapter?

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Voi

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I have a RV plugged into a 50 amp electric post at our lease. May be moving RV off site later this week & need 110v receptacle to run some power tools.

I'm on my phone & on a spotty hotel WiFi connection & having a hard time searching this.

It looks like I can get a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter & then a 30 amp to 110v female end adapter. Is this the most direct way to do this short of wiring an 110v receptacle to post?
 
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Norcal

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A 20A receptacle off a 50A circuit is not safe nor code compliant, at a RV site all loads are 120V but that just is not kosher.
 
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wil

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Is the 50 amp post a 220 volt circuit? If it is, then the below doesn't apply!
Maybe show pictures of the plug/outlet?

If it's only 120v, then just purchase a heavy gauge (12-14 gauge)
120v extension cord, and change
the plug to what the 50 amp circuit has.
Just remember that this won't be a 50 amp extension cord!
 
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nadogail

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IMHO, there is a kosher way to accomplish making a 15 or 20 amp tap from a 50 amp circuit.

Investigate the Ten Foot Tap Rule.

The ten foot tap rule, and fused disconnect will solve your problem neatly.
 
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Jess

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RV or Marine adapters will get you there. If you have a post with a breaker panel and the 50A outlet, I would just add another breaker and the correct weatherproof receptacle.
You can look at Marinco for what adapters they can supply. Not cheap.
 
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theoldwizard1

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Voi said:
It looks like I can get a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter & then a 30 amp to 110v female end adapter. Is this the most direct way to do this short of wiring an 110v receptacle to post?
Click to expand...

Yes, short of building your own.

You need to understand that only HALF of the circuits in your RV will work, because the 50A plug is for 240V and the 30A adapter plug only powers one half of the split phase 240V. 50A are common for RV with 2 A/C units.

Also, your 120V outlet is likely only 15A or 20A. Starting either A/C unit would likely trip the breaker feeding the 120V outlet.
 
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wyliesdiesels

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theoldwizard1 said:
Yes, short of building your own.

You need to understand that only HALF of the circuits in your RV will work, because the 50A plug is for 240V and the 30A adapter plug only powers one half of the split phase 240V. 50A are common for RV with 2 A/C units.

Also, your 120V outlet is likely only 15A or 20A. Starting either A/C unit would likely trip the breaker feeding the 120V outlet.
Click to expand...

OP said he wants to run power tools off the 50a outlet. He said nothing about running the RV off of it.

If the OP must use the 50a outlet, he should utilize an extension cord with a built in breaker...
 
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theoldwizard1

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Typical 50A to 30A RV "dog bone" adapater

30Mx50F.jpg


Typical 30A to 15/20A RV adapter

4ceea9a6-c5b2-4085-a5b0-361ff506fad3_400.jpg
 
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theoldwizard1

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wyliesdiesels said:
OP said he wants to run power tools off the 50a outlet. He said nothing about running the RV off of it.

If the OP must use the 50a outlet, he should utilize an extension cord with a built in breaker...
Click to expand...

Sal Bandini said:
Wrong gender. You need Male 50A to female 30A.
Click to expand...

You are both correct !

s-l1600.jpg


Getting a fuse/breaker in there would be a challenge.
 
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Norcal

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Might be a "challenge" but a whole lot safer if the receptacle has proper overcurrent protection, if you look none of those adapters has a UL listing, BTW, GFCI protection is required also.
 
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nehog

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Voi said:
...
It looks like I can get a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter & then a 30 amp to 110v female end adapter. Is this the most direct way to do this short of wiring an 110v receptacle to post?
Click to expand...

If I understand you correctly, that's what I'd do. I carry a 50 to 30 adapter in the RV, and have a 30 to 20 adapter too. That way I can plug the RV into anything: 50, 30 or 20A.
 
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sberry

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The adapter above is not 50 to 120 but 120 to 50. This thread is bad, lots of gobbly gook in it. There is no way to run 50 to 20 without additional special designed over current and those 30 to 20 aint legal either, made for the flea market crowd and not listed.
 
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theoldwizard1

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This is NOT a complete solution for the OP, but it is the closest I have found.

Coleman Cable 01980 X-Treme Box 01980 Portable Temporary Power Distribution Box, Converts (1) L14-30P to (8) 5-20R- $165

Unfortunately it has the wrong male (input) plug for use with RV outlets (TT-30).

If I was going to buy this distribution box would buy a RV 14-50P to TT-30 "dogbone", cut off the female TT-30 receptacle and install a L14-30R.

I would get a second "dog bone", TT-30P to 5-20R, cut the 5-20R off and install a L14-30R.
 
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gungatim

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Falcon67 said:
What I use at the house to run the AC in the race trailer if I need to work in there for some reason.
Click to expand...

this. what I do as well. they even sell them at wallyworld. they get hot and can melt running the A/C so they are not for permanent use but everyone uses them...

edit: I will add that you may already have one if you look, most campers do because it is not uncommon to camp someplace that doesn't have the big 50 amp receptacle. if you hit up any campground, you will see dozens of people using them...
 
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Voi

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Thanks to the mod who moved this to the correct forum.

I talked to two camping supply places and they both said a 50 amp to 30 amp adapter followed up by a 30 amp to 110v receptacle would be fine but after reading through the replies I'm skeptical.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, but I'm not getting into that) it looks like I have some more time to resolve this.
 
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unslow1

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I just used heavy gauge extension cord and switched the end on mine. I have the 50 amp cord but never use it because all I run is a couple of 110V lights and a 6V battery maintainer. I plug it into the garage outlet which is a 15 amp GFIC.
 
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Backpack Hunter

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Perhaps I'm not understanding what your trying to do from the responses above.
Are you not just trying to plug your 50 amp RV into a 20 amp receptacle so you can plug your saws into your onboard outlets and power them?
 
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sberry

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He wants to put 15A recept on a 50 circuit. The camper guy is wrong. You cant add a 120 15 A recept to a 30 without a fuse. You could put a power strip on provided it had 14 wire and a breaker and it would meet the intent.
 
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sberry

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theoldwizard1 said:
This is NOT a complete solution for the OP, but it is the closest I have found.

Coleman Cable 01980 X-Treme Box 01980 Portable Temporary Power Distribution Box, Converts (1) L14-30P to (8) 5-20R- $165

Unfortunately it has the wrong male (input) plug for use with RV outlets (TT-30).

If I was going to buy this distribution box would buy a RV 14-50P to TT-30 "dogbone", cut off the female TT-30 receptacle and install a L14-30R.

I would get a second "dog bone", TT-30P to 5-20R, cut the 5-20R off and install a L17-30R.
Click to expand...

This is what we are talking about NOT doing. It needs a fuse in it. The distribution box listed has breakers.
 
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sberry

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You could make it for a few bucks, they sell a 2 space box or even handi box with fuse and a 12 wire with a plug. Be good from 50A Find a power strip with 12 and cut end off, put 50A plug on and wire one leg.
 
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theoldwizard1

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sberry said:
This is what we are talking about NOT doing. It needs a fuse in it. The distribution box listed has breakers.
Click to expand...

Educate me on why you need a fuse instead of breakers ? Or is it that you want a fuse/breaker closer to the receptacle sized for the smallest piece of unprotected wire ?

The wire between the meter on your house and the load center is unprotected.
 
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theoldwizard1

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Another way to "roll your own"

Bussman SCY on 4" work box;

Capture1.JPG Capture2.JPG

Bolt a second 4" box on the back with two 5-20R.



I will leave the details of how to connect the 10 gauge wire from the 50A plug to the fuse/switch/outlet up to the experts.
 
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theoldwizard1

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theoldwizard1 said:
Coleman Cable 01980 X-Treme Box 01980 Portable Temporary Power Distribution Box, Converts (1) L14-30P to (8) 5-20R- $165

Unfortunately it has the wrong male (input) plug for use with RV outlets (TT-30).

If I was going to buy this distribution box would buy a RV 14-50P to TT-30R "dogbone", cut off the female TT-30 receptacle and install a L14-30R.

I would get a second "dog bone", TT-30P to 5-20R, cut the female 5-20R off and install a L14-30R.
Click to expand...

sberry said:
This is what we are talking about NOT doing. It needs a fuse in it. The distribution box listed has breakers.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you miss understood. The "dogbones" would convert to L14-30R, which is the input to the distribution box. It is true that the RV 14-50 receptacle is capable of delivering more power than the input cord on the distribution is capable of handling, but the breakers on the box will limit the power being distributed to only what that cord can handle.
 
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sberry

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Built-in 15 Amp fuse for safety.
•A 220- to 110-Volt converter
https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.gas-range-adaptor.1000106129.html
Other than the fact the guy doesn't know what voltage the country runs on this will work. Only downside is most of the conversions with old circuits are fed 3 wire.
Perhaps you miss understood. The "dogbones" would convert to L14-30R, which is the input to the distribution box. It is true that the RV 14-50 receptacle is capable of delivering more power than the input cord on the distribution is capable of handling, but the breakers on the box will limit the power being distributed to only what that cord can handle.
Click to expand...
Yes I mis understood and mainly due to the fact this whole thread is full of brain farts. Its a good thread despite this as it brings out points and design elements for over current protection.
But is there a point to a 200$ box that needs a new plug and a fist full of adapters before it could be used?
 
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sberry

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unslow1 said:
I just used heavy gauge extension cord and switched the end on mine. I have the 50 amp cord but never use it because all I run is a couple of 110V lights and a 6V battery maintainer. I plug it into the garage outlet which is a 15 amp GFIC.
Click to expand...

This is very common and done all the time where 20A service is fine to plug trailers in to common outlets, nothing wrong with it. 15 to 30 adapter,.
 
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sberry

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Sal Bandini said:
I quickly looked and saw "circuit breaker" in description.

Just get something like this then:

http://www.lowes.com/pd/Over-Load-G...on-Cord-with-Built-In-Circuit-Breaker/1135915
Click to expand...

It has a breaker, this is true but it cant be plugged in to 50A service. The cord is too small, it needs to be a number 12.
We built a cooler on a truck. The mechanic used some 16 cord for a couple controls and the unit pulls about 10A or so. I used a 12 cord to it and wanted to use it on welder circuits so we added a couple 20A breakers, to protect the cord ahead from over load but also to cover the smaller control wires and I don't recall what the supply wire was for the unit, I believe 14 @ 20, maybe 30, don't recall but this is similar, we wanted to be able to connect smaller loads and wires to a 50A circuit. We had to add additional protection and a cord capable of short circuit for 50.
 
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