Convert my outdoor 30A RV plug to?

[jayoldschool]

I currently have an outdoor RV plug. 120V, 30A, it's on its own 30A breaker. Good spot, right on the back corner of the garage next to the man door. Haven't used it since I moved into the house. I would like to re-purpose it. I am open to converting it to 240V (I have two electric cars, and ELR and a Volt), or, changing it to a regular outlet so I can use it for tools, etc, so I don't have to run an extension out the garage door when I'm working.

Plug looks just like this:

 

[Lassen Forge]

Change the outlet to a 240v configuration (you'll need a second breaker and the correct romex, not only for 4 wire 240 but for the load of your new goodies) and run new wiring. Then build adapter plugs to go from your outlet to whatever you're plugging into. The outlet you have pictured is dedicated circuit 120, not suitable nor capable of 4 wire 240.

 

[dave*99]

It’s probably wired with 10 gauge wire. Likely you have 2 conductors plus ground. So using a 2 pole breaker you can easily repurpose for 240 using the appropriate receptacle. But you should pick what equipment you want to power. 120v or 240 v. And what current does that equipment require?

 

[wyliesdiesels]

You will most likely be limited to 30a due to wire gauge

 

[Terry D]

Assuming that it is # 10 feeding it, you could replace it with a GFCI receptacle, and use it for 120 volt loads. You will have to change the breaker to a 20 amp

 

[Kevin Essiambre]

If it is fed with #10, it can repurposed for a 6-30 receptacle. It will require a little work in the panel,, changing the breaker to a 2 pole breaker and installing the new outlet.

Most EV chargers you can buy an adapter to use on most common receptacles, such as a 6-30 or 6-30.

Sent from my new phone. Autocorrect may have changed stuff.

 

[jmiller_2308]

If you just want to use it as a normal outlet just get a converter that plugs into the outlet and has a normal 115volt outlet on the other end. Something like this:

 

[Norcal]

If you just want to use it as a normal outlet just get a converter that plugs into the outlet and has a normal 115volt outlet on the other end. Something like this:

A 15A outlet on a 30A circuit is not a good idea and none of those adapters are listed either.

 

[sberry]

Like this flea gem. You can go the other way. A 50 to 20 not legal. A 50 to 30 is as it I'd designed for hooking to trailer that has further protection and the cord is 10 and can meet short circuit interuption.

 

[Norcal]

Like this flea gem. You can go the other way. A 50 to 20 not legal. A 50 to 30 is as it I'd designed for hooking to trailer that has further protection and the cord is 10 and can meet short circuit interuption.

It’s still 15A with 30A overcurrent protection, no different then the one in post # 7.

 

[jmiller_2308]

A 15A outlet on a 30A circuit is not a good idea and none of those adapters are listed either.

Hmm... I thought these things were fused but if not then yes, depending upon what you plugged into the adapter, if it drew more than 15A it would be a fire hazard.

Easy solution is to replace the 30A breaker with a 15A breaker and although if going to that much effort might want to just replace the receptacle as well.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Hmm... I thought these things were fused but if not then yes, depending upon what you plugged into the adapter, if it drew more than 15A it would be a fire hazard.

Easy solution is to replace the 30A breaker with a 15A breaker and although if going to that much effort might want to just replace the receptacle as well.

no there isnt a fuse in those.

where do you see a fuse?

 

[mike93lx]

no there isnt a fuse in those.

where do you see a fuse?

if the wire is thin enough, that could act like a fuse. just slow burn instead of slow blow

 

[wyliesdiesels]

if the wire is thin enough, that could act like a fuse. just slow burn instead of slow blow

 

[jmiller_2308]

no there isnt a fuse in those.

where do you see a fuse?

Didn't look, just, ahem, assumed, that there would be something to protect the circuit. Truly amazing that they can be sold without any protection.

Hmm... just thought about this a minute. I guess this gets sold under the same thinking as the wimpy 16 gauge extension cords that can't handle the full current of the outlet you plug it into.

 

[slow]

And likely no GFCI either, another concern for a garage circuit.

 

[Shadowdog500]

Buy an RV! Problem solved!

 

[dave*99]

Buy an RV! Problem solved!

And use the receptacles in the RV for your stuff!

 

[510ebl]

If you are not married to charging the cars, how about a 20A GFCI breaker on one end of the wire and a quad receptacle behind a weatherproof flip cover on the other? This is being mounted on an exterior wall, correct?

The electricians here will fix my terminology, but if you are running extension cords there now, at least you are sure to use it. And it isn't an expensive project.


(You could still buy an RV if you wanted to...)

 

[sberry]

It’s still 15A with 30A overcurrent protection, no different then the one in post # 7.

Yes, meant to imply it was the same one. Thats what I meant by gem. I don't think it has any writing on it anywhere. Don't think it even says made in China. Could never figure out who to sue.

 

[Lightning rod]

Hi Jay
Can you pull the receptacle and take a pic of whats in the box?
Ideally, we are hoping that the cable being used is red/white/black, 10 ga or awg
This means that you can have 120v and 240 v 30 a source in the garage
If you only have a red/black or a black/ white combo,
You have to choose between 120v or 240v 30 a source in the garage but not both
Breaker change in the panel may be required depending on what is there now
Can you also identify which breaker feeds this receptacle in the panel

 

[jayoldschool]

Perfect questions. As luck would have it, I took these pics a couple days ago. Nice fat red wire, 30A breaker.

120 probably makes the most sense, I would use it for battery charging, shop vac, etc. I already have my 6-20 and 6-50s in the garage that I use for the cars.

 

[MikeF2316]

Didn't look, just, ahem, assumed, that there would be something to protect the circuit. Truly amazing that they can be sold without any protection.

Hmm... just thought about this a minute. I guess this gets sold under the same thinking as the wimpy 16 gauge extension cords that can't handle the full current of the outlet you plug it into.

I see computer power cords that have little stickers on them that say max 10 amps. I see and have connected light fixtures that have wires so thin that they look like they're 18 gauge. Yet they plug into or are connected to 15 and 20 amp protected circuits all the time.

 

[Lightning rod]

Jay
Thats a 120v breaker
So you have your answer
If you install a 240 breaker and move the wires from the old breaker to the new one,
You can have 240 v , 30 a on this circuit and change the receptacle in the garage of course

 

[sberry]

I see computer power cords that have little stickers on them that say max 10 amps. I see and have connected light fixtures that have wires so thin that they look like they're 18 gauge. Yet they plug into or are connected to 15 and 20 amp protected circuits all the time.

This is,,,,, because the thermal is due to load calculation. The breaker provides short circuit protection and the applied load is less than what it takes to over heat the wire. Looked at a 4 way on a 16 cord. Has a small thermal reset button. If it's overloaded,, it's 10A. The breaker is for short circuit between the plug and the reset.

 

[sberry]

The stuff that comes factory, ul and nema, a listing is designed to be able to be plugged to 20A. It has further internal if needed, like Christmas lights that now have tiny wire and baby 2A fuse.

 

[sberry]

Sometimes wires are bigger than they need to carry load, use a 10 wire for 5 load but sized for shorts so additional protection not needed. Someone knows it better than I can explain all the methods. Impedance protected, resetting breaker, fuses, fuse links, sizing of parts, breakers, plug design.

 

[dcg9381]

Do EV changers need a neutral? If it needs a neutral, can't use it as a 240V @ 30A - you're a wire short..

 

[Kevin Essiambre]

Do EV changers need a neutral? If it needs a neutral, can't use it as a 240V @ 30A - you're a wire short..

No, they don't... well, one might, but, 100% of the ones I've seen and installed do not require the neutral.

Some chargers come with a 14-50 cord end, but they don't use the neutral (an example would be the Tesla chargers).

Most plug in chargers will use a 30 or 50 amp 240 volt receptacle (6-50, 6-30, 14-50, 14-30) and don't use the neutral, but there may be one out there that does... I just haven't seen it yet.

Sent from my new phone. Autocorrect may have changed stuff.

 

[Bigbandguy]

Are you sure this is an RV setup ? Could the PO have adapted it to use with a generator back feeding to the house? I ask this because my house has an "outdoor" socket with 240 on it that was used for that purpose. When we moved in I skipped a vacation and had a big Generac installed. Best insurance against outages is having an automatic switchover whole house generator.

 

[jayoldschool]

Yes, I'm sure, they had a big trailer. And yes, you don't need a neutral on an EVSE.