20amp versus 30amp

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t6817rm

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Jul 11, 2006
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Besides being new to RV'ing I'm also new to message boards so hopefully I've done this right. Anyway my question regards campsites that offer 20amp and 30amp service. I'm pretty sure I can go to a campsite that offers either but I'm not positive. My popup (fleetwood colonial) came with a 3 pronged plug (30amp?); the seller also gave me an adapter that I can use to plug the trailer into my garage outlet so that I can, for example, start cooling the refrigerator before we leave. I'm presuming this adapter is a 30 to 20 amp adapter and that's what would allow me to go to either a 20amp or a 30amp campsite. Or am I all wet, which is something I certainly don't want to be regarding electricity. By the way, I do not have AC, but that would not preclude me from using a 30 amp site. Correct?

Thanks
 
Both 20A and 30A plugs are 3 prong, but the 30A is a different pin configuration.  A 20A outlet is what you have in your house, while a 30A outlet is larger.  If you need an adapter to use a 20A household outlet, then your trailer is wired for 30A.  You can use any campground 30A outlet, or 20A with the adapter.  I would recommend you use 30A whenever it's available so you don't have to worry about power management, which you may have to with a 20A service, even without A/C.
 
You are correct on the adaptor. 30Amp was standard in the industry for many years until the 50Amp came out on the bigger units a few years ago.? Yet they have 20 AMP service at the many CGs? for those that don't need the full service. Also for those that just want to keep the fridge running and only have 20AMP service at their driveway during storage.
 
t6817rm said:
Besides being new to RV'ing I'm also new to message boards so hopefully I've done this right. Anyway my question regards campsites that offer 20amp and 30amp service. I'm pretty sure I can go to a campsite that offers either but I'm not positive. My popup (fleetwood colonial) came with a 3 pronged plug (30amp?); the seller also gave me an adapter that I can use to plug the trailer into my garage outlet so that I can, for example, start cooling the refrigerator before we leave. I'm presuming this adapter is a 30 to 20 amp adapter and that's what would allow me to go to either a 20amp or a 30amp campsite. Or am I all wet, which is something I certainly don't want to be regarding electricity. By the way, I do not have AC, but that would not preclude me from using a 30 amp site. Correct?

Thanks
Click to expand...

What you have on your trailer is a 30 amp RV plug.  (30 amp household are differently arranged.)  The amperage designation simply means that 30 amps is the biggest load your circuitry can take.  A lesser load would not be a problem.  A popup without A/C draws little power.  A 20 or even 15 amp circuit should handle it nicely.  I have a 23 foot TT with a single Coleman A/C.  It runs on a 20amp household circuit just fine.  I would mention tho, that the circuit is a dedicated circuit with nothing else on it.
 
The link below is to a 50 to 30 adapter, it has a 50 amp (4 pin) plug and a 30 amp socket

If your trailer looks like it would plug into this it's a 30 amp

Note: on the same page, to the right of the adapter, are offered a couple of devices (one 30 one 50) which you should investigate, they can save you a lot of  grief when you find yourself in a poorly wired campground

Picture of adapter
 
Thanks to all of you. I am impressed with the speed in which my question was answered. I can see that this forum will be quite a benefit to me. Again thanks for the help.
 
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