50 Amp Cheater Box

[keithhk]

Hi, I am new to this Forum so hope I am doing the right thing but I am wondering if there is anyone out there that has used the 50 amkp cheater box where you can use it at the campgrounds that have 2 30 amp plugs where you plug this in to both of them and then your 50 amp plugs goes into a abox that the 2 leads from the 30 amp plugs go to and also you can have a 30 amp and 1 20 amp or 15 amp that goes to the 50 amp box. are they safe to use as I have heard different stories on this item. would sure apprciate any feedback or information.  Thanks  Keith

 

[Tom]

Hi Keith,

Maybe you're talking about the adapater that Camping World sells with a 50A connector at one end, and a 30A and 20A (or is it 15A) connector at the other. I've only used mine once or twice and found that it tripped a breaker at the campground. So I make do without it.

 

[Ned]

They are safe IF the campground wiring is correct.  If you have any doubt, check the wiring at the pedestal before connecting your RV shore power.  At best, you will get 2 30amp legs (or 30 and 20), at worst you will trip a circuit breaker or GFCI (if present) if the wiring isn't correct, or possibly a short circuit..  You will not get 2 50amp legs as you do from a properly wired 50amp connector.

My personal opinion is that these "cheaters" aren't worth the potential problems and I just live with 30amp if that's all I can get.

 

[Karl]

Ned brings up a good point. If Joe Schmuck did the wiring (my apologies to anyone actually named Joe Schmuck), he may have wired the 2-30 amp receptacles differently, i.e. one with hot to terminal one; the other with hot to terminal 2, in which case your cheater box will create a direct short. Besides, if your rig is wired for 30 amps, the main breaker is rated at 30 amps and you won't be able to pull any more current regardless.

 

[Ned]

Karl,

If the RV is wired for 30 amp, he wouldn't need the cheater

 

[Karl]

Oh yeah - DUH! Too early in the morning ;D But then again, a 50 to 30 adapter would wrok just as well.

 

[John From Detroit]

Well, speaking personally, the 50 amp service in my RV is 240 volt, Of course I have absolutely NO 240 volt loads (Normally that would be either an electric range or cloths dryer, most Even here in the house I have only 2 240 volt loads,  The above mentioned dryer (RV units usually run on something else btw) and the centeral air compressor, all other loads are 120 volt, ALL loads in my RV are 120 Volt)

So if you use a dual-30 cheater you get either 60 amps  divided at 120 volt or 30 amps at 240 volt or you trip the breakers

You do not get 50 amp

I was able to run most everything in my RV including both roof top AC-units on 1 to amp circuit w/o any issues

i am planning on adding a pair of 30 amp outlets to the RV though.... Likely will be breakered at 20 amps but this is simply due to a special cord I made up years ago for my Scamp trailer...... I'd also add a 20 amp 240 volt twist lock outlet for power feed to the house if needed (or perhaps a 30 amp one)