Step down in amps - R-pod Owners Forum

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rawest50

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Topic: Step down in amps
Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 5:12pm

Is it possible to step down fro a 50amp circuit to a 20 amp?

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eye95

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Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 5:42pm

The amps of a circuit are simply a maximum before the breaker trips.

If you somehow hook a 20A circuit to a 50A supply, you risk an overload. Any such connection must at least have a 20A fuse or breaker built into it.

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furpod

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Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 6:08pm

You can plug in something that draws anywhere from .00001A to 50A. No issue as far as needing a "step down"

As long as whatever you are plugging in is properly wired for it's load and purposes, no issue.

Your television, which draws like 1A is plugged into a 15 or 20A circuit in your living room.

NOW.. if you are talking plugging a TT into a 50A TT receptacle, the big issue is how the plug is actually wired. But adapters are made to go up or down, in plug orientation.

Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down

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Posted: 26 Aug 2017 at 6:37pm

Originally posted by eye95

The amps of a circuit are simply a maximum before the breaker trips.

If you somehow hook a 20A circuit to a 50A supply, you risk an overload. Any such connection must at least have a 20A fuse or breaker built into it.

I agree. If the only circuit protection is the breaker on the pedestal you will have wires safe for 20 amps potentially exposed to 50 amps in case of a short circuit or even an overload. This is a potential fire hazard.

Keith-N-Dar
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furpod

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Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 7:12am

It would help if the OP gave some info on what and why, he was trying to do. A sub panel is possibly the answer, but.. again.. we are mostly guessing. Since it's a TT forum, I sort of assume, the question relates to TT power pedestals.

Keith-N-Dar View Drop Down

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Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 8:01am

If the 20 amp cord is plugged into the pod (50 to 20 to 30?) then at least there is some protection in the fuses onboard the pod. Still an under protected connection.

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GlueGuy

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Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 10:19am

Our pod came with a 30-20 amp adapter, so that we could plug the 30-amp cord into a 20-amp outlet. No big deal; if you go over 20 amps, you're done.

OTOH, if you have a 30-50 amp adapter (that would allow you to plug your 30-amp cord into a 50-amp outlet, there would be a couple of issues.

First, the cord is designed for 30 amps. So it would theoretically be possible to draw more current than the cord is designed for. However, there are also breakers in the pod that prevent more than 30 amps in the first place.

All things considered, if all you want to do is plug into a 50-amp receptacle, I think you can do this as long as you are aware of the "potential" for an overload on the cord. I'm pretty sure the circuit protections inside the pod would prevent an overload.

Besides, the pod is meant to run on a 30-amp circuit.

bp
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down

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Posted: 27 Aug 2017 at 10:40am

I agree. You're going to blow a main in the pod if you use over 30 amps. That will happen way before you melt the cord from the power pedestal.

How many amps come off the power grid? More than 200 in most places. A 50 amp breaker at the pedestal is going to trip if you use more than 50 amps, just like the pod main breaker will flip if you use more than 30 amps. For that matter, the 15 or 20 amp breakers on inside circuits will trip if you use more than 15 or 20 amps on them. Doesn't matter how many amps are on the pedestal.

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