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Buckeye View Drop Down
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Posts: 37 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: 50 or 30 amp
    Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 9:27am
Newbie question: when I research campgrounds, a 50 or 30 amp site is generally offered. What do I need for my 2017 180?
Thanks. I'm sure the answer is somewhere, but I can't find it.
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Posts: 141 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 9:40am
30 amp.  Check the power port, it is a 30 amp plug and your 180 should have come with a 30 amp cord.
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Posts: 158 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 9:54am
I encountered one campground last year that only had 50 amp sites.  They provided a "dogbone" which allowed me to connect.  But, just in case, I now carry a 30 to 50 amp adapter as well as a 20 to 30 amp. You never know what you are going to run into.  At one place, the plug in was for a 30 amp but the circuit breaker was a 20 amp.  
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Posts: 2627 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 10:56am
Yes. 30 amp. Many, if not most of the full hookup campgrounds provide 30 AND 50 amp connections. I've even been to a few with 15 amp connections.

Connecting a 30 amp TT to a 50 amp service is possible with an adapter, but it comes with some caveats. It would be best to have an adapter with a single pole 30 amp breaker built in, but you would have to spend some money to make that happen.
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Posts: 446 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 11:29am
i would suggest a protection device for voltage fluctuation to protect the Pod electronics as well. for instance:
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 11:53am
The main caveat with using a 50 to 30 amp adapter is safety. Some of us are ok with it, some are not, and FR doesn’t recommend it. There is a long thread on that issue on this forum you could search for and reach your own conclusions.
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Posts: 2627 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 2:12pm
Originally posted by offgrid

The main caveat with using a 50 to 30 amp adapter is safety. Some of us are ok with it, some are not, and FR doesn’t recommend it. There is a long thread on that issue on this forum you could search for and reach your own conclusions.
The main issue being that a 50 amp connection is split phase. IOW, it has two hot leads. To convert it to 30 amp, you only pull one of the hots, and leave the other one unterminated. So that leaves a couple of issues. One is that the unterminated lead must be protected from touching anything that it shouldn't. Two being the 2-pole breaker is only sensing current on one of the hots (instead of both of them). Just something to be aware of.
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Posts: 5290 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 5:32pm
The issue with connecting to  a 120V system using one of the two hots from a 240V split phase service is there but it is readily solvable (the dogbones terminate one of the two hot leads internally), and the 50A 2 pole breaker will trip if either leg individually exceeds that rating.  

The real concern is that you are connecting a 50A service to an electrical system designed for only 30A. That creates a fire risk and is an NEC code violation. The connector on your trailer says not to do it. Lots of people do it anyway, up to each individual to assess this risk and decide for themselves. 

BTW, current electrical code requires pedestals with 50A service to also have 30A  and 15A service, but until the campgrounds update their electrical systems you won't necessarily find this. 
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Posts: 37 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 5:57pm
Thank you all for your information. 
Craig
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Posts: 261 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 24 Jan 2019 at 9:21pm
Great info guys. I was thinking of getting a 50 to 30 amp dog bone. But now don't think I will.
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