A new RVer asked us how to plug their RV into a regular household electric outlet, so we thought we'd cover the basics of connecting different types of RVs into 20-, 30- and 50-amp electric service.
A standard 3-prong household electric outlet provides 20-amp service (sometimes also referred to as 15-amp service). Most medium-sized RVs (usually with only one air-conditioning unit) have 30-amp service, which uses a larger three-prong plug with two of the prongs at an angle. Larger RVs (usually with two or three air conditioners) utilize higher-power 50-amp service, with larger, 4-prong plugs.
Most RV parks offer both 20- and 30-amp service, with many parks also offering 50-amp service as well. But what do you do if you're staying at a park that doesn't offer an outlet to match your plug? The answer: Dogbones!
RV dogbone power adapters are available on Amazon. Click here to find them.
We don't pretend to be experts on any particular RV topic, and mostly know about maintaining our own rig. But many systems are the same on different RVs. The advice we give works well for us, but be sure to consult a professional technician if you're unsure about working on your own RV.
I currently have a 50 amp service on my fifth wheel RV. I utilize a surge protector between the service cable and the pedestal when plugging into a park pedestal. I also utilize a 50 Amp to 50 Amp dog bone between the pedestal and the surge protector. In the past I have had a bad pedestal receptacle destroy a power cable and the cable had to be replaced. The dog bone I now use is less expensive to replace than the surge protector in the event of a bad receptacle plug. My friends have saved their cables and surge protectors from this dilemma by using the following sequence; plug the dog bone into the pedestal then the surge protector into the dog bone and the power cable into the surge protector. Be safe and save money.
ReplyDeleteI currently have a 50 amp service on my fifth wheel RV. I utilize a surge protector between the service cable and the pedestal when plugging into a park pedestal. I also utilize a 50 Amp to 50 Amp dog bone between the pedestal and the surge protector. In the past I have had a bad pedestal receptacle destroy a power cable and the cable had to be replaced. The dog bone I now use is less expensive to replace than the surge protector in the event of a bad receptacle plug. My friends have saved their cables and surge protectors from this dilemma by using the following sequence; plug the dog bone into the pedestal then the surge protector into the dog bone and the power cable into the surge protector. Be safe and save money.
ReplyDeleteI'm Mike Sokol from www.NoShockZone.org, a blog on RV electrical safety issues. I'm just a little worried about this advice since most of the electrical ground failures I've found in RV's have been the result of low quality "dog-bone" adapters. In addition to open-ground safety issues (which can electrify the frame of an RV and create a dangerous hot-skin voltage condition, 50-amp/240-volt shore power has the danger of open-neutral conditions, which causes the normal 120/120-volt division of the incoming 240-volts into 80/160, 60/180 or even 40/200-volts, depending on your RV's load balance. The good news is that a surge/voltage protector can identify and disconnect you from this condition, but a surge-only protector WILL NOT protect you from an open neutral, allowing your RV's electrical system to be destroyed in seconds. So be VERY CAREFUL when connecting any sort of 50-amp dogbone adapter or extension cord. Always inspect your shore power cord contacts for signs of heat or melting, and NEVER plug into any pedestal receptacle that appears worn or broken.
ReplyDeleteI'm Mike Sokol from www.NoShockZone.org, a blog on RV electrical safety issues. I'm just a little worried about this advice since most of the electrical ground failures I've found in RV's have been the result of low quality "dog-bone" adapters. In addition to open-ground safety issues (which can electrify the frame of an RV and create a dangerous hot-skin voltage condition, 50-amp/240-volt shore power has the danger of open-neutral conditions, which causes the normal 120/120-volt division of the incoming 240-volts into 80/160, 60/180 or even 40/200-volts, depending on your RV's load balance. The good news is that a surge/voltage protector can identify and disconnect you from this condition, but a surge-only protector WILL NOT protect you from an open neutral, allowing your RV's electrical system to be destroyed in seconds. So be VERY CAREFUL when connecting any sort of 50-amp dogbone adapter or extension cord. Always inspect your shore power cord contacts for signs of heat or melting, and NEVER plug into any pedestal receptacle that appears worn or broken.
ReplyDeleteProgressiveIndustries.net (Progressive Industries) manufactures guaranteed surge/voltage protection like that described in the post above: both 30 & 50 Amp portable models or wired models. I've had mine for three years, and feel very confident because of it. The company answers its own phones and are very helpful
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great input Mike. Open neutral is a concern regardless of whether a dog bone is needed or not, correct? Unfortunately, us 50-amp people have to use a dog bone sooner or later, unless we only boondock or stay exclusively at higher-end RV parks/resorts with 50-amp outlets.
ReplyDeleteProgressiveIndustries.net (Progressive Industries) manufactures guaranteed surge/voltage protection like that described in the post above: both 30 & 50 Amp portable models or wired models. I've had mine for three years, and feel very confident because of it. The company answers its own phones and are very helpful
ReplyDeleteOnce plugged into an RV Park, is it possible or allowed to use another plug on the park pedestal to plug into a 110 volt item instead of plugging it into your camper outlet so not to overload the electrical system on your camper? Its for a 30 amp camper. We want to fry a turkey for Thanksgiving with an electric turkey fryer, but afraid it will overload the camper; therefore, was wondeirng if parks allow this. Has anyone done this? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteOccasionally I step up and down at the same time when needing to utilize all my extension cords to reach a far off outlet.
ReplyDeleteFrom George:
ReplyDeleteOccasionally I step up and down at the same time when needing to utilize all my extension cords to reach a far off outlet.
Once plugged into an RV Park, is it possible or allowed to use another plug on the park pedestal to plug into a 110 volt item instead of plugging it into your camper outlet so not to overload the electrical system on your camper? Its for a 30 amp camper. We want to fry a turkey for Thanksgiving with an electric turkey fryer, but afraid it will overload the camper; therefore, was wondering if parks allow this. Has anyone done this? Thanks.
ReplyDeleteWhen an RV park pedestal has both 20- and 30-amp outlets, I can't think of any reason why you can't plug your RV into the 30-amp outlet and some other 110-volt appliance (like your turkey fryer) into the regular 20-volt outlet. They each have their own circuit breaker and it should be no problem at all.
DeleteOh yes.... HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
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