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Regular
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Location: Tomball, TX | Previous trailer was plugged in 24/7 using shoreline 30 amp cord with a 15 amp adapter into this outside household plug with no problems. Ran a/c or used micro or ran fridge--full LQ setup at the time. Now I have a minimal LQ setup. It has an a/c (20 amp breaker) and the 30 amp breaker for the whole trailer in the converter into that same outside household plug, which BTW has a 20 amp breaker supporting it (no micro or any plugs in the trailer at this time). A couple of days ago I wired the 30 amp Marinco plug as well as the 20 amp A/C unit to the converter--black to breaker, neutral and ground to appropriate positions (I re-read the instructions). Using a Marinco shoreline cable I stepped down using the same 15 amp type adapter. Not 15 minutes later the a/c unit quit. Checking the adapter it was so hot I could barely touch it to pull it out. It melted and the plugs fell away from the plug itself. What could have happened? Was the adapter too old? The household breaker never tripped. The a/c unit seems to not be affected nor was the cord, just the adapter. Someone told me those 15 amp adapter are not meant to be used for extended periods of time which seemed odd. Aren't those step down adapters intended to be used for plugging into a "less than 30 amp" receptical when a 30 amp isn't available? Help. |
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Location: mancelona michigan | A 15 a adapter is only good for 15a,less if the shore cord is over 60' long. |
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Location: mancelona michigan | One more thing,the 60' number I gave you would apply to the entire length of the power/shore cord from the adapter unit to the breaker in your home box.The 3 prong 15a plugend will heat up if overloaded.If there is any corrosion in any of the plug connecters ,that will create more resistance which would equal more heat. |
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Expert
Posts: 3853
   
Location: Vermont | Originally written by poshponies on 2014-07-08 9:36 PM
Previous trailer was plugged in 24/7 using shoreline 30 amp cord with a 15 amp adapter into this outside household plug with no problems. Ran a/c or used micro or ran fridge--full LQ setup at the time. Now I have a minimal LQ setup. It has an a/c (20 amp breaker) and the 30 amp breaker for the whole trailer in the converter into that same outside household plug, which BTW has a 20 amp breaker supporting it (no micro or any plugs in the trailer at this time). A couple of days ago I wired the 30 amp Marinco plug as well as the 20 amp A/C unit to the converter--black to breaker, neutral and ground to appropriate positions (I re-read the instructions). Using a Marinco shoreline cable I stepped down using the same 15 amp type adapter. Not 15 minutes later the a/c unit quit. Checking the adapter it was so hot I could barely touch it to pull it out. It melted and the plugs fell away from the plug itself. What could have happened? Was the adapter too old? The household breaker never tripped. The a/c unit seems to not be affected nor was the cord, just the adapter. Someone told me those 15 amp adapter are not meant to be used for extended periods of time which seemed odd. Aren't those step down adapters intended to be used for plugging into a "less than 30 amp" receptical when a 30 amp isn't available? Help. Like trbomax said if your pulling more than 15 amps...you are going to have a problem...also he pointed out to you voltage drop over distance...you may have to rethink your approach |
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Regular
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Location: Tomball, TX | The shore cord is 25 feet long. The breaker supporting the plug I'm using is a 20 amp breaker. Wouldn't that support the step down from 30 to 15 amps at the plug? My next option is to replace the outside plug (which does have a cover on it). I have used the step down 30/15 in many situations over the past 20 years and never experienced it melting. |
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Location: Williamsburg VA | The 15 amp plug refers to the rating capacity of the plug. It does not provide any overload protection in the plug. Having it plugged into a 20 amp circuit and drawing more than 15 amps may cause overheating. You may not have experienced a problem yet but I would not push my luck. I would replace the receptacle to allow a heavy cord to be plugged in. |
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Expert
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Location: North Carolina | There is also the simplest explanation if you weren't pulling more than 15 amps ... The plug or receptacle wasn't making good contact. Weak contact, dirt, oxidation any one or combination will cause overheating. I've had a household vacuum cleaner with a hot plug. It wasn't making good contact in the outlet. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | What do I replace the plug with? FYI: the only thing running on AC is the air conditioning unit from its own 20 amp breaker. I don't know how anything could be using too much amperage. Going from no problem to this is very confusing. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | That example makes sense to me re the vacuum and the hot plug. I can get the plug replaced. I do know the outlet is not GFCI and the power running to it is not encased on conduit or PVC. This plug was installed by a previous owner. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 342
Location: MS | I recently had the exact same problem. Got an electrician out to look at it and he told me that I had too much extension cord, which was making the amperage drop too much, and that the plug-in that had been previously installed was wrong. I had a 30 amp breaker at the source, but the previous electrician had put a 15 amp GFCI receptacle on it. My adapter melted also. He replaced the receptacle with a 30 amp covered one and I pulled up the trailer closer to the barn so I could use just the cord for the trailer with no extension. So far, this has worked fine. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | Linda Y - I'm not using an extension cord, just the yellow Marinco shore cord that goes with the Marinco power source plug in the trailer. The cord is 25' long which seems to be the standard for LQs. Have someone coming out tomorrow to fix a different electrical problem and he said that plug may have a short. We'll see how it goes. It just didn't seem right that after using the step down adapter for so many years that suddenly it wouldn't work...does make sense that the plug is faulty. |
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Location: mancelona michigan | It is not as simple as putting a 30a receptical in place of the 15a one. That would be even worse because now you are getting a good connection and pulling 30a on the #14 or #12 wire going to the breaker.This is a recipie for disaster and a house fire.You need to install a dedicated circut with #10 wire back to the house box and a 30a,gfi breaker.To put a 30a receptical on that small wire is also a code violation and would negate any insurance claim should you have a fire resulting from it. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | I understand the concept of larger wire (smaller number) though I don't like messing with it. Will discuss with the electrician tomorrow since from what little he said he has more knowledge on this than I do. I just like to 'know' for my own sake how things work. |
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Location: mancelona michigan | Nothing wrong with wanting to know how things work!I dont know what your total run length will be,but if its over 130' or so, you may want to consider running #10 stranded in pipe as opposed to #10-2wg solid because it will run cooler at long distance and high load.The cost will be close to the same for either. |
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Extreme Veteran
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Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | The purpose of the 20 amp breaker at the house is to protect the wiring leading to the load (receptacle). Household receptacles generally are rated at 15 amps. When the a/c is running in the trailer, it probably is drawing around 13 amps....add a converter trying to charge batteries or run light....add anything else and you are over the 15 amp capacity of the adapter. That will cause it to heat up and eventually fail. Have the electrician replace the receptacle with a 20 amp twist lock and get a 30 amp rv to 20 amp twist lock adapter. Available at any rv store or online.... |
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Location: mancelona michigan | Sorry for the multiple posts,but as you know ,we cant edit here!. Depending on how much $ you want to spend and how long you will have a lq trailer or rv,you may want to consider what I did. I have 2 rv park distribution boxes,one at the house and one at the shop.These are nice because they are outdoor rated enclosures and have a place for your nema30 receptical,a 15a breaker and a duplex 15a receptical.So you can get it all with this,a plug in for the trailer and a gp outdoor duplex too. Because I'm into overkill on these things I ran #8 stranded to these boxes so that full load can be applied to all the recepticals at once if needed. Use a 50a gfi breaker at the house service and it will all be gfi protected . Another good thing about this is that you can make up an adapter pigtail to plug in a small 120vac weder there. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | Length from receptacle to breaker box is approximately 40' and I'm already using a twist-lock Marinco shore line cord which, BTW, I like a lot better than my previous cord that got stuffed into a storage compartment and wired inside the trailer. At the moment there is no 12v wire hooked up to the converter so it isn't 'converting' at this time. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | Beeoerdog are you saying the receptacle itself should be a twist? I'm still going to have to step down from 30 amps, right? My trailer shop said there are no 20 amp adapters, just the 15. Correct me if I'm wrong. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | trbomax, that's a bit over the top for my brain! After deciding which breaker controls this bad receptacle - it also runs the overhead lights inside the front of the garage (garage is 45' long...front for truck, back is my workshop). Lights were not on at the time of the adapter meltdown. I'll see what the electrician brings tomorrow and ask about the GFCI breaker. I hope to keep this trailer another 10 years :) |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | Hi....yes, the receptacle should be 20 amp twist lock and then get an adapter from your cord to the twist lock fitting. Very similar to the Marinco shore cord you are using. The 30 amp rv blade can plug into the adapter which will have a 20 amp male plug on the other end.. holler back with questions. |
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Regular
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Location: Tomball, TX | Do you have a link or photo of the 20 amp twist receptacle so I'll know what to show or tell my electrician? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | http://www.zoro.com/g/00069005/k-G2380323?utm_source=google_shoppin...
gle_Shopping_Feed&gclid=CIr7qqe6ub8CFUFrfgodjpwAPw
Nema L5-20R is the designation. Your electrician will know what that is. It can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. If you go buy one, the electrician can install it in about ten minutes.
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | Pass & Seymour Turnlok 20 Amp Single Locking Outlet - Black
Model #L520RCCV3
$12.97 each
From the Home Depot site |
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Regular
Posts: 53
Location: Tomball, TX | Thanks, I'm a visual learner - talk all day and (blah, blah, ya) - show me a picture and I get it! Now I really understand. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | Voltec 16-00502 15-30 Amp Adapter with E-ZEE Grip from Amazon
Buy one of these, cut off the straight blade end and add plug to match L5-20
(L5-20P) |
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Location: Tomball, TX | Thanks! |
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Location: mancelona michigan | Now I dont understand.Is it a 30a or 20a and either way, why does it have a 20a twist lock connecter on it? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | The Amazon adapter has a 30 amp female and a 15 amp male. If you cut off the 15 amp male and replace it with a 20 amp twist lock your cord will plug into the adapter and the adapter will plug into the 20 amp twist lock as shown in the Home Depot link. An alternative would be to replace the end of your cord with a 20 amp twist lock and then you could plug in directly to the new receptacle. However, you would then need a different adapter to plug into another (different) receptacle..The whole object of this effort is to allow for more than 15 amps to conduct through the adapter without heating up the adapter. The L5-20 plug is much heavier and will have no problem conducting the required amperage. If your electrician is having problems, holler back and I'll send more links tomorrow night. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | Electrician showed up with a standard outlet and never heard of the twist one. The old plug was faulty and now works find. My extra 30/15 adapter is too wide for the new plug which has weather covers and they don't open wide enough so I ordered a 30 amp to 15 amp F/M 12 inch dog bone set up. The male end looks like any other extension cord plug. This should work just fine. Thanks for all the input. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 448
Location: Los Angeles, Ca. | All's well that ends well. I am surprised the electrician didn't have a clue...maybe he just wanted to finish and not come back. If it fails again, get the parts I told you about and replace the receptacle and the plug on the end of your new dog-bone for a trouble free connection. You will also need a different weatherproof cover. |
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Location: Tomball, TX | If this repair fails I will come back here and re-read your suggestion. I do use that outlet for my electric weedy and other things besides the trailer. We will see. Thanks, again. |
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Step Down from 30 to 15 amps
