Is a 30 to 15-amp adapter safe?
Maybe... But you have to take extra precautions!
From the RV Tips & More Forum
Good afternoon. Quick question. We need an additional 15-amp receptacle on our campsite power post. We run on 50-amp so the 30-amp circuit is open. We ordered this adapter to step down 30-amp to 15-amp. Just wanted to verify that this is safe to plug in and use this as an additional 15-amp receptacle? Thanks in advance. -Logan
Hey Logan,
While TT-30/15-Amp adapters are very common and basically safe, you need to be aware that when using one you’re eliminating two important safety features; Overcurrent protection, and GFCI protection.
Overcurrent protection
When you plug an extension cord into a properly wired pedestal outlet, the conductors are limited to a maximum of 20 amperes of current before the breaker trips. This is to prevent you from accidentally pulling too much current through the wires and causing a meltdown. That TT-30/15-Amp adapter will allow you to pull up to 30-amps through the extension cord from the TT-30 receptacle.
Here’s what happens when you pull 30-amps of current through an extension cord
GFCI Protection
When you plug a extension cord into a 30/15 adapter, there is no GFCI protection. So if you’re using an non-grounded appliance plugged into this adapter and there’s an internal fault, you can create a hot-chassis voltage on the appliance that’s dangerous and possibly deadly, especially if you’re standing on wet ground.
Adding a GFCI/Breaker extension cord
You can get a power strip with a circuit breaker to protect you from overloading the extension cord and causing a meltdown, or you can get an extension cord with with a built-in GFCI.
But I did find a combination GFCI/Breaker cord that provides both overcurrent and GFCI protection when plugging into a 30/15 outlet adapter. I’ve not tested this yet, but there’s probably more manufacturers making something similar. You can find this one on Amazon HERE.
Do you really need this?
Well, you can probably do without a circuit breaker on a 15-amp extension cord as long as you don’t plug in multiple appliances. However, standing on wet earth while using any appliance that doesn’t have a ground plug could be dangerous. So if you feel an electrical tingle while your air fryer is plugged into a non-GFCI outlet, stop immediately and unplug from power.
Some of the products above have affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
Let’s play safe out there… Mike
Do you think that the rv wall receptacle is safe with push in contacts, especially with space heaters? Looks like they should be converted over to a box and a 15 amp house wall receptacle that screws on.
RV electricity at the Power Pedestal is a lot like the early days of electricity in US homes. Edition base outlets with extension cords strung all over to power new electrical items, 15 AMP Edison base fuses replaced with a 20 or 30 AMP fuse, and the electric meter was likely only a 110-volt 30 AMP meter with two 15 AMP fuses that protected the homes early knob and tube wiring and those replaced with two 30 AMP fuses, cords and wires strung from the Edison light sockets to all the new electrical devices that needed to be powered in the home. I once stayed at an RV park where my backdoor neighbor ran out of outlets in his power pedestal and had a cord plugged into mine.