Plugging in a 20-amp RV
Should you connect to the 20-amp or 30-amp pedestal outlet?
Surge Protector Types
Hey Mike,
You say in a video that no one plugs into the 20 amp outlet on a campground pedestal , but my small travel trailer actually does connect to shore power using a standard 20-amp power cord.
In fact I just sent you a separate question on getting a surge protector for my setup. Anyway, in my somewhat unusual situation, should I be using the 30 amp outlet too and buy a dog-bone adapter to get back down to 20-amp to plug shore power into my trailer or continue using a 20-amp extension cord? Just curious about your comment that no one uses the 20-amp outlets.
Many thanks, Tom F.
Hey Tom,
This is a bit of a tricky question, since code requires that you don’t plug into the 30-amp outlet with a 12-gauge shore power cord since that’s more than the rated current of the conductors. However, if you plug a Surge Protector into the GFCI protected 20-amp outlet, there’s a very good chance that the residual leakage of the MOV devices in all Surge Protectors will cause nuisance tripping of the 20-amp GFCI receptacle. Read my full article on why Surge Protectors and GFCI outlets don’t play nicely together HERE.
My suggestions is to plug a 30-amp Surge protector directly into the pedestal’s 30-amp outlet, then use a dogbone adapter to change from 30-amp to 20-amp. Then plug your trailer’s 20-amp shore power into this adapter.
Now I will warn you that you should always use a 12-gauge shore power cord, and never use a smaller gauge extension cord with this setup. Doing so would allow you to overload an extension cord rated for 15 amps with up to 20- or 30-amps of current. Watch my video on how quickly a cheap extension cord will heat up with 30-amps of current HERE.
Final Warning
In theory, your trailer should have a Main 20-amp circuit breaker in the load center that would limit current on your shore power cord to 20-amps, which would protect your 12-gauge shore power conductors from overlaod. But I’ve seen at least one 30-amp Main breaker “upgrade” in a pop-up camper in the field, and that’s a very dangerous thing to do.
SO DON’T DO IT!!!
Let’s play safe out there…. Mike
