Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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KnowNuthin wrote:My original idea is officially axed... somewhere in the back of my brain having 50a running through an extension cord didn't seem like a good idea,
Mitch's idea works too... I already have the 50a - 30a dogbone...
Remember, you're not automatically pulling 50A through your ext cord. You only have the ability to, in the scenario you mentioned. If the "load" only takes say 2 amps, or whatever, that is what the cord "experiences." The danger mentioned is the "potential" to draw the theoretical 50A of current and not blow the breaker, thus heating up and damaging the weakest link in the chain.
There are a few options, not entirely clear without seeing your sub panel, but seems the easiest and safest no brainer is get a 30-20A pigtail and not ever touch the hot side of the box.
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time2roll
Southern California
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No issues with 600 watts.
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enblethen
Moses Lake, WA
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The lite wire becomes a fuse if you use the 50 ampere's circuit. Failure in the heater could cause wire to melt down and create a fire situation.
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time2roll
Southern California
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enblethen wrote:The lite wire becomes a fuse if you use the 50 ampere's circuit. Failure in the heater could cause wire to melt down and create a fire situation. This could happen on a 15 amp circuit also.
Probably #18 wire in the cord.
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LittleBill
Scranton, PA USA
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so do all you guys who have 15 amp circuits in your house, where your lamps are plugged in use a 1 amp circuit breaker to each individual lamp?
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wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
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enblethen wrote:Your 50 amp should be a double pole breaker.
I think it is a bad idea for what you are thinking.
I would suggest getting thin breaker with two 20-amp breakers and installing a new receptacle. Some call breakers, wafer or tandem.
The short answer is yes it would however there is a danger
The longer answers #1: You need not DIY you can easily adapt from 50 amp RV to TT-30 and from there to a common 15 outlet (Why they always make it a 15 and not a 15/20 I will never understand)
in fact...
Here you are
But I'd not do that
I'd use a box that lets you put a 15 or 20 (Depending on the outlet) breaker in with the 15/20 amp outlet. You need to protect the smaller wireing
Your proper adapter would look like this
50 amp plug & pigtial== Box with 20 amp breaker---15/20 amp outlet---Tractor
Or use a 15 amp breaker and a 15 amp outlet
The breaker need not be teh "Square D" type you can use a "push to reset) if you have a box with enough room.
As you surmized one black (or red) wired is NOT connected.
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toedtoes
California
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LittleBill wrote:so do all you guys who have 15 amp circuits in your house, where your lamps are plugged in use a 1 amp circuit breaker to each individual lamp?
No, but anything that produces significant heat is put on a GFCI outlet or is connected via a surge protector with internal circuit breaker. But I admit I have a healthy fear of electricity.
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Bobbo
Wherever I park
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LittleBill wrote:so do all you guys who have 15 amp circuits in your house, where your lamps are plugged in use a 1 amp circuit breaker to each individual lamp?
I was going to type this very thing on reaching the end of the thread. You beat me to it. Every one of my 1/2 amp (60 watt) lamps is plugged into a 15 amp outlet protected by a 20 amp breaker. Yes, I am risking the 18g wire shorting out and melting creating a fire hazard. I don't care.
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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enblethen wrote:The lite wire becomes a fuse if you use the 50 ampere's circuit. Failure in the heater could cause wire to melt down and create a fire situation.
EXACTLY!!! whole point is to make sure the wiring downstream of the breaker can handle the max breaker current in the case of a downstream fault. !!!!!
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ktmrfs
Portland, Oregon
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Bobbo wrote:LittleBill wrote:so do all you guys who have 15 amp circuits in your house, where your lamps are plugged in use a 1 amp circuit breaker to each individual lamp?
I was going to type this very thing on reaching the end of the thread. You beat me to it. Every one of my 1/2 amp (60 watt) lamps is plugged into a 15 amp outlet protected by a 20 amp breaker. Yes, I am risking the 18g wire shorting out and melting creating a fire hazard. I don't care.
the lamps are likely using a 14 or 16 ga wire, entirely capable of handling 15 or 20A for a short period of time if the lamp were to cause a short. A 12Ga extension cord is NOT capable of handling 50A for any length of time.
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