Yesterday I brought my new Heartland home, so of course, I was online last night looking for new places to go. Many of the federal camping grounds talk about providing "general electrical availability" and others "RV electricity" (which immediately made me think of 30A and 50A hookups). I know my North Trail needs 30A of current, but wondered specifically what they mean by these terms, and would they provide enough electricity to say, run an AC unit? (I'm in south Alabama - AC is a MUST in the summer here.) I have adapters for my electrical cables (30A to a grounded 2 prong, 50Amp male to 30 am female) but really would like to hear from someone more experienced about this. Thanks in advance!!
"General Electrical hookup" - electrical question from Newbie
- Thread starter BarbinLA
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi BarbinLA,
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. There's lots of useful information here along with a great bunch of friendly and helpful people.
I'm not familiar with how the Park Service defines these terms, but it seems reasonable to assume that RV Electric is going to be either 30Amp or 50Amp standard RV pedestals. You may be able to call the park and ask a ranger what they have. General Electrical is probably 15 or 20amp like you would find at home. You need 30Amp RV service to run your Air Conditioner.
Btw, if you ever find a 30 Amp "General" outlet, like what you'd plug a clothes dryer into, it's not RV compatible and will fry your equipment.
Welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. There's lots of useful information here along with a great bunch of friendly and helpful people.
I'm not familiar with how the Park Service defines these terms, but it seems reasonable to assume that RV Electric is going to be either 30Amp or 50Amp standard RV pedestals. You may be able to call the park and ask a ranger what they have. General Electrical is probably 15 or 20amp like you would find at home. You need 30Amp RV service to run your Air Conditioner.
Btw, if you ever find a 30 Amp "General" outlet, like what you'd plug a clothes dryer into, it's not RV compatible and will fry your equipment.
pegmikef
Well-known member
We camp in a lot of Federal parks such as Corps of Engineer Parks, Natural Recreational Areas (just left the Chickasaw Natural Rec Area, OK), National Parks, and National Forests. Generally, National Forests have no electric, COE Parks, National Rec Areas, and National Parks usually (not always i.e., Big Bend) have some form of electricity. Often they will almost always have thirty Amp and many have both thirty and fifty amp. The best way to find out is go to recreation.gov, pick a park or area, then go to the site map and you can see what is available at each site. I am going to leave a sample link and see if it works. If it does it should take you to a COE park map. Click on one of the sites to see what is available at that site. Note that there is almost always a 30 Amp connection when 50 Amp is specified. The reverse is NOT true. If 30 Amp is specified, then there most likely is no 50 Amp hookup.
http://www.recreation.gov/camping/m...ode=NRSO&parkId=71042&topTabIndex=CampingSpot
http://www.recreation.gov/camping/m...ode=NRSO&parkId=71042&topTabIndex=CampingSpot
johnmichael
Member
Okay - another GREEEN newbie here with a really basic question related to this:
If you have a 30A trailer, but only 50A hookups are available, can you still plug in safely?
(I'll be so happy when I get all the dumb questions out of the way)
If you have a 30A trailer, but only 50A hookups are available, can you still plug in safely?
(I'll be so happy when I get all the dumb questions out of the way)
johnmichael
Member
Like this?
[h=1]Conntek 14315 RV 1.5-Foot Pigtail Adapter Power Cord RV 50 Amp Male Plug To RV 30 Amp Female Connector[/h]
[h=1]Conntek 14315 RV 1.5-Foot Pigtail Adapter Power Cord RV 50 Amp Male Plug To RV 30 Amp Female Connector[/h]
TXBobcat
Fulltime
Yep.. that is the adapter
Here is a link... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YDY7YK
BTW... If you want to show something like this go to the website copy the URL (internet address).
Type something like adapter then highlite it and click on the little icon above that has the world and glasses (move your mouse over the icon and it will show the word "link" in a little box. Click on the icon) then paste the URL in the box and click on OK... it will come up something like this...
Adapter Now you have a link that will show what you were looking at...
FWIW
BC
Here is a link... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YDY7YK
BTW... If you want to show something like this go to the website copy the URL (internet address).
Type something like adapter then highlite it and click on the little icon above that has the world and glasses (move your mouse over the icon and it will show the word "link" in a little box. Click on the icon) then paste the URL in the box and click on OK... it will come up something like this...
Adapter Now you have a link that will show what you were looking at...
FWIW
BC
NWILSON
Kentucky Chapter Leaders - retired
i've wondered how that's done for a L-O-N-G time!! Thanks for the lesson
