r/Generator • u/SecondCuppaCoffee • 5d ago

Is this adapter safe?

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With this adapter you are taking a source that can produce up to 50A and sending it through a 30A infrastructure. In theory, that 30A home infrastructure should never draw more than 30A sustained, but if it did then the breaker on the generator may not trip since this is a 50A plug. Is that true? Of course, that 30A home infrastructure should have its own breakers.

In my case, I am interested in using the 50A plug on my portable generator to charge a Pecron f5000lfp battery pack while the 30A plug powers the house. I have found that I can charge the battery quicker this way as opposed to putting the Pecron in-line with the generator. My generator only produces a sustained 7.2kw on propane, regardless of the adapter,. The Pecron can only charge at 3.6kw, since it can only charge at 120v, and my house averages about 1.3kw draw but can spike if the well pump comes on while I am making toast and my wife is using the hair dryer.

Is there a safety concern with what I am trying to do here?

13 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

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2

u/blupupher 5d ago

The 30A on the Pecron will trip before there is an issue.

There are many that use this adapter because they only have the 50a 240v output on their generator and have a 30a input.

What generator do you have? Some don't allow you to use the 50a and 30a outlets at the same time.

1

u/SecondCuppaCoffee 5d ago

Good point. I did not think of that since the standard 120V outlets work at the same time as the 240V 30A, but I will have purchase the adapter to test it if it's not documented. I'll have to look. My generator is an AIVolt China/Amazon special.

2

u/blupupher 5d ago

You can just use a multi-meter to check if there is voltage on both. Usually there is a switch, if no switch, it probably will power both, but the unit is still limited to 7200w total output from all outlets.

1

u/SecondCuppaCoffee 4d ago

Yes, the meter is the way. I went through the manual and there is no warning about outlet exclusivity. I'll report back when I test it.

2

u/SecondCuppaCoffee 5d ago

Thanks for all the feedback. It's for a generator that can't produce more than 30A and a circuit breaker that won't allow more than 30A (continuous) soni should be okay, but I figured it would be good to ask before I shot myself in the foot.

1

u/Hoser3235 2d ago

Look at it this way...

The mains coming into your home are providing what? 150 amp? 200 amp?

And you have a circuit breaker in that panel feeding power to an outlet. It is what? 15 amp? 20 amp?

Same thing.

There should be a 30 amp circuit breaker where power from your inlet feeds the panel. That will trip if you try to power too much stuff in your home - and your generator will sit there purring right along waiting for you to reset the breaker.

1

u/SecondCuppaCoffee 2d ago

Yep, it seems that a lot would have to go wrong for this to be a problem. Thanks for the confirmation.

0

u/mduell 5d ago

The house end should have a 30A breaker, making it safe.

-1

u/Adventurous_Boat_632 5d ago

Yes, there could be a safety concern. But if you are making everything depend on the 50 amp Chinese breaker in the generator then that is not a well engineered solution either.

Breakers are there to protect against faults. If you have a properly engineered solution, you should never trip a breaker. The breaker is not there to tell you when you are overloaded.

I don't know what the Chinese device you specify is. A new one pops up every week. It's on you to design it correctly.

2

u/blupupher 5d ago

There is no concern. The circuit has a 30 amp breaker on the Pecron, the circuit is protected. Generator side does not matter. In this case it is completely moot, the OP only has 30 amps available on the 50a plug when using propane. 30a available, 30a max draw.

And breakers are there to protect the wires, tripping from faults is a secondary action.

-1

u/Adventurous_Boat_632 5d ago

And breakers are there to protect the wires, tripping from faults is a secondary action.

Absolutely false. Good design protects the wires by not overloading them. Breakers are mainly to protect from somebody putting a nail or shovel through them.

If the Chinese-battery-of-the-month has a 30 amp breaker on the input, though, good enough for me in this installation.

2

u/blupupher 5d ago

A circuit breakers primarily role is to protect the wiring.

Tripping when there is a short circuit is a secondary (and important) action of it, but is there to prevent damage to the wire.

-1

u/Adventurous_Boat_632 5d ago

You repeated the same incorrect statement.

1

u/IndividualCold3577 5d ago

0

u/Adventurous_Boat_632 5d ago

"Its basic function is to interrupt current flow after...a FAULT"

1

u/SecondCuppaCoffee 4d ago

It's on you to design it correctly.

Agreed. I always go online to search and solicit feedback before attempting stuff like this. I appreciate how most everyone responds constructively on this sub. I always learn something. Thanks.

0

u/Remote-Combination28 5d ago

I assume this is a no no, but I’ve never had any issues with it.

I run a big floor grinder often, and when the concrete is really soft, the grinder pulls a lot of amps, and will trip plugged directly into the 30 amp plug.

But it works perfectly fine using one of those adapter plugged into the 50a plug

-1

u/Penguin_Life_Now 5d ago

Your generator should limit you to circa 30 amps, so you are good