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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419
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Topic: 50amp to 30 amp dog bone Posted: 31 Jan 2020 at 7:03pm |
That is funny. My money is on the meteorite. I would change my mind with one documented failure, but it's not there. The theory is good and viable, to me much ado about nothing.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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Pod_Geek
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Dec 2019
Location: Colorado
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Posts: 261
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Posted: 01 Feb 2020 at 8:42am |
Originally posted by mcarter
That is funny. My money is on the meteorite. I would change my mind with one documented failure, but it's not there. The theory is good and viable, to me much ado about nothing. |
You're probably right. However, it's interesting to Google something like "Are 50A-to-30A dogbones safe?" because the answers/opinions are all over the lot, with a smattering of self-professed electrical geniuses (some of whom likely know what they're talking about) saying don't use them under any circumstances, and most folks being pragmatic and echoing what you say, based on the empirical evidence.
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2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River
2018 RAM 2500 6.4L
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290
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Posted: 01 Feb 2020 at 8:44am |
As long as we're talking opinion here, mine differs, for 3 reasons.
1) I have seen the type of current limited fault conditions that is the risk here, more than once. Not on RVs but in other electrical systems. They are nasty and dangerous, and there is noting different about RVs that would preclude those same type of faults there.
2) It goes against a fundamental principal of electrical safety design not to properly protect all circuits from current overloads.
3) The national electric code making panel for article 551 (which covers RVs), who are not dummies, feel its enough of a risk to require RV manufacturers to place a label warning against doing exactly this next to the RV power inlet.
So, I'm not personally gonna use one of those dog bones.
As to the chances of being killed by a meteor, NASA puts that at about 1:250,000, compared to about 1:160,000 of being killed by a lightning strike, 1:3.7 million of being killed in a shark attack, and 1:292 million of winning the Powerball jackpot. So, not so far fetched as you might think. The big risk from meteors isn't getting directly hit by a little one, its a big one like the 1908 Tunguska event whacking a whole city or a huge planet buster like what took out the dinosaurs. 
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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Pod_Geek
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Dec 2019
Location: Colorado
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Posts: 261
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Posted: 01 Feb 2020 at 8:51am |
Originally posted by offgrid
...So, I'm not personally gonna use one of those dog bones.... |
Your experience and logical approach to this issue carries a lot of weight with me, which is why I've taken the time to explore options. Thank you.
BTW, you really can't get whacked by a meteor unless you're out in space; once they hit Earth they become meteorites 
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2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River
2018 RAM 2500 6.4L
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
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Posted: 01 Feb 2020 at 9:51am |
Originally posted by Pod_Geek
Originally posted by offgrid
...So, I'm not personally gonna use one of those dog bones.... |
Your experience and logical approach to this issue carries a lot of weight with me, which is why I've taken the time to explore options. Thank you.
BTW, you really can't get whacked by a meteor unless you're out in space; once they hit Earth they become meteorites  |
Its not a big hardship for me not to use one though. I very rarely camp where there is electricity. I certainly can see why those who do camp with hookups feel its a necessity.
I might make up a current protected dog bone now though, as it looks like it can be done for about $35. If I do I'll report it here.
I stand corrected about meteors vs meteorites.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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TheBum
Senior Member
Joined: 26 Feb 2016
Location: Texas
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Posts: 1407
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Posted: 04 Feb 2020 at 12:00pm |
Originally posted by Pod_Geek
BTW, you really can't get whacked by a meteor unless you're out in space; once they hit Earth they become meteorites  |
According to NASA, when they're in space, they're called meteoroids. Meteors can only be encountered in the upper atmosphere.
The odds for issues go down the less you have to use the dogbone. If it's only used once in a blue moon, it's probably not worth worrying about. If you find yourself using it often, you might want to consider rigging up an inline breaker box.
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Alan
2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod"
2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4
Three cats
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290
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Posted: 05 Feb 2020 at 7:14am |
So, leaving out the dinosaur killer type, it seems like maybe the most dangerous ones are meteors after all. The Tunguska one, the one that exploded in Russia in 2013 that injured 1200 ppl, and the one that exploded over China in 1490 killing 10,000 plus, were all meteors when they exploded in the atmosphere. Not much if anything reached the ground.
I bought one of the Rigid inline circuit breaker cords on Amazon. Once it gets here I’ll take a look at how to reterminate it so it can work as a current protected dog bone.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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Pod_Geek
Senior Member
Joined: 04 Dec 2019
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 261
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Posted: 05 Feb 2020 at 9:00am |
Originally posted by offgrid
...I bought one of the Rigid inline circuit breaker cords on Amazon. Once it gets here I’ll take a look at how to reterminate it so it can work as a current protected dog bone. |
Cottage industry? I'll be your first customer.
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2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River
2018 RAM 2500 6.4L
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2702
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Posted: 05 Feb 2020 at 9:24am |
Someone might clean up if they created a dogbone with a built-in circuit breaker.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5290
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Posted: 05 Feb 2020 at 9:31am |
It'll only have a 20A breaker, that's the only inline circuit breaker I've found. Let's see if it works out.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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