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Author Topic: Adapting 50A California plug to something household  (Read 12093 times)

Mark Cadwallader

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2018, 01:50:42 PM »

Besides an adapter to a NEMA 14-50P (range plug), I suggest another adapter for a NEMA 14-30P (dryer plug). It is often easier to access the dryer's electrical connection than moving the range in somebody's home.  Same comments as above re: 3 wire vs 4 wire connectors.
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2018, 03:59:58 PM »

Besides an adapter to a NEMA 14-50P (range plug), I suggest another adapter for a NEMA 14-30P (dryer plug). It is often easier to access the dryer's electrical connection than moving the range in somebody's home.  Same comments as above re: 3 wire vs 4 wire connectors.

There are two different "range plugs" and two different "dryer plugs" in common use.

More common in newer installations is the NEMA 14-50 (125/250V 50A single phase "range plug") and NEMA 14-30 (125/250V 30A single phase "dryer plug") with two hots, neutral, and ground (four pins).

Common in older installations is the NEMA 10-50 (125/250V 50A single phase "range plug") and NEMA 10-30 (125/250V 30A single phase "dryer plug") with two hots and a neutral (three pins).

A note about the NEMA 10- series: when used in dryers and ranges, the chassis of the appliance is generally bonded to the neutral terminal, creating a "bootleg ground." This practice was deprecated with the 1999 National Electrical Code, which required the equipment ground conductor be separate from the neutral conductor, effectively prohibiting new installations using the NEMA 10-series. The cordsets connecting appliances to NEMA 14- series receptacles are usually black in color with a round cord profile. The cordsets connecting appliances to NEMA 10- series receptacles are usually grey in color with a flat cord profile. In many NEMA 10- installations, the neutral wire is undersized due to the idea at the time that the neutral load would be far less than the hot load.

I recommend NEVER tapping into a NEMA 10- series receptacle for audio or lighting loads, since it may not be safe (or good for the audio) to rely on a bootleg ground, and the neutral may be undersized.

HINT: some homes built or remodeled in the 1990s or later may have NEMA 10- series receptacles, but the in-wall wiring will actually have separate neutral and ground conductors (the ground conductor is not connected to the receptacle). If in conduit, the conduit may serve as the ground IF the "neutral" wire is continuous and insulated AND the conduit is continuous all the way back to the service panel. If this is the case, qualified personnel could replace the receptacle and the cordset to the appliance with NEMA 14- series devices. When converting an appliance from a NEMA 10- series cordset to NEMA 14- series, be sure to remove the jumper between the chassis and the neutral terminal.
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Mike Sokol

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2018, 07:33:32 PM »

I suspect the most common receptacle for 50A service is the NEMA 14-50. It's the one used for electric ovens and dryers in residential applications as well as some electric car chargers.

This is also what's used for every RV that uses a 50-amp, 120/240-volt shore power connection. 

Kevin Conlon

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #13 on: November 06, 2018, 08:08:15 PM »

Can you adapt the 50amp California plug to something that is usually available in a regular household service?

The recording truck that I am about to buy includes 50amp service for the studio area with 2 isolated 20 amp circuits for audio and a 20 amp circuit for HVAC and lighting.

I'm going to get new service and a new meter installed at my house from the electric coop, and an electrician friend will wire in a disconnect and 50amp plug for me. But I'm looking for a way to power it when I take it somewhere else to record that isn't a production venue.

Is there any easy way to make it happen?

It comes with cabling with both the California plug and Camlocks.
Provided you have split phase and not three, get all 14-50 ends. Find them in most any ones house. The ends will come with stove and dryer pins, so easy to swap. Most peoples wives are going to have a problem moving the stove. Maybe consider the welder in the garage for ac? You can not carry everything so a genny for air could be in the cards? Everyone else is right about older 240. 3# wires= no, 4 wires old= look first, 4 wires newish= plug and play. Enjoy your rig!  By the way, is the ac 120 or 240?
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #14 on: November 06, 2018, 10:34:54 PM »

Thanks everyone. It sounds like an adapter to the Nema 14-50 or should do the trick most of the time. I should be making the final deal for the truck tomorrow. Already have the insurance for it, just need pay and get the keys. I will know alot more after tomorrow.

I'll have my electrician buddy look over the wiring to make sure it's all in good shape and make up a few adapters for me. But this was a working truck for a number of years and has been owned by a friend's production company who is very safe about their electrical connections.
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Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #15 on: November 06, 2018, 11:58:01 PM »

(NEMA 14-50) is also what's used for every RV that uses a 50-amp, 120/240-volt shore power connection.

Not all campgrounds have converted to NEMA 14-50, but almost all will supply a TT-30 receptacle, which provides 120V 30A: one hot, one neutral, one ground (in addition to NEMA 5-15 120V 15A).
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #16 on: December 06, 2018, 12:34:32 AM »

Coming back to this....

It turns out that I have an exterior accessible  NEMA 14-50 outlet at our place that I didn't know about.

Is a NEMA 14-50 to California plug adapter the kind of thing I can pick up at a local electrical supply house? or will I need to order one online?
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Justice C. Bigler
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Tim Hite

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #17 on: December 06, 2018, 02:13:36 AM »

You local electrical wholesale place should sell Hubbell devices or you can order the connectors from OA Windsor. Get the cable locally and avoid shipping. I just went through it with 12/3 SOOW for extension corsets and it was 30% cheaper to drive somewhere. The Orange Store sucks for SOOW cable. You will need 6/4 to be 50A compliant.

You can get Leviton connectors on Amazon for el cheap, but Hubble Wiring Devices is where it's at.



Coming back to this....

It turns out that I have an exterior accessible  NEMA 14-50 outlet at our place that I didn't know about.

Is a NEMA 14-50 to California plug adapter the kind of thing I can pick up at a local electrical supply house? or will I need to order one online?
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Justice C. Bigler

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #18 on: December 06, 2018, 03:19:24 AM »

You local electrical wholesale place should sell Hubbell devices or you can order the connectors from OA Windsor. Get the cable locally and avoid shipping. I just went through it with 12/3 SOOW for extension corsets and it was 30% cheaper to drive somewhere. The Orange Store sucks for SOOW cable. You will need 6/4 to be 50A compliant.

You can get Leviton connectors on Amazon for el cheap, but Hubble Wiring Devices is where it's at.
I've got 300' of the 6/4 50 amp cable with the california plugs, there's 3 different 100' runs. I just need a 1 foot adapter cable.


...or maybe I should just buy one of the NEMA 14-50 connectors and put it on one end of my California cable.... Then again, I'd hate to lose a whole length of it just for one adapter...
« Last Edit: December 06, 2018, 03:21:25 AM by Justice C. Bigler »
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Justice C. Bigler
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Tim Hite

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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #19 on: December 06, 2018, 12:59:34 PM »

You're probably going to want the adapter to be long enough to rest the CS50 connectors on the ground. I certainly wouldn't want them tugging on my outlet all day long.

I've got 300' of the 6/4 50 amp cable with the california plugs, there's 3 different 100' runs. I just need a 1 foot adapter cable.


...or maybe I should just buy one of the NEMA 14-50 connectors and put it on one end of my California cable.... Then again, I'd hate to lose a whole length of it just for one adapter...
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Re: Adapting 50A California plug to something household
« Reply #19 on: December 06, 2018, 12:59:34 PM »


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