50 Amp Cord 125v vs 250v

[whaler23]

I pulled seldom used 50 amp cord yesterday and found it didn't fit my dockside 50 amp outlet. The dockside is 125/250v and my main cord fits fine. I looked closer at the older cord and noted it stated 50 amp 125 v. No 250v designation. Is it possible to use this cord with my system by adding an additional ground or neutral just at the ends?

 

[saltshaker]

I pulled seldom used 50 amp cord yesterday and found it didn't fit my dockside 50 amp outlet. The dockside is 125/250v and my main cord fits fine. I looked closer at the older cord and noted it stated 50 amp 125 v. No 250v designation. Is it possible to use this cord with my system by adding an additional ground or neutral just at the ends?

50A 125V is correct and no it can't be refitted as a 50A 125/250 cord. The issue isn't the gauge of the wire it is how many wires are in the cord. The 125V has 3 wires and you need 4. You can put a 50A 125/250 end on the dockside end of the cord and get 50A 125V to the boat.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I think both have 10ga wire, but the 125v cord only has 3 conductors. If you have an isolation transformer, you could rewire this to a 250v plug, but beware that if anyone else were to use your cord, it would have no neutral in it, just 2 hot legs and a ground. Not sure its really worth the risk.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

I always thought the pin configuration was different between 125 and 250 to avoid the 125 going into a 250 outlet ?? maybe was like that in the old days.

 

[saltshaker]

I think both have 10ga wire, but the 125v cord only has 3 conductors. If you have an isolation transformer, you could rewire this to a 250v plug, but beware that if anyone else were to use your cord, it would have no neutral in it, just 2 hot legs and a ground. Not sure its really worth the risk.

I believe its 6ga wire. If it's wired correctly the 250V plug can supply 125V to the one leg.

 

[Pascal]

125/50 has 3 wires: H N and G
125-250/50 has 4 wires: H H N G

both have 3 pins, but the 125-250/50 uses the outside ring for ground. the pins have different shapes so that you can't use the wrong cord.

no safe work around

125/50 is still found in a few places but most marinas either have 125/30 or 125-250/50

 

[TopHattandTails]

And the worst part about the 125/250 is that if you grab it by the metal collar it really gets you groovin'. Don't ask...

 

[Diver Down]

On a couple of occasions we have docked at a marina that did not have 50A service on the dock. Question - Is there a problem connecting the 50A/250V cord from the boat to a 30A/125V cable attached to a power pedestal on the pier? It seems that having 30A of service from the pier is better than nothing. We don't want to buy the necessary adapter if this is a problem.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

and just make it more interesting, the 2nd H of a 250 is actually a neutral....

 

[whaler23]

yes, the plug is different and I thought something was wrong with it until I compared it to the 125/250v plug. If you can believe it, i thought and quickly dismissed the idea of filing down one of the legs to make it fit!!! That would have been good... I amaze myself sometimes after all these years to still have these stupid thoughts...

 

[captddis]

and just make it more interesting, the 2nd H of a 250 is actually a neutral....

No it is not. 1 hot black,1 hot red, 1 neutral white ,one ground green unless you are in europe....

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I believe its 6ga wire. If it's wired correctly the 250V plug can supply 125V to the one leg.

Sorry, you're right, they are 6ga. I messed that up. My point was that they are the same wire size, just one less wire in the 125v cord.

You see them for sale quite often on ebay really cheap. I've often thought about buying one and changing the ends. I only need 3 wires since I have iso-trans and it would make the cord much lighter.

 

[bigbill]

diverdown, yes 125/250 will work with the smart y setup going into 2 30 amp plugs. it will not work with only one 30 amp plug.

 

[Diver Down]

Thanks bigbill. Glad I asked because I was close to buying a single 30-50 pigtail.

 

[Pascal]

diverdown, yes 125/250 will work with the smart y setup going into 2 30 amp plugs. it will not work with only one 30 amp plug.

and the 30amp outlets must be on opposing phases for the smart Y circuitry to allow current to pass thru. so if you plug it in and dont get power, try a different outlet

 

[joeo]

greetings, I found this thread which almost answered my dilemma. So here I go'

I have 50 Amp 125/250 at the dock and 50 amp 125 at the boat.
Can I safely put a 125V plug on the boat side? (the cord is 125/250)

Thank you in advance

 

[tonytrakovich]

greetings, I found this thread which almost answered my dilemma. So here I go'

I have 50 Amp 125/250 at the dock and 50 amp 125 at the boat.
Can I safely put a 125V plug on the boat side? (the cord is 125/250)

Thank you in advance

Joeo

I have a 125/250 male adaptor with 2- 125 females. And I have 2- 125v cords that are 25' long that would work perfect for you.

 

[joeo]

thank you, but I only have one 125 on the boat.

 

[captddis]

You can take a 125/50 using three wires and put a 50/125/250 plug on the dock and just use one leg.
Your 125 cord has black/white/green. That the 250 plug and put white to white, green to case ground and hook the black to either hot leg which would be marked x or y on Hubbell plugs or connect to the black or red on marinco, just use one hot leg NOT two!!

 

[joeo]

Got it, thank you