How do you upgrade a 30A outlet to a 50A outlet can I just change the outlet and upgrade the circuit breakers?

Answer 1

No. The receptacle, wiring, and breaker ratings should all be matched properly. Replacing the 50A receptacle with a 30A receptacle isn't a problem, since the wire should be rated at least 50A. But a 30A receptacle should be protected with a 30A double pole breaker. The breaker only costs about $8.00, so why wouldn't you change it given you don't have to change the wire which would actually be expensive or time consuming? The fact that you mention a 50A receptacle protected by a 20A existing breaker isn't normal either. I would check to make sure the wiring is actually rated for 50A and that someone didn't just throw a 50A receptacle onto a 20A circuit. (This means your wiring should be at least #8AWG THHN Copper wire.) If you protected a 30A receptacle with a 20A breaker, the load might trip the breaker often, considering the appliance requiring a 30A receptacle probably requires about 30A. If you do not understand the work well enough to accomplish it yourself properly and safely, don't try it. Consult a professional electrician, as they are proficient enough to do it properly and safely. When working on electrical circuits and equipment, make sure to de-energize the circuit you will be working on. Then test the circuit with a definitive means to make sure it is off (multimeter with metal tipped leads, voltage tester with metal tipped leads, etc., not a non-contact tester, which is non-definitive.)

Answer 2

== == === === STOP! DO NOT DO THIS! More than likely the wire in the wall is only rated to carry 30 amps. Running fifty amps through it will start a fire! You MUST upgrade the wiring in the wall to upgrade the current rating of the circuit! The wire in the wall must be properly sized. Go out and buy a book. You are on the fast track to a house fire. Buy a book and read up on wire sizes, current ratings, and why they matter. Remember, negligence is fatal with electricity.ANSWER

Before you can know that you only need to change the outlet and the breaker you must make sure that the wire already in the wall is equal to, or heavier than, the size required to carry 50A safely. So calculate the wire size needed to carry 50A for your length of run and check the gage of the wire in the wall. If the wire is lighter, you must run new wire of the correct size. == ==

IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB

SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY

REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.

If you do this work yourself, always turn off the powerat the breaker box/fuse panel BEFORE you attempt to do any work AND always use a meter or voltage indicator to insure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.

Answer 3

In the UK, yes but the new socket would be able to supply only up 20 amps instead of up to 50. It would not make full use of the wiring that is capable of supplying 50 amps.

Up to three 20-amp sockets could be connected to a 50-amp supply on the basis that not all three sockets would be fully loaded at any moment.

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In North America the answer is also yes, but the circuit's breaker would have to be changed out to a 20 amp breaker from the 50 amp breaker. The maximum rating of the receptacle is only 20 amps so it would not be protected by being fed from the 50 amp breaker..