What is a Cheater Box?
Cheater box adapter cords allow devices that require higher amounts of electricity to be powered through a smaller combined connection for maximum power. For example, the Conntek cheater box cord (#14995), has two male TT-30 plugs and converts that to one 14-50 outlet. For those who have large 50 amp RV’s, it can prove to be a useful adapter to bring on camping trips as it allows a 50 amp RV to receive the full amount of power when connected to two separately wired 30 amp RV pedestals.
How Does It Work?
In the case of the #14995 cheater box, it utilizes the single 125V hot wire from both of the TT-30 outlets to provide the two 125V hot wires necessary for the 14-50 configuration. This allows a RV or other device with a 14-50 plug to receive the full amount of power.
Cheater box cord with 15 amp adapter
Using It Properly
In most cases, issues involving the adapter not receiving power occur when the outlets are wired together. If that is the case, the cheater box adapter will always trip the breaker. It only functions when the outlets are wired separately.
At RV parks with older pedestals, it’s possible that the outlets might not be GFCI protected. If there is no GFCI protection, people will sometimes attach an adapter that converts one of the TT-30 plugs to a 15 amp plug to gain a maximum of about 45 amps from the same RV pedestal (shown in the image on the left).
One final important safety tip…
Always have both ends plugged in when using a cheater box cord. Electricity will still flow through both plugs, regardless if the other male end is not being utilized.