Electric box at campsites

I think some of the responders are using the term "converter box" to mean the breaker panel inside the trailer, particularly if their 120V breakers and 12V fuses are in the same enclosure.

They need to review RV Electrical 101 and find out how the systems are related.

Some of us who have been doing it for a long time just assume that the new guys know as much about the systems as we do. I know I have been guilty and then couldn't figure out why he was looking at me like I was speaking in an unknown language.

Larryzv7 wrote:
If you trip a fuse in your converter box then most likely you have reached the max on your converter box ...

The converter box is for 12VDC only. The AC breakers in your power center will trip if you overload one of the circuits inside the trailer. That doesn't mean that you are exceeding the amount of current the pedestal provides. If, on the other hand, you trip the pedestal 30amp breaker, it means your trailer is drawing more than the 30amps the outlet can provide.

Point is, it doesn't matter which you do, unless you pop the 120vac main breaker in the coach, or the 30/50 amp breaker on the pedestal. Which is entirely possible if you run a few things like microwave, A/C, hairdryer, plus whatever stuff is outside on the patio. If you find it convenient, plug some of the outside stuff into the pedestal outlet, which will free up current available to inside stuff.

tadpole54 wrote:
Thanks to all.
We moved and I have been offline for a while...obviously. If I am understanding all the posts here, then I believe it is best to run an extension cord off the outside post 20 amp to power the outside lights on my permanent lot and any other 'OUTSIDE" occasional uses such as my power saw, grill rotisserie, lights for tent camping visitors, etc.
Correct?

lots of people, myself included, do it that way. I'm not sure it's "best" that way, just more convenient (to me at least).

By the way, if one of your outlets on the pedestal is only two prongs, I'd avoid using it. The third prong is ground, and in the wet/damp conditions frequently encountered while camping, an ungrounded outlet can have disastrous consequences.

Thanks to all.
We moved and I have been offline for a while...obviously. If I am understanding all the posts here, then I believe it is best to run an extension cord off the outside post 20 amp to power the outside lights on my permanent lot and any other 'OUTSIDE" occasional uses such as my power saw, grill rotisserie, lights for tent camping visitors, etc.
Correct?

I run everything inside my 30 A camper from the 30 A outlet the campground provides. I have an electric smoker, coffee pot, crock pot, etc. that I set up outside and use the 110 V outlets on the post to power. That way, I can have the AC on in the camper and the smoker or crock pot going outside with no worries.

I stand corrected and I thank you for that. The converter does only handle 12vdc and the outside electric pedestal box only handles 120vac. The 120vac runs the outlets and the 12vdc runs the lights, ignition for the stove, and heater ignition. I may have left something out. Although the outside electric box (30amp or 50amp) also charges the 12v trailer battery(s).

Much confusion here about 120 vs 12 volt use. Converter powers only 12 volt stuff and is not used when using the 120V outlets whether inside or outside your camper. If you are plugging enough stuff into the camper outlets to exceed the 30 (or 50) amp rating that your camper has, then run an extension cord to the pole to use the other 20 amp outlets.

Larryzv7 wrote:
I use the 30 amp outlet for my trailer, and I run an extension cord into my trailer from the 120 outlet on the outside electric box thru the storage compartment, and use that to plug in other things so I don’t overload my converter box.

My converter box can handle about 4,000 watts so anything over that I plug into the extension cord. If you trip a fuse in your converter box then most likely you have reached the max on your converter box and it is helpful to have a secondary electric source like an extension cord attached to the outside electric box. But I don't think it is wise to plug 2-sources of electricity into your converter box.

If you trip a fuse just open your converter box panel and turn the breaker box switch off and on to reset it. If your 120 outlet within the RV goes out find the GIFC outlet, it has a button it, and reset it by pushing in the button located on that outlet. Now you don’t have to use an extension cord, because you can set things outside next to the electric box and plug them in there. It is also okay to use the outlets on the outside of the camper.

Your converter box powers the 12v appliances and lights. It doesn't care how much 120vac stuff you plug in because it doesn't go thru it. If the 120vac stuff trips a breaker then the converter won't work and you are running the 12v stuff on battery.

2 different circuits, 120vac and 12vdc

I do this all the time for the outside patio 120VAC things we are using. I also run an extension cord from the 20AMP Pedestal inside the trailer to run my two oil-filled portable heaters. Being a POPUP trailer it is easy for me to run extension cords into the trailer thru the window flaps. The Pedestal 20AMP Service has its own circuit breaker and will not pull power from the 30AMP Shore Power Connection side... It also makes good sense to me to use the power from the pedestal instead of consuming your Propane for heat if that works for you...

Typical Camp Ground Pedestal



I only use the propane furnace here as the last resort for heat as it is too much heat for my OFF-ROAD POPUP and the furnace blower consumes too much 12VDC power from my batteries.

One should be careful however that is using the bigger trailers as the Propane Furnace provides the heat source for the under belly tanks and some inside plumbing to keep from freezing...

Plan your 120VAC usage and do what is best for you. It is there to use...

Roy Ken