Understanding Power
I've been reading up on power needs and uses, but things aren't quite clear. For starters I'm looking at the Keystone Passport 2920 BH. From what I read not all A/Cs run on DC power. How does o...
Forum Discussion
On a conventional RV like a Keystone Passport you will have a 120V AC system and a 12V DC system. Usually the lighting, ventilation, heating, and controls for fridge and water heater will be on the 12V side, A/C, microwave and convection ovens, and 120V convenience outlets will be on the 120V side, which is externally sourced.
The 120V side includes a AC to DC converter/charger to feed the 12V system and recharge your batteries. Towables will have a pin on the connector to the tow vehicle to provide 12V power while you are towing.
If you have a small inverter, it will be feeding a few specific outlets, usually entertainment systems that could not be sourced as 12V DC appliances.
There exist motorcoaches with large 12V (or 24V) DC systems, massive DC storage and inverter capacity, and autostart generator systems, that can run all electrical appliances, including A/C, but a Passport is not in that category. Typical RVs of the type you are looking at, if they had a 4KW inverter, would have enough battery capacity to run the A/C for 10-20 minutes before the inverter kicks out on a low battery voltage condition.
My experience with 30 amp service, I can run the A/C and the microwave at the same time, but I can't start the A/C compressor if the microwave is running. Any electric heating appliances (water heater, toaster, griddle, coffeemaker, etc) in combination with microwave and A/C are a problem. Vacuum cleaners can be a problem. Blow dryers are a problem. We have a whole lot of household and personal appliances sized to draw the max from a 15 amp circuit, and any two can max out the 30 amp main. My daughter plugs in her curling iron while blow drying her hair, a combo that can pop a 15 amp breaker within a few minutes, or take out the 30 amp main if the A/C starts up.
What works off propane is a generator. If it is a 30 amp service, that would be a 4KW generator. At half load (e.g. A/C running) it will go through 3-4 pounds of propane per hour.
The combination of questions makes me think you are wondering about boondocking but maintaining an on-the-grid lifestyle. It is not easy. I'm configured with a generator to feed my 120V 30 amp system, and can get into a site usually with enough fuel for 60-80 hours operation. But I don't do that. It is either find a place where I plug into the power grid, or I go into a dry camp mode that is not very different from what I do when tent camping. A big part of this choice for me is because I'm not sure that if I go to sleep with a generator pumping CO into the air around my RV, that I'll wake up again.
The 120V side includes a AC to DC converter/charger to feed the 12V system and recharge your batteries. Towables will have a pin on the connector to the tow vehicle to provide 12V power while you are towing.
If you have a small inverter, it will be feeding a few specific outlets, usually entertainment systems that could not be sourced as 12V DC appliances.
There exist motorcoaches with large 12V (or 24V) DC systems, massive DC storage and inverter capacity, and autostart generator systems, that can run all electrical appliances, including A/C, but a Passport is not in that category. Typical RVs of the type you are looking at, if they had a 4KW inverter, would have enough battery capacity to run the A/C for 10-20 minutes before the inverter kicks out on a low battery voltage condition.
My experience with 30 amp service, I can run the A/C and the microwave at the same time, but I can't start the A/C compressor if the microwave is running. Any electric heating appliances (water heater, toaster, griddle, coffeemaker, etc) in combination with microwave and A/C are a problem. Vacuum cleaners can be a problem. Blow dryers are a problem. We have a whole lot of household and personal appliances sized to draw the max from a 15 amp circuit, and any two can max out the 30 amp main. My daughter plugs in her curling iron while blow drying her hair, a combo that can pop a 15 amp breaker within a few minutes, or take out the 30 amp main if the A/C starts up.
What works off propane is a generator. If it is a 30 amp service, that would be a 4KW generator. At half load (e.g. A/C running) it will go through 3-4 pounds of propane per hour.
The combination of questions makes me think you are wondering about boondocking but maintaining an on-the-grid lifestyle. It is not easy. I'm configured with a generator to feed my 120V 30 amp system, and can get into a site usually with enough fuel for 60-80 hours operation. But I don't do that. It is either find a place where I plug into the power grid, or I go into a dry camp mode that is not very different from what I do when tent camping. A big part of this choice for me is because I'm not sure that if I go to sleep with a generator pumping CO into the air around my RV, that I'll wake up again.
