Hi folks, I've never had the need to use my air conditioning in the rig while parked beside my house. Only used the outside receptacle off the porch when I wanted to turn the fridge on before trips. Now, due to health issues of my dad who is scheduled to have surgery and post-care away from his home, my 97 year old mother needs a place to stay. My home has a number of steps to get in the front & back door, and no bathroom facilities on the first floor which creates a huge problem because she is crippled up terribly with arthritis and can't do stairs. We're are considering using the rig for her to stay in for a few weeks while dad is away. I have (2) 13,500 units, I'm thinking one of them would keep the rig livable since it's shaded most of the afternoon.WHAT do I need to do to allow me to run the air conditioner, can I change out the 20 amp breaker that goes to my porch receptacle to a 30 amp single pole breaker? Or,do I have to run another dedicated line so I can plug in the 30 amp adapter on my 50 amp shore line?

Try it and see what the voltage drop is. I don't run my air conditioner below 107 volts.

20A circuit breaker is enough to run 1 13.5K A/C Unit....provided nothing else is being used on that circuit (in house) and that items used in RV are kept to minimum. (Not going to be able to run microwave and A/C at same time)Put fridge and water heater on propane.Just need 2 adapters........50A to 30A and then 30A to 15AWe lived in our 50A 5vr (2 adults) for 2 months plugged into a 20A outlet And No you can not just change out 20A circuit breaker to 30A circuit breaker than change standard outlet to 30A outlet.........wire size is not large enough for 30A application. (12 GA for 20A and S/B 10 GA for 30A)

NO. Do not just increase breaker size. The proper wire must be run.Considering the circumstances I would have a new 50 amp supply pulled to the RV. 50 amp is 4 wire #6 and a double 50a breaker. The outlet is a very common NEMA 14-50. Even 30 amp power could need power management that Mom probably should not have to worry about. How would you know if the breaker trips?

smkettner wrote:NO. Do not just increase breaker size. The proper wire must be run.Considering the circumstances I would have a new 50 amp supply pulled to the RV. 50 amp is 4 wire #6 and a double 50a breaker. The outlet is a very common NEMA 14-50. Even 30 amp power could need power management that Mom probably should not have to worry about. How would you know if the breaker trips?Remember, not only is the supply wire not large enough, but the House receptacle is also only rated for 15 amp service. Also, that outside receptacle may NOT be the only plug in your house that is supplied by your Main breaker panel 15 amp breaker. There may be 2 or more receptacles run by that 15 amp breaker. ANY 120 appliance plugged into the other receptacles will lower how many items you can run. IF it was my elderly mother, I would have a dedicated 30 amp service run to the trailer. Doug

If it was you, I would say just run whatever you need of the 20A and be wise about AC versus microwave versus ect.For your mom for a few weeks, what better reason to install a 50A than now?

Electric for air conditioning | Good Sam Community

26 Replies

Vulcan_Rider
Explorer
Jul 10, 2015
Others have covered the electrical requirements.

If this was MY 97 year old mother in the condition you describe, I think I would be looking for an "assisted care" facility close by.....maybe near to Dad's rehab facility.

My gut feeling is that this really isn't such a good idea.
boogie_4wheel
Explorer
Jul 10, 2015
If it was you, I would say just run whatever you need of the 20A and be wise about AC versus microwave versus ect.

For your mom for a few weeks, what better reason to install a 50A than now?
dougrainer
Nomad
Jul 10, 2015
smkettner wrote:
NO. Do not just increase breaker size. The proper wire must be run.

Considering the circumstances I would have a new 50 amp supply pulled to the RV. 50 amp is 4 wire #6 and a double 50a breaker. The outlet is a very common NEMA 14-50. Even 30 amp power could need power management that Mom probably should not have to worry about. How would you know if the breaker trips?

Remember, not only is the supply wire not large enough, but the House receptacle is also only rated for 15 amp service. Also, that outside receptacle may NOT be the only plug in your house that is supplied by your Main breaker panel 15 amp breaker. There may be 2 or more receptacles run by that 15 amp breaker. ANY 120 appliance plugged into the other receptacles will lower how many items you can run. IF it was my elderly mother, I would have a dedicated 30 amp service run to the trailer. Doug
time2roll
Nomad
Jul 10, 2015
NO. Do not just increase breaker size. The proper wire must be run.

Considering the circumstances I would have a new 50 amp supply pulled to the RV. 50 amp is 4 wire #6 and a double 50a breaker. The outlet is a very common NEMA 14-50. Even 30 amp power could need power management that Mom probably should not have to worry about. How would you know if the breaker trips?
Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Jul 10, 2015
20A circuit breaker is enough to run 1 13.5K A/C Unit....provided nothing else is being used on that circuit (in house) and that items used in RV are kept to minimum. (Not going to be able to run microwave and A/C at same time)

Put fridge and water heater on propane.

Just need 2 adapters........50A to 30A and then 30A to 15A

We lived in our 50A 5vr (2 adults) for 2 months plugged into a 20A outlet

And No you can not just change out 20A circuit breaker to 30A circuit breaker than change standard outlet to 30A outlet.........wire size is not large enough for 30A application. (12 GA for 20A and S/B 10 GA for 30A)
pianotuna
Nomad III
Jul 10, 2015
Try it and see what the voltage drop is. I don't run my air conditioner below 107 volts.

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Electric for air conditioning

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