Kilowatt usage

Kountryguy wrote:
Can someone tell me what is the max possible kilowatt usage having 30 amp service? If i figured correctly, it is 86 kw/ day. That sounds like a lot to me.

Just to clarify. A kilowatt (KW) is a measure of how much power you are using right now. A kilowatt-hour (KWH) is how much energy you've used (and will have to pay for) over some period of time.

So, the answer to your question, is that 30A 120V service can provide a maximimum of 3600 watts or 3.6 KW. If you run maxed out, the most energy you can use is 3.6 KW times 24 hours or 86.4 KWH.

If you have 50 A service, it is actually 50A at 240 volts AC (or 120 VAC on two circuits), so the max wattage is 12 KW - much more than double even though the amps specified are less than double.

Usage could go up if you are plugging in sources at the box that are not run through the trailer system.

Good points Don.
I guess I should have specified "usage in a similar climate".
Time to go enjoy my hot tub now :)

Steve

Hi Steve,

RV's don't have much in the way of insulation in them. They tend to also be full of holes. Window area per square foot is much higher in an RV than in a home.

I'm currently drawing about 2950 watts from two 15 amp circuits.

One is running a fan heater Voltage is 105. Watts are about 1613. I have a 50 foot #12 cord, on that circuit.

One is running 1337 watts on two oil filled heaters and the converter. I have a 25 foot #12, on that circuit. I don't monitor the voltage on that circuit. The heaters in the bedroom are cycling.

Temperature outside is -9.6 c (14.7 f) Inside it is 21 c (70 f).

I will "loose the battle" in the front of the RV as I'm expecting -14 C tonight.

The bedroom, which has a sliding fabric door will stay pleasantly warm.

I'll cook tonight using my inverter--and then overnight the converter can recharge the bank for me.

To put that number in perspective, my ~2200 sq ft all electric house used an average of 65 Kw per day last month. Furnace, misc. small heaters, hot tub, lots of lights (not LED), clothes dryer, water heater, stove and oven, water pump (well), etc., etc.. So how in the world a relatively tiny RV could ever use anything even close to this (esp. if propane is used too) is way beyond me....of course that may not be saying much :D

Steve

24 hr x 30a x 120v = 86,400 whr /1000 = 86.4 KWH

My bet would be something melts at 30a continuous for an extended period.
Average should be 24 amps or less or 69 kWh per day.

Circuits are generally derated 20% by NEC for continuous use. ( >3 hours)

That would be right, but to do that you would have to have heaters running 100% of the time at maximum.

Generally 30 amps is the maximum allowed, and your breaker will trip if you exceed this for very long.

But your loads, electric heaters, fridges, hot water tanks, A/C's do not generally run at full load for very long.

So, in a day, a full day and night, I bet few exceed 50Kwatts.