SoundGuy wrote:
DutchmenSport wrote:
In your case, the most that will happen is, your wires will begin to warm up. If they do, you're drawing too much. Simple answer? Get a heaver extension cord.
Worst case: You pop the breaker in your house! Solution? Turn something off, you've exceeded 20 amps.
Not true. The worst that can happen is you could eventually fry the A/C compressor from excessive voltage drop that is so quick it can't be detected with a DVM. A typical 13,500 BTU A/C has an average LRA (Locked Rotor Amp) rating of ~ 60 amps ... do that often enough over a long length of small gauge cable and a warm cable will be the least of your problems. ;)
So if I understand what you are getting at, you are saying that the voltage drop when the compressor engages is more of a concern? I could certainly believe this would be the case with older A/C units, but mine is a 2015 and comes with integrated capacitors that help reduce the startup strain with the large in-rush of amperage when the compressor engages.
My DVM is reading 125V inside the RV with nothing turned on at my house. With the A/C on high and compressor engaged, I have never seen it drop below 117V.
So glad I bought a DVM too, campground I went to this weekend was largely vacant and voltage was 109V with a 1500W heater plugged in and nothing else!! Talk about significant voltage drop!!
