Two AC's with 30 Amp Service ?

[Ponder]

Hello...I am a new RV-er and have a million questions but maybe someone can help with one for now.....

I have 30 amp service and two AC's and the two will not run by generator at the same time....but the manufacturer says the Gen will run both but not with 30 amp service in the coach. I found a post that was very complete 6/2/2012 by ""Chaffkeekid"" showing with Pictures and with great detail how to mod wiring (pretty simple)to run two AC's with 30 Amp service....

Does anyone know if this mod was to run off the Generator or one unit off the Gen and the other off shore pwr?? Not sure.

Many Thanks...Ponder

[kmb1966]

I have the Power Solutions dual power adapter and it works great. I am not sure if this company is still in business. The setup they sold is able to be constructed with parts available at home improvement stores though. I bought mine because it was easier and the gentleman at Power Solutions was very helpful, so he deserved the order in my opinion. Like I said, I don't know if they are still in business though.
My EMS allows both compressors to be ran at the same time. Pulls about 27 amps. If something else is turned on, the EMS system turns the 2nd compressor off temporarily. It works really well. But the 2nd shore cord that the dual power adapter provides allows the main shore cord to operate most of the time around 15 amps which means the cord does not scortch as easy. At 27+ amps my shore cord used to get warm/hot at times. With the dual power adapter, that situation has basically gone away.

[tropical36]

Ponder wrote:
Hello...I am a new RV-er and have a million questions but maybe someone can help with one for now.....

I have 30 amp service and two AC's and the two will not run by generator at the same time....but the manufacturer says the Gen will run both but not with 30 amp service in the coach. I found a post that was very complete 6/2/2012 by ""Chaffkeekid"" showing with Pictures and with great detail how to mod wiring (pretty simple)to run two AC's with 30 Amp service....

Does anyone know if this mod was to run off the Generator or one unit off the Gen and the other off shore pwr?? Not sure.

Many Thanks...Ponder

PM me with your addy and I'll send you all the info for installing a dual power adapter and one of the best things I ever done, even though I also have an Energy Management System that prevents overloads, which simply sheds one or both A/C's until your microwave, etc, shuts off.
In essence your gen set is good for about 45amps min, so a good 15amps above shore power, even with the smaller units. You gen has a 20amp breaker for the rear air and a 30amp for the rest of the coach. This adapter simply splits this 20 amp feed with a plug and an outlet, so when unplugged from itself, it can be separately plugged in to a separate outlet at a campground pedestal or elsewhere. Keep in mind that this circuit switches over with a relay when on generator and is normally fed from your 30amp service when on shore power.

[wa8yxm]

Current set up likely has one Air Conditioner hooked to a 20 amp breaker on the Generator, It may also be able to get fed via a "Front/Rear" switch inside the coach.

Mod is as follows.

Generator---------------Air conditioner (current)

Generator-----Outlet Plug----- Air conditioner

Optionally Plug--Breaker---Air conditioner

The outlet and plug are in a compartment or access panel where you can get at them from outside

You unplug from the outlet,, And plug into a HEAVY DUTY (At least 12ga) extension cord to the 20 amp outlet on the park post.

NOTE: Some parks,, can't do that.

[JaBob]

I have used the "Power Solutions" set up for 5 years and NEVER had a problem. Google this company and decide for yourself.

Bob

[427435]

Again, what MH do you have?

I have 2 air conditions (really 2 pumps and one blower) and, together, they draw about 19 amps. Running them on 30 amp shore power along with other low draw stuff has always been easy. If I turn on another high draw appliance, the power management system drops one compressor until the other high draw goes away. Then the 2nd compressor is turned back on. Winny knew what to do to make it all work together.

[Triker33]

On 30 AMP service with a EMS system. I can run 2 13,500 BTU Coleman PS AC's at the same time. OEM rear AC was a 11K unit. But I replaced it a couple months ago.

I don't need to run the 2 AC unless outside gets above 90º.

OP check at your generator for a tripped breaker. You should have a 30 AMP & a 20 AMP one or at least 2 20 AMP. Your AC wiring should be split between the 2 breakers. And should allow both to run the same time on the generator.

Without a EMS service you will not get both to run the same time on shore power.

[normared]

Second that last post... 02 Bounder here with a power management system that is supposed to keep both A/C's from running at the same time (at least it won't let both compressors "start" at the same time). Works pretty well except in very hot weather (95+) but I guess nothing works well in that heat and humidity here in the south.

I would not do a modification separating the power supply until I had it checked out with someone more experienced or a repair shop.

[bsinmich]

A couple people think it can't be done, to run 2 ACs on 30 amps. Fleetwood and many others, dit it for years and Fleetwood used an Intellitec EMS to manage the whole system. I used one for many years and had 2 ACs runniing. If both ACs are 15K BTU you may have a problem. Fleetwood put a smaller one in the bedroom and the large one in the kitchen area. All you have to do is fid what has been done p reviously and get things back to normal to solve your problem.

[Ponder]

OK....I will be taking a closer look at things and will report back with what I find.....

Many thanks to all.....Ponder

[AllegroD]

While both AC can run at the same time, there is still a danger. Both cannot start at the same time. Starting amps often go as high as 20mps, each. Let's say for the sake of argument that you have both AC running and levelled off. They are each drawing about 12(+) amps. That leaves 6 amps available to run other things safely, and we have not even talked about the losses due to size of wire and length of run. 6 amps will not run a MW or hairdryer. At 1500 watts each, they require 12.5 amps each.

BTW, you already have some trickle parasitical systems, i.e. converter. You could turn that off.

Now here is the real danger. Have you got a digital, plugin, voltmeter, such as Kill A Watt? This is to watch how many volts you have available. As you plug in or turn on more items, watch the voltage drop. When you get down to 105 volts, you could be causing heat related damage to your sensitive appliances, like an AC. You will likely not see the damage immediately but this cuts life off of them. Many systems will continue to run below 105 but it is not healthy for them.

I do not let mine run below 108.

[roam1]

both my ac's will run at the same time on 30A without special circuitry
not much else can be run though besides say sat tv
I usually put the frige and water heater on propane if I only have 30A and need both ac's

my 5.5K genny will run both ac's also, one on the 30a circuit and one on the 20a circuit

take a closer look at yours, I think it should run both ac's on 30a!

[jimervin]

I have a 99 damon daybreak with a 4 KW gen set. My second A C unit is a new high efficiency non-ducted unit in the bedroom. Total amp draw with both running is about22 amps as measured with a clamp on ammeter.Just make sure you are within the ampacity of the wiring and don't run other appliances simultaneously.
Voltage should be aminimum of 106 VAC. If not your are subject to brown out and circuit tripping .

good luck!

[wilanddij]

Both ACs on my 04 Southie work just fine on 30A. Of course, I need to make sure that stuff like the waterheater & DW's hair dryer are shut off. The Southie also came with an EMS, so when power draw heads toward 30A, it shuts off one of the ACs.

[RodLyle]

have a 30amp two acs no problem

[jerseyjim]

You got 30 AMPS and 2 a/c units. Very strange...but you have a 1999 unit, so who knows what they were thinking back then? That means you have a 30AMP plug, so plugging into shore power, you can only use 1 a/c unit anyway.

It takes (in most cases) 50 AMPS to run both a/c units. 30 AMPS can run one unit at a time. As mentioned in another post above, there is a ($$) gadget you can buy that will autommatically switch from one a/c to the other.

My 2001 is 50 AMP....and has a 5.5 Generac Generator. This thing can run EVERYTHING in my motorhome at the same time. Both a/c, both TVs, microwave, lights, fans, the whole thing.

What I found over the years is that 98% of the time, ONE a/c unit is all I need. So...if you have two...alternate them yourself or buy that gadget mentioned. IMO, if the wiring ain't broke, don't fix it.