Air Conditioner

[JNKS2010]

Question- I have a new TT with a 13,000BTU a/c. We just got it in May. We are new at this. If our a/c won't work at home could it be because we don't have strong enough electrical at the house? We run 30amp and we use a converter to a 15amp to plug in at the house. Electrical in the TT works in general, lights, microwave, fridge...

Any ideas? We're considering towing it to the dealership or a camp ground to plug in and find out if that's the issue..

[doughere]

If it doesn't run on fan, there is probably a breaker off/tripped.

If it will run on fan, compressor tries to start, and fails, or if breaker trips, you may not have heavy enough wiring to run at home. If breaker trips, turn off all breakers but main and A/C breaker and try, if it works, there may be something else on you don't realize (maybe converter trying to charge low battery, hot water heater ? ) drawing a sizable load.

If it will run on fan, but compressor won't try to start, you may well have a problem.

My 13,500 will run at home on a standard #14 extension cord, but I don't try to run anything else.

Doug

[jmckelvy]

Can you define "won't work" in more detail? What happens when you try to run it?

Are you connecting it through a long extension cord?

[ugh]

It does not work well if the 15/20A house receptacle is GFCI protected. Use the regular ones.

[RoyB]

We do the 15/20A house receptacle here all the time for our 13,5000 air conditioners. They are connected to the RV30A-15A adapter first then a 10-gauge 50-foot extension cord goes from there to the garage. Be sure your 30A to 15A adapter is one of those long 'dogbone' type adapters (WALMART) and not one of those small round types.

Should look like this


They do just fine here...

After you run your for a few minutes then walk outside and feel all of the connections. You should not have anything starting to get WARM on you...

I also have one of these RV120VAC meters plugged into the a receptacle inside the the trailer where I can get a good glance at it.

These meters have the GREEN SAFE ZONE printed on the meterpanel. If the 120VCA is within this green safe zone then it is OK to run the air conditioner. When we first turn ours ON they usually jump below the SAFE ZONE until the A/C starts then stays inside the safe zone.



I found a couple of good 10-gauge (10-3) heavy duty contractor grade 50-foot extension cords from a garage sale. You can get by with a 12-gauge (12-3) size but those red orange looking extension cords from WALMART are to small a gauge to use. They will get hot and burn your up things perhaps even your a/c compressor...

Air conditioners in the RV trailers are not known to get ice cold anyway. I wouldn't expect them to perform like they do in your house with thick walls and well insulated attics etc... Try to park in the shade if you can...

Roy Ken

[lanerd]

Start up of a 13 KBTYU AC will require more than 15amps (typically). So yes, it " could it be because we don't have strong enough electrical at the house".

Ron