How to add 2nd. A/C

[filrupmark]

I have a 30 amp fifth wheel. I would like to add a 2nd A/C in the bedroom. A RV dealer told me they could add a 20 amp drop leg. That would be the 2nd ac wired directly to a seperate receptacle mounted on the side of the trailer. I would have to plug in my 30 amp cord like normal and then if I wanted to run my 2nd ac I would have to plug in a extension cord to the seperate receptacle and then plug the cord into the 20amp outlet next to the 30 amp on the park power . Has anyone ever heard of this. That would mean that the parks power would have to be wired for 50 amps total.??????????????????

[filrupmark]

Thanks for your post. I think we will go ahead with the drop leg system. I was originally concearned that the 30/20 amp pedestals might not handle the two A/Cs. I figured what good are two A/Cs if you cant run them.

[Bumpyroad]

REWahoo wrote:


One suggestion: when wiring the 20 amp service, include a separate wall outlet in the bedroom. This will allow you to run an electric heater off that circuit in cool weather.

good idea
bumpy

[REWahoo]

filrupmark wrote:
I have a 30 amp fifth wheel. I would like to add a 2nd A/C in the bedroom. A RV dealer told me they could add a 20 amp drop leg. That would be the 2nd ac wired directly to a seperate receptacle mounted on the side of the trailer. I would have to plug in my 30 amp cord like normal and then if I wanted to run my 2nd ac I would have to plug in a extension cord to the seperate receptacle and then plug the cord into the 20amp outlet next to the 30 amp on the park power . Has anyone ever heard of this. That would mean that the parks power would have to be wired for 50 amps total.??????????????????

This is exactly what I did three years ago and it has worked very well for us. Only once did we end up in a 'last resort' park where we didn't have the ability to hook up both plugs.

One suggestion: when wiring the 20 amp service, include a separate wall outlet in the bedroom. This will allow you to run an electric heater off that circuit in cool weather.

[harold1946]

Bob Landry wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
In many cases there are 100 amps available at the pedestal. 50-30 and 20 amp outlets that can be utilized at the same time. It depends on how the pedestal is wired.
A drop leg is quite commonly used for just that application.

There is 100A available just at the 50A outlet, split into two 120V-50A legs.

Bumpy beat you to it !! Thanks anyway.

[harold1946]

Bob Landry wrote:

harold1946 wrote:
In many cases there are 100 amps available at the pedestal. 50-30 and 20 amp outlets that can be utilized at the same time. It depends on how the pedestal is wired.
A drop leg is quite commonly used for just that application.

There is 100A available just at the 50A outlet, split into two 120V-50A legs.

Bumpy beat you to it !! Thanks anyway.

[Bob_Landry]

harold1946 wrote:
In many cases there are 100 amps available at the pedestal. 50-30 and 20 amp outlets that can be utilized at the same time. It depends on how the pedestal is wired.
A drop leg is quite commonly used for just that application.

There is 100A available just at the 50A outlet, split into two 120V-50A legs.

[Bob_Landry]

RoyB wrote:
Most campgrounds have 30AMP and 20AMP receptacles for you to use.

This is a typical PARK PEDESTAL setup...


Each of the 30A and 20A service provided has its own circuit breaker on the campground pedestal.

We use the 20AMP SERVICE alot when camping. All of the outside LIGHTS-FANS etc items get run from this connection. I also run an extension cord into the trailer and run my OIL FILLED portable heaters as well. The idea is to use their electric instead of my PROPANE...

I like that idea of having an outside 20AMP connection installed on the trailer to use a separate cable going to the campground pedestal. I have been thinking about doing this to my trailer as well. Some trailers don't have an easy route into the trailer from the outside to run an extension cord.

If you decide to get this done to your trailer I would make sure it terminates into an accessible 120VAC receptacle inside your trailer so you can use it for other use as well.

There is another thought here as well you may want to think about. I personally don't like the idea of having the bedroom air conditioner just inches above our heads. If we did however have a second Air Conditioner installed I would probably go for the 9600BTU model which could be run from a 2KW Honda Portable Generator. We usually bring a house 8000BTU window unit along with us in our OFF-ROAD POPUP setup when we are going to be camping off the power grid for an extended time. Our EU2000i Honda runs it just fine. being a window unit I can set it in unsed tent bed area and wrap the tent window fabric around it to seal off... Works good for us.

With your unit wired up to the outside 120VAC Power Plug would be a very easy connection to the portable generator... I was never able to run my 13,500BTU roof mounted air conditioners from the 2KW EU2000i Honda Generator.

A good PLAN B to have for sure...

Roy Ken

Be careful painting with a broad brush. Every COE Park and every State Park in Texas and Arkansas that we have been to all have 50A service.

[Bumpyroad]

harold1946 wrote:
In many cases there are 100 amps available at the pedestal. 50-30 and 20 amp outlets that can be utilized at the same time. It depends on how the pedestal is wired.
A drop leg is quite commonly used for just that application.

and maybe even 150 amps. I made a dual 30 amp outlet with a 50 amp plug "wye"
bumpy

[RoyB]

Most campgrounds have 30AMP and 20AMP receptacles for you to use.

This is a typical PARK PEDESTAL setup...


Each of the 30A and 20A service provided has its own circuit breaker on the campground pedestal.

We use the 20AMP SERVICE alot when camping. All of the outside LIGHTS-FANS etc items get run from this connection. I also run an extension cord into the trailer and run my OIL FILLED portable heaters as well. The idea is to use their electric instead of my PROPANE...

I like that idea of having an outside 20AMP connection installed on the trailer to use a separate cable going to the campground pedestal. I have been thinking about doing this to my trailer as well. Some trailers don't have an easy route into the trailer from the outside to run an extension cord.

If you decide to get this done to your trailer I would make sure it terminates into an accessible 120VAC receptacle inside your trailer so you can use it for other use as well.

There is another thought here as well you may want to think about. I personally don't like the idea of having the bedroom air conditioner just inches above our heads. If we did however have a second Air Conditioner installed I would probably go for the 9600BTU model which could be run from a 2KW Honda Portable Generator. We usually bring a house 8000BTU window unit along with us in our OFF-ROAD POPUP setup when we are going to be camping off the power grid for an extended time. Our EU2000i Honda runs it just fine. being a window unit I can set it in unsed tent bed area and wrap the tent window fabric around it to seal off... Works good for us.

With your unit wired up to the outside 120VAC Power Plug would be a very easy connection to the portable generator... I was never able to run my 13,500BTU roof mounted air conditioners from the 2KW EU2000i Honda Generator.

A good PLAN B to have for sure...

Roy Ken

[BurbMan]

Depending on your layout, it could be a real bear running a wire from the 2nd A/C back to your existing breaker box, then upgrading the box to the larger 50A model, plus adding storage for the fatter 50A cord. I'm with you, that's the way it should be done, but how much are you willing to pay? It just may not be practical. As BB mentioned, many on the forum have added a similar set up to run a space heater or add a second space heater. So you would have 2 shore power cords, your 30A and a separate 20A feeding the 2nd A/C.

[harold1946]

In many cases there are 100 amps available at the pedestal. 50-30 and 20 amp outlets that can be utilized at the same time. It depends on how the pedestal is wired.
A drop leg is quite commonly used for just that application.

[BB_TX]

What he is proposing would be your simplest solution. Parks with a 30 amp plug invariably also have a separate 20 amp plug. Unless they wired the 20 from the 30 (not likely) you would have no problem.
Others here have reported doing similar modifications for running second ACs, heaters, etc.