Running AC off of my home's current/Please Respond

[Olive600]

I've been told that running the AC for my 2005 B Touring Cruiser Gulfstream off my house current can burn out the AC's air compressor. I've also been told that's not true, that the worst that will happen if there isn't enough current is that a fuse will blow. Unfortunately the difference of opinion has turned into some very bad feelings between friends. I'm still shaking. Please help me understand if you can. I'm new to all this. Evidently as an older, single woman I will be lied to and cheated at every turn. At least that's what I'm being told. (Yes, I'm so upset that I'm sniveling 8-) )

Thanks

[powderman426]

I run my 13.5 off of a 20 amp circuit all the time with no problem. I am not saying its what you should do, but it works for me.

[Olive600]

HiTech wrote:
Also it looks like your unit came standard with an 11,000 btu AC or optional 13,500. Do you know which you have? 11,000 would be easy peasy on a good 20 amp circuit IMO, but it would not hurt to have a master electrician out to look at your wiring and plug and tell you if it would work or what it would take to give you an outlet capable of doing what you want.

Jim

Jim, I don't know what size the AC is. I'll do the research. Thanks.

[Weasel1USA]

Several years ago some friends of mine wanted to live in their RV for the summer at my home. I installed a 30A RV outlet on the wall using a 30Amp breaker and 8 gauge wire to the outlet. They ran the AC all summer long and now I have my Class A hooked up to it when it's parked at home. I've had no problems at all and never had a serious voltage drop. I also hooked up to the sewer line and water supply and it makes a super RV pad. My advise is to have an experienced electrician do the work and make sure he/she uses a proper circuit breaker and proper size wire for the length of wire run to the outlet. Hook up and be happy!!!

[fla-gypsy]

I can run my 13.5 btu AC for my TT from my 20A/120V washing machine plug all day long with no issue. It requires a properly sized extension cord. The only thing that will affect your AC is running on low voltage (under 108V, this will kill it), insufficient amperage (under 20A the breaker will trip) or plugging it into a 220A outlet (likely will fry all electrical circuits and devices).

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I do NOT endorse the idea of running your rig off a single 120vac 15-amp outlet.

The reason is this. Nerds (me included) do things like buy meters and monitor them, turn things off and on, to compensate (cheat) for a hodge-podge setup that is so easy to mismanage it isn't funny.

If you are indeed willing to jump through hoops, buy meters, and then obey the laws of electricity then OK you can plug into a house receptacle (plug-in)

People who want to help -theorize- and base their assumptions on having everything in their scenario -perfect-. No older, loose house receptacle, a home with up to date code wiring, and ten dozen other things that we nerds automatically check for when undertaking such a task.

You may not be versed in all this nerdery. You might wish to simply plug in and not be forced to buy a bunch of meters, and memorize just how many accessories on at the same time is "enough" and not "too much".

This is your call, not someone else's.

You need professional advice for your own exclusive and particular case. Advice that is not biased. Seek unbiased and dispassionate professional advice IMHO.

[Olive600]

Thank you everyone. I do not have a "special RV line" at my house. It's unlikely that I will get one. I just ordered a volt meter for the RV. I'll use it as soon as I get it. I do have a heavy duty extension cord, but I don't remember if it's 30 amp. Not sure that I knew what to look for when I bought it. It is probably longer than I should be using. I'll check out all of this. Thanks again for the help. There seems to be consensus around some basic points. Those are what I'll go with.

[Sandia_Man]

I hope you didn't lose any close friends since the answer can be YES or NO as stated by Smkettner. The variables are what size AC unit and it's amperage draw, the rated amperage of the household outlet to be used, and the length and gauge of the cord you intend to use. The best way to eliminate any safety and/or equipment failure issues is to have a dedicated 30 amp outlet installed where you can use your rig's shore power cord, especially if you plan to do this often. I have plugged my high efficiency 13.5K AC (draws just under 10 amps) unit into a 15 amp household outlet and it ran fine but voltage dropped to 108 VAC which is close enough for me to not want to do this often or for any extended length of time. Voltage drop would have been less significant if I was using our rig's shore power but it doesn't reach thereby requiring the use of a 50' extension cord. If your rig has an onboard generator it can be used for this purpose, plus it will give the genny some exercise.

[I_am_still_wayn]

Olive600 wrote:
Unfortunately the difference of opinion has turned into some very bad feelings between friends. I'm still shaking.

You will hear all kinds of answers from the armchair electricians. The truth is yes you can do it. And yes you can damage your A/C. Let me explain.

You need enough electricity supplied to the A/C- that will mean usually between 110 to 130 volts. Optimum will be 120 volts. You will then need enough amps to actually run the A/C. Plugging the RV into your house outlet will give you the correct volts. Plug the RV cord directly into a 20 amp circuit from your house with very little, and preferably nothing else electrical running and you will have enough amps for your A/C. If you have to use an extension cord, 12 gauge, but preferably 10 gauge no longer than 25 feet will work.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Monitor the voltage. If it drops below 109 I turn my AC off.

Use a thick cord. #10 with a "dog bone" adapter.

kill-a-watt

watt meter



Outlet tester.

outlet tester

[ScottG]

Markiemark32 wrote:
Your house would have to have a specicfic line to handle either the 30amp or 50amp service needed to run a A/C.

I have heard, some think the DRYER outlet looks like a RV style outlet and plugging into that will FRY your RV electronics because totatlly different.

Normal house plugs/outlets of a house are not strong enough(amperage i think) to run the AC, I keep my plugged in at home, just to run lights and fridge when getting ready to travel.

Sure some electricians will speak up on if you tried to run AC on a "Normal" line, (I am guessing will through the breaker that line is on in the house). Not sure if it could damage AC compressor.

Markiemark

Dryer outlets are 230V - lots of RV's damaged by this!

My advice is to monitor the voltage and if it drops too low, turn the AC off.

[Chris_Bryant]

The only issue that can cause damage is low voltage, period. Buy a plug in volt meter, plug it in to the rig, see what the voltage is with the A/C running. Anything above 110 volts is fine (well, 220 volts is not fine, but....).

[ernie1]

I have run my 11,000 but Duo Therm ac on my PW class b rv for years and absolutely no problems.

[ksg5000]

I run my AC off a 15 amp house outlet since 1992. I use a Kill a Watt to monitor voltage inside the rig. I use a heavy gauge extension cord - make sure that no other heavy loads are on the house circuit - switch the RV fridge to gas - and before I do anything I make sure my RV batteries are in good shape and fully charged otherwise the RV converter will kick in increasing the likelihood of an overload (or just toggle the battery disconnect if your converter will supply DC without battery connected).

[kaydeejay]

Welcome Olive600:)

The original discussion with your "friend" left out a lot of details. They weren't exactly wrong (low volts could fry your A/C) but they were very misleading. It is not black and white - you CAN run the A/C if the circuit can handle the load. It's the same voltage as you would use at a campground after all.

IMO HiTech gave you the best answer. You need volts to run the A/C.
A typical 120V circuit will drop below 110V under heavy load if the circuit and/or connections are not sized for the job. Your A/C compressor will NOT like that. At 108V it would really start to struggle and may fail.

You COULD run off a 20A circuit but the best solution is to have a 110V 30A (NEMA 30-TT) RV outlet installed at home, then it will behave no differently (perhaps better!) than hooking up in a campground.

MAKE SURE whoever does the install confirms it is a 120V circuit with a SINGLE breaker in your fuse-box.

DO not plug into it if the electrician installs a double breaker - he would not be the first to assume that outlet should be 240V.
THAT would guarantee failure of your A/C compressor and let the smoke out of a bunch of other stuff as well.

This would be a good time to buy a voltmeter so you can check it out before you plug in. Cheap insurance and a useful tool to have around.

And show your friend this discussion - perhaps you can come to a better mutual understanding. It's not worth losing a friend over.

[HiTech]

Also it looks like your unit came standard with an 11,000 btu AC or optional 13,500. Do you know which you have? 11,000 would be easy peasy on a good 20 amp circuit IMO, but it would not hurt to have a master electrician out to look at your wiring and plug and tell you if it would work or what it would take to give you an outlet capable of doing what you want.

Jim