running ac or micro unit on tt while parked at home ??

[pacamper]

How will i know if this will work ok and not burn up my ac unit, what will i need to know, volts/amp, i have a volt tester ????
Im thinking i am running off of a 20 amp receptical.
Any help would be appreciated

[Grumpy374]

I don't worry about my rv power cord length, meters, test probes or what I'm running. With a dedicated 30 amp breaker and outlet, I plug my Lexi in, and leave it 24/7. I run whatever I want, ac, micro, anything. Even take my compressor and run it off the outside outlet on the rig. Bottom line is simply to run 30 amp service. Thats the safest way You don't have to worry about extention cords or tripping a breaker in your garage when you have to use the outlets. Don't have to worry about cords or adapters getting hot. Don't have to worry about what you can or can't turn on.
Mi Lexi has been plugged in, when we're not on the road, for almost a year now, and I've not had one problem.
Again, for the cost of all your heavy extension cords and conversion plugs and testers, you can install a 30 amp line, for less than 100 bucks, and not have to worry.
Grumpy

[myredracer]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:


All 20-amp receptacles are Specification Grade.

Not so sure about that. Leviton has a 20 amp T-slot in residential grade. 20 amp T-slot residential grade recept.

Leviton also has this one in 15 amp residential grade.



FWIW, I have a single 20 amp T-slot SCD RV receptacle I took out of a previous TT. I don't think they have a grade designation on RV wiring devices?

Agree on going to a better grade receptacle like spec. grade for plugging in something like an RV. If you want even better retention force, try a hospital grade one... 😉 Larger gauge wire, at least #12 is a good idea too. I ran #8 (50 amp) to the 30A recept. in our carport.

[pacamper]

I also just removed a 25 ' heavy duty 12 gauge ext cord from the equation, turned the ac on again, dropped from 123 volts to only 119, so that made a big difference.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

This is what a 20 amp receptacle looks like.




Don't try and connect to a receptacle that looks like the one below




The contacts inside the 20-amp receptacle are thicker and they grip tighter. I like to see 20 ampere circuits for RV's dedicated meaning they feed nothing else in the house. I also like 10 gauge wire to the receptacle. Follow other respondent's advice about wire size. All 20-amp receptacles are Specification Grade. The one inside your house probably cost the builder 19 cents. He got cheated. They are junk.

[myredracer]

Dyngbld wrote:

The receptacle is at the end of a run of #14 ga. running up, down and all around the garage

#14 wire is way to small to run 30amps.

#10 minimum.


http://www.rvpowerprotection.com/Links_files/30-amp%20Service.pdf

I wasn't running 30 amps and I realize that would require #10. I was getting 98 volts with a vacuum cleaner that has a current draw of 12 amps. Even plugging into the garage recept. directly with the 30A shore power cord made no difference making it the overall length of the of #14 run inside the garage the cause (garage is about 1000 sq. ft with maybe 200' or more of overall #14).

My point is that anyone could have long runs of branch circuit wiring in their house/garage that could cause unanticipated excessive voltage drop.

[pacamper]

Ok I started with 123.xx volts, with only one light on in the camper, I turned the ac on and when the compressor kicked on it dropped to 115.xx, while it's running I'm showing 116.3, sound ok ??

[wa8yxm]

I will give you the short answer:

Question: Can I run either A/C or MICROWAVE on 20 amps at home.

A:Please read conditions but: YES.. however.....

Conditions: If you have a large (IE: 80 amp) 3-stage converter.. (80 amps is chosen because that is what I have) you may have to wait a hour or 3 before turingin on the A/C or Microwave after plugging in.

WHY... Well, My converter can suck around 12-15 amps no sweat. if my battery bank (Around 550 amp hours) is hungry. But once they have snacked on shore power for a few hours that drops to just a few amps, and eventually to around 1.

[Grumpy374]

Good point!!! Sorry I forgot that bit of info. Def 120 volt / 30 amp circuit.
Grumpy

[powderman426]

Dyngbld wrote:

Grumpy374 wrote:
If your going to keep your rv at your house on a permenant basis, just do it the right way one time and be done with it. Have an electrician run a dedicated 30 amp line to a new outside outlet. Your home breaker box should have several unused breaker punchouts. Just run a 30 amp breaker with a new line. Weather proof outside outlet, and now you can run anything, includung ac.
You will spend less on the materials to do it right than you will on a good quality 10 guage 50 foot extension cord.
Grumpy

This is the best solution.

Make sure the electrician understands that this is a 30 amp 120 volt circuit.

[Dyngbld]

The receptacle is at the end of a run of #14 ga. running up, down and all around the garage

#14 wire is way to small to run 30amps.

#10 minimum.


http://www.rvpowerprotection.com/Links_files/30-amp%20Service.pdf

[RJsfishin]

I use my ears. If I don't hear a good positive startup, I'd shut it down.
But yeah, you do have to know what a good positive startup sounds like, first:)

[myredracer]

Too much voltage drop can kill the AC, even with the 30A shore power cord plugged right into a house receptacle without an extra extension cord.

I just found out the other day that even with our TT plugged directly into a receptacle in our garage, our built-in vacuum cleaner kept tripping our EMS unit. The voltage was down to 98 volts! I was shocked to see that. The receptacle is at the end of a run of #14 ga. running up, down and all around the garage . (Good voltage using our dedicated 30A recept. in the carport tho.). So don't just assume that the voltage at the recept. in your house is perfectly fine and the issue will be just only with the extension cord and don't assume that going to a 30A extension cord will be okay either.

I would try a load test and measure the voltage inside your camper with a voltmeter. Just use an electric heater - 1500 watts would be good. Or even two of them. Keep in mind though that the current draw from a purely resistive device like a heater has an output that varies with the square of the voltage. For example, if you plugged 2x1500 watt heaters in and got 105 volts, you be getting 105/120 squared (rated output is normally at 120V) times 3,000 watts = 2340 watts and current would be 2340/105 = 22.3 amps.

Besides the full load running current of an AC unit, the momentary starting current is several times the full load current. If you do a load test and the voltage is low, but near 105V, the AC may not be able to start. If it looks questionable, you could consider a hard start capacitor. I read a Coleman manual once that said damage can occur at 105 volts and you don't want to be running near that, especially if nothing else inside is on like the MW, coffee maker, toaster, etc.

An Progressive Industries EMS unit would be a good investment to protect your camper against low voltage conditions which can happen anywhere - at home or out camping, especially during the summer with lots of people running AC units.

[AllegroD]

Do not go below 104 watts, period. That is when heat damages start to occur. Get a (digital plugin meter) Kill-A-Watt.

[Dyngbld]

Grumpy374 wrote:
If your going to keep your rv at your house on a permenant basis, just do it the right way one time and be done with it. Have an electrician run a dedicated 30 amp line to a new outside outlet. Your home breaker box should have several unused breaker punchouts. Just run a 30 amp breaker with a new line. Weather proof outside outlet, and now you can run anything, includung ac.
You will spend less on the materials to do it right than you will on a good quality 10 guage 50 foot extension cord.
Grumpy

This is the best solution.