Set me straight...AC on 120/20amp outlet.

[DinTulsa]

So I've been reading a number of threads talking about running the RV AC on 15/20 amp outlets. So I looked at my breakers and they are all 20 for the house, I currently run a 50ft 10ga extension cord to my rv cord for shore power. My main unit is a 15,000 btu dometic AC. I tried it out this morning just to see and it ran fine and cooled for the 5 minutes I ran it.

My concern is that a 110/20 amp outlet will damage the unit? Is that the case? The only time it would run would be when I'm loading the rv in the afternoon before we leave. When it's 100 degrees outside being 80 in the rv would be nice. I would switch the fridge to propane during that time to reduce the electrical draw on the system.


Any info would be appreciated.

[TurnThePage]

Something like a Kill-a-watt that plugs into an easily viewed outlet. That's what I do. My home voltage slowly decreases too. I can rarely reach an hour of operation before the kill-a-watt is reading lower than I'm comfortable with.

[time2roll]

DinTulsa wrote:
What is the best way to check the voltage? Do you prefer a hand held voltmeter or a plug into the outlet style?

Either is fine. At home the voltage should be fairly stable so once you are verified as good you can just get on with loading.

[DutchmenSport]

If you are running from your house, remember everything that runs through that one breaker in your panel subtracts from the availability of AMPS from the trailer. If you have a lamp inside the house on that same circuit, and it's drawing 5 amps, that leaves only 15 of the 20 for the trailer. So make sure there is nothing else running on that circuit.

Second, you can run your air conditioner all day and night on your current configuration, IF that is the only thing running. It's no different than running a window air conditioner on a long extension cord. BUT, you also have to remember, there is more AMP draw in your camper than what meets the eye.

Water heater on electric? Microwave? AC powered appliances? Electric clocks, phone chargers, everything .... pulls from that original 20 amps.

But, if you watch what you are running on AC power, you CAN run the air conditioner indefinitely. We did it that way for many, many years. We'd get the camper cool at home, then turn the air off so we could enjoy the camper in the evenings and sleep in it at night. But when running the television, or anything else, the air conditioner was always off. 20 AMPS gets used up pretty fast.

We finally installed two 30 amp RV plug at different spots on the property so we can move the trailer around. Now, now problems at all.

[2oldman]

time2roll wrote:
Check voltage stays 108+ in the RV and you are good to go all day..

x2

This is important because as voltage sags, amps increase, which can cause your sockets and plugs to heat up. If they don't get scalding hot in 15 minutes you're probably ok.

[DinTulsa]

What is the best way to check the voltage? Do you prefer a hand held voltmeter or a plug into the outlet style?

I never heat the water at the house. The only things that normally run are the fridge and a few lights.

[time2roll]

Check voltage stays 108+ in the RV and you are good to go all day.
Also mind the electric water heat.
If the house battery is a bit low you may want to let them charge for a couple hours before the air comes on.