Effy
MD
Senior Member
Joined: 07/26/2011
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
 Offline
|
Do it all the time. You didn't say what type of unit and what size AC. Mine is 13.5k btu. I make sure I only use one thing at a time. If AC don't run anything else while it's on. It's also a good idea that what ever circuit you are on, make sure it's dedicated to you and nothing else in your daughter's house running on it. Outside outlets are typically dedicated circuits.
2012 Thor ACE 29.1
|
bluwtr49
Green Valley, AZ
Senior Member
Joined: 09/12/2005
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Shouldn't be a problem if no other appliances such at fridge, water heater and etc are not running. Also, make sure they don't have a garage fridge or freezer on the same circuit.
Check to make sure the garage breaker is 20A not 15A....could be either.
It's possible the GFI will trip when the MH is connected....kind of a common problem.
Dick
2000 40" DP Beaver Patriot Thunder Cat C-12 425 HP, 1550 Tq
1997 Jeep GC Limited ---toad
2008 Toyota Tundra Crew Max Limited TRD (Retired)
2009 Cougar 268 RLS ~8700 lbs road wt (Retrired)
2006 Jeep Liberty Turbo Diesel.....TV in Training
|
sowego
northwestern corner of the Nebraska panhandle
Senior Member
Joined: 03/14/2006
View Profile
|
If you overload the circuit/wiring it can trip the breaker, burn the wiring or plug, and damage your AC unit or any higher current use appliance if try to use them. I would not try running an AC unit unless you know your power draw & available amps on/for that particular unit. You should be able to use one of the following: TV or microwave for a short time but never both at the same time. Same goes for toasters and hair dryers. Your battery charger will also be trying to run and if your refrigerator is on electric it will be on. You may want to keep the frige on propane and also run the water heater on gas mode.
We lived in ours for a few months on just that type of circuit and had to be very careful to not run more than one thing at a time.
As suggested check to be sure of the amp of the circuit you are plugged into...a 15 amp will give you quite a bit less. And be sure there is nothing else on the house circuit like a freezer, power tools, etc.
If you have a panel that allows you to set the incoming power level, be sure to set it at the lower level so the coach won't try to draw a drink a higher dose of power.
2002 Tiffin Phaeton
2005 Malibu Maxx toad
|
rgatijnet1
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 06/22/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
We just got back from a trip to Maryland and New York where we parked in relative's driveway. We hooked up to a nearby outlet with the usual adapters to drop our 50 amp service plug down to 120 volts. In the course of that trip, we used one 13.k AC and at times we used it as a heat pump. We did switch the water heater to propane, instead of electric. We had to shut off the AC when we used the microwave or central vacuum. We had no problem running our lights, PC's, satellite receiver and TV, along with the AC unit. I did turn my inverter/charger down to minimal battery charging to reduce the power load.
My coach has an EMS system and I could tell at a glance exactly what current I was drawing. I never exceeded 17 amps. Make sure that the 120 volt outlet that you use is 20 amp and not 15 amp. Also try to insure that this is a single outlet and not one in a string that also has other items plugged into it.
|
traveylin
Rockport
Senior Member
Joined: 05/09/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
If concerned, allow the battery charger to run for an hour or so before putting on the a/c. The charger will have a large initial use until the trickle charge kicks in.
|
|
|
hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
I park in my sons driveway for several weeks each year.
I plug my MH into a 20 amp circuit that nothing else is using.
I split my power to the converter and add a plug and receptacle at the split and plug the converter into another circuit that nothing else is using.
I have another single outlet in the MH that has its own power plug completely isolated from the MH's circuitry. That gets plugged into yet another circuit in his home.
So I have three shorepower cords that plug into various receptacles of my sons home.
I have never felt the need for AC while there but I have enough power to run one if needed. But everything else has more than an adequate amount of power to live in. Actually about 60 amps rather than the 30 amps that the shorepower by itself would deliver.
hershey - albuquerque, nm
Someday Finally Got Here
My wife does all the driving - I just get to hold the steering wheel.
Superman was an illegal alien.
Expedition - Suzuki Grand Viagra
NASCAR 14 - 99
|
rgatijnet1
Florida
Senior Member
Joined: 06/22/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
hershey wrote:I park in my sons driveway for several weeks each year.
I plug my MH into a 20 amp circuit that nothing else is using.
I split my power to the converter and add a plug and receptacle at the split and plug the converter into another circuit that nothing else is using.
I have another single outlet in the MH that has its own power plug completely isolated from the MH's circuitry. That gets plugged into yet another circuit in his home.
So I have three shorepower cords that plug into various receptacles of my sons home.
I have never felt the need for AC while there but I have enough power to run one if needed. But everything else has more than an adequate amount of power to live in. Actually about 60 amps rather than the 30 amps that the shorepower by itself would deliver.
Wouldn't it just be easier to add a permanent 50 amp plug to your Son's house. 
|
wa_desert_rat
Central Washington State
Senior Member
Joined: 01/27/2012
View Profile
Offline
|
No one has mentioned that the length of the "heavy duty" extension cord makes a big difference; short is good... very short is better. And the idea that if there is a problem the breaker will trip is not necessarily true. The cord may catch on fire first and burn down anything around it. Then the breaker will trip.
Craig
|
hershey
Albuquerque,(fulltime) NM, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 06/04/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
rgatijnet1 wrote:hershey wrote:I park in my sons driveway for several weeks each year.
I plug my MH into a 20 amp circuit that nothing else is using.
I split my power to the converter and add a plug and receptacle at the split and plug the converter into another circuit that nothing else is using.
I have another single outlet in the MH that has its own power plug completely isolated from the MH's circuitry. That gets plugged into yet another circuit in his home.
So I have three shorepower cords that plug into various receptacles of my sons home.
I have never felt the need for AC while there but I have enough power to run one if needed. But everything else has more than an adequate amount of power to live in. Actually about 60 amps rather than the 30 amps that the shorepower by itself would deliver.
Wouldn't it just be easier to add a permanent 50 amp plug to your Son's house.
Yes, but I use the same setup in various other campgrounds that I frequent. Easily adapts to a 30/20 amp shorepower just by plugging in two power cords.
|
dougrainer
Carrolton, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
Robert78121 wrote:When visiting my kids I plug into a 20 AMP circuit, and I'm able to run my rear AC at night. It's a slightly smaller unit than the front. I am also able to run my fridge off of electric at the same time, and have never had a problem. It's not dangerous due to the breaker, so there's no harm in trying.
A COMMON misconception about what a breaker will do. The system can overheat(overload) and cause a drastic heat buildup and can cause a fire or melted wires/plugs and the breaker will NOT trip. The breaker is NOT designed and installed for this type operation. A LOT of damage and fires have occured from this type of thinking. I repair a LOT of RV's because of this type thinking. LAST, as another poster stated---IF you have the standard wall receptacle, that receptacle is rated at 15 amps MAX. The wirng to this receptacle may also NOT be rated for 20 amp draw. Installing a 20 amp breaker on this type receptacle is not correct as the outlet is rated at 15 amps max. 11 is what a 15 amp plug looks like----- -1 is what a 20 amp receptacle looks like. The ground will be on the bottom on both. Knowing what I know and the damage I have seen, I would NEVER allow anyone to run a RV AC on my outside or Garage 15 amp plug. Doug
|
|
|
