You can use the air conditioner, or the microwave, or the hot water heater. Just not all three at the same time.
Do monitor the voltage. It would be good to know what each device in the RV draws.
I often heat up the water once a day (in the morning)--then do "load balancing" for the rest of the day between any other high draw items.
Another "route" to go is to have a large inverter and power just the converter from shore power.
Some inverters also will draw from the battery bank on a temporary basis when high demand items start up.
So if I don't run the air, and turn on the hot water tank only when I need it I should be fine? It's a 30 gallon hot water tank so I can turn it on a half hour before we shower there are only 3 of us. The electrical will be good enough for the fridge, lights, radio, phone chargers and some occasional microwave use?
30 gallon water heater???? Big is usually 10 gallon. RV water heaters generally heat higher than home units so that through blending you get more hot water to use.
The fridge and water heater should both have a propane mode. On both it may be listed as gas, instead of propane.
Yes the batteries charge during the day but anything that runs off ac, 110 house voltage, will either run from the shore power or through an inverter.
The fridge should be fine running on ac while you are away also.
The biggie you can't do is run A/C, micro and water heater at the same time. BTW gas water heating will heat the tank in just a few minutes. Other possibility is while gone for the day leave the fridge and water heater on ac while you are gone. Just remember to turn the water heater off when you get back before using the micro or a/c.
Ray, Cheryl, Cory & of course Miss Molly the four-legged child
Be careful with planning on a 20amp circuit... some of the outlets have one leg at 90 degrees, which requires another adapter (dogbone) that is ~$70 USD, and not readily available.
It's better to plan on 15amp and carefully monitor your electron use.
2008 Itasca SunCruiser 35L
2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo
I've never seen a 20 amp female outlet that did not have both vertical and horizontal slots. Not so with the male version.
I'd go with "dog bone" adapters. 15 to 30, and then a 30 to 50.
I think I'd turn on the electric water heater one hour before use. Recovery time on my ten gallon from ambient is a little over 90 minutes.
It may be important to monitor voltage should the air conditioner be used. It would not hurt to monitor voltage when using the microwave. Other than that, all the other items may be safely used.
I keep a kill-a-watt plugged in to monitor voltage.
RaiderGirl33 wrote: So if I don't run the air, and turn on the hot water tank only when I need it I should be fine? It's a 30 gallon hot water tank so I can turn it on a half hour before we shower there are only 3 of us. The electrical will be good enough for the fridge, lights, radio, phone chargers and some occasional microwave use?
I'll kind of second or third what everyone else said but with a slight twist. Go ahead and get the two dog bone adapters. They are probably available in the RV section at Walmart. The dog bone adapters are the ones with a short piece of heavy gauge wire between them not the little hockey puck style adapters.
Plug it in and enjoy. I don't see any reason to run the refrigerator or water heater on propane, that's only wasting you propane. Just be aware that the microwave, water heater, and AC are your three big draws. Take a moment to think and only allow one of the three to be on at a time and you'll be fine.
1996 Suburban 4x4. 350, 4.10 3/4 ton
2005 Jayco Jay Flight 27BH
1986 Coleman Columbia Popup.
We have a near 40yo coach that is 50amp, and I run it on a 15amp circuit all the time.
You just have to think....
Look in your AC breaker box. Since the unit is 50amp, it will have two mains - probably tied together. There should also be separate breakers for the Air Conditioner and the water heater. If it does, pop both of those open (to off). If the water heater will run on propane, then that is a big non-issue. If it is ac only (rare in RV world - outside of park models), you will just have to remember to turn it on when you need it and put a tag on the microwave so nobody starts it.
You can make it work if you are willing to Think...
Matt
Matt & Mary Colie
A sailor, his bride and their black dog going to see some dry places that have Geocaches in a coach made the year we married.
It would take a heck of a lot of lighting and a very large converter to cause issues on 15 amps.
If I were the OP I'd run everything I could while monitoring voltage. I might add I'm the original chicken and won't run the air conditioner below 109 volts (at 108 it goes OFF).
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