Shore power

[JudyandJim]

We have a 50amp coach. Sometimes we use the adapter cord that lets us use a 30amp stump, or to plug into the 30amp rv outlet at my daughter's home. This works with no problems.

We also have an adapter cord that takes it down to allow us to plug into a regular house outlet. I have read several posts saying that they plug their coach into their house outlet to get a minimal supply of a/c power.

Last weekend, we wanted to plug into the outlet on our rear patio for a few hours so we could run a vacuum, without running the generator. Our batteries were low so we couldn't use the inverter. We put our SurgeGuard on bypass. As soon as we plugged it into the house, it blew the house's circuit breaker. We were in a hurry, so just ran a long extension cord into the coach. However, I would like to know how to do this in case we need to do it in the future.

What did we do wrong? My hunch is that we should have adjusted the EMS settings first.

[JudyandJim]

We have a 50amp coach. Sometimes we use the adapter cord that lets us use a 30amp stump, or to plug into the 30amp rv outlet at my daughter's home. This works with no problems.

We also have an adapter cord that takes it down to allow us to plug into a regular house outlet. I have read several posts saying that they plug their coach into their house outlet to get a minimal supply of a/c power.

Last weekend, we wanted to plug into the outlet on our rear patio for a few hours so we could run a vacuum, without running the generator. Our batteries were low so we couldn't use the inverter. We put our SurgeGuard on bypass. As soon as we plugged it into the house, it blew the house's circuit breaker. We were in a hurry, so just ran a long extension cord into the coach. However, I would like to know how to do this in case we need to do it in the future.

What did we do wrong? My hunch is that we should have adjusted the EMS settings first.

[MrTransistor]

Hi JudyandJim,
Most outlets in a house are 15 Amp. Some are 20 Amp. and are usually found in the kitchen area. Before connecting to a 15 or 20 Amp. circuit with you RV, you should turn off most all power users in the coach. Then after connecting, set the One Place from 30 to 20 Amp. Before turning on any loads. Remember that the water heater uses around 10 Amps., and the Air Conditioner will pull 18 Amps. when starting up just one compressor. Watch the Amp. meter on the One Place as you bring loads on line. Also, if your coach batteries are low, the inverter/charger will pull 8 to 10 Amps. until the batteries get recharged. Good luck.

[rebelsbeach]

Judy and Jim, Mark has it right....One thing I did before this coach got here was to install a 50A power outlet just like the campground...When I back in I just drag the cord over and plug it in,then turn the breaker on in the garage....
A little more money,but was worth it to me...

I had the service panel upgraded as a part of ewmodeling and just "planned" for that 50A breaker...

You "hit" on the solution yourself when you suggested the EMS panel.

[AFChap]

JudyandJim

We've plugged our coach into a normal house outlet many times for lights and refridgerator power. The only time we have tripped breakers was when we forgot that the a/c was turned on. As the others mentioned, you do need to be sure as many loads as possible are turned off. We did trip a GCFI outlet once, but once we turned the GCFI back on we had no more problems.

[JudyandJim]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Also, if your coach batteries are low, the inverter/charger will pull 8 to 10 Amps. until the batteries get recharged. Good luck. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I think that hit the nail on the head. Our coach had been sitting at the dealers lot waiting for a backordered part for over a month and the house batteries were very low... one of the reasons we wanted to plug in and charge them a bit. Nothing else was running at the time... no fridge, no water heater, nothing at all but the normal drain on the batteries.

The house circuit breaker tripped before we could reset the inside EMS. I'll try it again this weekend just to see if it works.

Thanks!

[JudyandJim]

Last year we garaged our coach at our daughter's house and had a 30amp outlet installed, which was great. Fortunately for them, they moved to a lovely new home... unfortunately for us, there is no room for our motorhome. And our home owners association does not allow rv parking. So we can only park on the street at our house for a few hours to load/unload.

[agkcpa]

Why did you put the SurgeGuard on bypass?

[Geechee]

The biggest mistake most people make is in not having an extension cord that can handle the load of the RV. You can easily use a vacuum or something similar in amperages if the cord is rated at 30 amps. A normal 50 - 100' extension cord is only rated at 15 - 20 amps. Wal-Mart sells a cord that will allow you to plug into your homes 15 - 20 amp outlet and then with the adapter to the 50 amp MH cord. I do it all the time. I can run AC and Frig, but not AC and Microwave on 20 amps. I do not recommend turning off the SurgeGuard and/or the Power Manager

[Tom N]

How many AC units are you running on 20amp???

[Tom N]

Why not turn the invertor off???

[Geechee]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Tom N:
How many AC units are you running on 20amp??? </div></BLOCKQUOTE> Only one AC at a time. Two AC draw appox. 27 amp when running.