Community Forums

Fred420 · 09-18-2013, 08:20 AM

I am going to be at a location that has 20amp only service for 1 1/2 days. I know that I can not run AC or other things, but my question is............

Can I plug in and turn on the TV for the grandkids without any other thing on safely? I have done this with my TT but not the coach with no harm.

Just wondering............

TurtleKent · 09-18-2013, 08:29 AM

You should be able to run one a/c with no other large loads at the same time... no microwave, hair dryer, etc. Probably a/c and TV would work.

eightydid · 09-18-2013, 08:46 AM

You should be able to my TVs only have an Instantaneous draw of 8amps and continuous draw of 3amps

dstinch · 09-18-2013, 08:53 AM

You will be able to run your TV's and one air conditioner. Keep your fridge and water heater on gas. If you have basement air just turn off the #2 air at the breaker.

Don

RickO · 09-18-2013, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dstinch

You will be able to run your TV's and one air conditioner. Keep your fridge and water heater on gas. If you have basement air just turn off the #2 air at the breaker.

Don

If you're able to run an AC on 20 amp service you'll be doing better than I've ever been able to do.

Each summer, we spend a month with my FIL at his little farm in Minnesota. We have only a 20 amp outlet for service.

I change my power selector on the EMS from the 30 amp it thinks it's getting to 20 amp. I also put the water heater and fridge on LP . We're able to run nearly everything in our 40DP on the 20 amp hook up except the high draw items like the vac, AC, microwave, fireplace, etc.

Rick

RickO · 09-18-2013, 09:18 AM

I have merged the two threads you started on this topic since we do not allow duplicate threads on the forum.

Rick

Brockx · 09-18-2013, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

If you're able to run an AC on 20 amp service you'll be doing better than I've ever been able to do.

Each summer, we spend a month with my FIL at his little farm in Minnesota. We have only a 20 amp outlet for service.

I change my power selector on the EMS from the 30 amp it thinks it's getting to 20 amp. I also put the water heater and fridge on LP . We're able to run nearly everything in our 40DP on the 20 amp hook up except the high draw items like the vac, AC, microwave, fireplace, etc.

Rick

Have you tried leaving it set at 30, might also be your FIL's wiring. I ran the air all time at home on 20 rewired to 30 and run both.

RickO · 09-18-2013, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brockx

Have you tried leaving it set at 30, might also be your FIL's wiring. I ran the air all time at home on 20 rewired to 30 and run both.

No, because my basement air hits a start up surge of 28 amps and I think the actual circuit I have to use is 15 and not 20 amp. It's an old farm house that's >100 years old and I don't want to put any more strain on the wiring than I have to.

Rick

dstinch · 09-18-2013, 10:18 AM

Hey Rick I know what your talking about, We spend a few weeks at a friends ranch and he has 20 amps where I plug in. there is about 500 feet to the plug all on #12 wire. I can't run ac or micro from out there. Tvs,ok. If I plug in to a different plug closer to the house I can run ac but not micro. At my house 20 amp I can run one ac but not micro. To much voltage drop. 15 amp plug won't work try plugging in at washer plug at house if you can.

Don

vsheetz · 09-18-2013, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TurtleKent

You should be able to run one a/c with no other large loads at the same time... no microwave, hair dryer, etc. Probably a/c and TV would work.

EngineerMike · 09-18-2013, 12:22 PM

Trying to run one AC on a 20A circuit is a dicey proposition. Most folks don't carry a large enough extension cord (big enough wire in it, not the length), and the plug end adapters are so cheaply made they usually melt & short out after a while if you are pulling anything close to 20A.
If you try, feel every connection point to make sure it isn't heating up.
TV should not be a problem. Check to see that your batteries are charged up before you plug in so the charge draw will be low.

ShapeShifter · 09-19-2013, 06:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

I also put the water heater and fridge on LP . We're able to run nearly everything in our 40DP on the 20 amp hook up except the high draw items like the vac, AC, microwave, fireplace, etc.

This is probably the best answer.

You might be able to run one air conditioner if you turn everything off, have excellent connections and heavy duty short cords, and you keep checking things to make sure nothing is heating up. Or you might not. But remember, just because the breaker doesn't immediately trip doesn't mean it's safe and you're not overloading the circuit. For long term use, according to electrical codes, you should only load a circuit to 80% of its capacity, which is 16 amps for a 20 amp circuit - code says full current should only be used for an hour or less.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brockx

Have you tried leaving it set at 30, might also be your FIL's wiring. I ran the air all time at home on 20 rewired to 30 and run both.

This is probably the worst answer. :(

Why would you ever set things up to intentionally draw 30 amps from a 20 amp circuit? That's a really bad idea. And what is that last sentence saying: please don't tell me that you substituted a 30 amp breaker on 20 amp wiring so you could intentionally overload the wiring. That's an incredibly bad idea!

I'll say it again: just because it works in the short term doesn't mean it's safe, especially in the long run.

JRMEDPHYS · 09-19-2013, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShapeShifter

This is probably the best answer.

You might be able to run one air conditioner if you turn everything off, have excellent connections and heavy duty short cords, and you keep checking things to make sure nothing is heating up. Or you might not. But remember, just because the breaker doesn't immediately trip doesn't mean it's safe and you're not overloading the circuit. For long term use, according to electrical codes, you should only load a circuit to 80% of its capacity, which is 16 amps for a 20 amp circuit - code says full current should only be used for an hour or less.

This is probably the worst answer. :(

Why would you ever set things up to intentionally draw 30 amps from a 20 amp circuit? That's a really bad idea. And what is that last sentence saying: please don't tell me that you substituted a 30 amp breaker on 20 amp wiring so you could intentionally overload the wiring. That's an incredibly bad idea!

I'll say it again: just because it works in the short term doesn't mean it's safe, especially in the long run.

Get yourself a clamp on digital voltmeter capable of measuring AC amps and measure the current draw on all your appliances. Both peak and continuous operation draw. Then you will know *exactly* what you can and can't run on your 20 amp circuit.

This is the *right* answer 😉

Jeff

ShapeShifter · 09-19-2013, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRMEDPHYS

This is the *right* answer dde09

Yes it is!

I have two different current draw meters in my coach, one came standard, one I installed myself. I tend to forget that not all coaches come this way. When you're on limited power, it's important to know how much power you're actually using. That's the only way to really know if you're overloading the circuit (don't rely on the circuit breaker to protect you!)

I highly recommend the hard-wired EMS systems from Progressive Industries. I have the EMS-HWC and its been very helpful to me. There is a portable version that's better than nothing, but the hard wired units allow a display inside where you can keep an eye on the amp draw, among other info. Plus, it will automatically shut off the power if the voltage gets dangerously low due to overloading an extension cord.

But regardless of what you use to do it, knowing your actual power usage is very important when on limited power.