Community Forums

gemini5362 · 02-02-2014, 08:47 AM

I just noticed some current draw information yesterday so I am fresh on this subject. First of all you absolutely cannot put a 30 amp breaker in place of the 20 amp one. IT has pointed out that is just a fire waiting to happen and they are correct. Second of all is how much current you are pulling. I have a 2005 allegro bus. I got home late Friday night and just hooked my power up to the extension cord I have for that. Saturday I started winterizing. I hooked my air compressor to the extension cord for the MH and just turned the inverter on to keep the refrigerator powered up. I spent about an hour winterizing and doing some other things. When I plugged the MH back into the coach it started pulling 19 amps. All that was on was the refrigerator and the battery charger. So just charging batteries can put you almost at the limit of the 20 amp breaker.

wb7auk · 02-02-2014, 09:16 AM

As posted above most wiring found from house breakers is 14 gauge (15 amp) 12 gauge (20 amp). On 12 gauge that draws 20 amps the max length before a 3 % drop in voltage is 45 feet.
If one has a 100 ft run from the house panel to the MH panel that will carry 20 amps that will require 8 gauge wire.
As pointed out the longer the run the larger the wire size and having a 15 amp socket in line limits one to that amount without over heating it.

waroland · 02-02-2014, 01:08 PM

If you decide to put in a dedicated RV receptacle be sure the electrician knows it is a 120 volt 30 amp circuit and not a 240 volt 30 amp circuit. An RV 30 amp is NOT the same as 30 amp dryer.

Whiskyradio · 02-02-2014, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pasdad1

Wire gauges get bigger as the numbers get smaller.

That 10 gauge extension cord is bigger wire than either 12 or 14 gauge.

The 10 gauge cord is downstream of the 15/20 amp breaker, home wiring, and outlet its plugged into. The wire and breaker inside the house will heat up and eventually trip off. I have a dedicated 30 amp 115v Circuit using #6 copper
I'm an electrician by trade, thanks

jerichorick · 02-02-2014, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kchadw1944

I have a 2000 Fleetwood Flair ( 30 amp )and when I come back from a trip...I plug into the house current with a heavy duty extension cord, and it keeps tripping my circuit breaker in the house...Have tried several circuits but all always trip. Can I just change the breaker in the house to a heavier one..like 30 amp..or do I have another problem...plugging in keeps my batteries charged...thanks..

Here is a good rule of thumb. Don't use a circuit with less than a 20A breaker. Don't use a cord under 12 AWG or more than 50' long. If you go over 50' use a # 10 AWG wire. Don't use the coach appliances that use 120VAC unless you start the generator. The way you are now configured the only load that needs to be seen on the extension cord is the battery charger.

Paying your shore cord out as far as it will go will reduce the length of the extension cord.

Also, make certain that you do not have other loads on that circuit. Each load takes current availability from your coach. Each 1000 watts is equal to 8.3 amps. This is a very general statement but works pretty good for a guide.

Hope this helps. Happy trails,
Rick

**pasdad1** · 02-02-2014, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whiskyradio

The 10 gauge cord is downstream of the 15/20 amp breaker, home wiring, and outlet its plugged into. The wire and breaker inside the house will heat up and eventually trip off. I have a dedicated 30 amp 115v Circuit using #6 copper I'm an electrician by trade, thanks

I never meant to imply the user could pull 30amps through this.... Just that a 10 gauge wire extension cord is sufficient for a normal 15 or 20 amp circuit found in an ordinary house. The OP just needs to make sure only the battery charger, and other items in the coach total less than 15 amps.

Lobstah · 02-03-2014, 04:26 AM

As mentioned in various posts...
Turn all your stuff OFF. Simple.

Once you turn everything off, and you're not tripping the breaker, then you can turn on the fridge. Between the fridge and the converter which keeps your batts charged, there isn't much else you need to have turned on. Water heater is an easy one to forget, and draws quite a bit of power. If your water heater is on and your converter is trying to charge batts, and the fridge is on 120vac, you're going to trip a 15Amp circuit every time.

Jim

TerryO · 02-03-2014, 06:16 AM

First of all you need to determine how many amps you are actually drawing. Get out your amp meter, pull the cover off your load center (where the breaker is located) place the clamp around the wire going into said breaker and take reading. If you are pulling less amps than the load rating of the breaker and it is tripping you have a weak breaker. Pretty common problem if you have an older breaker and sometimes even with a new one.

wb7auk · 02-03-2014, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whiskyradio

The 10 gauge cord is downstream of the 15/20 amp breaker, home wiring, and outlet its plugged into. The wire and breaker inside the house will heat up and eventually trip off. I have a dedicated 30 amp 115v Circuit using #6 copper
I'm an electrician by trade, thanks

This is only true if you try to pull more amps than the rated outlets or over fuse the house wiring such as changing a breaker to more amps than what the wiring can handle.
Increasing the wire size down stream reduces line loss so you do not have heating and voltage loss all of which add to the total load.
One is still limited to the house panels correct breaker rating for the wiring it supplies.
Rick is correct in his post when to change to the larger wire as a general rule as house runs are normally short runs or should be.