Plugging into home electrical service

[blnsfn2]

When at home, most of you probably plug into your home electrical service? What amp circuit do you plug into? I know at the campground you plug into a 50amp service but I wondered if while at home and just charging the batteries or maybe running the furnace you plug into something smaller like 30 amp? I haven't purchased my rv yet but trying to get prepared. I live in Illinois so can see it plugged in while home. Did any of you add a circuit to outside to plug in your rv? Sorry for all of the questions.

[twinboat]

Opinoins will varry from a simple outside 15 amp outlet to a full blown RV, 3 outlet, power pedestal.

A 30 amp outlet will work for most RVs and it gets you away from the issues that some 15/20 amp GFCI outlets ( Required for outside use ) create with some RVs.

[Strevarthen]

At home you can plug into 110v to charge your batteries even run lights. Your furnace is going to run off 12v.

**Do not run the A/C on 110v circuit it will melt the cord and could catch on fire** The compressor in your A/C pulls more amps then what that can handle. You can have an electrician install a 30/50 amp receptacle off your breaker box

Your fridge can run off 12v/Propane also, Your water heater will run off 12v and 110 depending on if it is equipped with a heating element

Any other questions feel free to ask,

Thanks,
Scott Trevarthen
California RV Specialists

[Damion]

Here we go again! Break out the Pop Corn! Lol!

[rrtribble]

blnsfn2

Just had electrician install a 50/30/15 amp box at the house here in Springfield which allows me to test/use any and all of my DP while in storage.

If all you want is to use your 15amp to keep batteries charged it will work as I have used it to keep the batteries charged.

I really like the 50amp because now I have the ability to run my AC or electric heat pump as I work on the DP or use it when I have company.

Enjoy - Richard

[wildtoad]

If you have the ability and desire to have sufficient power to do what you want/need to do, then go for the 50 amp. The minimum you will want is 30. But why not pay the few extra to get what your RV uses? I know Illinois gets hot in the summer and you will want to run the AC when getting ready to roll, or when you get back just as an example. Running a 50 amp service MH off of a 15 amp circuit is a dumb idea if you have other options.

[TonyMac]

I have 30a service at my house to run my 50a coach. It's plenty to do about everything but run both ACs.

[RedRover37BA]

We just purchased our Red. Right now all we have is the ability to plug into our 120 volt/15AMP outlet. Good enough to run the furnaces and maintain batteries....

[winniman]

Originally Posted by RedRover37BA

We just purchased our Red. Right now all we have is the ability to plug into our 120 volt/15AMP outlet. Good enough to run the furnaces and maintain batteries....

Yep. My previous rv was a 30 amp. I used to just plug it in to the outside plug on the house. It was enough to charge the batteries. My fridge, furnace, and water heater all could run on propane, so the 15 amp house plug was enough for these things plus lights. I had a 30 amp 110volt plug added to the outside of my house for the rv. My current rv is 50 amp, but the 30 amp is enough to run everything in the rv except both air conditioners at once, or the microwave at the same time as the air conditioners.

[Scottybdivin]

If you are paying somebody to do the work, it may only cost extra for the price of the additional materials to run 50A vs 30A. Our RV sometimes serves as an overflow for guest, and as a motel room for us. The AC went out in the house during the summer and it took most of a week to get it replaced. It would also be great way to move out of the house if you were doing some extensive remodeling.

[AnotherMike]

Originally Posted by blnsfn2

When at home, most of you probably plug into your home electrical service? What amp circuit do you plug into? I know at the campground you plug into a 50amp service but I wondered if while at home and just charging the batteries or maybe running the furnace you plug into something smaller like 30 amp? I haven't purchased my rv yet but trying to get prepared. I live in Illinois so can see it plugged in while home. Did any of you add a circuit to outside to plug in your rv? Sorry for all of the questions.

The size of the circuit you'd plug into depends on what you want to do.

If you are storing a MH and just running a Battery Tender or two to keep the batteries up then you would not need much - a Tender uses about as much AC power as a clock.

If you want to use it as a guest room in the summer in Texas and run both air conditioners and more then you'd need a regular 50 amp campground style outlet.

I suggest you figure out what you want to run and then make a list of the power usage numbers... the microwave uses 1300 watts, each air conditioner uses 3500, the TV uses 50, the electric space heater uses 1800, etc.

Then look at that list and figure out the maximum you'd be using at any one time. Air+microwave+heater=X, and X divided by 120=amps. That's the maximum draw. The common sizes for breakers are 15, 20, 30 and 50 amps. Pick the next largest. And have a professional electrician install it, one that knows what the proper wire sizes are for that load.

[rk911]

had a 30-amp circuit put in for a previous MH and since we couldn't upgrade that circuit we had a new 50-amp curcuit put in for the current coach. moral of the story? if you're gonna do it do it right.

[Arch Hoagland]

I have this installed on the side of my house where I keep my motorhome.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Connecti...6#.UocW4H8kzaQ

However when I pull the coach out front the night before we leave I use adapters and plug into a regular 110 volt outlet on my front porch. I only have the refrigerator running then and one light.

[saddlesore]

For a few dollars more..do it right the first time...
AND USE A QUALIFIED ELECTRICIAN !
(Be Sure to tell him/her that this is for an RV! and label it as such..)