30 amp cord ?

[iamblum]

More than likely the fail point will be where your RV cord plugs into the extension cord

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by edge68474

Thanks again. I think enough info went into my brain to keep out of trouble. The cord is only about 20 feet in length. It was not warm to the touch. I tried to see if their was a rating etc. on the cord but no. It seems to be a little bit on the heavy side compared to some I have, but that may not mean anything. I'll keep an eye on it and get another one when I go to Home Depot again.
Thanks.

If it's a store bought, manufactured cord, then it will have the AWG (conductor size) listed every foot or two on it. Sometimes it's just hard to read on some of those cords.

As far as heat build up, always check the ends of the cord. The male that plugs into the 15 amp receptacle and the female that the adapter is plugged into are the common hot spots. You're probably fine if they're staying cool!

[JohnnyFry]

A 30 amp extension is 10 AWG size. That is sufficiently heavy to carry the current without excessive voltage drop or overheating. Were you to use, say, 16 AWG (smaller) cord designed for 12 smps, it would both get very hot and drop the voltage to a point where some appliances would not operate properly or be damaged by the low voltage. The overheated cord could actually melt and cause a fire if sufficiently overloaded. If the cord or the end connectors are getting hot it is overloaded.

[KenD]

I hired an electrician to wire a 50 amp service on the side of my house where I park the RV which allows me to run anything my heart desires. If you tried to run your ac's off a 15 amp outlet they will surely trip the breaker

Ken D

[sshaulr]

Originally Posted by edge68474

I got to thinking about this, this morning. At home right now I have my MH plugged into regular outlet with a regular extension cord for lights and maybe some heat once in awhile. Is there anything wrong with this?
So my guess is, with the 30 amp cord plugged in to a 30amp outlet, or 20, or 50, that it would be able to handle more juice at one time, yes or no?
And what would happen if I plugged in with a regular extension cord and tried to run every thing? Trip a breaker some where?
Thanks for your response.

I have a Flexzilla Pro Extension Cord, 10/3 AWG 100 ft. with a Lighted Plug https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0163AKFA0..._dtnBAbMDG0FAK
I use to just plug it in to my 15 amp outlet but now I have a 50 amp setup out by the Coach and still have it hooked up to the 30amp cord until I save some extra cash to buy a 100 foot 50 amp cord, I bought 2 of these cords so I can keep one at home and one in the Coach

[Mike Tomas]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

The Rules according to Reddy kilowatt.

15 AMP. You can not run much. Your converter (of course) and the electronics (TV/Radio) after a couple hours add the Fridge (let the batteries charge first) and that's about it.

Possibly one A/C depending (mine are 13.5 amp and that's a bit much)

20 amp. I could run one A/C or one space heater or the microwave, NOTE the OR's here, only one of those. But the Fridge was on Gas if it was on at all.

30 amp. ONE A/C or TWO space heaters (See warning) and Fridge or low-power water heater (See note)

50 amp ALL YOU CAN EAT (if that is you have a 50 amp rv)

Warning: Outlets in RVs are often Self Contained Devices. this type of outlet is not a good choice for running a 1500 watt load. 900 watts is OK but try to avoid double digit amps on this type of outlet. I have special 15/20 amp outlets 12ga wire wrapped around a screw Dedicated circuit breaker.. These run the heaters.

NOTE Low power water heater.
When I replaced the tank on my Water heater I removed the 1500 Watt 120 volt element and put in a 1500 watt 240 volt element, this gives me about 375 watts at 120 volts. means I can use the water heater with a 30 amp supply and not worry about tripping the breaker so often. Does take longer to heat water but I've not had a problem.

No. Not an AC. Not on 15A. Sure! You have done it before and it seems fine. While running it should draw about 7.5Amps. BUT! The on startup, the compressor demands very high amperage to start. North of 30A for a brief half second.

Sure it will start and cold air will blow, but the restriction in a small guage wire will retard the compressor from getting the startup current it needs and it will eventually damage the one most costly and non repairable part of your ac unit.

[Smittydos]

The whole problem is if you are plugged into a 20 amp duplex outlet and are only using one of the two plugs you will only safely draw 15 Amps Thru even the heaviest cord available is used. Because of the outlet rating of 20 Amps the individual draw from either plug cannot exceed 15 Amps or overall plug draw Thru a duplex outlet of 20 Amps combined. What will easily happen is the heat buildup at the 15 amp receptical you use could cause a fire. Eventually if not monitored the house could burn down.

[Mike Tomas]

And don't forget that a duplex outlet is fed from the same 15A breaker 99% of the time(unless the installer has cut the little buss bars off the back and fed an additional circuit to the other plug). So plugging in to both outlets doesn't magicly make it 30 A.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by Smittydos

The whole problem is if you are plugged into a 20 amp duplex outlet and are only using one of the two plugs you will only safely draw 15 Amps Thru even the heaviest cord available is used. Because of the outlet rating of 20 Amps the individual draw from either plug cannot exceed 15 Amps or overall plug draw Thru a duplex outlet of 20 Amps combined. What will easily happen is the heat buildup at the 15 amp receptical you use could cause a fire. Eventually if not monitored the house could burn down.

I'm not an electrician but, i thought a 20 amp duplex would provide that service to the one or the other. In other words, there is 20 amp capacity to each one, as long as the other isn't being used. The plug is actually designed differently in that it will accept a 20 amp rated horizontal spaded male. A standard 15 amp male plug can also be inserted.

[cruzbill]

Mudfrog, If you have a receptacle with one horizontal socket, then you have a 20a receptacle. That receptacle SHOULD have been wired with 12ga wire and a 20a breaker, but there is only one hot wire to any (15 or 20a) receptacle, unless it is split, as another poster said. Very unlikely. Its also very rare to see a true 20a receptacle like you have. 15a receptacles are typically wired with 14ga wire and will have a 15a breaker.

[wildtoad]

You should consider calling a electrician and install a 30 amp circuit to plug the my into. You can then run just about anything you want. As an aside, several years back, I had an older mh plugged into a outlet in my outside storage building a previous owner had installed. I don’t know if it was a DYI job or what, but after a short while, the outlet I was plugged into melted.

[Mudfrog]

Originally Posted by cruzbill

Mudfrog, If you have a receptacle with one horizontal socket, then you have a 20a receptacle. That receptacle SHOULD have been wired with 12ga wire and a 20a breaker, but there is only one hot wire to any (15 or 20a) receptacle, unless it is split, as another poster said. Very unlikely. Its also very rare to see a true 20a receptacle like you have. 15a receptacles are typically wired with 14ga wire and will have a 15a breaker.

I think we are on the same page. A wired correctly (20 amp breaker, 12 gauge wire, 20 amp duplex receptacle) is good for 20 amps total. That 20 amps can be split between the two females on the duplex or via just one, as long as the other isn't used at the same time. One female would not be limited to 15 amps if it's a true 20 amp rated circuit.

[edge68474]

I'm getting a education here, I hope.
I just went out to check for heat etc., and none. Here is what I have. I am plugged into a normal house outlet which is actually in a out building by itself. I checked the panel, and there are three breakers, two 20 amp, and one 30 amp. To see which breaker is for the outlet, I turned off one 20, it was for lights, then I turned off the 30, went and checked for juice on my little bay heater and inside the coach, a stand alone oil heater. No juice. Turned back on the 30 amp, have juice.
My concern, with the two heaters and probably the battery charging, that's it that I know of, Am I OK??
I really don't understand this electrical stuff, so I'm listening real close.
Thank you very much.

[Smittydos]

Originally Posted by Mudfrog

I'm not an electrician but, i thought a 20 amp duplex would provide that service to the one or the other. In other words, there is 20 amp capacity to each one, as long as the other isn't being used. The plug is actually designed differently in that it will accept a 20 amp rated horizontal spaded male. A standard 15 amp male plug can also be inserted.

Most if not all duplex outlets in a home and garage do not accommodate a plug that has a sideways blade contact. If you had some control when your house is being built you could possibly request a double 20 amp duplex outlet if you can find any. For the most part you would have to settle for a single 20 amp plug either one sideways prong. To be one St with you I don’t recall seeing any duplex 20 amp plugs in my Home Depot in Lake Elsinore Calif..
Then you will probably have to go to a commercial electrical outlet store to find a cord with 20 amp ends. Now you have reached the Motorhome or trailer you need a 30amp to 20 amp adapter, which I have never seen the ones available are 30 to 15. If you were to. Buy a pigtail style adapter you void cut off the 15 amp end and put on a twenty vamp male plug. You still have to contend with line voltage loss the longer you have to run the supply line cord. I would estimate that with the very best senario if you start with 20 amp all throughout the voltage on a 25’ extension cord you will probably drop from 115 volts to maybe 109 volts which is the minimum voltage for a 13.5 Air Conditioner . But once the compressor kicks in you are going to drop below 109 volts and if you persist you will burn up the compressor or melt a plug somewhere or trip a new 20 amp breaker in your house. Bottom line you cannot defeat the nature of the Pi equation in
Electricity. I have never recommended, in my 45 years as an RV Tech, any extension cords when plugging into your home.
People say they can run their A/C on their rig when plugged into their Home. That is possibly true until it gets 100 degrees outside and it’s 125 inside your coach. At that point you are dealing with high head temperature on the compressor and you will get even more drag in
Amperage. As they say when the amperage goes up the voltage goes down. Sorry for rambling but you folks need to understand the facts if you don’t want to be disappointed.