Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > iRV2.com COMMUNITY FORUMS > iRV2.com General Discussion
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-07-2021, 06:05 PM   #1
Member
 
edmck101's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 93
50 Amp Question

My Bighorn fifth wheel has two 15,000 BTU roof air units and 50 amp electrical service. I'll be staying in Tucson this summer, and I learned last summer that two AC units cannot handle temps over 100 degrees. To stay comfortable in June, July, and August I purchased a 10,000 BTU portable air conditioner on Amazon. My question: Can I plug the portable into one of the wall outlets in the coach, or should I run an extension cord out of the window to power the portable with the pedestal's 115V outlet? I'm concerned that I'll throw a circuit breaker in the coach by trying to operate the portable while the two roof ACs are running. That's a lot of amps I think, maybe too much for my 50 amp service. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.
__________________
2016 Bighorn 3575EL
edmck101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 05-07-2021, 06:11 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 137
Quote:
Originally Posted by edmck101 View Post
My Bighorn fifth wheel has two 15,000 BTU roof air units and 50 amp electrical service. I'll be staying in Tucson this summer, and I learned last summer that two AC units cannot handle temps over 100 degrees. To stay comfortable in June, July, and August I purchased a 10,000 BTU portable air conditioner on Amazon. My question: Can I plug the portable into one of the wall outlets in the coach, or should I run an extension cord out of the window to power the portable with the pedestal's 115V outlet? I'm concerned that I'll throw a circuit breaker in the coach by trying to operate the portable while the two roof ACs are running. That's a lot of amps I think, maybe too much for my 50 amp service. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

If I remember correctly, the rooftop a/c's pull about 7 amps each, and are each on their own breaker in the panel. See what the portable pulls. You should be able to plug it in to another 20 amp recep (usually a kitchen plug) and be OK. Worst thing that can happen is a tripped breaker.
__________________
2007 Fleetwood Bounder 38N
Flyer 516NG is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 06:25 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,837
Each 15k roof top A/C draw about 12-13 amps. Even with both of them running at the same time that is just under 25% of your total available power so I am not sure how that is "a lot of amps". You can turn on everything in your RV and probably not max out a a 50 amp connection. That is 12,000 watts.

Yes you can run off an internal circuit, however, how much amperage does the portable A/C use and what else is on the circuit? If you have another large item on the same circuit you would likely trip the breaker.
__________________
Boondockers
2014 Volvo 630 Tandem 2016 Chevy 3500 DRW, crew cab
2016 Fuzion 325T, 675ah AGM, MSH 3012 inverter, 1400w Solar
Nwcid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 07:15 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Old-Biscuit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,643
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nwcid View Post
Each 15k roof top A/C draw about 12-13 amps. Even with both of them running at the same time that is just under 25% of your total available power so I am not sure how that is "a lot of amps". You can turn on everything in your RV and probably not max out a a 50 amp connection. That is 12,000 watts.

Yes you can run off an internal circuit, however, how much amperage does the portable A/C use and what else is on the circuit? If you have another large item on the same circuit you would likely trip the breaker.
THIS^^^^^
And if CB trips it would be the 15A/20A Receptacle Individual CB not one of the Main 50A CBs
__________________
I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
Old-Biscuit is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 07:20 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
jfskeet's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 110
On most electric posts there is a 20 amp receptacle. Just run a separate 20 amp cord and you will be fine.
__________________
2@lo8
jfskeet is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 07:59 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
dabrooks's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Maryland
Posts: 1,432
Quote:
Originally Posted by jfskeet View Post
On most electric posts there is a 20 amp receptacle. Just run a separate 20 amp cord and you will be fine.
If you do this use a 12 gauge extension cord minimum. The shorter the better.
dabrooks is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:01 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Old-Biscuit's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,643
With 50A RV...no need for external extension cord to run portable 10K A/C Unit
__________________
I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
Old-Biscuit is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:11 PM   #8
Moderator Emeritus
 
Gary RVRoamer's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,519
It may be possible to trip one of the 50A main breakers, but not from the 3 a/c units alone. However, add in a the converter/charger, fridge, water heater (on electric?), maybe a washer/dryer, and a microwave and you could hit 50A if multiple of those happens to cycle on at the same time (thermostats seem to conspire to do that). I've seen one or the other leg of the 50A service to my coach hit 35-38 amps a number of times, so another a/c (even @ 7-9 amps) could push it close.
__________________
Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
Gary RVRoamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:15 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
markpj23's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Florida
Posts: 318
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nwcid View Post
Each 15k roof top A/C draw about 12-13 amps. Even with both of them running at the same time that is just under 25% of your total available power so I am not sure how that is "a lot of amps".....

Not sure of the math - 2x13A = 26A = just over 50% of a 50A service, right? Regardless, the real issue is starting 'surge' current which is way more than 13A per unit. Eventually you will have an event where 2 or more of the AC units will start simultaneously and most likely trip the breaker. Happened to us just the other day with 2 ACs and the AquaHot 110v heater on.



Throw in a likely tired circuit breaker on the RV site pedestal and you'll be doing the 'reset walk' more than you'd like if you run all 3 off of the same 50A service.
__________________
Mark
'07 Essex (Sold)
'21 Jeep GC dinghy
markpj23 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:16 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,951
My Class A has 3 rooftop A/Cs and I often run all 3 at once.
__________________
2015 Itasca Ellipse 42QD
2017 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Rock
2011 Harley Davidson CVO Street Glide
TXTiger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:24 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Washington
Posts: 1,837
Quote:
Originally Posted by markpj23 View Post
Not sure of the math - 2x13A = 26A = just over 50% of a 50A service, right? Regardless, the real issue is starting 'surge' current which is way more than 13A per unit. Eventually you will have an event where 2 or more of the AC units will start simultaneously and most likely trip the breaker. Happened to us just the other day with 2 ACs and the AquaHot 110v heater on.



Throw in a likely tired circuit breaker on the RV site pedestal and you'll be doing the 'reset walk' more than you'd like if you run all 3 off of the same 50A service.
My math is correct. You understanding of a how a 50 amp circuit works is not correct.

15 amps = 1800 watts
30 amps = 3600 watts
50 amps L1 = 6000 watts, L2 =6000 watts for a total of 12,000 watts.

Even if both A/C were on the same leg it would still handle it. It would only be 50% of 1 leg. Typically there is 1 A/C per leg or ~25% of each leg.
__________________
Boondockers
2014 Volvo 630 Tandem 2016 Chevy 3500 DRW, crew cab
2016 Fuzion 325T, 675ah AGM, MSH 3012 inverter, 1400w Solar
Nwcid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:40 PM   #12
Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nwcid View Post
My math is correct. You understanding of a how a 50 amp circuit works is not correct.

15 amps = 1800 watts
30 amps = 3600 watts
50 amps L1 = 6000 watts, L2 =6000 watts for a total of 12,000 watts.

Even if both A/C were on the same leg it would still handle it. It would only be 50% of 1 leg. Typically there is 1 A/C per leg or ~25% of each leg.
You are correct
So RV 50 amp service is really 100 amps total
50 amps each line.
bry899 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:53 PM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 667
Quote:
Originally Posted by bry899 View Post
You are correct
So RV 50 amp service is really 100 amps total
50 amps each line.
Yes so it is such an odd way of naming amps with RV's. If 30 amps is 30 amps why do we call 100 amps - 50 amps?

So 30 amps is 3,600 watts. 50 amps is 12,000 watts. Unnecessarily confusing!

https://koa.com/blog/30-vs-50-amp-rv-service/
__________________
2007 Newmar Kountry Star 8.9 liter cummins
2019 F250 Toad
Blue OX
Keith55 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-07-2021, 08:57 PM   #14
Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 44
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith55 View Post
Yes so it is such an odd way of naming amps with RV's. If 30 amps is 30 amps why do we call 100 amps - 50 amps?

So 30 amps is 3,600 watts. 50 amps is 12,000 watts. Unnecessarily confusing!

https://koa.com/blog/30-vs-50-amp-rv-service/
Yes it is confusing,
I am not an electrician but the 30 amp service is 120 Volts
The 50 amp service is 240 volts or two 120 volt lines at 50 amp each
bry899 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
"NORCOLD & DOMETIC RECALLS" & Service Manuals Norcold & Dometic "007" RV Systems & Appliances 89 07-18-2019 04:41 PM
Generator Maintenance & MANUALS Onan & Generac & PARTS "007" RV Systems & Appliances 34 07-06-2019 02:09 AM
Dumb & Lazy Question #2: Chassis battery charging during storage cment Truck Conversions 1 12-16-2018 03:08 PM
February "Celebrity Classic" Meal Signups Madame Boomer Texas Boomers 29 02-06-2018 06:55 PM
2011 RV chassis Mods & parts & Tech info new & old chassis "007" Ford Motorhome Chassis Forum 4 09-27-2011 07:26 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:44 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.