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Old 05-29-2011, 09:03 AM   #1
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Did I screw up? AC/Generator Help

I apologize in advance for the length. New to RV'ing and have a 31.5RLTS Super Lite on order. Went with the 15,000 upgrade plus the 13,500 bedroom A/C. The unit has a 30 amp connection. These aren't prepped for generators so doing a portable isn't a problem and it will have more uses for me. Sales guy said a 5000w min would be required to run the unit comfortably. My confusion comes in with some of the reading I have been doing and the AMPS required to run all of this stuff. It sounds like both A/C's, TV etc will exceed 30 amps. Does this unit have a breaker box similar to a house where there are multiple different rated breakers in the box or is the max the unit will operate on, 30 amps. I thought I researched the unit head to toe before ordering and just "assumed" if the option was offered that it would handle the power required. This question applies to both being plugged into a 30 amp campground connection and generator choice. The Honda has the 6500/5500 watt 54/45 amp and 3000/2800 watt 25/23.3 amp and the Yamaha has 4500/4000 watt 37.5/33.3. Not knowing much about any of it, the Yamaha seems like it will cover the unit, the Honda 6500, way overkill, and the Honda 3000, slightly under rated. Please help......Will it even operate both A/C's when plugged into a 30 amp camp connection or will I be turning off different items as to not blow breakers?
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Old 05-29-2011, 10:07 AM   #2
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Does your unit have the 50 amp cord or the 30?
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Old 05-29-2011, 10:30 AM   #3
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First of all Dakota - welcome to the Jayco Forum! Glad you found us. If you have time, feel free to come on over to the new member area and introduce yourself.

I am not that familiar with how they wire up the 2nd air on the 5ers - but I know there are some folks out here that have that config so they should be able to answer.

If I remember correctly, I think they (the forum members) ran a separate shore cord for the second air (which requires a 50 amp pedestal and adapters). I dont see how you could run two air units on one 30 amp. You definitely could not start both up at the same time, and you would be at almost 30 amps with them running - throw in your converter and a few lights and you are over. No running the water heater on electric or using a coffee maker.

I would get a full understanding from the dealer on how the system will operate, and if necessary call and discuss directly with Jayco so you can make sure it is to your liking.

Until you find out how the power is going to play out, I think you will have to wait determine which generator is appropriate.



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Old 05-29-2011, 03:27 PM   #4
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I apologize in advance for the length. New to RV'ing and have a 31.5RLTS Super Lite on order. Went with the 15,000 upgrade plus the 13,500 bedroom A/C. The unit has a 30 amp connection. These aren't prepped for generators so doing a portable isn't a problem and it will have more uses for me. Sales guy said a 5000w min would be required to run the unit comfortably. My confusion comes in with some of the reading I have been doing and the AMPS required to run all of this stuff. It sounds like both A/C's, TV etc will exceed 30 amps. Does this unit have a breaker box similar to a house where there are multiple different rated breakers in the box or is the max the unit will operate on, 30 amps. I thought I researched the unit head to toe before ordering and just "assumed" if the option was offered that it would handle the power required. This question applies to both being plugged into a 30 amp campground connection and generator choice. The Honda has the 6500/5500 watt 54/45 amp and 3000/2800 watt 25/23.3 amp and the Yamaha has 4500/4000 watt 37.5/33.3. Not knowing much about any of it, the Yamaha seems like it will cover the unit, the Honda 6500, way overkill, and the Honda 3000, slightly under rated. Please help......Will it even operate both A/C's when plugged into a 30 amp camp connection or will I be turning off different items as to not blow breakers?
Check with Jayco to see how they are going to wire up the system. I had a MTR HM 30 amp with 2 airs and a microwave. It had what is called a intelletec system that would alternate one then the other AC when a load was placed on the system such as a elec coffee pot or turn on the microwave. If at all possible I would get a 50 amp service and at least a 5500 watt generator. Better to spend the time now than be sorry later. Don't trust what the salesman tells you or else get it in writing.
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Old 05-29-2011, 03:42 PM   #5
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Too many buyers have been the victims of the old, "Sure, It'll handle it".
A second AC will overload the 30A service with nothing else turned on. If this is a special order and the dealer isn't just adding a second unit to a trailer he has on the lot, now is the time to communicate with the appropriate people and make sure it's done right. After you take delivery and find out at the CG that you can't run something is not the time.

Some owners wire a second unit to use the 20A service on the pedestal. That's an acceptable method, but on a new trailer, that should not be left to you to engineer and install. If they install the standard 30A Converter, it's not gonna work well. Two AC units call for 50A service, and the salesman is doing you an injustice to tell you it'll all work fine, when in reality, it isn't going to cut it. I would be talking to the sales manager at the dealership.

I'm interested to know how this turns out. keep us posted.
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Old 05-29-2011, 06:28 PM   #6
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Definitely calling them Tuesday morning. It is an option I added, not a special order. They just placed the order with the factory so I will get some explanations first thing. Thanks for all the input and I will let you know how it turns out.
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Old 05-31-2011, 08:18 PM   #7
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I have an Onan 4500 watt and ... I can run two major current draws at one time. If you start a 3rd major, the unit automatically shuts down and you have to go outside and reset a buttun inside the generator unit.

A major current draw includes Air Conditioner (I have one AC unit), Microwave, Electric hot water heater, a portable space heater. Choose your poison of which two you want to run.

When I am on generator, I always switch refrig and H20 heater to propane and take them out of the equation. I can run everything else, lighting, TV, Dish box etc in addition to the 2 majors on the generator.

Also my unit has 50 AMP shore power. Same deal, when we are plugged into 30 AMP service, we are limited to 2 majors or you blow the breaker. When we are plugged into 50 AMP service, we can run everything.
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Old 05-31-2011, 09:37 PM   #8
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Confirmed it today, it is upgraded to 50 amp service. They said it is an automatic when they do dual A/C's. Thanks for the input everyone.
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Old 05-31-2011, 09:47 PM   #9
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That is great news! You will be much happier with that config!

Just in case you are not familiar with the 50 amp service - it is much more than 20 extra amps -- it is 50 amp 120/240 volt service.

Now your typical RV only uses 120 volt service, but what this means is you get two 50 amp 120 volt feeds --- so it is a LOT more power.

So -- stay cool all summer long



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Old 06-07-2011, 06:56 AM   #10
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I have a 31.5 RLDS with the same AC setup. It is definitely 50 amp service.

MY dealer says that you need a 6500 watt generator to power both units.

The interesting thing is that the camper came with a 30 amp to 50 amp patch cable for emergencies when 30 amp is all that is available.

That has me wondering why I couldn't run just one AC unit from a 30 amp pedestal or generator (I already own a 3000 watt Honda).

I'm sure that I could at least run the 13,500 AC in the front bedroom, and possibly run the 15,0000 unit by itself if the refrigerator and water heater are on gas like the poster above said.

The neat thing you will find out is that both AC units are connected to ONE duct system - so that if only one unit is running the air still flows to the whole camper.

Makes it nice when sleeping & you don't need both units - you can kill the one in the bedroom to keep it quiet, but still get air from the larger unit in the main living area.

You will really love your new camper - ours is awesome.....
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Old 06-07-2011, 11:20 AM   #11
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I have a chance to pick-up a Honda 3000 and think that it will run my rv and air. Rv has 15 000ac [only one unit on trailer] and a 50amp service with the reducer to 30amp.
Does this sound like a 3000 will run my unit?
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Old 06-07-2011, 01:58 PM   #12
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I have a chance to pick-up a Honda 3000 and think that it will run my rv and air. Rv has 15 000ac [only one unit on trailer] and a 50amp service with the reducer to 30amp.
Does this sound like a 3000 will run my unit?
Should work... but as always you cannot run everything at the same time..
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Old 06-07-2011, 07:19 PM   #13
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Our TT dealer told us that a 3000w generator with 3800w boost (Honda's) would run the A/C but it would burn out the compressor in a few years. He actually told us that if we planned on keeping the camper for more than a few years we should get at least a 4kw genny. He said the compressor on the generator needs a lot of starting juice, and that if it doesn't have enough it takes longer to start. He said the process of taking longer to start would burn it up in a few years. Needless to say, we went with a 4k generator.

Forgot to mention, we have the 15k btu A/C unit
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Old 06-07-2011, 07:55 PM   #14
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Compressor on the generator?? I wonder if anyone has ever written a book on the things RV salespeople tell customers. It would make a great read.
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Old 06-07-2011, 09:28 PM   #15
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I can not see why would not run so I grabbed the 3000 Honda. I used one a couple of years ago and we ran 2 rv's with the 13 500 ac's off of 1 3000Honda.[nothing else on]
I have an older 5000 Honda already but it is way too noisy in a campground.
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Old 06-07-2011, 11:12 PM   #16
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Compressor on the generator?? I wonder if anyone has ever written a book on the things RV salespeople tell customers. It would make a great read.
Uh, methinks you may have misunderstood lovecamping. I'm thinkin' he meant the air conditioner compressor when running on power from the generator, which could make sense. If the starting amps on the air conditioner copressor is higher than the generator is capable of putting out, then voltage will go low and the compressor will have to work harder and longer to get going, causing excessive stress which will eventually reduce the life of the compressor.
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Old 06-08-2011, 06:16 AM   #17
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When a compressor starts. it only draws LRA for less than a second. If the generator is properly tuned and putting out the correct voltage and is at 60 cps, you should not here more than a very quick drop in speed as the AC starts and then should return to normal. The compressor, given that the start components are good, will not labor excessively when it starts. Trying to start two compressors simultaneously would be a different story, but that's a completely different set of operating conditions. Bottom line is that a compressor doesn't start any harder on a good generator than is would on shore power.
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Old 06-08-2011, 07:31 AM   #18
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When a compressor starts. it only draws LRA for less than a second. If the generator is properly tuned and putting out the correct voltage and is at 60 cps, you should not here more than a very quick drop in speed as the AC starts and then should return to normal. The compressor, given that the start components are good, will not labor excessively when it starts. Trying to start two compressors simultaneously would be a different story, but that's a completely different set of operating conditions. Bottom line is that a compressor doesn't start any harder on a good generator than is would on shore power.
Your comment made it seem you were saying that lovecamping had said the salesperson had said the compressor was a part of the generator. Sorry if I misunderstood you.

I didn't say it always made sense. The keys here are "good generator" and "properly tuned and putting out the correct voltage and is at 60 cps." An undersized generastor will not be able to do that.

Btw, (and I admit this is nitpicking) cps (cycles per second) hasn't been used in at least 40 years. It was replaced with Hz (hertz).
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Old 06-08-2011, 07:40 AM   #19
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I guess it depends on what you want to call "undersizeed". A Honda 2KW generator will run an AC if nothing else is online. I have customers that have run 16KBTU ACs for years doing just that. We could go back and forth all day with "what-ifs", but I don't have time to do that. My pointwas that sales people give out a lot of inaccurate information in order to make a sale.

I guess I'm showing my age by saying 60cps. When I talk to my factory people, we we still use the term "60 cycle" when refering to shore power. Either terminology is acceptable but again, I don't have time to nit-pick over that either. Have a nice day.
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Old 08-13-2011, 09:47 PM   #20
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So, finally took delivery of my unit. It did arrive with 50 amp service and had it hooked up at the dealer running on 30amp and everything ran fine. No issue having to alternate A/C’s when needed. Now comes the question of generator choice. I know I need a lot of wattage to run multiple items but is it a waste to have a 6500 Honda/6300 Yamaha, approx 50 amps, when the input plug is only a 30 amp on the generator? Is a parallel of two 3000s with 23 amps for a total of 6000 watts going to be better/enough? The Honda 6500 is too heavy for cargo tray and too big for bed of truck but Yamaha 6300 is 50lbs under the weight capacity of the cargo tray. Suggestions?
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