House power to 30 amp TT? How to?

[Larry Mac]

So I am trying to cram about the RV- well everything. So we have a Jay Feather Micro 199 mbs on order. If we occasionally bring it to the house to work on it, how do we get power? I saw where an electrician can install a 30 amp 120 volt receptacle/box with the emphasis on 120. Is that the only way? Is there a dog bone enabling you to do the same thing and if so what? Are is that for just partial power?

[Joey55]

First you'll need a good extension cord that can carry the amperage, not the cheap ones. I have a 100 foot extension that costs around $60. Then you can find a 120v standard plug to 30 Amp to fit your RV. I've seen them at WalMart but Camping World sells them also. Mine will pull the AC plugged into a 20 Amp service and I keep it in the RV all the time just in case.

[Yooper906]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

So I am trying to cram about the RV- well everything. So we have a Jay Feather Micro 199 mbs on order. If we occasionally bring it to the house to work on it, how do we get power? I saw where an electrician can install a 30 amp 120 volt receptacle/box with the emphasis on 120. Is that the only way? Is there a dog bone enabling you to do the same thing and if so what? Are is that for just partial power?

My garage where the RV is parked has 60 amp service. I tried hooking the RV into a 20 amp outlet, it will power everything okay except the air conditioner on the RV. It would start fine, but on a restart it would kick out the 20 amp breaker. I don't have a "soft start" for the air conditioner. So I put in a 30 amp breaker in the box and ran 20 ft of 10 ga wire to an rv outlet on the outside wall of the garage. Works fine. I have nothing else on the garage power except a few overhead lights and a couple of wall receptacles.
I could have put in 50 amp service, but no need to justify the expense with just one air conditioner on the RV. Hope this makes sense, I'm not good at describing these things.

[Larry Mac]

Originally Posted by Joey55

First you'll need a good extension cord that can carry the amperage, not the cheap ones. I have a 100 foot extension that costs around $60. Then you can find a 120v standard plug to 30 Amp to fit your RV. I've seen them at WalMart but Camping World sells them also. Mine will pull the AC plugged into a 20 Amp service and I keep it in the RV all the time just in case.

thank you!
So is this safe and not harmful to the unit?
I know very little about this. This does seem cheaper. Will it run everything including the AC? But I’m OK to pay an electrician if 30 amp , 120 volt is just better.

[NewBlackDak]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

thank you!
So is this safe and not harmful to the unit?
I know very little about this. This does seem cheaper. Will it run everything including the AC? But I’m OK to pay an electrician if 30 amp , 120 volt is just better.

If you’re just looking to get power to the converter/battery charger, power up the outlets, and cool down the fridge then it’s more than fine. It may not work for the air conditioner, or it may work for the air conditioner when your converter isn’t running.

[Larry Mac]

Originally Posted by NewBlackDak

If you’re just looking to get power to the converter/battery charger, power up the outlets, and cool down the fridge then it’s more than fine. It may not work for the air conditioner, or it may work for the air conditioner when your converter isn’t running.

Thank you!

[osbornk]

I didn't start camping until the early 70s. I've used a heavy extension cord with a 20 amp house breaker on pop-ups, travel trailers, an old class C motorhome and now a 2014 Class A. I have very occasionally popped a breaker in the house but never had any other issues.

[Jagiven]

You can plug into a regular household outlet, and run everything but the AC. You need a heavy duty extension cord (12 gauge). You will also need a 20amp to 30 amp adapter (dogbone). Make sure to get a good quality one. The cheap ones can melt when running the AC. A cheap one has come with every tt i have purchased.

Pending on the circuit you plug into, you might be able to run the ac, but not much else. We did this for many many years.

2 years ago I installed a 50/30/20 shorepower box on the shed where the tt is kept. It is nice knowing I can run the ac for extended periods. If you are hiring an electrician ask about the cost difference.


If you will

[Woodworker]

Depending on your panel an location of box to plug into adding a 30 amp breaker an a box is easy. I did it myself for less than $100. Wire cost the most. Buying a 3 prong camper plug to a regular plug adapter for a regualr 120v home receptacle works it just depends on what else is run off that circuit.
I say if the access is easy just run another dedicated circuit.

[GHen]

My kids come to visits regularly in groups. Added 2 20amp dedicated outlets and 2 30amp dedicated outlets (with the 30amp rv plug configuration).

Same thing as above, a couple of the rigs trip the 20amp plugs when the A/C restarts. I’ll probably add 2 more 30amp outlets to solve the issue. To use the 30amp plugs properly, all wiring to the rv’s should we 10gauge wiring. I bought a couple and made a couple to to give everyone enough power.

My shop has a separate 200amp panel separate from the house so lots of available power in that panel.

[Bob K]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

So I am trying to cram about the RV- well everything. So we have a Jay Feather Micro 199 mbs on order. If we occasionally bring it to the house to work on it, how do we get power? I saw where an electrician can install a 30 amp 120 volt receptacle/box with the emphasis on 120. Is that the only way? Is there a dog bone enabling you to do the same thing and if so what? Are is that for just partial power?

1. Buy an extension cord that is rated for the load capacity of whatever circuit you're going to plug into. Residential receptacles are typically 15 amp. If you want some "future proofing" and the option to use the extension cord at full amperage when you need an extension cord at an RV park, splurge for the 30 amp extension cord.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Extensi.../dp/B000BUU5YU

2. Buy a 15 amp to 30 amp conversion dogbone.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Dogbone.../dp/B000BUU5YA

3. Hook it all up.

You can use whatever you want in the trailer so long as the combined load is less that the circuit's breaker capacity. If you draw more than your household receptacle is rated for, it'll trip that circuit's breaker in your house panel. Just as every circuit in your house is designed to do.

I have a small trailer with the side-mount window style air conditioner. I can run it just fine off of a 15 amp household receptacle so long as it's the only major component. (It's pulling about 12 amps sustained).

Look at the wattage on your A/C to see if it'll work. Watts = Volts x Amps

If I get too much going on inside the trailer or get absent minded--A/C on, some lights, an electric drill or a heat gun--I'll trip the house breaker and have to go hoof it to the panel and reset it.

[Larry Mac]

Lots of great ideas from everyone here. Thank you all for your time and your experience.
It’s a little overwhelming trying to learn everything on this soon to be RV and not so easy financially. I am amazed how the list for essential accessories is expanding. And we haven’t got into the surge protector and WDH yet. This is part of the reason we stepped back from buying an RV 2-3 years ago.
Paralysis by analysis. We are both in our 70’s. I don’t want to look back 4-5 years later and wonder “what if?” Plus it’s different this time. We promised the grandkids.