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06-20-2020, 09:05 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Raleigh
Posts: 3
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Can A/C run on house power
We plan to stay at a friends beach house and bring our camper. Can I run the AC off their house power? I don't know how many amps my standard a/c pulls.
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06-20-2020, 09:13 PM
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#2
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Site Team
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Connellsville
Posts: 22,681
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Is your unit 13.5K btu? If so, the answer is possibly. I have successfully run my Coleman Mach 13.5K unit on a dedicated 15 amp circuit in a similar circumstance. You will not be able to run any additional high draw items like the electric water heater, etc.
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06-20-2020, 09:19 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,424
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Agreed with above statement. Best case scenario you’d be able to run the AC but that receptacle would be maxed out and would probably heat up and pop the breaker if used heavily. You’d have no problem (as long as it was a well wired receptacle of at least 15 amps) if you installed a Micro-Air unit on the AC to significantly drop the amp draw when the AC compressor kicks on. It’s a bit spendy but takes like 30 min to install and worth every penny for situations like this.
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06-20-2020, 09:43 PM
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#4
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Lost in the Woods
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Ocean County
Posts: 2,807
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baseballdad27
I don't know how many amps my standard a/c pulls.
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My 15K BTU pulls 14 amps. I can run it off a 120 volt, 20 amp circuit (with nothing else running on it). Make sure you use a heavy duty extension cord, 12 gauge preferred.
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06-20-2020, 10:34 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2019
Location: Corona
Posts: 259
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SLX7 195RB here. I have the roof mounted AC (13.5K BTU). I can confirm it will run off a 15 amp residential plug/extension cord.
BUT DON'T RUN ANYTHING ELSE BESIDES THE A/C.
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06-21-2020, 03:55 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Port Charlotte FL/Hinsdale MA.
Posts: 1,070
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You friend most likely will be on a GFI circuit. Turn off the GFI circuit in you RV.
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2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BH
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06-21-2020, 06:24 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Hollister
Posts: 517
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[QUOTE=Cavie;867172]You friend most likely will be on a GFI circuit. Turn off the GFI circuit in you RV.[QUOTE]
How does one do that please?
Mine will trip the 15A breaker when plugged into the GFI outlet I use.
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06-21-2020, 07:20 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: DFW
Posts: 2,212
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I was just running my 15K unit off a 15amp circuit with heavy duty extension chord. I had nothing else on either the house circuit or the trailer. Also, I have the MicroAir installed in the AC I was using. That being said, I’d think a 13.5 would be fine. I kept checking the extension chord for excessive heat but it seemed ok. Just warm.
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06-21-2020, 08:07 AM
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#9
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Raleigh
Posts: 3
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Thanks to all. Yes, it is a 13.5. I had thought about the heavier ext cord. Good info on the GFI if I have issues. Here's a wild question: how many amps is a clothes dryer? The plugs look similar.
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06-21-2020, 01:08 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Missouri City, The Republic of Texas
Posts: 5,063
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Our first TT 30A would trip a 15A house breaker when I tried to run the AC. However it would be fine on a 20A circuit. I also used my 30A extension and short 30-15A dogbone to plug in. No house or shop extension cord.
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06-21-2020, 01:32 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Jefferson
Posts: 209
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I think a house dryer cord looks similar, but it's wired very differently from an RV. Please someone else chime in and correct me if I'm wrong, before they do some major damage.
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06-21-2020, 02:43 PM
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#12
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Lost in the Woods
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Ocean County
Posts: 2,807
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baseballdad27
Here's a wild question: how many amps is a clothes dryer? The plugs look similar.
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A 3 prong clothes dryer plug "looks" similar, but it's very different. A dryer is 240 volts and pulls around 25 - 30 amps. It's two hot legs and a combined neutral/ground. Your 3 prong RV 30 amp plug is 120 volts and rated for 30 amp, with one hot leg, a neutral and a ground.
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06-21-2020, 02:47 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Port Charlotte FL/Hinsdale MA.
Posts: 1,070
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[QUOTE=mokurt;867190][QUOTE=Cavie;867172]You friend most likely will be on a GFI circuit. Turn off the GFI circuit in you RV.
Quote:
How does one do that please?
Mine will trip the 15A breaker when plugged into the GFI outlet I use.
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2 ways. Test the GFI outlet and do not reset it (if it stays on long enough to do that) or turn the 15 amp GFI breaker off.
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Retired Master Electrician and Building Inspector.
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BH
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06-21-2020, 02:54 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Port Charlotte FL/Hinsdale MA.
Posts: 1,070
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baseballdad27
Thanks to all. Yes, it is a 13.5. I had thought about the heavier ext cord. Good info on the GFI if I have issues. Here's a wild question: how many amps is a clothes dryer? The plugs look similar.
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This picture will show you the difference. if you look closely you will see why you can not plug your RV into a dryer outlet. Not only is the ground different, the diameter of the prongs is different.
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Retired Master Electrician and Building Inspector.
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BH
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06-21-2020, 03:48 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado
Posts: 778
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Quote:
Originally Posted by baseballdad27
We plan to stay at a friends beach house and bring our camper. Can I run the AC off their house power? I don't know how many amps my standard a/c pulls.
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Welcome to the Forum
Here’s an alternative to the micro air unit that sells for $299. The description explains what makes and models it works on...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/123293338386
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06-21-2020, 04:12 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 9,740
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Up until this year, my TT was plugged into a 20 amp gfci. Never had any issues. I always was concerned about running the ac for any amount of time, as the cheap doggone, I used would get warm.
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06-21-2020, 04:41 PM
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#17
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Site Team
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: James Island, SC
Posts: 22,772
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Most residential codes do not allow the 30a 240vac - L shaped plug anymore and have gone to a 4 prong plug.
They still get confused by many even electricians who are not familiar with the rv requirements. If a rv is plugged into either one it can do major damage to the electric system in a rv.
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06-21-2020, 05:21 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: Port Charlotte FL/Hinsdale MA.
Posts: 1,070
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Quote:
Originally Posted by norty1
Most residential codes do not allow the 30a 240vac - L shaped plug anymore and have gone to a 4 prong plug.
They still get confused by many even electricians who are not familiar with the rv requirements. If a rv is plugged into either one it can do major damage to the electric system in a rv.
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If you look at this picture you will see you can not plug into the wrong outlet. The outlet has to be miss wired.
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Retired Master Electrician and Building Inspector.
2011 Keystone Sprinter 323 BH
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06-21-2020, 06:28 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: McKean, PA
Posts: 1,071
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You didn't identify what type of power your RV uses 50, 30 0r 20 qmp service.
I have done exactly that several times with no issues. Look in your RV circuit box and check the label on the breaker for the air conditioner. Most likely it is on its own circuit and it is a 15 amp circuit. Most modern homes have 20 amp circuits for outlets. Older homes may only have 15 amp circuits. Check your friends box before connecting. I've never had a problem tripping GFCI's with my trailer and the one on the trailer is always on.
On a 15 amp circuit you will only be able to run the A/C. On a 20 amp circuit you will be able to run the A/C and some lights. For hot water and the fridge use propane.
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06-22-2020, 11:26 AM
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#20
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Raleigh
Posts: 3
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Thanks to all for the great answers and information. To be sure I wouldn't have plugged in the RV to the dryer just to see if it worked! Glad I asked though.
I have a 30 amp TT to be clear. My AC in the TT is on a 20 amp breaker.
Learning from all of this it seems it will be important to see what else might be pulling on my friends house 15 or 20 amp circuit I hook up to since I can only run the AC on it in the TT, nothing in the house should be pulling either.
Thanks for the help guys!
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