Can Casita 110v outlet power a 120v ceramic heater?

[whoot]

I got a little Lasko #754200 Ceramic Heater. The instruction book says it is a 1500w heater and it needs a 120v power source. My Casita is on shorepower (30amp), and I think the outlets are only 110v. Is it safe to plug the Lasko heater in to the Casita's internal outlet?

I actually got the heater to put underneath the skirted Casita to try and make it through the winter. When it is under the Casita, I plan to plug it in to the outside electrical socket, but I wanted to test it inside first.

[Byron Kinnaman]

The current house current standard is 120 Volt. That said most electrical devices designed for home are designed to operate anywhere between 90 volts and 130 volts 60HZ.
If you have any doubt look at the specifications in the owners manual.

The outlets are at what ever the voltage is where the trailer is connected to electricity.

[mary and bob]

We ran a 1500W heater all last winter in our Casita with no problem. Regularly used a toaster oven plugged into the outside outlet with no problem there.

[honda03842]

We have run a 1500 watt heater for years, usually in the morning when we first wake up. We make coffee, toast and have the heater on all at the same time. The coffee pot and toaster are on the same breaker. The heater on another breaker. By the time Ginny starts making bacon and eggs, the place is usually so warm, the vent and window are usually open and the heater off.

Byron's comment about the voltage of AC is absolutely correct. I note the time to make toast seems to vary. I attribute this to differences in the AC voltage.

By the way, we rarely find it necessary to run on 1500 watts at least in our little Scamp. We found the point where the heater thermostat cuts off at 70 F and usually set it there and usually on 800 watts.

[mary and bob]

William, you may want to look at what you have for breakers in your Casita. Ours only had one double 15 amp breaker.

[Darwin Maring]

Amps times Volts = Watts.
Take the 15 Amps and times it by 120 Volts and you have the wattage of your 15 Amp breaker.

[WaltP]

I know it's a bit confusing to see some appliances and systems rated at 120v and others at 110v, but it's really all the same. It would be best if everyone would standardize on the same stated voltage. There are not two different standards.

Walt

[Bob in Mb]

A 1500 watt heater just about max's out the 15 amp circuit so any other draw on the circuit will have to be small . That is - if your fridge or a pump is on the same circuit it would be overloaded.

[NASA42]

whoot....

WaltP and Bob in Mb are both right.

And....I have had the same Lasko heater for years and used it without problem. That said, I do not run it on high heat when the AC heatstrips or microwave are in use.

Frank

[whoot]

Thanks for all the advice, I ran it last night on the "low" setting (900 watts). I don't think I will ever run it at 1500 watts. I think the AC's heat-strip is 1500 watts, so maybe I can save some power by running the Lasko at 900 watts. The heat seemed better distributed inside the Casita, probably because the Lasko is on the floor, instead of in the ceiling. The Lasko is also a lot quieter than the AC unit.

[steve dunham]

The NEC has changed the voltage rating of circuits from 110/220 to 115/230 to 120/240.
My Casita (2013) is wired with 12-2 NM which is rated for 20 amps. One problem you may encounter is that Casita uses 15 amp residential grade receptacles . Residential grade receptacles when subject to a continuous load that exceeds 80% of their amp rating have a tendancy to heat and self destruct. A thermostatically controlled heater in many jurisdictions located in colder climates is considered to be a continuous load. An easy solution is to change out the existing receptacle to a commercial grade receptacle . Make sure and connect the wires to the terminal screws of the receptacle. Do not use the pushin terminals on the back of the receptacle !

[WaltP]

Just a little addition to Steve's comment. The commercial receptacles he refers to are rated at 20 amps instead of 15 and can be recognized by the "lazy T" hole for the hot terminal.

Walt

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Just a little addition to Steve's comment. The commercial receptacles he refers to are rated at 20 amps instead of 15 and can be recognized by the "lazy T" hole for the hot terminal.

Walt

They make commercial grade receptacles rated for both 15 & 20 amps
The T slot on 120 volt 20 amp NEMA receptacles is on the left or neutral side

[WaltP]

Thanks for the corrections Steve. I was not aware of commercial 15 amp receptacles.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by WaltP

Just a little addition to Steve's comment. The commercial receptacles he refers to are rated at 20 amps instead of 15 and can be recognized by the "lazy T" hole for the hot terminal.

Walt

Commercial grade receptacles are available in both 15 or 20 amp ratings.
The T slot on a 20 amp-120 VAC receptacle is on the left or neutral side of the receptacle.

[Captleemo]

You can buy an inexpensive multi meter and check to see what your supply voltage is at the receptacle but more than likely the voltage will be 120 volts. If it was me I would consider getting a couple of heat lamps and the brooders lamp they screw into. The red bulbs are 250 watts apiece so two of them would only be 500 watts or 4.2 amps at 120 volts instead of 12.5 amps or 1500 watts at 120 volts. Tractor Supply Co. - Enjoy searching: heat lamps

[TCMac]

1500 watts divided by 120 volts = 12.5 amps

If the circuit breaker is 15 amps and not much else on the same circuit then yes.

[Byron Kinnaman]

110, 115, 120? Can be confusing. Just remember these number are approximate not absolute. Also you can be fooled if you try to do the math with a wrong variable. And if you try to do Ohm's law according to manufacturer's specifications you could miss.

All that said, if the power (watts) of a heater is in fact 1500 watts with a voltage of 100 Volts AC RMS you will have a current of 15 Amps RMS. It gets rather complicated.

For trailer use I don't think it would be problem, depending on how your trailer is wired. If it wired like mine every 120 volt outlet has it own 15 amp breaker.

A 15 amp breaker isn't going to trip at exactly 15 amps. Again most these number are close but not exact.

[WaltP]

Most small, 1500 watt heaters have a low range of about 8-900 watts that'll draw a lot less current and I've never had to use mine on the high range anyway. The volume of space in our small trailers shouldn't need it. If it ever got cold enough that I felt my heater was heating too slow on low range, I'd just turn on the furnace for a short time to speed it up. So far, never happened. Even here.

Walt

[Raz]

Originally Posted by steve dunham

.........One problem you may encounter is that Casita uses 15 amp residential grade receptacles . Residential grade receptacles when subject to a continuous load that exceeds 80% of their amp rating have a tendancy to heat and self destruct.

Wow. I have to say I'm surprised that the testing agencies, especially the ones funded by the insurance companies, allow this. I guess everything has mouse print these days. Raz,