What can you run when connected to a house?

[whoot]

If you have a 30amp converter that converts from a 3-prong house outlet to the 30amp Casita cable, what can you run? I know not to run the A/C, but what about the Microwave, Fridge, and Water heater?

[whoot]

The RV is about 40ft from the house socket, so I got a 50ft cable. Should that work?


"50 Foot Lighted Outdoor Extension Cord - 10/3 SJTW Yellow 10 Gauge Extension Cable with 3 Prong Grounded Plug for Safety - Great for Garden and Major Appliances"



https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078KDZBBX

[Civilguy]

Are you speaking of an adaptor like this one?



Here's a list of RV appliances with estimated amperages for each.

RV Converters and Amp Draw - RV Information (RV Maintenance)

Water heater should be fine, along with the rest. The total loads on the circuit, including household loads, need to be under the 15 amp breaker (most common) or 20 amp breaker (much less common) on your receptacle's circuit.

A 10 gauge extension cord is a good choice.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

Are you speaking of an adaptor like this one?

Attachment 140178

Here's a list of RV appliances with estimated amperages for each.

RV Converters and Amp Draw - RV Information (RV Maintenance)

Water heater should be fine, along with the rest. The total loads on the circuit, including household loads, need to be under the 15 amp breaker (most common) or 20 amp breaker (much less common) on your receptacle's circuit.

A 10 gauge extension cord is a good choice.

Yes, I have one like yours but it doesn't have a red light on it. I also got another one with a short extension, called a "dogbone". The short adapter like yours, tends to fall out of the generator that I sometimes use. I am going to switch from using an E2000i Honda generator, to a house outlet. On the generator, I can run everything. I will avoid using the A/C on house power, but I am hoping the microwave and fridge will work. I normally use gas for the water heater, but was thinking of testing a new anode I put in it.


That's an awesome amp list, thanks. It looks like it should be okay.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by whoot

If you have a 30amp converter that converts from a 3-prong house outlet to the 30amp Casita cable, what can you run? I know not to run the A/C, but what about the Microwave, Fridge, and Water heater?

A 15 amp max adapter plugged into 120 volts would be 1800 watts total max. Any of the items listed may be OK depending on size, just not at the same time. A 700 watt microwave may well draw almost double that when running. I run my A/C on a 15 amp outlet, but never turn anything else on at the same time.

[Civilguy]

For a couple of bucks you can swap out the house receptacle for a commercial grade style that will hold the plug more firmly which improves the contact and helps the current flow at that point.

Leviton R62-CBR15-00W Outlet

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Leviton-...-00W/202066707

I have no idea what it might take to replace or tighten up the receptacle in a generator.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by Civilguy

I have no idea what it might take to replace or tighten up the receptacle in a generator.

The Honda eu 2200 i companion has a twist lock receptacle. It requires a dog bone adapter, but it is a solid contact and will not vibrate loose. It remains 15 amp until you parallel TWO generators. Note that you no longer get the 12 VDC socket on the companion.

[Friz]

The 10 gauge cord should be fine. I had a 40ft 16 gauge cord I used and the cord got warm, the plug melted a little with AC use. My regular extension cord is a 50 ft 12ga. and works fine. I have a 100ft 20ga cord salvaged from a telephone line. Supports fridge and a fan.

The newer Casita's Coleman AC uses 8 amps so it's not as hard on power cords.

Measure the voltage in the trailer. Power = Volts * Amps.

Example: Casita with AC on, Fridge on, 10 amps.
10 amps, 120 v at the house, 115v in trailer 10 x 5= 50 watts. Result: Cord is too long or too small or both. May melt connectors.

Do a Google search on copper wire resistance and ohms law calculator.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by AC0GV

The Honda eu 2200 i companion has a twist lock receptacle. It requires a dog bone adapter, but it is a solid contact and will not vibrate loose. It remains 15 amp until you parallel TWO generators.

I have an E2000i, I don't think it has a 30a connector:

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by whoot

I have an E2000i, I don't think it has a 30a connector:Attachment 140183

Only the "Companion" needs the 30 amp because you can only get thirty amps with TWO hooked together. But you can run the companion as a single unit and use the twist lock socket. All 4 (both 2000s and both 2200s) are good solid generators.

[whoot]

Originally Posted by AC0GV

Only the "Companion" needs the 30 amp because you can only get thirty amps with TWO hooked together. But you can run the companion as a single unit and use the twist lock socket. All 4 (both 2000s and both 2200s) are good solid generators.

Should I not be running everything off the E2000i? I sometimes run the A/C with it. I ran everything off the generator for 2 days, after a hurricane knocked out power. I wasn't planning to get another one.

[AC0GV]

Originally Posted by whoot

Should I not be running everything off the E2000i? I sometimes run the A/C with it. I ran everything off the generator for 2 days, after a hurricane knocked out power. I wasn't planning to get another one.

Depending on the starting current of the A/C you may get by. I did with my Scamp using the 2200. I did just add a soft start to the A/C because it is a small generator. I have always used a volt meter in the RV to keep an eye on voltage. I have had campground hookups under 100 VAC. I now have a Kill A Watt meter and it shows about 13 amps running on my 2017 Scamp. I am also careful not to play with the thermostat and stop and start the A/C a lot.

Maybe some one will jump in and let us know what it takes to KILL A HONDA
generator. I'd like to learn what it takes from some one else.

[C&G in FL]

Depending on the age of the house, the circuit may have a 20 amp breaker. In recent years, the trend in home construction has been to make all utility circuits 20 amp using 12 AWG. But due to the fact that it would be very unusual to pull 20 amps from one outlet, the actual outlets are often rated at 15 amps. Look in the breaker box; each breaker has the amperage indicated, usually on its switch.

You should be able to run everything in the trailer other than the A/C using a 10 AWG extension cord. You may even be able to run the A/C depending the wattage it requires. But keep in mind running two high wattage appliances at the same time such as the microwave and a coffee maker, or coffee maker and toaster may pull enough current to exceed the rating of the circuit breaker, causing it to trip, and requiring you to walk to the breaker box to reset the breaker. However, running the refrigerator and the water heater should cause no problems, even if you run the microwave at the same time. The worst thing that will happen is a tripped breaker which may be inconvenient, but is easy enough to reset.

Adding an E-Z Start to the A/C would allow use of the A/C in this setup. I can run the 11,000 BTU A/C in my trailer on a Honda EU2000i (not the 2200), even at high elevations, or running it on propane (conversion kit) rather than gasoline.

[Gerry]

I have 20 AMP breaker and all will run in my Casita but I do not run them all at once and the AC and Microwave, I will turn on just to test at the start of season one at a time.
the rest works fine for extended time and together.
Have had guests stay in my camper for week or more running lights, furnace, and fridge with no ill effects.

[Captleemo]

I had a spare breaker in my electrical panel so I ran some conduit from the panel to close enough to plug in the trailer cord. I installed a 30 amp 120 volt breaker and 120 volt 30 amp recepticle which I found at Home Depot.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by whoot

If you have a 30amp converter that converts from a 3-prong house outlet to the 30amp Casita cable, what can you run? I know not to run the A/C, but what about the Microwave, Fridge, and Water heater?

A/C is about the only thing you can't run on house 20amp. Just don't run the microwave and water heater if being heated by electric at the same time. It could be a problem but may not be. If the house is 20 amp you may get by running the A/C for a short time but nothing else. We've run the A/C for short periods to make sure it was running but we had 20 amp service and made sure nothing else was on.

[CharlesinGA]

Not wanting to leave my shore cord out, I use an adapter on the trailer and a 12 gauge/50 ft extension plugged into a GFCI on my shop. It is wired with 12 gauge and a 20 amp breaker. It will run the A/C fine, or the microwave, or the water heater (physically impossible to run the MW and WH at the same time due to the load shed box) It works fine for me.

Charles

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jann Todd

A/C is about the only thing you can't run on house 20amp. Just don't run the microwave and water heater if being heated by electric at the same time. It could be a problem but may not be. If the house is 20 amp you may get by running the A/C for a short time but nothing else. We've run the A/C for short periods to make sure it was running but we had 20 amp service and made sure nothing else was on.

Actually with the right equipment you can run a roof A/C just fine on a 20 amp house outlet. The roof A/C units typically specify a dedicated 20 amp circuit and breaker. Some people have run them on 15 amps and so far not had a problem but if that is not the specs I would not use 15.

If using a 20 amp outlet at home:

1. Best if it is a dedicated outlet for the camper... nothing else in the house on the same breaker. If thats not possible then ensure everything else on the same circuit in the house is turned off.
2. Use a real 30 to 20 amp adapter. They are not that common or easy to find. Here is the one I got. If you get one and are not sure if its a legitimate 2500 watt rating then check to see if it gets hot when using the A/C according to these procedures (it should not).
3. It is best if no extension cord is used. Use only the camper shore power cord from the adapter to the camper. If you must use an extension cord then keep it as short as possible and match the gauge to the length (longer cords = larger gauge). Online calculators can be used so you are not just guessing.
4. When using the A/C, everything else in the camper is off (except for very light loads such as an LED light). Even the converter. In my Scamp its easy to turn off all the 120 VAC breakers except for the one for the A/C. 12 VDC things still work off the battery.

Now you might get away with not following all of the above. But if you do follow all of the above then the A/C can be used as much as you want with confidence that there will be no problems.

[Borden]

Ours is 15 Amp we can run everything. Furnace safety and fan, hot water tank safety, water pump and lights 12v through inverter, fridge on 110v, coffee pot or toaster not both at same time or either when water pump is running.