supermod38
Central NY
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if my MH is in my yard it is plugged into a outlet that is only 20 amps.
i run my tv, receiver,and my AC with no problems.
also use it when we have guest's and the water pump runs at times and have not had a tripped breaker yet.
all items running at the same time never tripped one yet, guess i am just lucky.
Bob
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AFChap
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I agree that the warning about plugging this rig into power at home likely has to do with the likelihood of damaging the batteries by overcharging more than anything else. Adapters to plug the 30a RV plug (I'm guessing this rig is 30a) or even 50a into a home 15 or 20a outlet are readily available. Do pay attention to the comments about the length of the extension cord, and the fact that you probably cannot run big loads on that connection.
We have used our 50a rig plugged in like this many times, and can run pretty much any thing we want to except the heat pump/ac, or something like microwave & Mr Coffee pot at same time.
Quote:If it's 50 amp they may be afraid you will plug it in to a 240 volt dryer outlet or the like with an adapter of some type. That would be a bad thing to do.
Whether that would be a bad thing to do depends on the "adapter of some type." Actually, if your rig is 50a you are less likely to get in trouble than if it is 30a. If properly wired, an adapter from the modern 4-prong 240v 30a outlet to an RV 50a plug would provide two legs of 120v 30a power rather than the standard 120v 50a power a normal 50a RV outlet provides. Neither you nor your RV would likely know any difference ...we use a connection like this at our son's home. HOWEVER, if you try to make an adapter to plug your 30a rig into a 240v 30a outlet, you likely are headed for trouble. Some homes may even have a 4-prong 240v 50a outlet for an electric range. If you inspect it, you will find it is the EXACT SAME outlet used for 50a RVs ...labeled "14-50R 125v/250v". The caution I would emphasize relative to ALL the above is proceed with caution unless you are SURE you KNOW what you are dealing with. I ALWAYS test an unknown outlet for proper voltage, etc with a multi-meter before plugging in, especially if I or someone else just wired it! Then I plug in my Surgeguard which checks it AGAIN before it will allow power to the RV.
Quote:there is really no limit to current in a 15 amp outlet.
...other than the fact that the 15 amp outlet (if properly installed) is on a circuit with a 15 amp breaker and the breaker will trip if you try to pull excessive amps.
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Lobstah
Northeast
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The problem with long extension cords isn't really current, but as was stated, the voltage drop. Things with motors that are looking for 120v don't do very well with 90v.
Like many others, we keep our motorhome plugged in to a 15amp circuit, just so we can keep our fridge running. Momma thinks it's a BIG help to not have to unload/unpack/tote all the stuff back into the house everytime we come home.
And yeah, if you try and run too much, you'll blow a breaker, simple as that.
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Lobstah
Northeast
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I'm a bit skeptical about the batteries overcharging on a 15amp circuit at home. The battery charger doesn't know where the amps are coming from, or the size of the breaker on the other end.
What's the difference between being plugged in at an RV park for a month and being plugged in at home for a month?
Jim
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breezeman
Valdosta, Ga.
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I built me a 18'x36' shelter and run a 30amp service and water to it. I keep mine plugged in and water hooked up all the time also. Have done this with 3 previous TT's also. No problems.
I'm always going out there to do something in RV or just to sit and "dream" of next big trip.
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vermilye
Oswego, NY, USA
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Quote:I'm a bit skeptical about the batteries overcharging on a 15amp circuit at home. The battery charger doesn't know where the amps are coming from, or the size of the breaker on the other end.
What's the difference between being plugged in at an RV park for a month and being plugged in at home for a month?
It isn't the rating of the receptacle that is the problem, it is that older or inexpensive converters are often single stage converters. The charge voltage is too high if the RV is not being used - the batteries can overcharge . A 3 stage converter has a boost, normal & storage voltage settings, and in some cases an additional desulfation stage. If this is the case, leaving it plugged in won't be a problem.
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mombum
Chattanooga, TN USA
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I have a slab in the back yard for my MH. I had an electric company to run a line from the fuse box on the back porch to a 30amp connection plug in the car port. I plug in here and run everything I run in a campground. No blown fuses or other problems.
Time's a wastin'
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dalebear
Long Beach Ca.
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Had a 50amp put in just for the RV next to were I park it. Only use it when its the guest house or to cool down the frig befor I take off.
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Herbdb
PA
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I had one put in my garage so I can plug in preparing for a trip or cleaning and working on the MH. Makes getting ready for a trip comfortable.
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ShapeShifter
Buffalo, NY
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I tend to agree that they are most likely concerned about overcharging the battery. But they may also be concerned about potential damage from plugging into the wrong kind of outlet. They may also be concerned about potentially overloading that outlet, or about the voltage drop from using extension cords.
Lobstah wrote:What's the difference between being plugged in at an RV park for a month and being plugged in at home for a month?
Nothing.
But, I'm guessing that they assume that the average user spends less than a month at a campground, and very much more than a month at home. The odds against seriously overcharging the batteries (to the point where you boil off enough water to expose the plates) are much lower at a campground where it's plugged in for a weekend, week or two, or even a month. But when it's at home for the rest of the year, the odds of overcharging the battery to the point of damage are much greater.
_____________________
There's a lot of good information in this thread. But there are also a few comments that cause concern. Some have been addressed already, but I think the situations are important enough to bear repeating.
Clay L wrote:Does it require 30 amp or 50 amp service?
If it's 50 amp they may be afraid you will plug it in to a 240 volt dryer outlet or the like with an adapter of some type. That would be a bad thing to do.
You have the situation reversed. The socket for a 50 amp coach is identical to the socket for a modern 50 amp range or dryer, and there is USUALLY no issue plugging into one. But while the plug for a 30 amp coach looks similar to an old style range or dryer socket, it is wired quite differently, and there are USUALLY big issues plugging into it.
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. If anyone has the slightest reservation about plugging into something, the safest course is to not plug in. At least not until it's been checked out by someone who truly knows what they're talking about. Just be aware that even experienced electricians are confused about the nuances involved, and have been know to make mistakes.
D.R.Bain wrote:Clay L wrote:Of course you will be limited in what you can operate because of the limited current.
Please don't be angry at me for pointing this out, but there is really no limit to current in a 15 amp outlet.
I'm not angry at all, but there most certainly is a limit. Maybe not in theory, but definitely in practice. First there is (or at least SHOULD be) a circuit breaker or fuse to protect the wiring against a gross overload. Furthermore, there is a limit to how much current the wires and components in that circuit can safely carry, and if that limit is exceeded, the wiring and components will start to heat up, potentially to the point of causing a fire. Finally, there is resistance in every circuit, and the smaller the wire, the higher the resistance. Increasing the resistance or increasing the current, will increase the voltage drop (and heat) in the circuit. To save money, lower capacity circuits are usually wired with smaller wires, which have higher resistance, and which will cause more voltage drop if you try to pull too much current, and the voltage drop will limit how much current is practical.
supermod38 wrote:if my MH is in my yard it is plugged into a outlet that is only 20 amps.
i run my tv, receiver,and my AC with no problems.
also use it when we have guest's and the water pump runs at times and have not had a tripped breaker yet.
all items running at the same time never tripped one yet, guess i am just lucky.
Yes, you are probably lucky. Just because something works, doesn't make it safe. A circuit breaker or fuse is designed to protect against gross overcurrent situations. It is not a precision device that lets 15 amps pass forever, and trips if 15.1 amps are used. Just because the breaker doesn't trip, doesn't mean there isn't an overload. As more current is drawn, the wires and components of the circuit will start to heat up. Draw too much current, and it can heat up too much. Maybe it will cause a fire, maybe it will just melt a plug, or maybe it won't cause any immediately visible damage, but it can still cause damage that might manifest itself later. (Like drying out insulation and toasting it to the point where it's brittle and brown, and later it cracks, flakes off, and causes a short. Or it stresses a contact, burning it to the point where it doesn't make good contact, and later that causes it to overheat even if it isn't overloaded at the time.)
Circuits have ratings for a reason. But even so, it's not necessarily safe to run it right at the limit for extended periods. It's generally accepted by the industry that a circuit should not be loaded more than it's ranting, and should be loaded to it's maximum rating for no more than 20 minutes. If the load will be on for more than 20 minutes, the load should be no more than 80% of the circuit rating (that's only 12 amps for a 15 amp circuit.)
If you draw more than the circuit is rated for, will it work? Probably, for a while. But is it safe? Probably not.
Lobstah wrote:The problem with long extension cords isn't really current, but as was stated, the voltage drop.
Which is directly related to the current in the cord.
In the end, it's all about the current. The various effects to be concerned about (heat buildup, voltage drop, breakers, etc) may be the practical limiting factors, but all of those are a direct result of the current draw.
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