Amperage question

Cheryl · 06-24-2018, 08:14 PM

Our trailer is 30 amp and I have an adapter for when I only have a site with 15 amp power. My question is; can I run the air conditioner in this situation?

Thanks

Wmeili · 06-24-2018, 08:25 PM

An air conditioner when it starts the compressor will most likely overload a 15 amp service so I would say no

**flybouy** · 06-24-2018, 09:38 PM

You may be ok IF the power at the pedestal is 120 volts (not down below 115 v) AND you have NOTHING ELSE on i.e. water heater, refrigerator on gas. What size is your air conditioner?

notanlines · 06-25-2018, 02:39 AM

Cheryl, the start-up, as mentioned, will probably be the problem. I also would say no, but for a variety of reasons. You never know the draw of your converter, the condition of the park receptacle itself, the A/C starting with the compressor hot; I could go on and on. If you are using an 18K btu A/C you probably won't get it to come on no matter what you do.

ctbruce · 06-25-2018, 02:45 AM

Maybe is the answer. Nothing else on, you may get it started. If it starts, it takes less amps to keep running. Youd have to manage your power after it starts.

Of course, the big question is why would you go to a site that didn't offer 30 amp service?

Cheryl · 06-25-2018, 04:41 AM

Thanks everyone! I'll just keep the windows open

I'm traveling half way through the long weekend so there's not much available to book.

pgokou · 06-25-2018, 08:09 PM

You can use the AC as long as you dont use the microwave, water heater at the same time.

**sourdough** · 06-25-2018, 08:31 PM

Cheryl, here's the deal. You are connected to a 15a connection. Your AC can pull more than that on startup; probably not but close. You can run the AC, if it starts, IF you use no other AC applications. The downside is that your AC requires a minimum amount of current to run. It can run on less, sort of like running in a brown out, but it deteriorates the unit. You need to know what you are dealing with.

Cheryl · 06-25-2018, 09:36 PM

Thanks. Sounds like it just takes too much power so it can stay off. Still beats tenting

Bisjoe · 06-26-2018, 10:56 AM

I connect to a 20 amp service at my home when not traveling, and I can run the AC and everything else but the microwave at the same time. I think 15 amps is pushing it.

If I remember my electricity facts the typical 13,000 watt RV AC needs 15 amps to run, so you would be using everything you have on it.

xrated · 06-26-2018, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bisjoe

I connect to a 20 amp service at my home when not traveling, and I can run the AC and everything else but the microwave at the same time. I think 15 amps is pushing it.

If I remember my electricity facts the typical 13,000 watt RV AC needs 15 amps to run, so you would be using everything you have on it.

Hopefully.....you mean 13K BTU. 13,000 watts is more than the entire 50 amp service can provide.

kksfish · 06-26-2018, 11:51 AM

You may be able to run just the A/c. The breaker in the source either a pedestal or your home is what is referred to as an inverse time breaker. What that means is that it is designed to handle a large surge such as your A/C starting......then the a/C compressor run go down in amperage to its running load which if it is lower than 15 you are fine!

bobbecky · 06-26-2018, 06:51 PM

Unless you are connected to a 30 amp power source, the risk and cost of a new A/C unit damaged by running it on a questionable 15 or 20 amp outlet is not worth it. Find a campground to connect to if you can't stand the temperatures inside your rig.

Bisjoe · 06-27-2018, 05:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrated

Hopefully.....you mean 13K BTU. 13,000 watts is more than the entire 50 amp service can provide.

yes!

sonofcy · 06-28-2018, 08:21 AM

At our old home, we left our 21ft TT plugged into an outdoor GFCI (might be 20 amps) all the time and periodically ran the A/C no problem. Check if it is 15,000 BTU or 13,500 BTU. If needed, add a soft start (sometimes called a hard start) capacitor to replace the standard cap which reduces the inrush current.

Oldmopar · 06-28-2018, 08:47 AM

We just had a new house built, so everything electrical is new and just inspected by the county. We had to live in our RV outside for a couple of weeks while the finishes were done. I tried to hook up to a 15amp plug. The A/C would run for a few minutes, then blow the breaker. So, I found a 20amp plug and tried it, it did the same thing. Nothing I tried would let the A/C run for more than 10 min.
I finally went to the hardware store, got a dryer plug, cut off one leg and wired it to a female RV 30amp plug. Plugged my RV in and everything worked like a champ.

I think the issue is the battery charger would come on and pull the extra amps overloading the breaker.

I even tried to run it off my Generator. However it is dual fuel and on Propane it just kept overloading. I have never run it on gas, was avoiding the mess and smell, but looks like I will have to go that way.

POBOYPCB · 06-28-2018, 02:59 PM

Volts X AMPS = Watts, So 15 Amps at 120 Volts gives you 1800 watts available.
So where does your air conditioner fall into that?

meseahunt · 07-01-2018, 07:08 AM

no, you need min 20a

WaltBennett · 07-01-2018, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheryl

Our trailer is 30 amp and I have an adapter for when I only have a site with 15 amp power. My question is; can I run the air conditioner in this situation?

Thanks

What size is your AC? We used to run our old bumper pull and it's 13.5k btu off 15 amps with no problem (still nothing else though). If it's a 15k unit, no way. I can run ours at home on a 20 amp circuit I put in, but that's pushing things.

Bob Landry · 07-01-2018, 07:48 AM

It will work fine as long as the voltage is right and you don't overload it by running other devices.

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