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Old 01-02-2018, 08:16 AM   #21
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I kind of was it, I had to deal with everything that had wires attached our IT dept did very well with software but were electronically challenged so I had to do their infrastructure also. Wiring, switches fiber, cameras, locking systems 480 volt motor controls, phones, kitchen equipment and the list goes on (my office was inside of the jail) but I had the keys so I got to go home and hope they did not call me at 2 in the morning they didn't care it was a 24/7 business they were up. This was the county Sheriff dept in the most populated county in Maine so on top of everything else I got to drive close to a hundred miles a day. I got to admit I really enjoyed the job but I also enjoy being retired were the time is my own. I do not know how big the electric heaters are in the AC units but it's on a 20 amp breaker so you could get by with a 20 outlet (it will be wired with a 20 amp house breaker and #12 wire). if your garage is attached it's just a matter of adding a 30 amp breaker to the house panel and running a #10 wire to a TT 30R outlet in the garage.
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Old 01-02-2018, 02:25 PM   #22
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Unfortunately, it is a detached garage that is in the back corner of the property. The current box is a fuse box and would need to be changed over to a breaker box is what I was told. The fuse box has 3 or 4 fuses. I am having someone come take a look at it.

I will say though that the garage is on the breaker in the house that was used for a big window AC unit. We never used the garage as a workshop until now. It was used for storage so the AC unit and garage were on the same breaker. The AC unit is gone.
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Old 01-02-2018, 03:49 PM   #23
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Ok that will be a sub panel so there is a breaker in the house that controls it wonder what that is rated you maybe able to pull this off.
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Old 01-02-2018, 05:47 PM   #24
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It is a 20amp breaker. Not sure of the actual wire used. It was in place when we moved here in 1999.
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Old 01-02-2018, 06:03 PM   #25
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Yeah typical garage service malice of forethought. For a few buck more they could have done it right. Mine is 100 amp (I do do run a welder, compressor and lights). My guess they did the wiring in the garage with #14 wire so that pretty much rules out drawing over 15 amps. Never made double digits today so I think that's week two.
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Old 01-12-2018, 09:59 AM   #26
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Hello,

It is a whopping 67 degrees here today. Yay!

I was able to verify that the heat strip is installed in the new Dometic AC unit. Happy about that. I just hope it was installed correctly. I hope to be able to test it soon. I guess my next question is does it have to be plugged into a 30 amp connection or will a regular 120 be okay?


Thanks,
Tommie
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Old 01-12-2018, 10:36 AM   #27
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Update on the heat strip. I found a little bit of information in the AC operating instructions:

"The heat mode of operation will NOT replace a furnace for heating your RV in cold weather. The intent is to remove the chill on cool days or mornings."

I am back to using the furnace or electric heaters if I plan to do any winter camping.
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Old 01-12-2018, 09:36 PM   #28
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Originally Posted by Thomascine View Post
Hello,

It is a whopping 67 degrees here today. Yay!

I was able to verify that the heat strip is installed in the new Dometic AC unit. Happy about that. I just hope it was installed correctly. I hope to be able to test it soon. I guess my next question is does it have to be plugged into a 30 amp connection or will a regular 120 be okay?


Thanks,
Tommie
Is this the model you have? It was from your pics.




I looked up that heat strip. It is rated at 5,600 btu's. The 87 brochure on a T1550 states a 12,000 btu furnace. So the heat strip is less than 1/2 the furnace rating to create heat.

On the little label, does it list how many watts of power it draws?

Using BTU's to watts as a general conversion, 5,600 btu's is 1,641 watts if I did that right. On 120 volts that is 13.7 amps. The power it draws is a little more than a standard 1,500 watt portable electric heater. Not knowing how long your extension cord is, if you are plugged into a 20 amp receptacle, and you are not using a lot more AC power in the camper, then it will run the heat strip and the fan. The AC fan takes about 2.3 amps + the 13.7 heat strip = 16 amps. If you only have a 15 amp receptacle, odds are high it can trip the breaker.

Also, there is something about these heat strips that if the air box sides are plastic, then you are not supposed to use the heat strip. Fire hazard from what I understand. If the air box is metal, then it can be OK. There is a chart at this link which shows which ceiling assembly is listed https://www.makariosrv.com/dometic-b...p-3314998-000/

Since you did not upgrade this, don't know if the prior owner checked this out. If you can get the roof AC unit part number, the air box part number and the control unit we can help look it up under the Dometic book to see if all is OK. I myself have never installed one of these. Maybe one of our RV tech's or other members have to know about the air box part. The airbox is the duct part between the roof line and the inside ceiling.

Pics help too.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 01-12-2018, 10:46 PM   #29
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Hey JohnB.

I was looking for labels to find model numbers and serial numbers since none were listed in the binder. I am not actually able to see the label on the heat strip but I am able to see the model number of the air distribution box (3314851.000). According to the service instructions of the heat kit, it is a 3314998.000 which is slated to work with the ADB noted above. From what I can see through the vents, the components are made of metal. The only plastic I really see is the cover.

Thanks,
Tommie
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Old 01-24-2019, 07:10 PM   #30
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Here is my electric heater it is a repurposed bathroom fan forced ceiling heater. The element is 1100 watts controlled by a wall mount line voltage thermostat it mounted on foam to reduce noise and vibration. It's kept me pretty warm in the 20's over night.
Hello all,

I am revisiting this thread. I have a camping trip scheduled in March. March can be unpredictable weather wise. I am not sure if I can build a heating unit like Mainah but I would like to install a new outlet (for my electric heater) that is wired to the same breaker as the AC unit since it is not likely they would both be used at the same time. Does this sound doable? Thanks in advance for the input/advice.

Tommie
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Old 01-24-2019, 07:59 PM   #31
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I winter camp in Colorado and Utah. The main problem IMHO is the shortness of the days, which translates to more reading, art making at night. Lights in my T1850 are all LED and I'm super conservative with lighting, so I make it work. I boondock in my favorite locations, so hooking up to shore power is not an option. I bring along warm clothing, use the furnace sparingly, and use a portable buddy heater (propane). I vent the camper by opening the bathroom vent to cut down on condensation. I run my system on a single 12V Battery, with a 100watt flexible solar panel, I lay it on my bug guard at my dinette window. During the day, snow or not, I hike and stay outside to enjoy the land. At night, I use down blankets, smart wool and socks and a hat. In a pinch I use my teton -28 degree sleeping bag. I'm comfy.

That said, last year I had solar panel trouble, and did not receive a good charge during a two day storm, when I could not get enough sun. My battery ran down, and I depended on my heater buddy and head lamps for reading. I have a few solar lights in the rig, but also carry 4 headlamps. I bring along gallon jugs of water. And I have a portable go anywhere toilet.

My new set up, which I'll try in Moab in a few weeks, 175watt panel, two 12v batteries, full propane tanks, I'll be conservative with furnace, keep an eye on charge, head out when there is no snow in the forecast (I don't treasure towing in snow, as I did it last year and it was NOT fun). I'll bring along all of the above, and the buddy heater too.

And then there's Lost Dutchman State Park, where it is currently 74 degrees.

Here's a photo of the set up for Feb 2018 near Monticello, Utah
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Old 01-25-2019, 06:43 AM   #32
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Hello all,

I am revisiting this thread. I have a camping trip scheduled in March. March can be unpredictable weather wise. I am not sure if I can build a heating unit like Mainah but I would like to install a new outlet (for my electric heater) that is wired to the same breaker as the AC unit since it is not likely they would both be used at the same time. Does this sound doable? Thanks in advance for the input/advice.

Tommie
Yes you can do that but you need to be sure the breaker is designed for two wires. It will have a wider clamp plate under the screw not all breakers are alike so that is important for good contact on the wires. You can also use what is some times call a "cheater breaker" it has two breakers in the space of a single breaker. Most of the 60A boxes do have slots for 4 breakers that is an option also just add one. The camper panel is consitered a sub panel so land the white wire with the others not to the "ground" lug.
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Old 01-25-2019, 12:17 PM   #33
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Thanks Mainah! I don't think the breaker is designed for two wires. I will double check that. I may need to get one of the "cheater breakers" from Lowes or Home Depot.

Thanks a bunch!
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Old 01-25-2019, 03:14 PM   #34
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It depends who made the breaker. Square D is one and I think Cutler Hammer. All will hold two but it's not a good ideal unless they are mde for it. The maker of the load center for the camper fit's into the picture also because they were designed to us "X" breaker so you need to know what type breaker or box they used.
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Old 01-25-2019, 08:53 PM   #35
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Not really a great idea to run two circuits off a single breaker like that (an inspector would red tag you), but if you must, simply run a single wire from the breaker to a wire-nutted connection with the two wires for that pair of circuits.
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Old 01-25-2019, 10:56 PM   #36
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Not really a great idea to run two circuits off a single breaker like that (an inspector would red tag you), but if you must, simply run a single wire from the breaker to a wire-nutted connection with the two wires for that pair of circuits.
That actually might be easier for me. Thanks!
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Old 01-26-2019, 07:50 AM   #37
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Not really a great idea to run two circuits off a single breaker like that (an inspector would red tag you), but if you must, simply run a single wire from the breaker to a wire-nutted connection with the two wires for that pair of circuits.
Nope, an inspector will ding you for using a breaker designed for one wire in a heart beat though. Twin wire breakers are perfectly legal. There are 3 options tandem breaker, two wire breaker or adding a breaker simplest a two wire breaker no trip to the store looking for the right breaker if that type is already in place. Wire nuts in a situation like that would not be my choice. The load center itself dictates what breaker can be used so first things first ID the panel if there is no twin wire breaker. If it's a common brand panel breakers will be easy to find. One more twist in this picture is if an outlet is added it should be a GFI It is hard at this point to find a simple GFI breaker they now are arc faults read expensive (and in my opinion hateful) If you read the latest electrical code for camper it will bruise your brain the way I read it no one using a generator is in compliance. Fortunately there is little chance of an inspector knocking on your camper door.
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Old 01-26-2019, 12:08 PM   #38
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Here are pics of the electrical panel. It looks like one breaker is installed with both the 15 amp for the converter and electrical outlets and the 20 amp for the AC.

Thanks for all of the input.

Tommie
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File Type: jpg IMG_3428.jpg (94.4 KB, 11 views)
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Old 01-26-2019, 01:58 PM   #39
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Nope, an inspector will ding you for using a breaker designed for one wire in a heart beat though. Twin wire breakers are perfectly legal. There are 3 options tandem breaker, two wire breaker or adding a breaker simplest a two wire breaker no trip to the store looking for the right breaker if that type is already in place. Wire nuts in a situation like that would not be my choice.
I'm quite familiar with the different types of breakers; I do residential construction/remodeling, including all of the electrical work involved. Wire nuts are completely acceptable in situations like this per the NEC. Applied properly, they make an excellent connection.

I do agree that two wires in a single-conductor breaker is a bad idea, even if it was legal (which it's not).
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Old 01-26-2019, 02:29 PM   #40
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Looks like you can add a jumper and another breaker for your heater outlet install
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