15 Amp Service?

[PanamaRvers]

I have a question. I will be picking up my "new" travel trailer soon, and wanted to start planning our first weekend. I was looking for someplace close in case there were any issues. One of the closer state parks, that I frequent only has 15 amp service.

My question is, if our trailer has a 30 amp service, what issues should I be aware of, or I should I not hook up to this 15 amp service?

For referance our trailer is a 2006 Solaris 2363.

 

[EMD_Driver]

15 AMP service is fine, as long as you use those amps wisely. Your converter will use a few amps, to supply the 12V power to the trailer and even more to charge the battery. The water heater will use 12.5 amps and the A/C can use 14.6amps by itself. The refrigerator also has a heating element in it, but I'm not sure the amp draw on it. If you want to use the microwave, it can also draw 8.3amps..

If you are careful and only use one high-amp device at a time, you will be fine. It would also help you, to not use a regular extension cord. If you can get a quality 15/20AMP to 30AMP adapter, just use the camper's power cord.

 

[PanamaRvers]

Thank you for that information. It is helpfull and makes sense. I did not want to damage the electrical system.

 

[EMD_Driver]

The 15AMP service at your house, or at the SP is 120V. 30AMP RV service is also 120V. The voltage is still the same, it is the available amperage that is different.

 

[JohnGB]

Hi Panama

As EMD_Driver stated, you will need to “think” about what you turn on. Which is not a normal everyday thing to do. At home we just plug in or turn on and go.

Think of it this way, anything that makes a form of heat in your camper draws more power. The hot water heater on electric pulls as much amperage as a 1,400 watt hair dryer. The fridge on electric pulls as much amperage as a 300 watt light bulb.

If you only have a 15 amp supply, by running the HW heater on Gas only when you need hot water and even the fridge on Gas only, frees up a lot of reserve to not have to think about. You cannot really hear either of these running that are drawing power so it is hard to tell they are even on.

The AC unit, that one maybe best to not use at all on a 15 amp only line. Trying to start the unit with the power converter running has high odds of tripping the breaker on the power post.

The microwave, if you run it on lower power a longer time draws less then running it on high for a short time and only use it without any other 120 things running.

The 12 volt power convertor is always on and uses some of the 15 amps you have to start with. So you really do not have all of the 15 to use. It may be 3 or 5 amps depending on that is going on with the 12 volt system.

Do not let this stop you from camping. 15 amps if really good compared to boondocking with no power. Just remember 1 thing at a time. Things like a television or even a small hand mixer are not big power draws. Things like hair dryers, some coffee pots, a toaster, those are 1 at a time.

You asked about damage to the camper, the camper protects itself as the wiring is sized heavy enough to working on a 30 amp service and has it’s own internal circuit breakers. . If go over the 15 amps, the circuit breaker out at the campground power post will be usually what trips first and you may not realize it as all the 12 volts lights are still working, but off the battery. Look for the little green lights on the microwave as an indicator if the 120 VAC is on or not.

Go have a good time and report back the good time you had!

Good luck

John

 

[mainah-SUN]

My fridge uses so little gas I don't even worry about it. I generally just leave it on gas even when on the road or at the campground. A fried of mine left his on for just about 2 months and never ran out of gas his fridge was nice and cold for the next trip (he did remember to turn it off the next time). The water heater once it's hot the pilot light is enough to keep the water hot over night and will only light if you use a gallon or two of water. 15 amps is plenty if you don't over do it. Lots of the campgrounds only have 15 amps to keep their costs down if they can only deliver 15 amps that keeps people from turning every thing they own on.