Elecrical Outlet Amperage Max

[Gooseberry]

its the same at your house. how many window mount ac units do you see plugged into a wall outlet?

Yes it will work just make sure your connections are tight.

if your plugged into shore power make sure you use a 12g or larger cord. lenght of cord will cause issues also.

if you can just use the shore power and plug ac in to one and the van into the other.

Originally Posted by dowgars

So Gooseberry: Do you think my wall outlet and van electrical will handle a air conditioner rated at 12.7 amps with the van plugged in? ( I won't hold you to it. I'd just like your opinion)

[daveb]

Dowgars, every year I go to several trouble calls where people plug in space heaters, 110 air conditioners, or other high load items into standard home outlets that eventually fail and burn up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying leaving in the 15A socket won’t work; odds are you’ll probably never have trouble, especially if the breaker is dedicated to the single socket. There are other reasons why people have problems and the socket fails. Some are corrosion, not plugging in the device fully, plugging in more than one item, etc., but I’ve also seen quite a few failures when folks had a single item plugged in that pushes the limit. Almost all of the failed sockets have had devices plugged in that run on a continuous basis.

If you do leave in the 15 amp socket, it might be a good idea to check it. After you’ve ran the AC for several hours on a hot day, check the plug on the AC to see if it’s hot. Slightly warm isn’t a problem but if the prongs are discolored or the plastic housing looks slightly melted, it’s probably time for a new plug and cord on the AC. At that point I’d also replace the socket.

Is the 12.8 amps a continous rating at 120vAC? If that is a startup rating chances are the normal run amperage will be slightly lower, but if that is a measurment while the compressor is engaged, lower line voltage might be an issue. A problem with an RV is that it’s very possible to run into those low service voltages. It’s very common to see voltages at 116 or lower at the pedestal which not only puts a strain on the air conditioner, it also causes a rise in current the device pulls. So at 122vAC you would probably be fine but at 114v? As simple as it is to replace the socket with a heavier version, I wouldn’t think twice about it. JMO for what it’s worth.

I'm not saying anything about the rest of your system. You really need to research that.

[dowgars]

Thank you guys for your help. I would not intend to run anything else while the air is on. Also Daveb I'm understanding that by going with a 20 amp socket and leaving my wiring alone I'll be better off. I'll do that. The 12.8 amps are the continuous running amps.

[daveb]

You might want to call the company that makes the unit and ask what the maximum amperage is when the compressor cycles on. With low voltage, it might be high enough to trip the 15 A breaker if you've been running it for a while and the breaker is warm. Hate to see you spend a bunch of money and find it gives you trouble. My guess is you won't have trouble but I always try to plan for the worst case scenareo before putting something in action when its never been tested.

[dowgars]

Just thinking out loud I guess but air is a major subject for me. I have no room on my voyager top for an air conditioner. Yesterday I learned in general 14000 BTU's and above can require heavier sockets and wiring (web) as you guy's mentioned. I was in a Home Depot store and saw a 13000 BTU LG with 11.8 continuous amps. This may be a better choice. It's slightly larger in size but the 5" air exhaust outlet is higher up on the unit and facing UP. This allows the exhaust hose to easily reach my upper sliding window and the window kit fits well. A small slot in the window kit will allow a heavy electrical cord through and then I won't use the van electrical at all (as was suggested). I'm working on the generator subject also. Any comments?