running two ACs on 50 amps--update

[David and Jo-Anna]

We're just trying out the second AC that we had Camping World install in the bedroom--one of the 13,500 BTU low profile Dometic units. The first few campgrounds where we tried it, everything worked fine--we even had the hot water heater and the frig going on electric at the same time. However, we are now at the second campground we've visited in the last two days with 50 amp hookups where we've popped the circuit breaker at the CG pole. Both times we also had the hot water heater on electric as well as the frig, plus a few fans running. In both cases, the voltage was reading fine--in the 118-124 range--when the CG circuit breaker popped. So I shut off the hot water heater and now have both AC units running at the same time--so far without popping the CG circuit breaker.

Am I just pushing the system too hard to go with two ACs plus the hot water heater? Does anyone know just how much juice these two AC units draw? How much does the hot water heater draw?

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

David,

I am not an electrician, I cannot answer your tech questions, but, here are some thoughts

1.) Are you in a hot climate right now, HOW hot and HOW humid?? I am gonna guess high for both answers,

2.) Are there any electric system brown outs going on where you are?? Is the entire system (outside your campground and IN your campground) over loaded or heavily loaded.

3.) Al would turn off the electric water heater when it is HOT and we want to run the A/C unit.

4.) Knowing what little I do, and how Al monitors electric and is always lecturing me (), I would say that two A/C units, in a hot climate, especially in the summer, when campgrounds are probably rather full of vacationing families, that even with 50 AMP service, he would turn off the electric hot water heater and we would not run the toaster, or hairdryer, or microwave or anything more than the 2 A/C units at any one time.

5.) Could be the breaker on the pole has been popped so many times it is weak??

My disclaimer, I am not the electrician, I can never remember the numbers game, I only live with a retired electrician, and have adopted his methods and we have rarely popped any circuit breakers or poles or any of that stuff.

In other words, I don't know nuttin!

[awaywego]

David,
When you are running both aircond. feel the plug in the pedestal to see if it is hot or just warm.
I have found most recepticals have been plugged into so many times and overheated that they are loose.
I have also found the wires in the recep. loose and burnt.
There is nothing you can do except to ask the owner to replace the recep. but good luck on getting them to do so.
They usually tell you that you are the first to complain so it must be your equipment.

[Cat320]

Bottom line is all appliances should work...that's why we have 50 amps.

[richfaa]

David.. FYI.. We are in Pueblo, Co. It is as we speak 89.3 degrees. We are on 50amp, both A/C's are running, The hot water tank is on elect, the fridge is on elect, Helen just did dinner and ran the Micro and convection oven, both Tv's are on....My kill-o watt meter is reading 118.5 Volts..we are having no problems..

[bsmeaton]

David -

Voltage means nothing. It's the amps. The campground pedestal is probably old and has breakers that have been tripped so many times they are probably a little sensitive. I would hold off judgement until you get a chance to try it at another campground.

[ols1932]

David,
Brad says it pretty clearly. What happens is that some of the older campgrounds have had their breakers tripped many times and now have become "weaker" when it comes to handling the stated amount of amperes. Additionally, the outside temperature has a bearing on the CG breakers also. If the breaker boxes are in the direct sunlight they will have a tendency to trip quicker and easier. When we are located in a CG such as this we just manage our electric a little different and live with it. The first CG you were in was probably a lot younger and/or the breakers had not been "heated" as much. It isn't something you can do much about other than learning how to manage your electric appliances. Putting your water heater on propane in those kinds of instances is a good move.

Orv

[Ozz]

As I have said many times, any trailer owner should have the amperage listed of all their appliances, that is the only way to manage your loads.
This way, you know if the problem is of your making, or the campground's.

[richfaa]

Using our handy dandy Kill-O-watt meter I have done what Ozz suggest. We have the amp draw posted on all our appliances.. You would be surprised.

[patodonn]

Startup amps on the A/Cs are highest of all the rig's "appliances". Converter battery charger function is also fairly high at peak operation (which you have no way of knowing when it is going on).

A/C startup is when I would expect to most probably trip the CG breaker. Might want to "baby" the system a bit by getting one running a few moments then start the other. As posted above, the CG system is most likely the problem, but you can "baby" it a bit if necessary. Running the water heater on propane only would also be helpful. Your rig is probably fine.

[David and Jo-Anna]

Thanks for the replies. As long as the water heater is off, I can run the two ACs just fine--along with the other standard 110 volt appliances and fixtures. While the last campground I stayed at was an older one that may have had a weakened breaker at the post, the site I'm at now is a new, small city campground here in south Georgia, so the breaker should be relatively new and little used. Plus we are the only rig here--after all, who wants to be down here in hot, humid south Georgia at this time of year (hey, I'm here because that's where my family is having their reunion this year)!!!!! So I'm suspecting that it is the surge when one or both ACs kick on that's tripping the breaker. Problem I'll actually have to focus on is when I arrive at a new CG and the inside of the rig is hot--that's when I'm most apt to want to get both ACs running to try to cool the rig down faster. Plus, assuming I left the hot the new cmp ground. Suspect that the better course of action is to make sure the electric supply to the hot water heater is shut off when I turn the two ACs on--glad I wired in the cutoff switch in the kitchen.

As for measuring the power consumption of the various devices in the rig, I've done that with most of the appliances using my Kill-a-Watt meter. But how do I get the power consumption for the two ACs andwater heater set to electric when I left the last CG, the hot water heater is going to kick on as soon as I plug in the power cord at the hot water heater?

[rldriver]

quote:Originally posted by David and Jo-Anna

Problem I'll actually have to focus on is when I arrive at a new CG and the inside of the rig is hot--that's when I'm most apt to want to get both ACs running to try to cool the rig down faster. Plus, assuming I left the hot the new cmp ground. Suspect that the better course of action is to make sure the electric supply to the hot water heater is shut off when I turn the two ACs on--glad I wired in the cutoff switch in the kitchen.

David, we arrived yesterday at this camp ground and it was 105 deg. outside and 95 inside. I started up our (1) ac and was able to pull it down to 88 until the sun went down behind the hill and then it slowly came down to the 75 that I had it set at. It's now 101 outside and we are maintaining 78. So get those 2 units going.

Dick

PS. Did you ever find out if the other big Sky got to keep his W/D and second AC from Camping world?

[richfaa]

As for measuring the power consumption of the various devices in the rig, I've done that with most of the appliances using my Kill-a-Watt meter. But how do I get the power consumption for the two ACs andwater heater set to electric when I left the last CG, the hot water heater is going to kick on as soon as I plug in the power cord at the hot water heater"

We can Do that with the PT50C electrical management system.. The digital readout will indicate the voltage and amp draw on both legs. By switching things on and off we can tell what the amp draw is on the individual source as well as what leg it is on. Example as we speak..with all our goodies on electric including both A/C running..L1= 110 volts Drawing 28 amps..L2=111 volts drawing 5 amps,,Guess which leg my A/C's are on..

[Chuck and Carol]

Are we doing something wrong? We never use/or have used electric for our hot water heater. Always used gas.

[bsmeaton]

You're not doing anything wrong Chuck and Carol - just wierd !

Try the electric side - you'll love it. The water is cleaner and more thoroughly heated and is less harsh - NOT!

[Chuck and Carol]

Weird Yes, at times. Even my Dr. said so today.
Probably cheaper to run it on electric. Save our propane.

Carol

[bsmeaton]

Thats the idea when you have electric hookups.

Also - we actually use both electric and gas. It gives you a quick recovery, especially when I'm trying to get all the kids through the shower before we go.

[Dustytuu]

We use both ACs and anything else we have and have never had a problem. We are in CO Springs now and have used both ACs, microwave, toaster oven, and both TVs, water heater on gas and electric. Computers and router are on all the time. All at same time!
Washer and dryer on at same time too! We have run all this with no problem.

[Ozz]

The A/C units might be better split, one on each leg, it's good to balance the load on both sides of the Buss bars.
This may be the problem with some units, most of the heavy amperage units on one leg.....not good.
Balance and moderation in all things; Dr. Ozzman. Except maybe Corona's and Sunsets....

[richfaa]

OZZ...One of the first things we noticed after we got the PT50C is that both A/C's are on the same leg. The dealer installed the 2nd A/C so when we get back home it is going back to the dealer for some re routing.