electrical circuit load. - Montana Owners Club

lenlin84 · 12-30-2009, 10:20 AM

Is it just Keystone or all RV manufacturers that don't have a clue how to run the AC wiring? We are very happy with our 2003 model 3255 Monty and have been full timers for almost 4 yrs. Have had very little trouble at all, but here is one problem that is annoying. All of the 110 outlets in the lounge area,slide out,the TV, stereo and ceiling fan/light are powered by the same 15 amp circuit breaker! We just purchased an Edenpure electric heater. It uses about 1200 Watts. That poor old circuit breaker can't hold the load of all these items in the string. When it pops, TV goes off, heater,lights etc. Reset the breaker and all is restored --- for a while! How do I dedicate one recepticle for the heater alone? In the power center are two unused breakers. one for the washer/drier(20 amp), which we don't have and the other is for the front A/C unit(15 amp),also not installed. Could I rearrange the wiring behind the breakers to take advantage of the unused 15 amp breaker? I don't think it wise at all that they wire RV's like this, you certainly couldn't wire a house this way!!! What a pain! Any help/advice willingly accepted.

TLightning · 12-30-2009, 10:41 AM

Sometimes I think these things are built by folks that have never spent a night in an RV. For one of our electric heaters, I have a heavy duty extension cord and run it to one of the outlets not being used. Since we have a combo washer/dryer, but the w/d closet has two receptacles, that's the one I usually use.

Art-n-Marge · 12-30-2009, 01:23 PM

The problem will be that the outlets for the same circuit breakers are run in series. This means from the circuit breaker they run the wire to the first outlet they come to, then they run a wire from that outlet to the next closest outlet and so on until they think they are done.

The circuit breaker for the A/C wire runs to the ceiling where the A/C would be installed. Same with the W/D's circuit breaker and the wire runs to the closet or wherever your W/D connection is located.

Running the wires through the insulated walls of the rig would be very difficult, but if you have all the tools, fishtape, and electrical savvy, then give it a go. You might do better to put circuit breakers into the spare positions (besides the unused W/D and A/C in my rig I have a couple empty spots) and run new wire (somehow) to where you need to add outlets. My power panel has at least two spare unoccupied positions to install new circuit breakers and wire, if so inclined.

noneck · 12-30-2009, 02:25 PM

Yeah, you need to NOT plug into that same circuit as that Edenpure is a "pure" resistive load...at 1200 watts its 10 amps or 2/3's the capacity of the circuit.

dustinc02 · 12-30-2009, 03:35 PM

I have been running my Eden Pure in the bedroom of my 3400rl. It tends to keep things toasty and without popping breakers. I do put a small fan on the top of it to push the warm air down to the living area.(The girl has to shut it off to run her hair dryer.) Seems to work well for me, then again I have the electric fireplace in the living area as well. We have had 21 below temps here and have had no problems. My neighbor had the same problem and he installed a male to female receptacle on the wall of his RV. He can then run a heavy gauge extension cord from the GFCI outlet from the campground straight to his auxillary heater. Makes great sense if you are willing to cut a hole in your RV for said outlet.

lenlin84 · 12-30-2009, 05:32 PM

Thanks for the tips. There are no more spare slots for another breaker in the power panel. Where we have the Edenpure(between the recliners in the back of the trailer)is about the only place to put it. In this floor plan the power panel is located about 5ft from the aft wall of the coach. I think I can run the appropriate size wire through the floor(behind the panel in the cabnet)under the floor(through a conduit) and up again behind the chairs to a recepticle I will put in the floor. You know, the type that has covers over the plug-in to keep the dust and dirt out. That way I can connect to the unused 15amp breaker and not disturb anything else in the system. does this sound like a workable solution? I'll have to get into the area below the floor under the trailer, but that won't be much of a problem, I've been in there before.

Tom S. · 12-31-2009, 12:08 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by lenlin84

Thanks for the tips. There are no more spare slots for another breaker in the power panel.

Are you sure about that? Ours has plastic 'knock-outs' that you remove to add another breaker in. Without going out to the trailer, I think I remember being to add as many as 3 more double breakers if wanted.

The Old Fogies · 12-31-2009, 12:34 AM

Sounds like something that I would try. Make sure you stay clear of the slides.

NCFischers · 12-31-2009, 03:03 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by NCFischers

The 15 amp circuit is not undersized for the outlets, TV and lights it serves. It could be legally be wired as such in a stick house. Keystone and other manufacturers don't wire the trailers for things we put in them such as heaters which draw a lot of wattage. If they did, where would the outlet go? Some of us have heaters in the living area, or the bedroom or near the kitchen. We may even use more than one. Heaters will trip circuits in stick houses also. I can't tell you how many service calls I go on for that very thing. If the manufacturers installed a separate circuit for a heater, it would never be in the right place for everyone. If they custom built each trailer for individual needs, we wouldn't be able to afford them.

RVWheels · 12-31-2009, 08:11 AM

Several posts in this thread referenced the Amish peoples of the midwest. These comments, while humorous to some are offensive to others, are off topic and have been removed. Please try to make your posts as relevant as possible to the topic at hand.

Thank you and Happy New Year,
RVWheels

tspoon · 12-31-2009, 10:10 AM

I put the ones I could get to on another circuit breaker that i bought at home depot.
Also I don't use the second air conditioner option or washer/dryer option so those are extra circuit breakers you can use. If you don't use the wash/dryer then try to find the wire in the basement and try to use that if you can.

lenlin84 · 12-31-2009, 07:22 PM

I check again in the breaker box. I've got 4 double 15's and 2 single 50's and no space left for any more(darn it). I guess in the '03 models they figured you didn't need any more. Like I said, the heater is located only a few feet from the power box. Running the separate line over to a junction box near the back wall will be easy. My 3255RL has the side kitchen with the 2 drawer pantry and trash drawer aft of the 'fridge. Then the recliners and the back wall. The power/circuit breaker box is below the trash slideout. To bad too because I wanted to open up that area for more storage but not enough room with the converter in the way. Anyway, thanks to all for the info. Thats what a forum like this is all about, solving problems and just great company.

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