Made it down to look at my Montana's AC wiring.. - Montana Owners Club

Guvner · 05-22-2011, 05:28 PM

I dropped the shroud cover in the bedroom and didn't find any wiring to any add on AC. I do have a washer and dryer outlet so I'm thinking of putting a box with a pigtail to siphon off 115 volts off of the 230 volt wired outlet there. The air would be about 5 feet away so that would be easily wired.

Anyone do this before? Seems sort of failsafe since they dryer pulls in excess of 2200 watts. (and only one can be plugged in at a time.) That would be out of 230 volts but I'll have to look at the power usage on a 13,000 btu AC or Heat pump. Even with an add on heat strip and just running the fan the power should be well within limits.

Any thoughts?

Thanks... Gary

NCFischers · 05-23-2011, 12:45 AM

Are you sure that your dryer circuit is 230 volts? Check it. I'll bet you find it's 120 volts like every other factory wired trailer. It would also be helpful if you listed the year and model of the trailer in your profile.

Ozz · 05-23-2011, 01:29 AM

Hi Gary,
There should be a 120 V. feed to the 2nd A/C space, did you take the shroud off of the exhaust fan and look? Also, is there a spare breaker in the box? I don't remember if I had a spare on mine or not.
You could wire in an A-B switch if you want to share a circuit, but Jim is on the mark about the outlet, unless some nut like me installed a 220 dryer.
What brand do you sell? I know we sell them all, but are you a dealer in one specific?
I have been a Pipefitter for 35 yrs with my own HVAC business. (Non union) I dropped out 25 yrs ago.

Guvner · 05-23-2011, 04:58 AM

It's a small Maytag stackable, front loader and the dryer is listed as 230 volts. Since it wasn't really an RV made dryer I'm quite sure they wouldn't be lying on the model number tag. I pulled the shroud down and rooted around. Since someone added the 240 volt dryer the last breaker is used up. In fact that would take care of the one side being only 30 amps since it has a 50 amp hook up. Totally make sense to me. Where do you find the A-B switch? That would be nicer then having to manually unplug the dryer and plug in the A/C pig tail coming from the ceiling box.

I'm a York dealer mainly and I cell an occasional Heil for the cunsumate shopper. (Been at it since Dec. 10, 1977) Today has been nuts so far. How about you?

Gary

NCFischers · 05-23-2011, 08:51 AM

Remember, if you use an AB switch to feed your AC off the dryer circuit, you will not be protecting the AC unit properly. You will be protecting the unit with a 30 amp circuit breaker and not a 15 or 20 amp as required. You will also need to run 30 amp wire to the AC so as not to overload the wire and possibly cause it to heat up if there ever was a problem. I would want to protect the AC with the proper size circuit breaker. You can get tandem breakers for the panel to give you more space.

Ozz · 05-23-2011, 10:28 AM

Jim, I think my dryer only pulls around 20 amps, but the 230 is a game changer on the deal, we would also need a neutral fed there for the A/C wouldn't we.
I second the tandem breakers if the box is full.

I sold Carrier/Bryant York and Lennox for years, as a commercial dealer, but am residential now, Heil also, not a stretch from the Carrier/Bryant being the ICP deal.. Yes It's been hectic.
I am 'Bailing' and leaving for the road life. I trained a young man to take over my business. He is a nervous lad about now.

Guvner · 05-23-2011, 10:30 AM

As you said the breaker wouldn't protect the smaller unit if it's a 15 or 20 amps. Splitting the 230 volts back to a 115 volt line would be fine. I already bought a subpanel and there's room above the dryer to put that in. I need to find an A-B switch box now. No reason to put a 30 amp wire on that though as #12 romex will handle a 20 amp circuit for anything below 50 feet if memory serves and I'm only going 5 feet. My only concern is how the 30 amp wire is run to the receptacle. I'm seeing 3 wires that look to be #14 going to it so I'm guessing the box was original from the factory since it has instructions for the RV'er on it about pressure dangers when using fuel to cook with. I'm guessing they only had #14 so they doubled it up. I really can't see if they split it off again to run the washer or not. Need to get a mirror and a flashlight. The pigtail disappears behind the stacked dryer. Not sure what a 13,500 btu air conditioner runs for amps. It might be 13 SEER nowadays and not pull hardly anything.

Thanks.. Gary

Guvner · 05-23-2011, 10:44 AM

I can get a Mach III power saver that pulls 10 amps on high even though curiously it asks for a 20 amp breaker which is in itself wrong by it's own amp draw. They do want #12 wiring. Anyway.. Thunderstorm is over. Back out...

Thanks... Gary

SlickWillie · 05-24-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Guvner

I can get a Mach III power saver that pulls 10 amps on high even though curiously it asks for a 20 amp breaker which is in itself wrong by it's own amp draw. They do want #12 wiring. Anyway.. Thunderstorm is over. Back out...

Thanks... Gary

I suspect they don't want it installed on a 15 amp breaker, then the owner decide to install the heat strip, which will draw slightly over 15 amps. JMHO

Roadster31 · 05-26-2011, 03:10 AM

I added a 2nd AC to my 2006 3500 Monti several years ago. I fished a 12 awg wire from the circut box, behind the cabinet and into the celling.(there was a removable panel in the cabinet) Then I went to the bathroom dome, and to each of the light openings in the beedroom ceiling. It took some time and thought but I got the wires there. you can also buy double breakers at Home Depot if you don't have any room in the breaker panel.
Ted

Guvner · 05-26-2011, 05:20 AM

Ted,

Is the side you fished frm already the side that shares the converter? Mine has a 30 amp main so that wouldn't allow much to run besides the two air conditioners. I need to get a wire back to the main in the small table between the two chairs in the very back of my Montana. Let me know again what you did if you can.

Thanks... Gary

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