Shore power question
- Thread starter Camchase
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
kjansen
Well-known member
If you have the adapter to plug into a normal household outlet, you will get 110 volt power which will also power your converter to provide 12 volt power to charge your battery. The only way to get power at a Walmart is with a generator, but I don't recommend using one in their parking lot. You can plug into any household circuit but are sometimes limited to what you can power due to the load on that circuit.
Rene T
Site Team
Like Kevin said, you'll be limited. Only things that are 12 volt will work. You stated to keep cool while sleeping. I'm assuming you mean running a air conditioner. You won't be able to do that while at Walmart. Like he said, you shouldn't run a generator while at WalMart. It shouldn't look like you're camping. Keep it to a minimum so they don't change their policies and not allow RV'rs to just spend the night. I don't open slides unless I have to, I don't have a cook out with a grill, I don't raise my antenna and also go in and ask a manager if it's OK to park JUST for the night and that you'll be out early in the morning.
When you visit someone and you would want to run you air conditioner, they would have to install a 30 AMP receptacle. Make sure you tell them the electrician needs to know it's for a RV so it doesn't get hooked up to 220 Volts AC or you can just plug into a standard 110 Volt AC outlet.
When you visit someone and you would want to run you air conditioner, they would have to install a 30 AMP receptacle. Make sure you tell them the electrician needs to know it's for a RV so it doesn't get hooked up to 220 Volts AC or you can just plug into a standard 110 Volt AC outlet.
B
bucks2
Guest
To add a little clarity. A "110 v" outlet, the typical plug that we have throughout North American homes, can be on either a 15 or 20 amp circuit, generally. That extra 5 amps available in some outlets can be the difference between running the AC or not. Some homes have 15 amp circuits in most living areas and 20 amp in the laundry room or in the garage. Knowing and looking for the "best" outlet is sometimes worth a little extra effort. When you plug the trailer plug into electricity it will power the entire trailers electrical needs IF the circuit it's plugged into can deliver that much power.
Asking your friends to add a 30 amp circuit for you to plug into may be more than most friends are willing to do. If/when you buy extension cords to stretch to your friends plug in think about buying a high quality "contractor grade" cord. The cheaper 16/3 cords simply won't carry enough electricity without dropping the voltage too far.
There are a number of threads on this forum that talk about cords and electrical usage. Do a search and you'll pick up some more points to keep in mind.
ken
Asking your friends to add a 30 amp circuit for you to plug into may be more than most friends are willing to do. If/when you buy extension cords to stretch to your friends plug in think about buying a high quality "contractor grade" cord. The cheaper 16/3 cords simply won't carry enough electricity without dropping the voltage too far.
There are a number of threads on this forum that talk about cords and electrical usage. Do a search and you'll pick up some more points to keep in mind.
ken
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Basic rules
15 amp you may be able to run one AC.. but this requires the batteries be fully charged (If not the converter alone can put you over 15 amps, you only have about 1 amp head room) Forget running the fridge, water heater or microwave at the same time
20 amps, once the batteries reach 90% SOC, you can run the A/C and the Fridge. and Televisions.
30 amp add in either the microwave OR the water heater (provided it is a good 30 amps)
50 amp.. All you can eat.
15 amp you may be able to run one AC.. but this requires the batteries be fully charged (If not the converter alone can put you over 15 amps, you only have about 1 amp head room) Forget running the fridge, water heater or microwave at the same time
20 amps, once the batteries reach 90% SOC, you can run the A/C and the Fridge. and Televisions.
30 amp add in either the microwave OR the water heater (provided it is a good 30 amps)
50 amp.. All you can eat.
Thanks for all the great info. Just to clarify, I wasn't asking about parking at Walmart to camp. Simply wanted to know what some people used when they weren't in a campground to keep themselves cool while sleeping. It is treacherous down here in Fla in the summertime. Even at night. Thanks again.
Rene T
Site Team
Camchase said:
You can always buy a bag of ice from WalMart and sleep on it!!
;D LOL
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Whatever your intent at Walmarts, they don't provide any power for visitors. You are on your own, either your own generator or endure the Florida summer heat. Better yet, stay north until mid-October when things begin to cool down a bit. We live in Flroida and that's what we do!
kjansen
Well-known member
Gary RV Roamer said:
Even better, come to Minnesota. We only need AC for possibly 1 month a year. ;D ;D
John From Detroit
Well-known member
I try to time my travel so staying cool at night is not an issue.. Alas, now that I'm not traveling, it can be an issue, but I'm broke down on a 50 amp site so.... Well, less that )@#$ china bomb 15,000 BTU air conditioner blows up again... (Thankfully the last repair was only fifteen bucks). Finished the job this morning, took the mop up and got rid of the green mold that was starting to grow.
One thing about Southern GA.. Everyting turns Green rather fast if you do not keep control of it.
One thing about Southern GA.. Everyting turns Green rather fast if you do not keep control of it.
Jere and Laur
Well-known member
If you have a fantastic fan then you run it very quietly to cool you at Walmart. It's the only thing that runs on 12v.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Or a Maxx Air fan Jere,,, Or in my case a small 12" (I think) box fan I got from Pilot (Road Pro brand),
Sean G.
Well-known member
Rene T said:
I chuckled when I read this. There was a class A gasser I saw a couple days ago at Walmart with all the slides out and the front wheels off the ground with the jacks to get level.
Rene T
Site Team
Sean G. said:
People like this will ruin it for everyone else.
Sean G.
Well-known member
Camchase said:
I have a 20 amp breaker for several outlets in the garage. I tried to run the 13500 A/C but after 15-20 mins some of the other outlets were starting to warm up. The circuit daisy chained through multiple outlets and the outlets were not rated high enough. It was pulling a consistant 15 amps. Be leary of a 20 amp circuit if the routing is not known.
I now have a 20/30/50 RV pedistal next to the driveway.
