Plugging 120V 20A into Coach for storage - and question on Elect. Air Compressor

[Mike Shumack]

For a while I will not have any electrical service to plug my coach into when parked at my home. I can get 120V 20A electrical service to coach running extension cord form the house.

I see in the Beaver Owners manual that there is mention of "30A-120V to 50A-240V" converter, and a "20A-120V to 30A-120V" converter.

So would it be worth it to use a 20A to 30A to 50A converter (two converters attached together then plugged into the Coach's 50A service cord, just to keep batteries charged? Would that 20A service provide any power to the batteries for charging?

Or would it be easier to just put a trickle charger on the chassis batteries (maybe switching between chassis and house batteries every week) for a couple of weeks to keep things charged?

I'm planning to have a 50A service installed for the Coach - but it will be awhile and the solar panel on the roof won't help because it will be parked under/in pole barn.

[Jerald Cate]

Mike,

If your just storing your coach the 20A/120V circuit is plenty of power to keep your batteries charged.  I would however recommend you use an extension cord with 10 ga. wire to reduce the voltage drop.  I used that setup for a couple of years before I installed a 50 amp circuit for the coach.  I had a 100 ft cord with 10 ga. wire and it was enough to charge my batteries, operate lights and a small space heater for when it got below freezing.  I wouldn't recommend turning on to much other stuff (e.g. refrigerator, AC, etc.) with that setup.

[Jerry Carr]

120 volts will work fine for storage but be sure to use a heavy gage cord, I would also leave a small heater plugged in set on low temp.

[David T. Richelderfer]

Also, depending upon your inverter and your expertise about it, you should be able to limit the amperage draw by the inverter on the shore power cord.  Our inverter is a Xantrex Freedom 3000w and it can very easily be programmed to limit the inverter amperage draw at 5 amp increments (120v) from 5 amps to 30 amps.  When at home we plug into a 30 amp shore power plug and I set the amperage draw to a 25 amp upper limit.  Note that there are many devices, i.e., air conditioners, heat pumps, etc., which are not powered by the inverter, so those devices are powered outside the limit set on the inverter.

[Mike Shumack]

So is everyone in similar situation powering their Coaches (with 20A) through "adapters" connected to the built in 50A service cable?

I would need to buy a 20A to 30A adapter. (I already have a 30A to 50A adapter).

I was planing to run a dehumidifier too (I'm in FL). I guess I figure out if any (or which) outlets in the coach will have power once I get the external service connected.

Thanks for your responses.

[Roger Rempe]

Also, depending upon your inverter and your expertise about it, you should be able to limit the amperage draw by the inverter on the shore power cord.  Our inverter is a Xantrex Freedom 3000w and it can very easily be programmed to limit the inverter amperage draw at 5 amp increments (120v) from 5 amps to 30 amps.  When at home we plug into a 30 amp shore power plug and I set the amperage draw to a 25 amp upper limit.  Note that there are many devices, i.e., air conditioners, heat pumps, etc., which are not powered by the inverter, so those devices are powered outside the limit set on the inverter.

Is that necessary? What advantage or protection would that provide during storage? This is a timely topic as I've wondered about backing off the amps on my Magnum setting!

[David T. Richelderfer]

You want your batteries kept up to full charge.  What if the shore power goes out for several hours or even a day or two?  Your batteries will be drawn down due to the ECM, perhaps a light left on, perhaps a heater on low to prevent freezing, whatever.  Anyways, after enough time the battery bank/s may become discharged enough that when the shore power comes back on, your inverter will try to go into full charge mode.  I'm thinking if this happens, then your inverter will pull more amperage than your 15-20 amp shore power connection can offer.  That will kick out the shore power breaker, and the batteries will continue draining until you or someone resets the breaker.  With your inverter limited to 15 or 20 amps draw from shore power, then your inverter will be forced to a slower charge rate which should not overtax the shore power connection and its breaker.  Obviously, when the batteries are near fully charged, the inverter acts as a trickle charger and pulls little amperage.

If you are always around and can check your power every day, then it's probably no big deal.

[Roger Rempe]

Thanks, Dave...that's the best explanation I've heard! 15 or 20 amps or does it matter? And why do I need my inverter on if I'm not running a space heater?

[Jim Edwards]

Just some thoughts that you may have already dealt with. Starting with the premise that I have never seen a rated 115v 20a extension cord although I believe they are out there and
a 120 v 20a plug is somewhat rare in an adapter due to its pin configuration. (see 115v 20 amp photo attached) If you have a standard residential 115 plug it would be 15 amp.

If you don't have a receptacle that the attached photo would fit in, the 15 amp would do. Most 20 amp receptacles will accept both 15 and 20 amp plugs but 15 amp receptacles will not accept the 20 amp. Even if there is a 20 amp breaker. This is done because the wire between the breaker and the receptacle is a heaver gage allowing more power draw form multiple receptacles.   Therefore you can see 20 amps pushing through a 15 amp plug. (not advised).  I have a 15 amp circuit supplying a trickle charger (800 ma) (leave inverter charger off ) and  2 Air dryers not to be confused with dehumidifiers. They also draw low power (about 1 amp each) Leaves you with 12 amps to play with. I would set shore power max. to 15 amps. making sure that the extension cord is of the proper gage for the distance involved. Unless you have a high current draw this should be more than enough for storage. (coach to be winterized should the location require)
The reason I use a trickle charger is so that I can use the battery disconnects and have little or no power consumption off the batteries. Or leave the batteries connected and use the inverter charger.

See links below

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Dogbone-Electrical-Adapter-PowerGrip/dp/B00HRHWHNW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1509583163&sr=8-1&keywords=camco+15amp+to+50amp+rv+adapter or
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N75TBWX/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1

Air dryer
https://www.amazon.com/DryWave-Prevents-Mildew-Cabins-Basements/dp/B000BTAQIG/ref=sr_1_cc_2?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1509583864&sr=1-2-catcorr&keywords=air+dryer+for+boat


Best Jim

[David T. Richelderfer]

Roger - without your inverter-charger on you will need to hook up a separate battery charger to keep the batteries charged... probably two separate battery chargers - one on each bank of batteries.

[Joel Ashley]

Mike, yes obviously you will need to get a 15-30 adapter (call them adapters, not converters).  The further you go from your outlet to reach the 30 amp cord, the more important it is to use a heavier 15 amp cord to allow for voltage drop over the distance.  A typical orange 14 gauge cord is not advised... pay more and go with at least a yellow 12 gauge.  When you start needing one over 50 ft, not including the 30 and the 50 amp lengths that won't drop much voltage, consider splurging on a 10 gauge. 

In my learning days 30 years ago I ran a 100ft 14 gauge cord from the farmhouse basement to our old Pace Arrow, and ran an air conditioner.  I was lucky the breaker never flipped, but ultimately years later the AC gave up.  And don't go cheap like I have in the past and buy an inexpensive black adapter;  they aren't as safe as a quality, often yellow, heavy duty pigtail-type adapter, although quality one-piece black one's exist. 

Whatever you do, don't have your cord adapters laying in a low spot where rainwater can puddle and short them out, possibly flaming up before your house breaker kicks off.  I know a device on fire in water sounds implausible, but I've seen it happen during a sudden downpour.

As long as you are aware of and carefully manage total amp draw in the coach, staying well under your 20 amp source, especially easy if you're only just letting the charger in the inverter keep both battery banks up, you should be fine.  That said, if you've drained the house set before plugging in, the initial charge rate can be significant.  Your Aladdin can be used to monitor amp load at any one time.

Once the house set gets to 13.4v your BIRD unit will switch automatically to maintain the chassis set, and monitor all when that gets to 13.4v.  You don't need a separate charger that you'd have to manually switch every so often.  In storage, just leave both Main switches in the battery bay off. 

As David suggests, you might want to program your (Magnum?) panel, telling it you're on a 15 amp source.  I try to remember do that as a habit at RV park or camp sites also, adjusting to each site's outlet.

Joel

[Roger Rempe]

Please bear with me as I need to get this straight. My rig is still sitting in a repair shop getting practically the entire 12v system replaced. It's been there since July. http://beaveramb.org/forum/index.php/topic,6907.msg50079.html#msg50079 No one has been able to give me a definitive answer as to what caused the meltdown and I don't want a repeat. As you can imagine, this is gonna cost me big bucks. Not an abundance of qualified RV repair facilities in this part of Iowa. One tech told me that it may be due to having the inverter on during engine start-up and sitting for several weeks. Not sure if that's possible?
When I do get my Monterey back, it will have to sit in an outdoor storage lot. For now, it has access to a 15 amp outlet. The lot owner wasn't sure if that will last. I don't think that there is room in the battery bay for two trickle chargers. So, if I step down the shore connection to 15 amps, then I have to leave the main battery shut offs on along with the inverter? Also, step down the Magnum control setting to 15 amp shore power?
If I don't have the electric feed, I'll have to rely on the solar panel. So, then I would shut off the chassis and house battery switches along with the inverter?
From what I've read, it's best to fill the diesel tank and not start the engine till spring when I can drive it. Assuming all is well with the batteries, I won't have to exercise the generator either? And of course, make sure the auto generator start is off.

[Stan Simpson]

Mike,
I do exactly what Joel has described. Here is my coach, plugged in at the house using a yellow 12 gauge cord, and the adapters described. Keeps the batteries charged. I can turn on the TV to look at the Aladdin when I'm in the coach, without tripping anything.

[Mike Shumack]

Hi everyone,
I have the coach connected to 120V 20A supply now - as shown in photo above. Thanks for helping on that.

I now have the coach leveled on "air" and all the slides out. DW is going to be outfitting the coach over the next couple of days.

Question 1: Do you know if the on-board electric air compressor will work and keep the coach level - with just the 20A power supply?

Also, when I leave the coach, I turn off the "coach power" at the rocker switch near the door.
Question 2: If the answer to question 1 is yes, with coach power Off will the on-board air compressor still come on to keep coach level?

I'm still reading through the manual and trying to understand what has power and what doesn't with "Coach Power" switch Off.

[Bill Sprague]

Mike,

The coach power switch shuts of some 12 volt stuff.  The original idea of it was so that salespeople could turn off the 12 volt draw and if there was a solar panel, the batteries would stay charged for the next salesperson to be able to turn on the lights.   It can be a problem for the fridge.  It will run on propane, but needs 12v for the brain board.  Without 12v the fridge is dead.  Consequently, a lot of us disabled the coach power switch so that important stuff is not shut off. 

Some Beavers seemed to have the coach power switch wired without the fridge being affected. 

FWIW, you would not believe what can grow in a fridge with the doors closed and the power off!