Using 110V House Current

JohnandJoy · 11-11-2009, 12:51 AM

We have recently purchased a 2005 Road Trek 190 Popular Motor Home. I will have many questions over the coming months ?(years) but will start out with one. I have been trying to connect the power cable from the RV to 110 outlets in my garage using a 15 Amp adaptor and extra heavy duty extension cord but the house breaker trips shortly after connection.The only other draw on the 110 plugs is a freezer and removing that from the circuit does not improve the situation. Am I going to need to have an electrician install a dedicated line? I would really like to keep a charge on the house battery and run the refridgerator when not using the RV. Any thoughts are appreciated.

Mike · 11-11-2009, 04:13 AM

Assuming you've got everything in the van turned off prior to plugging in, it might be a
shorted power cord, or the extra heavy duty extension cord may be too light or too long
and might be the problem. I bought a used 2002 190P and it looked as though the cord
had been spliced, probably damaged somehow. However, I've had no problems plugging the van
into the outside house receptacle with the 15 A converter plug. The panel breaker is a 15A too.
I've run the OEM heat pump, and the 110V outlets while plugged in to my house.
I only use the cord/plug attached to the van and don't add any additional extension cords, heavy
duty or otherwise. Can you do that, or do you have to use an extension cord to reach?
Is the breaker to your house's outlet at least 15A?

I didn't find too many hits on this site, but here's one from another site with some ideas.
Maybe one will ring a bell for you....
http://en.allexperts.com/q/RV-Repair-83 ... rtor-1.htm

pete · 11-11-2009, 08:44 AM

Hi,
I plug my 08 RT into a 20 amp circuit in my garage with no trouble. I run the AC or Furnace along with the fridge and sometimes watch TV. Your garage should have a 20 amp circuit not 15 and that could be the problem but I would look at your extension cord first. Many outdoor cords look heavy duty but are actually small wire like #16. This will cause excessive current draw and will trip the breaker. Also too much length will do the same thing. I am using a #12 cord of 25 foot length and have no problems. Check your cords...

Sorry I misread your post and you are not using the extension. I would check that the receptacle is 20 amps, if not you should have an electrician install a 20 or better a 30 amp circuit just for the RT.
Pete

JohnandJoy · 11-11-2009, 03:30 PM

Thanks for the excellent advice. I am using a new, 12ga extra heavy duty extension cord but due to the present location of plugs in my garage (the van won't fit into the garage) I need to run 50 feet of extension cord. A posting on another site suggested that if the breaker is gfci protected something like the water heater on the van might be tripping it. The breaker is 20 amp but it is indeed gfci protected and I know the electric water heater element comes on when plugged into AC, but I don't know how to prevent it. Is there a switch which will keep the electric water heater element from coming on when plugged in? I'm thinking perhaps I should just bite the bullit and have someone install a 30amp breaker dedicated to the RV which would also reduce the extension cord needed by about half. Thanks again for your help.

John

Mike · 11-11-2009, 03:46 PM

Off the top of my head (I've got a propane water heater, so this is a guess) my water heater has a switch over
the galley counter, just right of the entertainment unit. Not sure about electric heaters, and whether it's just
a default setting when you're on shore power. I also have a breaker panel at the rear of my '02P next to the
side access to the water heater area, under the driver's side bed. It has a darker brown metal face plate which
is removable. Again, I've never tried to disable a circuit in the van, but if it were possible, I'd look there first.
You might have a look there for a water heater breaker you could disable.
I'd attack this from the van side of things first, in case you're on the road where you can't take your garage
with you.

But if all else fails, and it's just when you're parked at home maybe beefing up the outlet amperage
is the way to go.

Ron J. Moore · 11-12-2009, 02:22 PM

We have an '05 RT190P and do exactly what you are trying to do; have never had a problem. Once connected, we have run the air and fan, along with a few lights without a problem. I plug ours into an outside outlet, and it is not a dedicated outlet. I'd look to the extension cord first for some form of breakdown. Also, thought you might run that plug to another outlet and see if it will hold. If, by chance you have a generator (other than the one in the RT), try using it. I am betting the problem to be the extension cord. Keep us posted on the resolve, Ron

JohnandJoy · 11-26-2009, 02:21 PM

FYI I resolved my situation by having a electrician run a 30 amp line dedicated to the Road Trek to my garage and that seems to have solved the problem. Thanks for the info and I have another question. What is the recommended tire pressures for the 190 Popular?

Thanks again.

John

markopolo · 11-26-2009, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnandJoy

...................... What is the recommended tire pressures for the 190 Popular? ......................

It will probably show 50 front and 80 rear on the drivers side door or door pillar. I was quite happy with 65 front and 80 rear in my 2004 Roadtrek.

Mike · 11-27-2009, 03:11 AM

Recommended minimum pressures are 50 psi front 80 psi rear as marko says, on my 2002 190P as well.
I try to keep my spare inflated to 80 psi. You can always let air out if you blow a front tire, but.....

There are a couple of interesting tire related threads on here, including one about "new" tires that might be past their
"best before" date.

dadsfolk · 03-07-2010, 01:49 AM

Can someone explain why a too-small or too-long cord would trip the circuit breaker? Higher resistance means lower voltage; when I use such a cord with a power tool, it doesn't trip the circuit breaker - just won't start. 12-ga. is capable of carrying 20A at least 70'. If I were in this position, with a newly acquired used van,an adequate extension cord, and other people with similar vehicles had no problem, my first concern would be that there might be a short in the vehicle. A van water heater - if it's the only thing on - shouldn't trip a 15A circuit breaker. Electric heating elements are not like motors - they have no starting surge.

g1g · 03-07-2010, 05:33 AM

Before you go through to much expense find out how to turn off the hot water tank or disconnect it. Possibly hook it up at a friends house to see if that works. Your breaker may be week causing it to trip early or something else is on that circuit someplace. It is really hard to say without putting a meter on it. As for it triping from gfci I would think it would trip as soon as it is pluged in if that was the problem but you mentioned shortly after. I don't think a 50" 12 gauge cord is your problem as with a 20A breaker that is the same size wire in regular wireing. A 30A would have 10 gauge though. As mentioned a longer cable or smaller gauge would lower the voltage due to loss thus increasing the amperage. (P=I x E power formula) which could pop the breaker but I think heaters should only draw less than 14A and you would not have any where near that much loss.

engnrsrule · 07-08-2021, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnandJoy

Thanks for the excellent advice. I am using a new, 12ga extra heavy duty extension cord but due to the present location of plugs in my garage (the van won't fit into the garage) I need to run 50 feet of extension cord. A posting on another site suggested that if the breaker is gfci protected something like the water heater on the van might be tripping it. The breaker is 20 amp but it is indeed gfci protected and I know the electric water heater element comes on when plugged into AC, but I don't know how to prevent it. Is there a switch which will keep the electric water heater element from coming on when plugged in? I'm thinking perhaps I should just bite the bullit and have someone install a 30amp breaker dedicated to the RV which would also reduce the extension cord needed by about half. Thanks again for your help.

John

There are two ways to turn off the 120v to what I assume is a Suburban water heater. There is a switch located on the back (they call the front) that you access by removing the outside cover. The switch is on the lower left side behind the propane burner tube.

The other way is to turn off the breaker for the water heater which should be the only thing on that breaker. Turning off the 120vac does not affect the unit operating on propane. It simply becomes a propane only water heater.

Your unawareness may indicate another problem. If you have had the water heater empty in the winter, and fed 120vac to the RV without turning off the water heater breaker or the 110 switch, you may have fried the electric element. The high current to do that could also have damaged the 110v side thermostat. Those damages can also be a contributor to conditions that trip a GFCI shore tie feed.

I keep my 120 breaker off and run on propane the majority of the time. If I know the system is wet and am going to be on a shore tie for more than a day I can put it on electric.

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