Plugging in while driveway surfing?

[mayble]

I've been offered a spot to park at a friend's house  when I get my RV (a very small class C or B), but I would be leaving my dog there in the RV while I work across town during the day.
Would plugging into my friend's house give me enough juice to run the AC if needed?  Obviously there wouldn't be any other devices running at the time unless the dog learns to use the microwave.  Hopefully I can plug into a circuit that gets little to no use by the homeowner during the day (garage?), but I'm not sure of her set up.
I would cover the windows, open vents, etc. to keep the RV as cool as possible and run a battery powered fan or two (as in D-cell, not house battery), but I want the AC to kick on if the temperature gets dangerously high. 
Thoughts?  What info do I need?  What should I be looking for?

I wasn't sure where to put this - apologies if I'm in the wrong forum.

 

[Almost There]

Most homes don't have 30 amp or better outlets but one could be wired in for you by an electrician that would guarantee that the roof air will kick in without blowing a circuit. It's not a complicated thing to do.

Most all Class B and C RVs have roof vents, if they don't have a fan installed, you'll want to have one wired in in each vent. Covering the windows on the sunny side with reflectix will go a long way to keeping things cool. Leave the windows on the shady side open for ventilation. Although if you have the a/c set up, you don't want to be leaving windows or the roof vent open!

There's also monitoring systems that can be used to remote monitor the inside temperature, hooked in to your cell phone IIRC. That would give you peace of mind that the temps were okay.

A watering system that has a large capacity so that pooch doesn't run out of water might be a good idea, particularly if it's a larger dog. There are also cooling mats available for the dog to lay on when they're hot but whether your dog would use it would have to be determined.

Good deal on having a friend that will do this for you.

 

[mayble]

Thanks Almost There.
I should have said I was planning to use 15/30 adapter.  But now that you mention it, I ought to look into the cost of adding a 30A outlet.  It would probably still cost less than a season's rent at a nearby RVpark

 

[B and C]

I have run my A/C in the driveway with just a regular 15/30 adapter.  Do not try to use a cheap 14/16 GA extension cord though.  Get at the minimum of a 12 GA, 10 GA would be much better.  Getting a 10 GA now will allow you to use it for your solar install if you want to park in the shade and put the panels in the sun.  I have a 50 ft 10 GA cord for this dual purpose.

 

[Almost There]

Thanks Almost There.
I should have said I was planning to use 15/30 adapter.  But now that you mention it, I ought to look into the cost of adding a 30A outlet.  It would probably still cost less than a season's rent at a nearby RVpark

The reason I mention this is because I've had 15 amp circuits pop on me when the a/c kicked in on my Class A. I was plugged in with the really heavy shoreline cord and an adapter so a heavier duty extension cord wasn't in play there.

And you're right, putting in an outlet at your friends place will definitely be cheaper than a seasons' rent AND you're protecting all your electrical appliances at the same time. Low power is hard on them sometimes.

 

[B and C]

The reason I mention this is because I've had 15 amp circuits pop on me when the a/c kicked in on my Class A. I was plugged in with the really heavy shoreline cord and an adapter so a heavier duty extension cord wasn't in play there.

And you're right, putting in an outlet at your friends place will definitely be cheaper than a seasons' rent AND you're protecting all your electrical appliances at the same time. Low power is hard on them sometimes.

The heavier duty extension cord protects the RV by not allowing voltage drop, not the circuit it is plugged into.  The circuit my AC is plugged into in the Roadtrek has a 15 amp circuit breaker.  She is only talking about running the A/C and a roof vent.  This should not be a problem unless there are other loads on the circuit either in the RV or the house.

Check the circuit breaker the AC is plugged into in the RV.  If it is 15 amp, no problems.

When I driveway camp at a friend or family member's place (our bed is better than their guest bed), I have never had a problem.  Run my extension cord into the garage and plug in.  I have not run into any loads plugged into the garage though such as a washer/dryer or fridge/freezer.  That would change things.

Installing a 30 amp circuit will allow you to run your MW along with the AC though and if you friend and funds allow it, I say go for it.  The worst that will happen if you don't is the circuit breaker in the house will trip and the battery bank will still power the roof vent.  Hopefully a test is done before trusting it to keep the RV cool while your pet is in there though.

 

[Patrick46]

Yeah, I've plugged into my own garage for shore power, and at friend's/relative's homes when visiting. As long as I didn't fire every possible appliance inside the camper up, I've never had a single issue. I don't think I've even tripped a breaker.

I'd go ahead if it were me, and make modifications as needed.

 

[mockturtle]

My smaller [9600 BTU] AC works fine on 15 amp on low settings. As has been said, if you must use an extension cord, make sure it's a very heavy-duty one.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Another issue to keep in mind - GFCI

Outside outlets are required to be protected by Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.  These can either be the outlets themselves, or be built in to the circuit breakers. 

They do tend to be more prone to failure than non-gfci outlets or breakers.  It is frequently something to do with age - the older they get, the more likely they are to fail.

Since you are depending on this circuit to keep your fur baby healthy, might be worthwhile to replace the outlet or circuit breaker with a new one, preferably a high quality brand.

Regards
John

 

[akrvbob]

Another possibility is to get a Class C or B without an air conditioner and then either add one of the smallest rooftop ACs or even consider a window or portable AC. They would be your cheapest route and most flexible--both good things to have!
Bob