Power Cords
- Thread starter glad
- Start date
DL Rupper
Senior Member
Re: Power Cords
Hey Bob,welcome to the forum. If your Trailer is wired for 30 amp, then by all means use a 30 amp cord as you will have more power available. I suspect that during the storm a 30 amp power cord would have affected your GFI plug also. If you have frequent power surges where you camp, an external surge protector may be advantageous.
Hey Bob,welcome to the forum. If your Trailer is wired for 30 amp, then by all means use a 30 amp cord as you will have more power available. I suspect that during the storm a 30 amp power cord would have affected your GFI plug also. If you have frequent power surges where you camp, an external surge protector may be advantageous.
TexasClodhopper
Senior Member
Re: Power Cords
Bob, there's no such thing as a "regular extension cord." All cords have specifications that are important, but in this case the important thing is the wire size.
What kind of appliances do you have that use electricity? Were you running an air conditioner?
Bob, there's no such thing as a "regular extension cord." All cords have specifications that are important, but in this case the important thing is the wire size.
What kind of appliances do you have that use electricity? Were you running an air conditioner?
Kirk
Senior Member
Re: Power Cords
I don't think that any of us are quite sure exactly what you mean. Does your RV have a typical RV power cord with a 30A plug at the end and loads inside for use of 30A of power by things like an air conditioner and microwave and such? If that is what you have, then when you need to use an extension cord, the best answer is to use a 30A rated extension cord. If you are connecting to a typical household 15A outlet like those in all homes, you will be limited to a maximum of 15A of power no matter what your RV has or what size that power cord is.
Where the cord size becomes critical is in the length of the total cord to RV's power distribution panel from that outlet. The longer the power cord and the greater the power demanded from it, the more the voltage will drop on the way. No power cord is free from resistance so it uses some of the supplied power just to get any current to the RV. The longer the power cord is, the larger in diameter it needs to be.
I don't think that any of us are quite sure exactly what you mean. Does your RV have a typical RV power cord with a 30A plug at the end and loads inside for use of 30A of power by things like an air conditioner and microwave and such? If that is what you have, then when you need to use an extension cord, the best answer is to use a 30A rated extension cord. If you are connecting to a typical household 15A outlet like those in all homes, you will be limited to a maximum of 15A of power no matter what your RV has or what size that power cord is.
Where the cord size becomes critical is in the length of the total cord to RV's power distribution panel from that outlet. The longer the power cord and the greater the power demanded from it, the more the voltage will drop on the way. No power cord is free from resistance so it uses some of the supplied power just to get any current to the RV. The longer the power cord is, the larger in diameter it needs to be.