Full Time RV Maintenance–Before You Blow a Breaker

An absolutely awesome posting by  FaceBook friend and RV’er RuthLarryBergeron. . .

I am reposting here with their permission. . .hope you find this helpful!

 

BEFORE YOU BLOW YOUR 'BREAKER"
TAKE A MINUTE AND SEE HOW MANYAMPS YOU COULD BE USING IN YOUR RV,S 30 OR 50
AMP ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IT,S SURPRISING HOW FAST THE AMPS ADD UP WHICH CAUSES
YOUR BREAKER OR THE RV PARKS' BREAKER TO.TRIP". KNOWING THE AMPS OF ALL THE
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES IN YOU RV CAN HELP YOU MANAGE ELECTRICAL USE AND PREVENT
THE INCONVENIENCE OF "MY ELECTRICITY WENT OUT".

THIS LIST IS THE TYPICAL APPLIANCES USED AND THE AVERAGE AMPS REQUIRED
TO OPERATE THEM:

AIR CONDITIONER 15(xn BTU T.              2.5 AMPS
ELECTRIC WATER HEATER 6 GAL        12.5 AMPS
MICROWAVE OVEN                                  12.8 AMPS
TOASTER                                                    1O.O AMPS
ELECT. COFFEE POT                                 9.0 AMPS
HAIR DRYER                                                IO.OAMPS
TELEVISION                                                      2.0 AMPS
DIRT DEVIL HAND VACUUM                             2.OAMPS
ELECTRIC FRYING PAN                                    1O.O AMPS
IRON                                                                   1O.O AMPS
FOOD PROCESSOR                                     6.0 AMPS
CROCK POT                                                  1.5 AMPS
HEATING PAD                                                  0.5 AMPS
11OO WATT HEATER                                      1O.O AMPS
750 WATT HEATER                                            6.5 AMPS
BOX FAN INDOOR                                            1.5 AMPS
BOX FAN OUTDOOR                                       2.5 AMPS
RADIO WITH CLOCK                                         0.5 AMPS
REFRIGERATOR                                               5.2 AMPS

IN THE MORNING, IF YOU START YOUR AIR CONDITIONER AND HOT WATER HEATER IS ON,
THEN YOU START YOUR COFFEE POT, MAKE SOME TOAST AND WATCH TV, THEN YOU ARE
PULLING 55 AMPS WHEN ALL APPLIANCES ARE OPERATING AT MAXIMUM. IF YOU ALSO COOK
YOUR BACON IN THE MICROWAVE ATTHE SAME TIME, ,LOOK OUT"! MOST RVS HAVE A
SWITCH SO THAT YOU CAN RUN ONLY THE MICROWAVE OR THE WATER HEATER AT ONE TIME.
BUT SOME RV,S DON,T HAVE THIS FEATURE.
MOST ELECTRTCAL PRODUCTS SHOW HOW MANY WATTS OR AMPS IT TAKES TO OPERATE THE
APPLIANCE PASTED ON THE APPLIANCE ITSELF OR IN THE INSTRUCTION. IF IT SHOWS THE
WATTS, DIVIDE THE WATTS BY 120 (VOLTS) AND THAT GIVES YOU THE AMPS. TO GET THE
WATTS MULTIPLY THE AMPS BY 120 (VOLTS).
IT IS WORTH YOUR TIME TO TAKE AN INVENTORY ON THE "AMPS,, THAT EACH OF YOUR
ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES USE, THEN YOU CAN MANAGE YOUR TOTAL USAGE AT ONE TIME.

THIS GREATLY REDUCES THE “MY ELECTRICITY WENT OUT" ANXIETY.