Are 2 ac's enough?

[5er Searching]

Thinking of buying a Solitude 346 FLS- R. Most on dealer lots only have 2 ac's. Was wondering with this size unit if 2 would be enough for days in the mid to upper 90's. Also does anyone know if these units with residential refrigerators have inverters standard to run refrigerators while traveling.

[huntr70]

Yes, and yes.

In that size (under 38 ft) 2 15k btu units should be enough.

Yes, in "R" models, there is an inverter to run the fridge while not on 110 power.

[trailrydr]

I guess it would depend on your "area" cooling requirements. While camping this year, I ran into a guy who had 3 AC's on his 5er. He was complaining that it required some kind of "timed" run cycles between the 3 units (run only 2 at a time) due to power consumption to run all 3. Not really sure what this is since I've never owned an RV with 3, but can understand the issue of cycling the unit(s) in order to facilitate other power requirements for the RV.

In his case (from what he said), because it wasn't cycling properly(?), it was causing the fuse on the 50amp site power breaker to pop and need to be reset. Apparently there is some method or setting to ensure that this happens with these systems. So, it doesn't sound like more than 2 are on at any one time anyways. If this "cycling" function is true, I'm not sure having more than 2 AC's is worth it other than maybe placement of the units for specific "area" cooling requirements.

[Overtaxed]

I guess it would depend on your "area" cooling requirements. While camping this year, I ran into a guy who had 3 AC's on his 5er. He was complaining that it required some kind of "timed" run cycles between the 3 units (run only 2 at a time) due to power consumption to run all 3. Not really sure what this is since I've never owned an RV with 3, but can understand the issue of cycling the unit(s) in order to facilitate other power requirements for the RV.

In his case (from what he said), because it wasn't cycling properly(?), it was causing the fuse on the 50amp site power breaker to pop and need to be reset. Apparently there is some method or setting to ensure that this happens with these systems. So, it doesn't sound like more than 2 are on at any one time anyways. If this "cycling" function is true, I'm not sure having more than 2 AC's is worth it other than maybe placement of the units for specific "area" cooling requirements.

I have 3 ACs on my 351M, and I'm very happy I do. Yes, 2 would probably "do it", but 3 does it much faster. Gives me some redundancy (if one fails, I can pick up with the other 2). I just wish all 3 of them had heat pumps in them.

When you're on 50A power, you have more than enough to run all 3. 30A power or generator, you'll have to watch it. But hooked up at a park, I'll blast all 3 when I get there if it's hot to cool it down fast. 50A is about 12,000 watts of power, each AC is <2000 watts. You've got plenty to run all 3 and lots of headroom to spare.

[trailrydr]

I have 3 ACs on my 351M, and I'm very happy I do. Yes, 2 would probably "do it", but 3 does it much faster. Gives me some redundancy (if one fails, I can pick up with the other 2). I just wish all 3 of them had heat pumps in them.

When you're on 50A power, you have more than enough to run all 3. 30A power or generator, you'll have to watch it. But hooked up at a park, I'll blast all 3 when I get there if it's hot to cool it down fast. 50A is about 12,000 watts of power, each AC is <2000 watts. You've got plenty to run all 3 and lots of headroom to spare.

Yea.. I didn't really understand why a manufacturer would design and place 3 on RV if they all could not be handled on a 50amp service. Maybe the startup amp requirements of the 3 AC's (all at once) was the issue. I know that before I installed my softstarts my startup amperage was close or at 40amp (between the 2). Afterward, it went down to under 25 or so.

After starting all 3, can see were it might not be an issue depending on what other load requirements in the RV are needed.

[huntr70]

It's the amp ratings, not watts....

An average a/c unit pulls 18 amps at start up. You won't get three going at the same time (starting) on 50 amps.

[Overtaxed]

It's the amp ratings, not watts....

An average a/c unit pulls 18 amps at start up. You won't get three going at the same time (starting) on 50 amps.

You're neglecting the other power variable; voltage. 50A service is 240 volt, not 120V. So it has double the capacity. You're looking at 18A required to start an AC at 120V, at 240V, it's only 9 amps.

The easier way to look at this is in watts (volts * amps). 50A service is about 12,000 watts, your rooftop AC pulls about 1000 watts, perhaps spiking to 2000 or even 3000 at the moment of startup (for a very short time). If we figure it's 3000 watts at startup, the only way you'll blow a 50A breaker with 3 ACs is if you have all 3 start at exactly the same time (9000 watts), your running a hairdryer, the microwave, and your water heater, all pulling full tilt at exactly the same time.

I can tell you, in practice, my Progressive Dynamics surge protector provides readouts for the power consumption. I've never seen more than about 30A, and that 30A is only on one leg, the other leg is less than that. That's running all 3 ACs at once and doing anything else we might be doing inside the rig.

Yes, you could pull enough power to blow a 50A with the stuff in your RV. You'd almost have to try to do it though, 50A service is more than enough for 3ACs + everything else you might want to run in almost any situation I can imagine.

[Ynot4me2]

You're neglecting the other power variable; voltage. 50A service is 240 volt, not 120V. So it has double the capacity. You're looking at 18A required to start an AC at 120V, at 240V, it's only 9 amps.

The easier way to look at this is in watts (volts * amps). 50A service is about 12,000 watts, your rooftop AC pulls about 1000 watts, perhaps spiking to 2000 or even 3000 at the moment of startup (for a very short time). If we figure it's 3000 watts at startup, the only way you'll blow a 50A breaker with 3 ACs is if you have all 3 start at exactly the same time (9000 watts), your running a hairdryer, the microwave, and your water heater, all pulling full tilt at exactly the same time.

I can tell you, in practice, my Progressive Dynamics surge protector provides readouts for the power consumption. I've never seen more than about 30A, and that 30A is only on one leg, the other leg is less than that. That's running all 3 ACs at once and doing anything else we might be doing inside the rig.

Yes, you could pull enough power to blow a 50A with the stuff in your RV. You'd almost have to try to do it though, 50A service is more than enough for 3ACs + everything else you might want to run in almost any situation I can imagine.

240v? Rigs with 50amp service have 2 x 120v legs of 50a not 240v. You breaker panel is divided in 2. This is the reason why you can't plug your rv in you drier receptacle at home because that runs on 240v. 50a rigs do have 12000w capacity which is really 6000w per leg.

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[Overtaxed]

240v? Rigs with 50amp service have 2 x 120v legs of 50a not 240v. You breaker panel is divided in 2. This is the reason why you can't plug your rv in you drier receptacle at home because that runs on 240v. 50a rigs do have 12000w capacity which is really 6000w per leg.

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Yes, they do, but the service coming in is 240 50A service. Or, if you want to look at it this way, it's 2 50A 120V lines. Yes, it's 6000W per leg, but the AC units are <1500W running, you could run all 3 ACs on a single leg of 50A service and still have 6000 watts available on the other leg.

A 50A line is a 240 service line. I know there's a ton of confusion on this, and if anyone cares to dig deeper, happy to do so, but any electrician anywhere is going to call that a 240V 50A circuit. Where things get confusing, an RV is 120V load. What many don't understand is that all 240V service ALSO has 120V service available. Don't believe it, get out your volt meter and start testing. You'll always find 120V in a 240V outlet (excepting commercial power/3 phase/etc).

This is the reason why you can't plug your rv in you drier receptacle at home because that runs on 240v.

You absolutely can plug your RV into a "dryer outlet" so long as that outlet provides a neutral. The 50A plugs we use for RVs are commonly used for things like a range and sometimes a dryer in a house. I use the same outlet for my welder; a 240V monster that makes the lights dim when it strikes an arc.

RV's, because they use the phases independently, need a neutral line; that's why 50A outlets have 4 blades, hot 1, hot 2, ground and neutral. Go from hot 1 to hot 2, you get 240, hot 1 or 2 to anything else, you get 120V.

[Jerryr]

1- You CAN use a 30a Dryer outlet with a proper adapter to power a 50a RV, as long as the dryer receptacle is properly wired a 4-wire 14-30R. I do it all the time at home. WHAT YOU CANNOT DO IS CONNECT A 30a 120v RV TO A 240v DRYER OUTLET and use the 2-120v hot legs without causing damage to your appliances.

2- The 50a RV receptacle is a 14-50R 120/240v receptacle. The RV only utilizes 2- separate 120 legs. It DOES NOT USE 240v anywhere in the RV. The AC units are 120v units.

3- A 50a RV with 2 AC units should have each AC wired to separate 120 legs. Each leg can carry 50 amps independently for a max total of 100 amps. Even at 18 amps a 50a RV should be able to run 3 AC units. Assuming that each AC unit draws 18:amps, one leg with 2 AC units running will draw 36 amps and the other leg with one AC unit running will draw 18 amps. Unless you exceed 50 amps on a single leg you will not trip a breaker. With 3 AC units running at 18 amps each the total would be 54 amps, BUT that’s split between 2-120v legs. So one would draw 36a and the other 18a, not exceeding 50a on either leg.

Confused yet?

This https://www.amazon.com/AC-WORKS-Elec...dp/B06WGRK4DN/ is the 4-wire dryer adapter I use to connect to my 50a RV.