Determining your amp usage when plugged into 30 amp or 50 amp service.

[KICKNBACK]

We are owners of a Class A and are looking to purchase a 5th wheel. In the Class A RV with a 30 amp service, there was a meter located in the stove hood that showed the amps you were using. When the usage went above the 30 amps, items you were using, usually the air conditioning, cycled off until there was enough amps available and then it would come back on. No fuses blown or circuits shutting off. Apparently that is not how the 5th wheels work. Can anyone explain how you determine your amps being used and keep track of them so as to not go over your service limit? If you go over, do you have fuses blowing or circuit breakers cutting off? Looking at the Reflection 303RLS. Thanks for any assistance or input you can provide.

 

[Lingerlonger]

In my experience, with my old 30 AMP 5W, it would just trip a breaker when I went over the limit. I don't recall ever blowing a fuse.
It usually happened when we had the AC and microwave both going, and someone would turn on a toaster or hair dryer.
Just turn the AC off for a while and reset the breaker.

 

[thompsons 369rl]

We are owners of a Class A and are looking to purchase a 5th wheel. In the Class A RV with a 30 amp service, there was a meter located in the stove hood that showed the amps you were using. When the usage went above the 30 amps, items you were using, usually the air conditioning, cycled off until there was enough amps available and then it would come back on. No fuses blown or circuits shutting off. Apparently that is not how the 5th wheels work. Can anyone explain how you determine your amps being used and keep track of them so as to not go over your service limit? If you go over, do you have fuses blowing or circuit breakers cutting off? Looking at the Reflection 303RLS. Thanks for any assistance or input you can provide.

Wow! A device that turns stuff off when the amp draw reaches a critical level? Cool. No such thing in the 5th wheels that I know of. I just figure the amp draw of the major elec users (water heater, A/C, etc) using a basic conversion (watts divided by volts equals amps) and some common sense power management. Works for us. Not a big deal when plugged into 50 amp but have to be a bit more aware on 30 amp, especially in hot weather with the A/C.

 

[LostinCanada]

this is probably what you would need to add to the 5th wheel and I'm betting it was similar in your motorhome.

http://www.progressiveindustries.net/ems_hw50c.htm

 

[2hams]

We have the portable Progressive Industries EMS. You can see the amps on the display.

We have been at a couple of 30 amp sites, one in full sun at 90 degrees. We only have one A/C. We had no problems, but I don't try to run hair dryer and A/C together. At 50 amp sites no problems.