Re: [VAL] Re: VAL Digest V2 #89

[MJ Worner <wornmatt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,

If your house was built (or electrified) within the last 35 years or so, 
the kitchen outlets are on at least 2 twenty amp circuits.  One of these 
circuits goes to a dedicated "small appliance" outlet.  The other goes 
to all the rest of the outlets in the kitchen.  I don't remember when it 
became a code requirement but recent structures must also have 20 amp 
circuit to outlets in the dining room (may be the same as the multi 
outlet kitchen circuit).

The point of this is that by plugging into the small appliance circuit 
in your kitchen, you should have enough power to run the air conditioner 
for a test.  Turn off everything else in the trailer and unplug anything 
else in the outlet, just power on the A/C.  That way you have a 
dedicated 20 amp circuit to the unit.  That's what  you have in the 
trailer to run the A/C.  If you need to use an extension cord make sure 
to use the 30 amp cord you have for the trailer.  (You DO have a 30 amp 
extension cord, don't you?  If not you are spinning your wheels.)

All this is predicated on having no more than about a 25' extension.  If 
you try to go any further, or use a typical orange extension cord the 
voltage drop will kill you and you are going to pop things every time.  
The whole univolt thing is based on being able to use your battery load 
at voltages down to about 85 VAC line voltage with the univolt 
compensating.  The air conditioner will just smoke at that kind of 
voltage, however.

If you have to make your own extension cord, go to an electrical supply 
house and get a piece of 10-2 W/G type SJO (#10 awg [American wire 
guage] wire, 2 conductors, with ground, a total of 3 wires inside) 
cable, and put on your own ends,  The black wire goes on the brass 
screw, the white and green on the same coloured screws.  When it comes 
to electricity, the right way is a good thing.

Matt