It is good you have asked before plugging the RV pug into the dryer outlet. It could have been messy. The voltages are not the same unless you are sure, and plugging it could be a free recipe for disaster.
Can I plug my RV into my dryer outlet? No. You can’t. It is because the dryer operates in more power than the RV. Technically, the dryer outlet operates under a 240 volt while the RV plug operates under 120 volt. So, connecting the two can trigger damages to devices or worse a fire outbreak.
So, if you have to connect the two have an electrical technician do it for you. The technician can rewire the system, connect circuit breakers, and ensure the dryer outlet and the RV plug operates in the same voltage. With this you are safe.
Otherwise, connecting without checking the voltage capacities can cause damages to your electrical devices connected to the power such as the microwave, TV, air conditioner, water heater, and any other device. Worse is when fire breaks out. So, be safe and ensure you know what you are doing before attempting any electrical connection. There is no trial and error with electricity.
Is It Bad to Leave Your RV Plugged in All the Time?
No. It is not bad. You do not have to be plugging in and out. However, you need to be cautious with your RV batteries. It is because since the batteries are constantly being charged if you do not maintain the batteries well their lifespan can be reduced.
So, Can I Keep My Travel Trailer Plugged In All The Time? Yes. Although, at least once a month or more frequently depending with your RV use. Also, find out more on what happens when you leave your RV heater on when plugged in.
Always check your batteries and ensure they do not dry if you always plug in the RV. I mean check the batteries electrolyte levels. If you find them quite lower than expected add distilled water to prevent drying. Drying could damage the batteries.
Is a 30 Amp RV Plug 110 or 220?
Actually, a 30 amp RV plug is a 120 volt. It uses a 30 amp circuit breaker. It has the ability to supply 3600 watts of power. The plug type is TT-30P or TT-30R receptacle specially designed for use in trailers.
The plug has 3 prong receptacle. It has colored wire. The BLACK/HOT connects to the breaker then to the screw (BRASS colored screw). WHITE wire connects the SILVER screw (Opposite side of the black wire) to the neutral bar panel. GREEN/BARE connects to the ground panel. It’s recommended to always confirm your polarity before plugging in the RV for the first time. A slight mistake of polarity interchanging can be disastrous as it can result in a short circuit and worse is fire.
Do Outlets Work in an RV While Driving?
It depends. Outlets won’t work if you are not supplying any power to the coach. Outlets would work if you are powering the coach using a generator, you get connected to shore power, or you are using an inverter.
When driving the batteries of the coach and the chassis get powered through the alternator. The engine is started using the chassis battery which also powers the chassis systems. So, unless you have another power source while driving, the RV outlets won’t work.
Should RV Batteries Be Removed in Winter?
It is not a must. However, it could be best if you remove all your batteries from the RV during the winter to prevent them from freezing due to extreme cold or overcharging and the electrolyte boiling over if left plugged.
Please note, before removing the batteries charge them to full capacity. Once charged, remove them, and store in a dry place and much warmer place such as in a garage or a shed. Proper storage enhances the durability of the batteries.
Fully charged batteries are less likely to freeze in winter than an uncharged battery. Fully charged battery freezes when temperatures are about negative 60 degrees Celsius which is unlikely to occur. Uncharged battery freezes at about negative 20 degrees Celsius.
When storing, you do not have to charge them. However, after winter is over and you are ready to embark on your journey, have the batteries fully charged before starting your journey.
Leaving the RV plug in during the winter risks overcharging the batteries and can even boil out the batteries’ electrolyte. Thus, the battery easily gets damaged and its life span shortened.
Can I Leave My RV Plugged in All Winter?
Yes you can leave the RV plugged in all winter for some reasons but there is also some disadvantages of doing that. You need to be aware of pros and cons of leaving the RV plugged throughout winter so you make an informed decision.
You may be using your RV even in winter, perhaps in your area camping runs all year round. So, you will leave the RV plugged so you can always have enough power to:
- Power the heater: Warm and hot water running throughout the pipes in the winter season prevents freezing and bursting of the pipes due to cold weather. Besides, you always have some hot water for use.
- Power the air conditioner on : You will be able to adjust the temperatures to suit your comfort
- Power the fridge: You may have food items in the fridge. Besides, the RV fridge can act as an extra storage for your household food during winters
- Extra housing: RV can create an extra and comfortable home for you in winter. So you have all the reasons to leave it plugged since you will be using most if not all electrical appliances.
- Charge the RV batteries: It is a good idea but you risk destroying your batteries if you leave the RV plugged throughout winter.
The following as some of the disadvantages of leaving your RV plugged in throughout winte
1.Lower battery lifespan: The battery is at risk of overcharging. An overcharged battery can result in drying of the electrolyte especially when it boils.
So you need to constantly fill in with distilled water to top up the electrolyte to the recommended level. Remember to wear safety garments when adding distilled water since the acid is corrosive.
2.Increased expenses: A plugged in RV implies that your utilities will still be using power and result in an extra cost on electricity.
Besides, since the systems are powered you need to create time to check the conditions of the heater and pipes to prevent from freezing since you did not do winterization of your RV
3.Extra tear and wear
Since devices are being powered throughout they are likely to go into a fault especially when there is a surge. So you will require more funds for maintenance.
How Do I Keep My RV Fridge Cold While Traveling?
It is very possible to keep your things cold in the fridge even when travelling. The tips will help you a lot since it is recommended to turn off your fridge when driving especially when the RV is running on propane. Explanation for this will follow shortly.
That said, these are some of the activities you can engage in to ensure your fridge remains cold for the longest duration of your journey before the next stop over:
- Park well all the items including ice cubes bags.
- Before embarking on your journey ensure the refrigerator temperature is at the lowest level, very cold.
- Power the fridge hours before you start driving since you need to switch the fridge when travelling. Check how long it will take the fridge to get cold.
- Freeze food stuff that can be frozen.
- While the refrigerator is getting cooler have the door closed most of the time so that when you start the journey the refrigerator is cold.
- Always ensure the refrigerator door is looked when travelling.
Now, do you understand why it is recommended to have your refrigerator off when you are driving your RV? Here are some of the reasons.
- When your RV is running on propane then the refrigerator is also running also on propane, the risk of explosion is high. Especially if there is any leakages or perhaps a break in any of the pipes supplying propane, the explosion can be disastrous. So just have it off while driving to be safe.
- Similarly, gas stations do not allow refrigerators to be on for risks of explosions.
- In addition, refrigerators require even surfaces. However, when driving the RV you are more likely to bump into potholes especially in bad roads. The refrigerator can easily malfunction if it was on.
- RV refrigerators have been designed to work best on leveled surfaces. Unleveled surfaces affects the cooling system and the food may not be cooled.
Can I Plug My 30 Amp RV Into My House?
Yes, but not directly. There are two ways to plug your 30 amp RV into your house:
- Expensive and most reliable method.
Outsource the service of an electrician. The electrician would then wire an RV plug with either 50 amp or 30 amp service. Once complete, you can be able to power all devices in your RV at once including your refrigerator and air conditioners. Hence, it’s reliable.
2. Cheap and less reliable method.
You need to convert the 30 amp service to 15 amp. So, you require a 30 amp female to 15 amp male. Disconnect the 30 amp plug from the generator just as you do in campsite.
Plug it into an adapter. Then connect the adapter to a heavy duty extension from your house. The method is unreliable since you cannot use all your devices at the same time.
Please note: Never do any electrical connections if you are not skilled enough. No trial and error with electrical connections. It is better to higher expertise that damage your RV and even injure your loved ones.
What Causes RV Battery to Drain?
You have heard or perhaps had an experience of having a dead battery when you did not plan. Actually, majority of the lead-acid batteries used in the RVs do not attain their complete lifespan.
The following are some of the common reasons why batteries drain and even go dead if it remains in uncharged state for an extended period of time:
- Parasitic loads
Having too many electrical devices on even when you do not use them. They drain the charge slowly and if you do not recharge the battery on time, they drain all the charge.
Example of parasite load include TV antenna booster, clocks in stereo, LP gas leak detector, or leaving lights on. These are some of devices that drain charge even when you don’t use your RV.
- Self-discharging
When in storage, the batteries undergo a self-discharge that drains away the charge in it. That is why even after fully charging your battery then storing it, you will not get the battery at full charge after days of no use. Before storing, fully charge your batteries. Prolonged self-discharging can make your battery dead.
- Overcharging
It can be difficult to know exactly when the batteries are fully charged. The constant supply of power continues to charge the battery even if it is full. As a result, the electrolyte in the battery can start boiling and reduces the batteries’ lifespan.
Do a regular maintenance of adding distilled water to ensure the electrolyte is at the recommended level. Failure to add water would result in drying out and your batter will be dead.
- Undercharging
When you are charging your battery, charge it fully as recommended by the battery manufacturer. Some can be full with a continuous 8 hour charge. Undercharging your battery lowers its life span.
- Sulfation
Occurs when the battery remains in a low state for a prolonged period. Lead sulphate crystals form on the plates preventing the sulphate crystals to be active when later charged. The battery becomes dead. Sulfation is prevented by charging your batteries on time.
- Lack of maintenance
Regularly add distilled water to maintain the lead-acid batteries’ electrolyte to the recommended level. Fully charge the battery before use without interrupting the power source like plugging in and plugging out before charging is complete.
When in use, switch of devices you are not using such as the microwave. Do not overcharge the battery and charge according to the recommend hours. Disconnect and store your battery. Store in a dry place that is not freezing.
Why Do I Need A Surge Protector For My RV?
Power fluctuations are not a new scenario. It is not once that power went out but a number of times. However, electrical devices are at risk of getting damaged during power fluctuations. Watch this video to understand more.
