It is not every RV trip that takes you into the woods far away from home. Sometimes your RV is parked either in your parkway or that of someone else’s.
When this happens, you would like to connect your RV to your house’s electrical system, if only temporarily. To answer the question of if it is possible to use an extension cord for your RV, the answer is yes, it is possible.
The majority of people are unsure of if they can connect an RV into a home’s electrical system. Well, the truth is, it isn’t recommended to connect your RV to your house’s power system for an extended time but it is still possible to do it for a while.
That being said, the majority of RVs will need a minimum of 30 to 50 amp as well as a 15 or 20-amp electrical socket.
When you connect your RV to your home using an extension cord, you might not be able to have full capabilities as you typically would. It could be that you can only use a single appliance at one time without overloading your home’s circuit breakers.
Some RV appliances such as air conditioners, toaster and surprisingly, microwaves tend to use quite a lot of electricity compared to televisions or laptops.
That being said, even if it is possible for you to connect your RV to your home’s power system, there are times when that might not be something you should do.
For example, in the heat of the summer when you need to turn the air conditioner on, or if you have to run a couple of appliances at a time.
What to do if you need to connect your RV to your home’s electrical system
If you do intend and have to connect your RV into any house’s power system, there are certain things you would have to do.
- The very first step would be to ensure you have all the tools you will require. For instance, if your RV runs on 30 amps, you will have to get a 30-amp female to 15-amp male adapter.
- If you have a 50-amp RV, you will have to connect a 30amp to a 15-amp male cord instead of using a household extension cord.
- Before connecting, you should ensure your 50-amp plug is removed from the generator.
- This is no different to what you would do if you were at a campground or an RV park. Once that is done, you can then connect the cable into your 50 to 30amp adapter.
- This adapter can then be connected to the 30 to 15-amp adapter which is your second adapter. Once everything is plugged in, you will need an extension cord that has been rated heavy duty.
- You should bear in mind that; every electrical appliance is turned off in your RV and your circuit breakers in the home should be turned off as well before you make any connections. Not doing so could cause the circuit breakers in your home to trip before you even make it back to the RV.
One thing you should note is that even if your setup is successful, it is possible for your circuit breakers to trip, especially if they are sensitive.
When this happens, you will have to disconnect everything and try again, double-checking to ensure every appliance in the RV has been turned off.
If for some reason you cannot discover the source of the breaker trip, it is probably time to have a look at your owner’s manual or even make contact with your RV’s manufacturer to find out if there is a solution to this.
If your RV is brand new, then the manufacturer might be able to be of more assistance than you could ever imagine.
If there is one thing to remember after successfully connecting your RV to your home’s power is that you should not use all your appliances concurrently.
Apart from the fact that it could cause the system to be overloaded, tripping the breaker, it could also run up your power bill.
Try to avoid using big power items such as a microwave, toaster or hairdryer in your RV.
Try to use these appliances inside if you can as that can save not only energy but your time.
General safety tips to always remember
Whenever handling anything to do with electricity, it is always imperative that you stay stake, not solely for your sake alone, but to avoid overloading or breaking your appliances or circuit breakers.
If you intend on doing the job of connecting your RV to your home, there are a few things you have to always bear in mind.
- For one, ensure that you read the owner’s manual of your RV first. Doing so can tell you if you require a 30 amp or 50-amp service or not. This is important as this information would help determine what other supplies you might require.
- You might also need to find out the type of amperage the house’s receptacle is as well. Typically, this can be done by simply looking at the information sticker on the circuit breaker box. Generally, you have a mark showing how much amperage is necessary for that particular circuit.
- You should also have an idea of the type of cables, cords and adapters you require before attempting to plug the RV in. Finding out what you need prior to taking any action can save you some stress as well as curbing a potentially high electricity bill.
- If you are unsure of what you need, it might be a great idea to head over to RV communities online, forums or even make contact with a dealership before starting.
- Doing so not enables you to gain access to so much advice and information but it can also help you learn other important safety tips that you might have neglected.
That being said, if you are not sure if you can properly connect your RV to your home, or you are unsure of where to begin the process, it might be best to consult a professional electrician as they might be able to help clear any uncertainty that you might have.
A professional will be able to provide any answers to questions you might need concerning amperage or wiring. If you still aren’t quite sure you could have the electrician complete the set up for you if it is within your budget.
While having the electrician complete the process for you might be expensive, it is a much safer option compared to attempting to figure your way out only to end up damaging your house’s or RV’s electrical system.
Should you feel sufficiently confident to handle the connection by yourself, then you should always remember to see if the air conditioner in your RV is on or off. You would be surprised at how many people forget to turn the A/C off.
This is perhaps because it can be so easy to unplug your microwave and fridge, but the air conditioner is not so easy to turn off.
Forgetting to turn it off might cause your home’s circuit breaker to trip when you plug the RV in.
Another important thing you have to consider before moving ahead with this process is to check if any legal requirements have to be met.
For example, if you just bought your RV or if you plan on connecting it to another person’s property located in another state, you have to check that you will not be in violation of that jurisdiction’s laws when you connect your RV to the property.
There are certain urban areas or cities that are much stricter on if you can park your RV in another individual’s driveway. Some rural states can be a little more relaxed.
Conclusion
To answer the title question, yes, you can use an extension cord to connect your RV to your home. However, there are some things you have to do first.
You have to discover what your RV’s power rating is, as well as what your home’s circuit breaker is capable of handling.
The extension cord you use is not just a regular extension cord that you use to charge your phone or home appliances.
What you will need is a heavy-duty extension cord that has been rated to handle such a connection.
