What Can You Run On 30 Amps: Ultimate Guide.

Living in an rv while using 30 amps is not hard to do. The main thing to remember is to stay on top of it. Make sure you are using your necessary appliances when your rv is hooked up to shore power, or when your generator is running, so that there are no issues when you are ready to run them later. Always remember not to try and use too many appliances at the same time, in order to avoid tripping one of your breakers or blowing a fuse.

30 amps seems like a lot of power, but it can be tripped surprisingly fast if you are not careful about what you're doing. Obviously the more things you have on at once, the faster this will happen.

Try to keep all unnecessary appliances turned off if you aren't using them and make sure that everything is turned off before leaving your rv unattended for any length of time. This way electricity will only flow to the things you are actually using.

When it comes to what appliances you can run with 30 amps, there is really no limit on how much power is available in the circuit itself. It is important to be aware of where your breakers are and not overload any one area when running too many appliances at once. Only plug into a separate outlet if it is going to stay off or if you have a switch that can turn it on and off without having to use the main breaker.

Here is a list of 30 amp items you can use for your rv. They will all be available on amazon.

How to calculate Watts, Amps, And Volts

For all three of these, it is all based on simple math. If a stove runs at 1500 watts, and you want to know how many amps that would equal on a 30 amp system, you simply divide the amount of watts by the amount of volts.

Simple calculations are listed below

Amps X Volts = Watts
Watts / Volts = Amps
Watts /Amps = Volts

So to calculate how many watts a 30 amp system can handle with 120 volts you simply multiply the amperage by the voltage, which is 30 X 120 = 3600 watts.

To help measure voiltage, wattage, and amperage, here is a multimeter from amazon that has great reviews.

Rv's that are wired with 30 amps use 120 Volts.

If you're careful about what you're doing, 30 amps should provide plenty of electricity for almost anything within your rv. Other people might offer different views based on their own experiences so take these tips as just that.

Units

If you have a 30 amp system, you have to know how many watts your system is able to run. You measure this by multiplying amperage by voltage. This means that if you have a 30 amp system that uses 120 volts, then your maximum load is 30 x 120 which equals to 3600 watts. This is the max amount of current that will flow out of your rv's power cord to whatever it's plugged into. However, this number by itself isn't very useful because not everything consumes electricity at the same rate. Some appliances draw more amps than others for the same wattage.

All appliances and electronics used should never exceed the 3600 watts supplied by your system. If you go over or too close to 3600 of total power usage at any time, then your rv's electrical system will shut down. This is bad because it can damage your appliances and you won't be able to use them anymore.

Now that you know this, here are some examples of what you can run on a 30 amp 120 volt power box:

Appliance	Watts Needed
Clothes washer	400–500 Watts
Hair dryer	1250–1875 Watts
Clothes iron	900–1800 Watts
Microwave oven	800–1100 Watts
Refrigerator	725 Watts
LCD Televisions	120 Watts
Toaster oven	1230 Watts

Using Your Air Conditioner On 30 Amps

While using your rv, you will most likely want to use your AC Unit at some point. Depending on the size of your RV and the AC Unit, you can run your unit off of 30 amps. You will need to know what size AC Unit you have as well as knowing that some AC Units such as those produced by Dometic require more amps than others. The following is a list of AC Unit sizes and how many amps they will take:

10500 BTU = 25–27.5 Amps
14000 BTU = 32–35 Amps
18000 BTU = 36–40 Amps

Some RVs may be equipped with two air conditioners, each one requiring its own specific amount of power from your generator or external hookup.

The more BTU your AC produces, the more amps your will need to provide.

What can you run on 30 amps

You can run a microwave, coffee maker, toaster and hair dryer on 30 amps. You can also use the TV if it's not a large one. With an air conditioner you'll need to make sure there is enough power for your air conditioner plus other appliances. The air conditioner is one of the most expensive item in an RV. It's also one of the most vital pieces of equipment when it comes to comfort and avoiding heat stroke. The size of the air conditioner is determined by its BTU (British Thermal Units). The higher the BTU, the more power it consumes. So you'll want to carefully consider what size you need for your RV.

Basics of rv electrical systems

An rv's electrical system is independent of the regular house electrical system found in homes and buildings. It uses 110-volt AC power, similar to household current, but at different voltages and frequencies than those found in homes.

The two main components of an rv's power system are the generator (or alternator) and the converter. The converter maintains voltage regulation for equipment that can be powered by either 110 or 12 volts DC. If your equipment cannot be used with 12 volts DC then this device is not needed; however, if you plan on using any sort of 12-volt appliance (i.e., battery charger, electric blanket), it will need to be plugged into a 110-volt receptacle for proper use.

A typical home may have several outlets for you to use, but an rv has fewer. Power centers, or electrical panels in your rv are designed to "piggy-back" onto each other. Most units have between four and eight receptacles available for your use. This should be sufficient for most small appliances, but it would be wise to look into purchasing an adapter that will allow you to plug multiple devices into one receptacle.

The 30 amp power supply is not enough to handle high-demand items like some microwave ovens or clothes dryers, but it allows you to run many smaller appliances at the same time. A coffee maker, television set, hair dryer and portable heater can all operate off of this type of power supply without any problem.

A 50 amp system will be able to handle more appliances at once, but it is also necessary to carry adapters that allow you to plug into the outlets. This will give you additional protection against blowing fuses or tripping breakers.

Use a surge protector

A surge protector is an essential part of any RV owner’s toolkit. It will protect against power surges, lightning strikes, brownouts and blackouts. A surge protector can also prevent electrical spikes that are common with generators and inverters.

If you're in the market for a 30 amp surge protector, i would suggest the FCYMOV RV Surge Protector 30 AMP with Waterproof Cover.

Conclusion

It is very possible for one to be able to run most small appliances off of a 30 amp power supply. This should be sufficient for most smaller appliances, but might want to purchase an adapter so multiple devices can run at once. A 30 amp power supply will not be enough for running more than one high-demand items at once like some microwaves and clothes dryers though, but rather this system allows you to run many smaller appliances simultaneously without any problems. Hope this helps.