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Topic ClosedElectric and gas usage only - Event Date: 18 Aug 2011 - 30 Sep 2011
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HZNHRZ View Drop Down
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Joined: 09 Mar 2011
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Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Calendar Event: Electric and gas usage only
    Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 5:11am
Would like to use either a generator or plugin using a dryer vent at home(Is this possible, by the way).  I would like to use the furnace if necessary.  One of my questions:  If I am not using a water hookup if I use the the furnace will the hot water heater burn out?  I have not winterized yet and I am not sure if I need to switch off the water heater.  If so where is the switch located?
 
Also, will my car battery have enough power to sustain the camper battery to run the refrigerator, tv and 1 light for a night without a generator?  Secondly will it support the furnace as it burns propane? 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 7:34am
Originally posted by HZNHRZ

Would like to use either a generator or plugin using a dryer vent at home(Is this possible, by the way). I am making a broad assumption by assuming that you are thinking of connecting your 30 amp camper electrical plug to a residential electric dryer plug.  This should not fit and even it did, you would NOT want to do this.  The dryer plug is 240v.** +or-.  The Pod is 120v. +or -. The results would be "undesirable". I would like to use the furnace if necessary.  One of my questions:  If I am not using a water hookup if I use the the furnace will the hot water heater burn out? The furnace runs on 12v. DC.  The water heater runs on 120v. AC and/or propane.  In either case, you would not want your water heater to run without water in it. I have not winterized yet and I am not sure if I need to switch off the water heater.  If so where is the switch located? 
The switch is usually accessed via the outside water heater cover panel.  This controls the electric element only.  If turned "off", it is still capable of running on propane. 
Also, will my car battery have enough power to sustain the camper battery to run the refrigerator, tv and 1 light for a night without a generator?  Secondly will it support the furnace as it burns propane? If you camper battery is in good shape and fully charged, it should be able to do this.  Personally, I would not use the car battery ( unplug the camper from the car).  If it would deplete your car battery, starting your car may become problematic.  You do have a battery on the camper - yes??
 
**Technically, this is 2 120v. +or - AC "legs", out of phase with each other.   
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pentachris View Drop Down
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Posts: 40 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 11:10am
I think David answered the questions pretty well. I'd make three amendments.

First, just to clarify, the furnace and the water heater have nothing to do with each other, except for the fact that they both warm things up. They are separate systems.

Second, there are two water heater switches. David correctly identified the first one but only implied the second one. The one that switches the propane functionality is inside. On mine, it's either on or right beside the control panel that I use to look at the levels of my water tanks and the charge level of my battery.

Third, the TV runs on AC, not DC. So, unless you've installed an inverter, you will not be able to watch it with battery power alone; you need to be plugged into shore power.
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Posts: 17 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 12:40pm
Thanks for the advice. 
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Posts: 6128 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 1:40pm
I will not lie... a competent electrical hack *could* make an adapter to plug their Airst.. er.. a travel trailer or other 120/30A device into a dryer plug.Embarrassed I am SURE info about it can be found on the internet...

They then would, of course, at some later date, add a proper 120v 30A travel trailer connection in the garage. Big smile
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Posts: 9059 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 4:45pm
Much easier to just use a 30-to-15 amp adapter and plug your 'pod into a standard home outlet in your garage.
 
Even with no water hookup or water in your fresh water tank you can safely run the water heater as long as there is water in it.  You just won't be able to get any of the hot water out of it until you hook up a city water connection or fill the fresh water tank and turn on the water pump.  To be safe, keep your water heater filled with water during the camping season - then you won't risk burning out the electric element (or causing problems by running the propane burner) on an empty tank.
 
The 12 volt mode of the fridge uses 120 watts-hour (10 amps-hour).  A standard deep cycle battery is rated for 100 amps @ 20 hours, which means you should only use at most 70 amps, and normally only 50 amps, using a load that will last exactly 20 hours.  However, your fridge will use much more than this.  So while you might think you can get 7 hours of run time in reality you will only get about 4 before you start taking too much out of the battery.  If you tried to run it for 8 or 10 hours overnight you would have a permanently damaged battery by morning.
Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Aug 2011 at 5:12pm
Originally posted by pentachris

I think David answered the questions pretty well. I'd make three amendments.

First, just to clarify, the furnace and the water heater have nothing to do with each other, except for the fact that they both warm things up. They are separate systems.

Second, there are two water heater switches. David correctly identified the first one but only implied the second one. The one that switches the propane functionality is inside. On mine, it's either on or right beside the control panel that I use to look at the levels of my water tanks and the charge level of my battery.

Third, the TV runs on AC, not DC. So, unless you've installed an inverter, you will not be able to watch it with battery power alone; you need to be plugged into shore power.
 
Thanks to you and Tech for filling the gaps.  Another thing I forgot to mention would be to run the fridge on propane.  As Tech suggests, running it on 12v. would not be good.  It still uses some 12v. power to control the "brains" of the fridge, but it is minimal.
 
I don't know why I am thinking this but, don't the newer Pods have 12v. TV's?  I seem to recall seeing in some pictures that they have a Jensen DVD/stereo like mine - which is 12v.
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Posts: 95 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep 2011 at 1:56pm
Our new HR 177 TV/DVD player only work with shore power, as do the microwave and AC.
Carol
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2014 Honda Pilot
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Posts: 672 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: 28 Sep 2011 at 2:17pm
  If you want to run the POD on 120 volts at home and you have an outside 120 volt receptical just pick up a "dog bone"... it is a short cord that one end plugs into your 30 amp shore power cord and the other end plugs into your 120 volt receptical that is 20 amps. That's what I do at home, it will keep your battery charged and you can run anything you want in the POD. I have run the air and the frig and don't have any issues.  Goose 
Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee
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