mtkadan Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 Id like some input. how often do you use your AC while camping?? please advise. 10-q mtkadan
John E Davies Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 <p style="text-align: left;">You need to qualify your question with the part of the country you would be visiting. For summer:</p> Eastern states ... much of the time (high humidity), Western states, higher elevations..... once in a Blue Moon. Western states, deserts ..... all the time. I carry a generator, just in case. I can’t sleep when the inside of the trailer is above 85 degrees. Does that help? John Davies Spokane WA SOLD 07/23 "Mouse": 2017 Legacy Elite II Two Beds, Hull Number 218, See my HOW TO threads: Tow Vehicle: 2013 Land Cruiser 200, 32” LT tires, airbags, Safari snorkel, Maggiolina Grand Tour 360 Carbon RTT.
roguebooks Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 My preference is not to use our A/C at all, but instead simply move to a cooler climate. Unfortunately, that is not the case here in northern Florida due to my recent quadriceps tendon rupture and now PT recovery after surgery. We suffered early on for a few hours every afternoon with just having the fan blowing and windows opened. I was of the understanding that our temporary pole and 110 volt connection to my 30 amp cord would not be enough to power the A/C in our Legacy Elite. One of the carpenters here on site kept insisting that I turn it on or go to a hotel. He begged me to do so for days. Finally he got the electrician to come talk to me. The electrician informed me that even the 30 amp connection only provides 110 volts. What matters is what else is connected. He suggested I run the fridge on gas, as well as the hot water heater. For the last two weeks we have had the air conditioner running constantly, still being able to use the lights, TV, and microwave. We have yet to blow a fuse. The electrician said the breaker at the pole would trip before anything in the trailer does. So much to learn about living in a RV full-time. 1 roguebooks 2020 Ram Classic 1500 Warlock 4x4 Hemi V-8 2018 Legacy Elite, Hull #309
roguebooks Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 Also, I have no desire to lug around a generator (or two) to power the A/C. We have solar and a composting toilet for environmental reasons, not to mention bookdocking, and I will not be boondocking anywhere it is so hot our fans and open windows will not do the job sufficiently. I will be in a full-service campground if that is the case. roguebooks 2020 Ram Classic 1500 Warlock 4x4 Hemi V-8 2018 Legacy Elite, Hull #309
KountryKamper Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 On a percentage we run ours about 35-40% of the time. If your going to camp in the south during summer you will run it. We are heading to Colorado soon and don't expect to run it there, from there we go to Moab UT area and don't expect to turn it off there this time of year. Tom & Cheryl LE II #305 2018 GMC 2500HD SLT Duramax
Moderators Mike and Carol Posted May 29, 2018 Moderators Posted May 29, 2018 We avoid the A/C whenever we can. Texas can be hot anytime of year so when we use it quite often while here or further southwest (AZ, NM, southern CA). I find it loud and don’t like sleeping with it on, but like John, I don’t sleep well in the heat. Generally, we will go to bed with it on and I’ll shut it off sometime after midnight and just open the windows and turn on the fan for the rest of the night. We don’t camp much in the summer because of the heat and crowds. We are headed to Crested Butte next week and will spend a few days on Palo Duro canyon on the way which will be hot and I’m sure the AC will get a workout. BTW, with a 30 amp connection you can run the air conditioner, hot water heater and fridge with no issues. Mike Texas Hill Country | 2016 Elite II #135 | 2020 Ram 2500 6.7L
Moderator+ ScubaRx Posted May 29, 2018 Moderator+ Posted May 29, 2018 Id like some input. how often do you use your AC while camping?? please advise. 10-q mtkadan Good question, but it would really depend on the time of year and the area of the country you travel. John didn’t mention the south but, because of the heat, humidity plus the fact that kids are out of school, we don’t generally camp here between May and October. If we do, we use the AC sometimes but probably not nearly as much as folks from more northerly climes might suspect. We’ve been out for the past month and have probably used the AC fewer than 24 total hours. If your question was designed to help you decide whether to include an air conditioner, I would most assuredly recommend it. You WILL need it sometimes, and when you do, nothing else will work. Steve, Tali and our dog Rocky plus our beloved dogs Storm, Lucy, Maggie and Reacher (all waiting at the Rainbow Bridge) 2008 Legacy Elite I - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #026 | 2014 Legacy Elite II - Outlaw Oliver, Hull #050 | 2022 Silverado High Country 3500HD SRW Diesel 4x4
mtkadan Posted May 29, 2018 Author Posted May 29, 2018 thanks for your replies. was hoping I could just chase 72degrees...all yr long...and may not need one.??
donthompson Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 Also, I have no desire to lug around a generator (or two) to power the A/C. We have solar and a composting toilet for environmental reasons, not to mention bookdocking, and I will not be boondocking anywhere it is so hot our fans and open windows will not do the job sufficiently. I will be in a full-service campground if that is the case. This is my philosophy as well. Solar, composting toilet, 3 20-liter Spectre water cans and drive to a higher elevation if you're too warm. I plan my camping trips to enjoy low temperatures at night no higher than 70 to 73 degrees. I've been caught in unexpected warmer weather and that forced me to find a campsite with electricity, but I never sleep well with the A/C running. I've never had a generator and don't plan to purchase one. Don 1 Don 2020 Kimberley Kruiser T3 2019 Ram 2500 Diesel States I visited with my Ollie (Sold October, 2019)
mtkadan Posted May 29, 2018 Author Posted May 29, 2018 don Thompson....good to hear from you.! I spoke w/ you a few yrs ago about your toureg/Ollie combo. stay in touch. 10-q mtkadan 1
roguebooks Posted May 29, 2018 Posted May 29, 2018 BTW, with a 30 amp connection you can run the air conditioner, hot water heater and fridge with no issues. Mike Absolutely. Of course. 30 amp service is wonderful and is something we will have here at my new garage. My point being that when connected to a regular 110 volt service such as my temporary electric pole, you can still run your A/C if you use gas for the fridge and hot water heater. I was always under the belief that you cannot run A/C with 110 volts. That is just not true. 1 roguebooks 2020 Ram Classic 1500 Warlock 4x4 Hemi V-8 2018 Legacy Elite, Hull #309
Corcomi Posted May 30, 2018 Posted May 30, 2018 I use my air conditioner most of the time in the afternoons when the temperature is in the high 80s low 90s in North Georgia, but i cant stand the noise either so before i go to be after 10 pm i turn it off, open the window and turn the fan on. Works well that way. Usually i camp were i can get 30 amp service but i have used my generator when i cant find a spot with electric
Overland Posted June 4, 2018 Posted June 4, 2018 We've used ours I think 4 times when we couldn't outrun the weather. Generally we plan our destinations and trip timing for cooler weather - my philosophy is that if it will be too hot to sleep at night without an air conditioner, then it will surely be too hot during the day to do anything outside. I hate the noisy thing - but when you need it, you need it.
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