How to use electrical hookup? Amperage?

PNWtabber

Totally new to the world of trailering and have, so far, only boondocked. 

I have been teleworking from my dining room table since March and need a change of scenery to protect my sanity!  I am thinking of heading out to a campground with electrical hookup so I can plug in my computer.  I have had no difficulty plugging my trailer into shore power at home, but looking at campgrounds I see different amperage availabilities.  What amperage is appropriate for my 2018 320S?  If I am plugged into shore power at a campground, I should be able to plug in my laptop in the trailer outlets with no problem, right?  (I would take my surge suppressor.)

Hate to ask such a basic question, but electricity just isn't my strong suit.  I'm a biologist, not an electrician!

Thanks.

VictoriaP

The cable that came with your Tab is a 30 amp cable, and that’s your preferred amperage. You can only use 50 amp or 15 amp if you have the correct adapters—all three power types have very different outlets/plugs.

If you’re headed out this weekend, check the overnight temps at your destination. My weather shows a couple nights below freezing coming up.

Denny16

Your TaB should have come with a 30-amp electric hookup cable.  Connect the male end to the campground 30-amp receptacle.  If the campground does not have 30 amps, but 20 amps, you can get a. 30 amp to 20 amp adapter.  Same goes for 50-amp connectors, you need the 30-amp,to 50-amp adapter.  The trailer will draw,what it needs up,to a max of 30 amps.  So any connection from 20-amps up should allow use of the Alde and your computer.  The shore power connection will also keep your trailer battery charged.
cheers

PNWtabber

@VictoriaP and @Denny16 -- thanks for the info.  I will look at the cord the sellers gave me and see if I can figure what amperage it is rated for.  Victoria, I think I would head to the coast (maybe Cape Disappointment State Park, I've always wanted to check out the Cape--plus I know people in Ilwaco that I could probably call if I got into trouble).  The trailer is winterized (fingers crossed).   I doubt I will try the Cascade passes before next spring, now that we are into the iffy weather time of year.  Cabin fever is setting in!!!

Denny16

The 30-amp connector is a large circular connector with three curved contacts, one with a L leg (ground)?  I is easy to spot.  A 50-amp has four connections and is larger yet.  The 20-amp, looks like a standard household 15amp, nit with one connector set horizontal and one vertical.
cheers

VictoriaP

PNWtabber said:

@VictoriaP and @Denny16 -- thanks for the info.  I will look at the cord the sellers gave me and see if I can figure what amperage it is rated for.  Victoria, I think I would head to the coast (maybe Cape Disappointment State Park, I've always wanted to check out the Cape--plus I know people in Ilwaco that I could probably call if I got into trouble).  The trailer is winterized (fingers crossed).   I doubt I will try the Cascade passes before next spring, now that we are into the iffy weather time of year.  Cabin fever is setting in!!!

If you need to, post a pic of the plug end. Someone here will be able to ID it for you!

The coast is a good idea for winter camping. Might be breezy or rainy, but at least freezing won’t be an issue. 😊

ChanW

Chances are that you have the standard 30A Tab cord. The Tab end is as @Denny16 described, and the end that plugs into the pedestal is like an oversized house plug with angled blades:

It's a good idea to have the adapters for 20A and 50A just in case ('dog-bones'  work best - they have a small length of wire in between the ends)

pthomas745

So, you have 30 amps of power to use in your trailer, either from the normal outlets, or the air conditioner, etc.  The major limitations on your power use inside the trailer are from large devices that have a big "surge" and high power needs.  The air conditioner, for example.  Other high power devices are anything that makes heat:  coffee makers, hair dryers, toaster ovens, etc.  In general, any of those devices will easily run.....but mostly one at a time.  A thousand watt device will use 8 amps or so.  Two thousand watt devices plugged into the same plug.....will probably blow a circuit breaker.

Smaller devices are not much of an issue.  The biggest laptops (large screen size) might have a 90 watt power adapter, which is less than an amp or so on shore power.  All those little labels that have the power requirements on the back of your devices?  Get used to reading them.  The calculations to get the amp use are pretty easy:  1000 watt device, divided by 120v current, equals about 8 amps. 

Formulas here:  https://convert-formula.com/a-v-w.  Very simple math. 

ScottG

If the supplied cord fits the socket on your T@B without any adapters, it is almost certainly a 30A cord. Plugs and receptacles are very specific and a cord with 30A ends will not have wiring that is not up to the task.

Most campground electrical hookups will have a 30A receptacle, and will require no adapter. It will look exactly like the photo below, and will fit the plug shown above by ChanW. However, more modest campgrounds may have only 20A service which will look like a normal household receptacle. That's where the adapter to connect your 30A plug to a 15 or 20A receptacle comes in handy. In either case, your 30A cord is more than sufficient.

And yes, once you are properly hooked up you can plug in your laptop (or any other electronic device) into the trailer outlets just exactly as you would at home.

If you are really interested in the topic, you can read more about it in this discussion. If you can learn biology, you can learn electricity!  ;-)

PNWtabber

Thanks all.  I got the cord out of the trailer yesterday.  It must be the 30 amp cord, it connects to the trailer with no adapter and then has a relatively short adapter cord to connect to my house outlet.

sbhtennis

great info for us neophytes of electricity 

falcon1970

One minor, but important, point is to turn the breaker off at the pedestal before you connect or disconnect your power cord.  Also, ensure you have all devices in the trailer OFF when either connecting or disconnecting from the pedestal.

Denny16

Especially the Alde, which needs to be in the off position/mode when hooking Ir disconnecting the power cable.
cheers