It is a given that houses or apartments are wired for heavy-duty electrical use to accommodate the air conditioning, stove, fridge, dryer and other electrical "toys". When the temperatures rise each summer it's easy for most of us to assume if you turn an appliance on it will work. Yes, occasionally a city experiences a brown-out situation in exceptionally hot weather when everyone is using maximum power to stay cool and running the A/C at the house usually works well to keep temperatures moderate.

Unfortunately this is not always the case in a campground. A park's power source can be overtaxed especially when the park is full. It is not uncommon for the appliances in RVs to function in harmful brownout conditions. It is also possible to have a 30-amp connection but in reality only 20 amps to work with.

Last summer we met several new RVers and it was fun reliving our early days of learning through them. Two special new RVing friends, Jim and Joan, had a seasonal site near ours and they became part of a circle of our "newest best friends". Helping them learn the ropes brought back wonderful memories of the days when we began to RV in 1985. We knew NOTHING when we started but by August of our first year we found a park near work and we spent all available time at the motorhome. Thankfully we were camped next to seasoned RVers from Florida. Over the weeks that followed they slowly taught us many of the basics; step-by-step.

Working with Jim and Joan took us back to our beginnings only now we were the seasoned RVers helping the newbies. Guess the old adage of "What goes around comes around" holds true more often than we think.

As the heat wave of last summer arrived, our friends decided to try out their A/C; all was well until they plugged in the kettle for a cup of tea. Guess what? They soon discovered the first lesson of what you can and cannot do when living with 30 amps. It is possible to run your RV air conditioning but not when other high-draw appliances are in use. We told them about the kettle and suggested they change the fridge to propane to lessen the power draw but everything was too new for them to completely understand.

Jim had to go away for a family emergency the next day and when we came home late that afternoon Joan was really hot, yet she was very fearful of turning on the air in case she blew the breaker again. She was also upset that a big fifth wheel down the road had his air going and she thought he was stealing all the park power. It was obvious Joan and I had to spend some time going over how to enjoy all the comforts of her home-on-wheels while on the move and/or in a campground by selectively using each appliance - but making a trade-off so that she could use the appliance she needed at the moment.

Even if the power source is not a full 30 amps it is still possible to use the A/C; you can even use it on low if you have a good 20-amp source - the A/C does not have to be going full force on high to be effective. Try closing everything up including all doors and windows; lower the blinds to block the sun; then turn the air on at the low setting. It helps if you have a table fan or two to move the cool air around within your unit. (Other friends added a ceiling fan to their motorhome in the indented space of a vent. Many fifth wheel ceilings are high enough to add a ceiling fan as well).

To free up a margin of power when the A/C is on, you should change your fridge to propane. One of the reasons breakers trip is because two power-hungry appliances will cut in at the same time. If you decide to heat water for a tea or coffee, use your stove instead of an electric kettle. Those wishing to use their microwave or additional appliances that use many amps (hair dryer, etc.) can turn the A/C temporarily to "fan" (for at least four minutes so the A/C can re-adjust to avoid freeze up). When you quit using the extra high-draw appliance(s) you can then safely switch on the A/C again. Even on 20 amps you can still use low power appliances such as the lights, TV, computers, printers, etc. along with the air without a problem.

RVers on the move or those stopped for a spell without hook-ups can function quite well on DC (direct current) battery source. No, you cannot run your air but your fridge operates on propane (we always turn our propane off going down the road - the fridge will stay cold for eight hours if the door is not continuously opened) plus a 12-volt TV, portable fan(s), lights and other 12-volt accessories will work well on battery power. We also have two Fan-Tastic Vents in our unit to move the air around. These amazing fans/vents force air in or take the heat out; some models also include a rain sensor. The best part is they only consume three amps per hour (on high). These vents are a big plus to all RVers who stop or camp without hook-ups. Inverters, solar panels and generators help RVers charge their batteries and run additional appliances when camping without hook-ups but that is another story.

I asked Les Doll (www.rverscorner.com and technical advisor) for the formula to determine the actual power used by each appliance. His answer will help you determine what can be enjoyed and what should be avoided when the A/C is on.

Regarding the Watt and amp question - Watt equals the voltage multiplied by the number of amps. (To find the number of amps that an appliance uses; divide the number of Watts by 120 - which is the voltage). For instance, a 1500-Watt hair dryer would be 1500/120 or 12.5 amps AC (alternate current).

It works the same for a 12-volt appliance: The typical three-way fridge has about a 300-Watt DC heater element; divide that by 12 volts to get an amperage draw of 25 amps DC.

By the way, low voltage causes the amperage draw to increase and motors get overheated and burn out. The same 1500-Watt hair dryer operating in a low voltage situation of, say, 105 volts would draw 1500/105 or 14.3 amps.

There are several ways to be watchful of the amount of power each item uses. One is with a small two-inch square Line Voltage Monitor that plugs into a 110/120 socket. The analogue model has a needle that moves from side-to-side to record the amount of power available. Safe amounts are between 105 volts and 130 volts. Below 105 your appliances begin to "starve" in brown-out conditions and by 102 volts, the low voltage will slowly kill the motors. Above 130 is a surge situation that will instantly burn-out many appliances. The analogue model of a Line Voltage Indicator provides a good idea of power used; however, the more expensive digital models register a more accurate reading.

Another option to control power is to install an in-line Power Line Monitor. Several models are available in 30-amp and 50-amp. These can be costly - at the time we bought ours they were selling from around $500 to $750 (Cdn) plus installation. We think that these are definitely worth the price.

Since adding this option five years ago, on a number of occasions we have immediately shut down in microseconds due to high or low power. When that happens we are without power for four minutes. This delay allows the A/C to return to normal temperature before restarting. It's comforting to know we will never again have to deal with damaged appliances due to low power or surges.

There is also a wide selection of varied designs of exterior protection products sold at RV dealerships. These attach to the campsite's electrical outlet post and they connect between your cord and the park outlet. The add-on devices are less expensive but because they take more time and effort to connect, especially in inclement weather, it is easy to occasionally say "the heck with it" and not bother attaching it to the post. When that happens, your monitoring device may not be connected when it is most important such as during a lightning storm. Also, unless you add an extra locking system, this accessory may be easily "borrowed" without your permission.

Other routine situations that I had long forgotten also surfaced as our new neighbours learned the ropes. While Jim was away for a week, Joan was faced with having to deal with a very slow leak in her bathroom plumbing. John and I only diagnose problems; we then find solutions to deal with the situation until RV tech help arrives. We don't repair plumbing and electric problems. However, we shared info as to how she should fill and use the fresh water holding tank for cooking and showers. If she turned off the pump between uses, the leak would be under control until Jim returned.

Another routine learning curve lesson was about sewer hook ups. If connected to the sewer in the park, it's okay to leve your grey water open. (Note: Do not dump grey water onto the ground.) Of course it's always wise to keep the black closed until it reaches 1/2 to 3/4 full so the volume of the contents provides a clean flush. We suggested that on the night before they left on a trip they should close the grey, have their showers and then in the morning dump the black followed with the grey. When our newbie neighbours left for a two-week getaway they had flushed and cleaned the tanks and stowed the sewer hose for travel. What brought a smile to my face was when my newfound friend Joan asked if she could use my bathroom as they were ready to depart. I agreed and they took off.

Just for info, even after you flush your tanks, you can use your toilet right away and en route as well. Your toilet will never be completely clean but if you use a bacterial enzyme solution in your tanks it will control odours and break up waste until it is ready to drain again. Try to avoid adding holding tank chemicals that contain formaldehyde or ammonia ingredients. Although these chemicals do keep smells in control, they work against breaking up of bacteria in the campground septic systems. Clean, flush, and treat your tanks with a safe solution, learn to stretch your power usage and simply have fun as you travel in your self-contained RV.

Catch the Spirit and enjoy your adventures. Peggi McDonald

Another way to control power is to know how much power each item uses. Although your owners' manuals should be checked for exact Wattage, the chart below will give you an idea of appliance power draw.