Keeping your RV on your property is a great way to have some extra space for working, relaxing or an optional guest house when you have family coming into town. Sometimes you may want to spend some time there to watch a movie, deep clean or other activities that require electricity.
Thankfully, RVs can run electricity without access to hookups that you would find at a campground. This means there is no limit as to where you can run power without hookups or draining your battery.
30-amp RVs can easily be plugged into your home to run power. This will not hurt your batteries and is perfectly safe to do so with the correct power adapter. You can also get a special plug installed in your home that will provide full power to your RV, if preferred.
Though your power system may not run like it would off your generator or RV hookups when connected to your home’s regular outlet, it will still function and provide you some much appreciated electricity.
If you want full power at all times to your RV when plugged into an outlet, getting a special plug specifically made for your RV installed may be a great option. Both choices will get the job done and make it so you can run lights and television in the comfort of your yard.
How To Plug Your 30-amp RV Into Your Home
RVs can be plugged into your home one of two ways- either with an adapter that allows you to connect to a standard plug within your home, or with a custom plug specifically made to plug in your Rv, which will have to be installed by an electrician.
Whichever option you choose will depend on the amount of money you want to spend to plug it in, and how much power you want to provide to your RV.
Option 1: Plugging In Through an Adapter
Plugging in through an adapter is a quick and easy way to get power. This will cost less than $30 and will provide power to most, but not all, appliances, lights, and other items that need electricity to run.
If you do not plan to run your air conditioner, or run two high powered appliances at once such as space heaters or microwaves, all your other needs will be met.
This option allows you to run all interior lights, your RV refrigerator, small plug in appliances such as laptop and phone chargers, and one high power appliance at a time.
How to do so:
- Choose the correct power outlet to use.
This step is very important to make sure your RV gets enough power to run. When you find an outlet in an ideal location to plug into, head out to your home’s breaker box and identify the outlet on it.
On the switch for this outlet, there will be a number that represents how many amps that specific outlet can handle without tripping the breaker. If this number is 10 or greater, you are good to go.
- Be sure all power is off in your RV before plugging it in.
If items are plugged in or running when you connect your RV to your home, this surge of new power being drawn can cause your home’s breaker to trip. To ensure this doesn’t happen, double check everything is powered down before you plan to plug in to your home.
- Connect your RV’s power adapter to an extension cord.
Finding a good extension cord is necessary to plug it in. It needs to be long enough to reach your home from wherever your RV is and durable, outdoor safe.
Once you find an ideal extension cord, connect it to your RV’s power cord using an adapter. These are easy to find and typically don’t cost more than $30, allowing you to connect to a household plug.
- Plug your RV into your home
Once you have your RV connected to an extension cord, go ahead and plug the extension cord into the outlet you are using within your home. This will immediately provide power to your RV.
Plugging your RV into a regular house outlet is a great way to use appliances without having to make any major installments or adjustments to your home in order to do so.
This method is quick, easy, and won’t cost more than $50 total for all plugs and cords needed. These plugs and cords can typically be found online, at local hardware stores or at an RV supplier.
Option 2: Plugging In Through A 30-amp Installed Plug
This option is a bit more tricky, but if you absolutely need more full power to your RV when plugged in, it’ll get the job done.
To plug in through a 30-amp outlet, you will need to have one installed professionally. This can cost anywhere between $200-$1,000, depending on how involved the job is to complete.
If you choose to have an outlet installed for your RV, you will have the same full power you would at a campground. This is the outlet that is used for full RV hookups.
Installing a 30-amp outlet will allow you to run all appliances, AC, and more without having to worry about overloading your home’s power circuit or draining your batteries.
While more involved than plugging into a traditional outlet in your home, it will be a long term investment. Many buyers may appreciate having an RV hookup when you go to sell your home, therefore increasing value.
Though this cannot be done on your own, it should not take longer than a day to be installed by a professional.
Why Plugging In Your Rv To Your Home Is Beneficial
Keeping your RV plugged into your home is beneficial to many aspects of your RV, even if you do not go in it or use it for a while. You do not have to actively be staying in your RV to reap the benefits of having it plugged in.
- Allows your refrigerator to run all of the time.
Having a refrigerator is one of the best parts of travelling when owning a motorhome. This allows you to store and cook a much larger variety of food than you would be able to if tent camping or staying in a hotel.
Sometimes, unloading and reloading the refrigerator can be time consuming. By keeping your RV plugged into your home, you will be able to keep essential items in there without worry of spoiling. Condiments and other kitchen staples that require refrigeration will always be ready to go when you are.
- Charging your batteries.
By having your RV plugged in, you won’t have to worry about your batteries ever dying. Consistent power flow from your home will make sure they are always fully charged, never leaving you stranded without power.
- Running dehumidifiers.
Humidity can cause wear and tear on the interior of your RV, especially over long periods of time. Running dehumidifiers is a great way to prevent this and keep your RV in tip top shape for the longest time possible.
Dehumidifiers also make it easier to cool your RV down when you are ready to use it. Without an abundance of humidity inside, your AC will not have to work as hard to get to a comfortable temperature.
This will save you gas, power and time when you are ready to hit the road again in warm weather months.
In Conclusion
Plugging your 30-amp motorhome into your home is an easy task that many all over the country do on a regular basis. Whether you store your RV outside, in a garage or in a shed, this task can easily be accomplished in a matter of 10 minutes.
How you choose to plug your RV into your home is based on how much money and time you want to dedicate to getting this set up. It can range from less than $50 for adapters and cords to up to $1,000 for professional installment.
If you choose to plug your motorhome into your standard outlet supplies needed are minimal, only including an adapter and extension cord.
Be sure to follow instructions listed above before plugging your motorhome into your standard power outlet in order to avoid tripping your electrical breaker and losing power all together.
While plugging into a standard outlet is simple, it does not power your motorhome completely, limiting some appliance use. If you want to have full power usage, consider installing a 30-amp plug into your home.
A 30-amp plug will provide you with hookup level power, but it does require professional installation. This can be pricey and more involved, but once completed you are able to use it whenever needed.
There are many reasons to plug your RV into your home. Whatever yours may be, you are only a few simple steps away from running all the electrical appliances in your RV that your heart desires.