Space heater for the garage area

[Scalemaster]

I bought a small heater for the garage but it keeps tripping the breaker.
It has a 15 amp breaker. So do I need to change the breaker to a 20 amp or what else I can do?

It’s a 3990 2018 voltage.

[franktafl]

I don't think I would change the breaker to 20 amp, but. I would measure the current used by the heater to see if the breaker is tripping prematurely or change the heater to one of those oil based radiators that don't utilize so much power or see what else is on that circuit.

[CSCLARK]

Or if on shore power run an extension cord up thru the ramp and use it, that's what I do when in parks in cold weather. Our 3990 has a 15 Amp breaker for all utsode, kitchen, garage and both bathrooms. Such bull**** I say.

[Scalemaster]

That sounds good to me.
Next time I will try that.
But im also going to replace the 15 amp with a 20 and see what happens.

[edwin sandel]

The 14 ga wire is rated for 15amps. It would handle more but why take a chance since the NEC sets the standards. You could change the breaker only and might be ok for a short period but you are risking a fire. If the circuit wire happens to be 12 ga , then you could change the breaker to 20 but the factory would not install 12 ga wire and install a 15amp breaker. Have you tried turning all the 120v items off and run the heater by itself? Also try plugging your heater in at home and see if your breaker trips in your home. The space heater you are using is mostly used on 15amp receptacles. I suspect the space heater and other loads on the trailer are overloading the circuit and doing its job. Nothing else trips that breaker unless you plug in your heater?? Replacing the 15a breaker with a 20a is a dangerous move and it is not in your best interest. Hopefully you can turn of some items and use the heater. Also bear in mind the breakers protect the wire, not the applicance.

[franktafl]

Originally Posted by edwin sandel

The 14 ga wire is rated for 15amps. It would handle more but why take a chance since the NEC sets the standards. You could change the breaker only and might be ok for a short period but you are risking a fire. If the circuit wire happens to be 12 ga , then you could change the breaker to 20 but the factory would not install 12 ga wire and install a 15amp breaker. Have you tried turning all the 120v items off and run the heater by itself? Also try plugging your heater in at home and see if your breaker trips in your home. The space heater you are using is mostly used on 15amp receptacles. I suspect the space heater and other loads on the trailer are overloading the circuit and doing its job. Nothing else trips that breaker unless you plug in your heater?? Replacing the 15a breaker with a 20a is a dangerous move and it is not in your best interest. Hopefully you can turn of some items and use the heater. Also bear in mind the breakers protect the wire, not the applicance.

Edwin is right. I don’t think I would replace the breaker with something higher. Replace the breaker with the same to see if the breaker may be getting bad or use the extension cord from the pedistal to run your heater on. That should be 20 amps. By the way, how many watts is your heater? 1800? 1500 is about max for a 15 amp circuit. Don’t forget, most breakers run at about 60-80% of the rated load except for momentary surge before they trip, -like when you are getting electrocuted.

[Scalemaster]

Ok thank you both.
I won’t touch it.

[Scalemaster]

But i guess I just run a extension cord out
But the heater is a 1500 w
So is that to much?

[dsol]

I think your heater itself is right at the limit of your breaker so as soon as anything else draws power then your breaker will trip.

The other posts are suggesting you run that heater plugged into an extension cord that is plugged directly into the power pedestal outside the trailer where your 50 amp main power plug is connected. Almost all pedestals also have a standard 110 outlet and it is often 20 amps which will be more than enough to support your heater and then the other outlets inside the trailer will have all that capacity back as they will not have this draw on them. The tricky part will be getting the cord inside the trailer and keeping all the doors closed. Someone above suggested running the cord through the ramp door opening. I think that could work but suggest you do that at the very top of the door as you should be able to slowly rest the door closed without latching it, thus leaving room for the cord to fit.

Or maybe search for a 1,000 watt model and use that instead. I have seen models with two settings (750 and 1,500 watts) as well so you could try the low setting on one of those. Most seem to be 1,500 watts but there are some lower ones out there.

Like everyone else says, do NOT swap the breaker for a 20 amp as it is highly unlikely that the manufacturer used thick enough gauge wire to support that and you could have a fire. Maybe try replacing with a new breaker as there is a chance yours is bad but the math shows the heater itself is likely too much amperage for the circuit alone.

Good luck.

[Grizzly660fan]

We have a a Voltage 4150 and the way they wired it one wall of the coach is on a 15 amp breaker and the other wall on another. Then there are GFCI's mixed in where wet loads may be encountered and my trailer has 2 GFCI's.

On the back walls of my garage very near the ramp on each side of the coach there is a 110volt double gang outlet. On one side I trip just like you explain here when we use the 1500 watt (15amp) space heater, but I can use the outlet on the opposite wall and it won't trip. Without experimenting I believe that I have more devices on one circuit then the other.

Maybe give that a try to keep the garaged sealed without the gap to allow the extension cord to get outside to the pedestal?

[Egeorge2]

I plug my heater into the dedicated 15amp circuit for the washer that is located for me in the garage area in my V3200. Find the designated area in your model and use that circuit if you don’t have a washer.

[RNelson]

Do not go with a bigger breaker you wire size is for that amps you put a bigger breaker and you could cause a fire . Need to check the rating on your heater it might be to big for that breaker, also you might be on a gfI circuit and they can be real touchy if the breaker has been kicking a lot you could change it out with a new breaker with the same amperage. They get week if they have been tripping a lot and make sure your connections are tight on breaker and plug

[labill]

I did what some of the others did. An extension cord to my garage outlet.

Then I went one step further. I located a circuit in the RV that is not used so much. I cut and attached the power side into a receptacle. I then hooked up a female receptacle to the outside of the RV. They sell them at the hardware stores. It mounts flush and is waterproof. The camper line I cut and the one from the outside outlet I attached plugs. Now when I was at a campsite I could use my extension to the power box and run a heater without worrying about overloading my 30 amp system.

Hope that makes sense.

Bill

[DENNY]

The breaker is registered to be able to handle the size of the wire if you go to a bigger breaker and have a problem the wires going to burn and not trip the breaker That’s not a good

[bkuuz1]

Ran into the same issue. in ours the washer/dryer outlet is in the garage. That outlet is on a 20 circuit. We didn't have anymore issue after using that outlet.

[barrymerle]

We use Vornado heaters in the garage, but never on the high ( 1500 watt ) setting. They keep the temps more than sufficient.