Parallel circut question

[Matt]

Long paragraph for a simple question, please bear with me. I'm going to add air conditioning to my teardrop using the window a/c on the ground and single duct through the window system. I don't want to put any new holes through the body for wires. I found an RF wireless remote control to turn on landscape lights that I will use to turn the A/C on and off. I also want to add a appliance timer to turn the A/C on to cool the Teardrop down before I get back to camp. Here is my Question: Can I use a power strip to plug the remote control and timer into, then run the power out both units into a splice that will feed the A/C? That way either controller will power the A/C. Will I have any issues if both the remote control and timer are on at the same time? I just don't want and dangerous problems to happen. I don't want to be the inspiration for a teardrop in flames emoticon. Thanks

Matt

[Corwin C]

Is there a reason why you can't plug the remote into the timer and set the timer for the total amount of time when you would want to have the A/C operate or have control over the A/C? You would just have to make sure that the remote was turned on so that when the timer comes on the A/C should start. While the timer was on, you would have control via the remote.

Clear as mud?

[wannabefree]

Simple answer: you can do that. If either (or both) control is on the AC will be on.

[eamarquardt]

If I understand you right you want two plugs wired into a "Y" and then connect the tail of the "Y" to the a/c unit. You'll plug one plug into a timer and the other plug into a remote control device of some kind. If you do this there is the potential that one plug may be unplugged, the other energized, and thus the unplugged plug will become "hot". This could be potentially LETHAL.

If you did it by hardwiring them together with no plugs except one than you plug into the recepticle, and everything is properly insulated, it might be OK. You would need to pay attention and make sure both feeds are correct. Hot to hot, neutral to neutral, and ground to ground.

How long does your a/c unit take to cool down your teardrop? Do you really need a timer? Not sure how you're going to duct your air into your tear and but you should "recycle" the air in your tear through the a/c unit and not try and cool fresh air and pump it into the trailer all of all of the time. Others have reported less than wonderful results when they didn't recycle the air in the trailer and tried just cooling outside air and pumping it into the tear and exhausting air out w/o recycling.

If you share more of your plan I can share more of my thoughts. Then again you may not want more of my thoughts! I'd try and adhere to the KISS principle.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[starleen2]

If I’m understanding this right – they would be wired in parallel to each other – with the remote being an override of the timer. One plug to 110 then “Yâ€

[starleen2]

. . . or even this:


Remote Control Timer Set

[Matt]

Thanks for the quick and thoughtful replies. This A/C install is my first and I'm testing what I'll like, building and upgrading to suit my needs. I'm just planning to start simple. I was going to use the remote alone, but then the idea snowballed into a fancy system in my head. Dangerous indeed. I think I'll just keep it simple and use the remote only and go from there. Shouldn't take long to cool down the Tear anyway. I do like the remote starleen2 posted. I'll have to look into it. Thanks again.

Matt

[eamarquardt]

Dangerous indeed.Matt

Glad you listened.

Cheers,

Gus

[dh]

Personally, I dropped the extra $25 and got the one with a remote and a timer built in.

[Larwyn]

My TD cools down very quickly once the AC is turned on so I have never felt the need for a timer.

As Gus mentioned, it would not be that hard to design a safe hard wired system that wold parallel the timer/remote if you really wanted to go that route. Any time there are multiple power sources you should take the back feeding hazard into consideration. What you have in mind would not be that difficult, but two power cords with male plugs would not be a good option.

[Engineer Guy]

All the A/C units I'm aware of are an inductive load, like any other motor starting up [Shop Tools, Compressors, etc.]. This momentary current draw is why the lights dim on motor start up. Your Timer may have fine print that it can handle 'x' watts Resistive [like a Space Heater], not Inductive, loads. Be sure to not exceed ratings if you use a Timer with the A/C. Otherwise, the Timer will give out prematurely.