Aviation Plug and RV?

Hi Bluetti:

At the beginning of March 2021, I bought the 12V/25A Aviation plug when it was in stock. Per someone’s comments on Amazon under the Bluetti AC200P, someone had commented that you need to have this plug in order to run an RV. I am buying the Bluetti AC200P specifically to run my RV when boon docking, including running the 13550 BTU AC in the RV. I also just bought a 8500 BTU moveable AC for the RV in case the Bluetti could not handle the 13500 RV AC or at least let the Bluetti run longer. When the plug arrived, I could not figure out how this plug works with the AC200P in relationship with my RV’s 30 amp 3 prong twist plug. Could you please explain how this aviation plug works in relationship to using it in an RV setting? My thinking is that this aviation plug can not be used to run my RV, even though it says 25A. I would just need a 15a adapter to plug in my 30a RV plug. Thanks.

Thanks,

Susan

Susan, your RV has two completely seperate and different electrical systems: High voltage AC similar to your home and Low voltage DC which is like a car battery or electrical system. \

The aviation plug and output for the AC200P operates at 12 volts DC, roughly the same as your vehicle starting battery and your on board RV batteries. 12 volts DC is what operates your lights, water pump, furnace, fridge and a fan or two. This electrical system is what your aviation cord can be connected to and is in no way designed or intended to operate any devices that require AC power.

The two air conditioners you mentioned both operate only on high voltage AC systems just like in your house. They will not operate in any way on the AC200P low voltage 12 volt DC output. The 13,500 btu AC unit in your RV uses more electricity than the AC200P can output and will not operate from the 13,500 btu unit. Your AC200P will out put 2000 watts of contineous maximum power for approx. 45 minutes. Your smaller 8500 BTU AC unit will also consume a very large amount of electricity (Approx 850 watts per hour) and the AC200P while most likely being able to operate, it will run at most 2 hours before the battery is dead.

When you plug your 30 amp RV plug into your AC200P (Via the AC outlets, you are going to power up anything running in the RV at the time. The 120 volt AC electricity goes to a power converter built into your RV that converts the high voltage AC electricity into low voltage 12 volts DC power for all the DC items mentioned above (not the AC or microwave which are AC power).

When you plug your RV into the AC200P all the normal RV electrical systems are being powered as well as the RV’s built in battery charger which will begin charging your RV battery if it is not at 100%. All of this will consume several hundred watts of the 2,000 available and you will have the remainder available to power up the microwave or your 8500 btu AC for a very short while. All in all, it is not practical in any way to expect the AC200P to power your AC units for any reasonable amount of time. You have roughly 1,600 usable watts of power available for a one hour (800 for two hours, 400 for four hours etc) period. You need to find out exactly how many watts each AC item uses that you will be powering to get an idea of how long and what exactly you can run.

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Thank you so much for your response Scott. So I assume the aviation plug will go to the rv aviation plug to power all DC items and recharge the battery. The campsite allows a generator until 10 pm. I plan on getting the rv very cooled down before 10 pm on hot days. My plan was to run one of the acs overnight to keep the rv cool enough to sleep in.

Thank you again for your reply.

Susan

Your RV will not have an “aviation plug” to connect the AC200 to. The aviation plug is only the outlet on the AC200P. The cable that attaches to the AC200P outlet will need to be connected to your RV. In order for that to be possible, you will have to wire an inlet conntector to your RV (Connecting to the DC electrical system) which will then in turn connect to the Aviation cable that attaches to the AC200P.

With all this said, the simplest thing you can do is to connect your RV AC (shore power) power cord to the AC outlet on your AC200P. This will require an adapter to convert the socket type coming out from your RV (whatever type of plug is at the end of your RV power cord) to a standard 20 amp 120 volt male plug on the other end. This is the exact same adapter you would use if you were plugging in your RV to a house socket or a 20 amp electrical service at a campground. You can run an extension cord from the location of the AC200P to your RV power cord if needed.

From what you were describing, I think you are needing something that looks like this but not sure what the RV end should be. Basically you would operate the RV exactly like you would plugged into your house except the AC200P would take the place of plugging into your house. A 25’ foot 12 ga extension cord could then run from this adapter to the location you have the AC200P placed

https://www.amazon.com/Leisure-Trailer-dogbone-connector-Indicator/dp/B074ZP2CCC/ref=sr_1_9?crid=3L624H49NH5Y&dchild=1&keywords=50+amp+to+20+amp+rv+adapter+twist+lock&qid=1616093438&sprefix=RV+twist+lock+to+20+amp+%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-9

I bought a 15amp to 30amp adapter today at Walmart. I am currently using one to connect the rv to my house 15 amp recepticle. The new adapter is a 90 degree angled adapter. I did not see a 20 amp to 30 amp adapter. Do they even make them? I know your link was a 15 amp to 30 amp. If I can find a 20 amp to 30 amp adapter, is 20 amp too high for the Ac200P’s recepticals?

Thanks,

Susan

The 15 amp connector is fine. I mis typed and wrote 20 instead of 15. You have the correct adapter

Scott might you know anyplace to acquire the aviation adaptor the link you listed shows a delivery date beyond when I need it (now).

@tkconover You looking for the DC aviation plug or an AC dogbone adapter?? Scott posted a link for the adapter which can commonly also be found at most RV stores. Walmart might even have those…

The 2pin aviation plug used for the 12v/25a DC output on the AC200 is a little harder to come across and you’ll have to mod the cable to hook up to your RV’s DC panel but can be found here…

Thanks for source need it sooner, but ordered anyway. Mid April delivery

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@tkconover hopefully you have the luck I did, cause when I ordered from them on eBay, it also said it’d be 3-4 weeks but surprisingly it showed up within like 5 days! I was stoked!

Hmmmm, I will post if it arrives anywhere near that quick. As good a job as Bluetti has done with the ac200 unit I wonder why they could not have instead of creating difficult modification just designed two 1/4” threaded posts + and - with a cover instead of what so many purchasers have had to deal with. Aviation plug this is not an airplane.

I actually like the aviation plug with its clean locking design. I do wish it was a 90 degree fitting and came with a 10 foot cable that terminated with the XT60 fitting. As it is, once the cable becomes widely available it is fairly simple to customize the cable for individual use or make an XT60 to ring terminal cable for connection to fuse blocks.

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Scott it is not fairly easy to modify. Especially in light of fact it takes weeks literally to source the needed adaptor. Again I say why not design it originally for east if use two posts with cover and no 90 degree turn to deal with. Gotta say I love my ac200 so far.

Two posts would work but would be less secure, look hobby built but mostly introduce the possibility of reversing the polarity each time it was connected

Scott it would be a permanent connection to a fused sun panel like a Blue Seas which is what I will use for various 12 volt dc needs. Perhaps Bluetti is trying to cover bases for individuals less adept at determining circuitry.

Forgot to mention as to hobby built what do you think various do it yourself soldered then wired affairs might look lijke?

They are def. trying to make the units plug and play while also allowing the more technically minded the option to customize. Bluetti did a good job with the 12 volt DC output connector. It is up to the user to determine what and how to connect to after the power leaves the AC200. There are too many variables with each individual user to make one size fit all.

With the choice of the very common Anderson and XT60 connectors, the end user has a choice to make a cable with either of those two fittings of their choice and terminate the other end to connect with whatever wiring the user has installed in their individual application. I agree that the connector needs to be available for purchase.

I personally ordered 4 extra dc output cables when I bought my AC200 and also ordered 4 aviation connectors from two different sources to have available if or when I needed it. I personally thing the best cable setup to connect to a fuse panel from the AC200 would be to make a cable with an XT60 end and terminate the other end with ring terminals which would connect directly to the fuse panel input studs. This cable would be made in any length necessary to reach from the AC200 location to the fuse panel. To eliminate one connection you could make a single cable with the aviation connector on one end and ring terminals on the other end.

I would be willing to bet that most people that are putting together a van and wiring all the circuits, also will have the skill set required to make their own cable and solder the connections needed. If they don’t, what a great time to learn.

I have the Bluetti AC200Max and the 12v RV Cable. There is a diagram posted that shows connecting the Anderson plug into the RV

Where or how exactly does this plug into an RV?
I’m currently in the process of purchasing a 2021 Geo Pro and I want to use my AC200Max to power the RV and bypass the lead acid batteries and converter.

The 25 amp RV plug outputs regulated 12 volts DC similar to your coach battery. The 120 Volts of AC (normal household power) is output through the AC power outlets on the other side of the front face (looks like the outlets in your house). They are two seperate systems the same way they are on your RV. With regards to running your large or smaller AC unit…if it will start you will have just under one hour of run time and a little more with the smaller unit. AC units are very power hungry and not a good fit unless your goal is to run the AC for short periods of time.

Hi Scott,
Let’s set aside the Air Conditioner and AC outlets for a moment.
The Geo Pro RVcomes with 190watt solar panel and 1000wat inverter. Instead of updating and adding solar panels, I’d like to use my AC200 Max and my two 350W portable solar panels to run all the DC 12 volt items. How or where to I connect the 12V RV cable.
I found this youtube video that may explain what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to figure out how or where to plug in the 12v RV cable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PLxrjDf9II&lc=Ugym-UF38BOX2uv6OI14AaABAg.9xincxHpZSN9xixPPGc9cJ
Thanks in advance.