Using Rivian 120V Outlet as RV Shore Power?

[FranklinTB]

Hi All,
Looking at getting a small trailer (NuCamp Tab 400) and am wondering if anyone has had luck connecting to the Rivian outlet as shore power to an RV. This specific trailer (like others) has a 30amp TT-30 port connection.

I understand power draws with everything running will be in excess of what the Rivian provides. However, if one were able to calculate and limit the draw, would this work with a TT-30 to 5-15P adapter?

Ideally, I would like to run the AC (possibly the heater) and the fridge while boon-docking.

Any flaws in this logic or other considerations?

Thanks all!

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[Dark-Fx]

All I have to do is plug in a 5-15 to tt-30 adapter, then plug my trailer into that like normal. My inverter/charger can be configured to limit to specific amperage, so I do that as well. I can run the AC entirely off battery in the trailer though, so my setup might be a bit more advanced than yours.

 

[Thedude]

I was not able to run my AC or microwave directly from the truck outlets. The initial draw trips the breaker and resets the truck inverter.

Typically your furnace is 12v and runs off battery power and the fridge is either a 12v compressor style or an absorption style which also doesn't require 120v power.

 

[FranklinTB]

All I have to do is plug in a 5-15 to tt-30 adapter, then plug my trailer into that like normal. My inverter/charger can be configured to limit to specific amperage, so I do that as well. I can run the AC entirely off battery in the trailer though, so my setup might be a bit more advanced than yours.

Interesting, so your trailer goes:

Rivian battery/120V 5-15 outlet -> 5-15 to TT-30 Adapter -> TT-30 receiver on your RV -> RV battery (assuming lithium) -> RV Inverter -> Power to AC/Accessories.

So essentially you're charging the RV batteries from the Rivian? Then running AC.

 

[FranklinTB]

I was not able to run my AC or microwave directly from the truck outlets. The initial draw trips the breaker and resets the truck inverter.

Typically your furnace is 12v and runs off battery power and the fridge is either a 12v compressor style or an absorption style which also doesn't require 120v power.

What kind of trailer/RV do you have? This is my concern as well. The AC unit on the Tab 400 says it only draws 900W, but it may peak higher than that and with the auxiliary draw from other "stuff" in the RV, it might easily exceed that 1500W.

 

[Dark-Fx]

Interesting, so your trailer goes:

Rivian battery/120V 5-15 outlet -> 5-15 to TT-30 Adapter -> TT-30 receiver on your RV -> RV battery (assuming lithium) -> RV Inverter -> Power to AC/Accessories.

So essentially you're charging the RV batteries from the Rivian? Then running AC.

I have a victron multiplus inverter, which has power assist. Normal operation is just to pass through the AC. If the AC load is higher than what the Rivian will provide, it covers the rest of the power request pulling power out of the lithium batteries, up to an additional 3000W.

 

[Foobar]

The Tab 400's Coolcat will have an initial surge that knocks that circuit out. I used to have a '23 400 Boondock and tried it out on the RIvian - did not end well. I ended up getting the Lithium upgrade package which included a 3000 Watt inverter that could power everything within the RV from the 400ah Lithium Battleborns and with that it worked. I guess the batteries and inverter provided an assist to the shore power connection. In any event, this works in a pinch but since the Rivian was my Tow Vehicle, the energy was better spent on trip range than in powering the RV. I ended up just getting more portable solar panels to be able to prolong the AC run time while boondocking. I basically chased the sun with them. Coupled with that was a 3500 watt generator for when I ran out of Lithium. I was able to boondock without issues on clear sunny days. If it was cloudy or shaded, I had to resort to using more gas on the generator, but still worked well enough to keep AC and fridge going.

I ended up selling the Tab and moved up to an Airstream Trade Wind with even more Lithium and Solar. I don't carry the generator with my anymore. I also try to stay at sites with electric hookups, but I know that's not always feasible.

 

[Thedude]

What kind of trailer/RV do you have? This is my concern as well. The AC unit on the Tab 400 says it only draws 900W, but it may peak higher than that and with the auxiliary draw from other "stuff" in the RV, it might easily exceed that 1500W.

An Outdoors RV. The AC draws about 1200w continuous but closer to 2k on start up.

 

[FranklinTB]

I have a victron multiplus inverter, which has power assist. Normal operation is just to pass through the AC. If the AC load is higher than what the Rivian will provide, it covers the rest of the power request pulling power out of the lithium batteries, up to an additional 3000W.

The Tab 400's Coolcat will have an initial surge that knocks that circuit out. I used to have a '23 400 Boondock and tried it out on the RIvian - did not end well. I ended up getting the Lithium upgrade package which included a 3000 Watt inverter that could power everything within the RV from the 400ah Lithium Battleborns and with that it worked. I guess the batteries and inverter provided an assist to the shore power connection. In any event, this works in a pinch but since the Rivian was my Tow Vehicle, the energy was better spent on trip range than in powering the RV. I ended up just getting more portable solar panels to be able to prolong the AC run time while boondocking. I basically chased the sun with them. Coupled with that was a 3500 watt generator for when I ran out of Lithium. I was able to boondock without issues on clear sunny days. If it was cloudy or shaded, I had to resort to using more gas on the generator, but still worked well enough to keep AC and fridge going.

I ended up selling the Tab and moved up to an Airstream Trade Wind with even more Lithium and Solar. I don't carry the generator with my anymore. I also try to stay at sites with electric hookups, but I know that's not always feasible.

Awesome. A quick search shows that the lithium upgrade package for the tab400 includes the victron multiplus inverter.

Thank you both, this answers my question. So have to order/find a unit with the lithium package or plan on DIY upgrade if I want this functionality.

Cheers

 

[SwampNut]

Like everyone else, I can't start the AC from the truck inverter. I have a pair of LiFePO4 batteries in the trailer ($225 ea, pretty cheap upgrade), but no inverter. I've been considering one. The truck can provide 30a of 12V (360w) from the trailer plug to help keep the batteries topped up (obviously at the cost of range). It could also provide about 1200w via the 120v outlet, and power the trailer battery charger, if I split the AC system to allow it.

I have not measured the actual running current of the AC, to determine how long it could reasonably run from the batteries.

Also, the AC *might* be able to run from the truck inverter with a soft-start system added.

 

[Helios]

I’ve does this, but without any major appliances/ac running. However I typically use an electric generator, and then if needed charge the generator via the truck 120v - or on a sunny day break out the solar panels. This is a Jackery 3000 generator, which on a hot day can power the RV ac for a couple hours. By rv I mean 28’ travel trailer

 

[logan]

I’ve does this, but without any major appliances/ac running. However I typically use an electric generator, and then if needed charge the generator via the truck 120v - or on a sunny day break out the solar panels. This is a Jackery 3000 generator, which on a hot day can power the RV ac for a couple hours. By rv I mean 28’ travel trailer

Very cool. I keep thinking about using one of these >=3kW with TT-30 output batteries as a buffer too. I wasn't looking at Jackery though but will now.

Question. Did you do the comparison of charging via 110v using your truck versus 12v using your truck?

 

[JamuJoe]

What kind of trailer/RV do you have? This is my concern as well. The AC unit on the Tab 400 says it only draws 900W, but it may peak higher than that and with the auxiliary draw from other "stuff" in the RV, it might easily exceed that 1500W.

I personally use a power station (Ecoflow Delta Max) to power my Airstream AC appliances, but also have Soft Start kits on my aircons, which is basically a capacitor that handles the startup surge. Works great.

 

[Helios]

Very cool. I keep thinking about using one of these >=3kW with TT-30 output batteries as a buffer too. I wasn't looking at Jackery though but will now.

Question. Did you do the comparison of charging via 110v using your truck versus 12v using your truck?

No, only charged the Jackery with DC via the solar panels, not the truck 12v.

Also FYI in case it applies to other product brands - because the 110v of the truck is rate limited to around 800-900w, I’ve needed to use the Jackery “slow charging” setting, otherwise it tries to pull too much power and trips the truck’s outlet power to turn off. So without that feature you’d be up a creek - but on slow charge setting it works fine…

 

[HaveBlue]

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