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jamnw's avatar
jamnw
Explorer
Sep 07, 2014

Adding 110V outlets

I am considering adding a couple outlets to my TT.
I plan to put two, one in kitchen, and one in bathroom. SWMBO is tired of waiting to dry hair, make coffee or toast. It never fails that someone will turn on the microwave at the same time.... Click, there goes the breaker!

I want to add a circuit outside the original wiring. Use a good extension cord plugged into 15amp in power ped to energize.

I'm not an electrician, but I am very comfortable working with electricity. Navy electronics!

I am not familiar with "electric code"
I would love some advice on how to properly install this.

What kind of connection/plug on the TT?

Plan to use ground fault outlets at both locations. Any other necessary precautions?
  • Put one of these on the outside of the camper. It's a male 110 plug that the end of an extension cord plugs into. From there, add a circuit breaker or fuse and run your #12 (20 Amp circuit) or #14 (15 Amp circuit) Romex wire, using a GFCI outlet for the first outlet in the circuit (protecting the other outlets down the line). I did this to my cargo trailer, but I omitted the breaker/fuse for simplicity, relying on the source breaker to trip if something's wrong. In 12 years, I haven't had an issue, but I don't run 1500 watt hairdryers in my trailer, either.
    I've encountered a few campgrounds that do not have 20 or 15 amp service. Only 30 or 50 Amp. That's a bit of a snag for this plan. Adding a breaker to your existing panel is probably easiest, if there's space and capacity available. I'm not an electrician.
    This is an example. I made zero effort to find the best deal:
    http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-5278-CWP-Receptacle-Industrial-Grounding/dp/B003ATXIBG
  • Sounds like you are planning to add two circuits.

    You do know you only have to have on (the first) GFCI in a circuit to protect the entire circuit, right? You connect the source to the "line" and the remainder of the outlets to the "load".

    You don't really want to put a 2nd GFCI on an existing one. You will run into false ground-trips.

    The biggest problem is getting inside the walls to run the wires. Unless you are going to surface mount your cables.

    Also, your basic assumption if flawed. You are going to run a cord to the pedestal 15 amp, a lot (certainly not all) campgrounds don't have a 15 amp outlet. Yes, many have a 15 amp 110, a 30 amp 110 and a 50 amp dual-110 (since it's not really 220). But I note a significant percentage of campgrounds that just have a NEMA 30-TT outlet and a single 30amp breaker.

    If you have room in the rigs panel, I would add a breaker, maybe separate the Microwave to it's own circuit (that's how my last two rigs were wired, from the factory)

    I would suggest that you get someone involved that knows both the NEC and why it states what it does. I'm saying this as both an Electrical Engineer and a (former) Electrician that spent 35 years working the Navy ETs and am reasonable familiar with their training (or lack there-of).
    I'm not saying hire it out, just find a local friend that can guide you through the "oh ****s"
  • Hi,

    I have 3 shore power cords. The OEM 30, a 20 and a 15 amp.

    I "broke out" the converter and the water heater from the breaker panel.

    I added female plugs to the oem breakers and male plugs to the wires.

    I added two outlets to each of the auxiliary shore power cords. In winter I use them to run extra electric heat.
  • If you're adding additional lines (outside your trailers already existing wiring), all you need to do is run the wire and just put a normal 15 / 20 amp household (3 pronged) plug so you can plug in a normal extension cord from the electric source to the trailer.

    In my garage (house) I have run several additional additional plugs. I ran the wire to the desired locations, attached a normal box and plug, screwed it to a stud, and attached them all in a line. The beginning of the string just plugs into an existing plug with a normal plug. Good thing is, if I ever want to change it, all I have to do is unplug one plug, pull the wire off the wall, unscrew the boxes, and it's all gone! Simple.

    Think of it as an elaborate extension cord with a plug on the end under your camper. Very simple to do. (or you could always just throw an extension cord through a window. )

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