Should I go 50amp or 30amp?
Hi! I'm new to the site. I have found a great deal of knowledge on this site and want to thank you for that. I am currently building a 28'X8' Tiny Home on a triple axle trailer. The outside should ...
Forum Discussion
A couple of points if I may...
RV Park 50-amp receptacles tend to be in better shape than 30-amp receptacles. You will be drawing a lot less.
Wire L2 to all the items that you would never wish to run while boondocking.
For Alaska I would be sorely tempted to fit healthy size home baseboard heaters in the living room and bedroom. Thermostats.
Plenty of receptacles. Spec grade and 12/2 marine duplex - tinned.
Marine not RV switch type breakers on both AC and DC. Klixon just like on a sailboat. Smaller, neater, easier to wire and a lot more durable.
Order lots of 10-12 gauge uninsulated fork (spade) terminals for receptacles. Much better contact and WAY easier to wire.
Rerurning to your power panel...
Klixon ganged 40-amp master breaker. A pair of inexpensive 200-volt digital AC voltmeters. Plug in, refer to the monitor and when YOU decide that L1 and L2 are adequate YOU flip the ganged Klixon and power-up. This guarantees zero missing neutral nightmares. You can also monitor each AC leg at the same time.
Wire the rig with intelligent wiring color coding. Black Blue white and green for the 240 AC.
Red and YELLOW for DC. Yellow is now the standard YSB color coding for 12-volt ground. It prevents fatal confusion between 120 volt hot legs and DC ground.
Use 16-gauge duplex wire with yellow ground for 12-volt lighting feeders. Instantaneous recognition of circuit.
I did all this with the 2 buses I built. But it was a long time ago. Analog gauges, halogen lighting and BW Magnatek chargers. Yes all this costs more. But you will throw yourself kisses in the mirror later on.
Forget resale value. You are building a heirloom. A new 40 grand rig is worth 30 the instant it hits the street. If you hide an 8,000 BTU window AC under the bed and a second AC under the dinette seat you will jump for joy at the elimimation of problems using AC with a generator. I refused to endanger an AC by placing it on the roof. One tree limb and ka-pow. Also leaves the roof wide open for solar panels.
Good fortune to you! Planning and building your own rig to me is fun beyond description.
One more note - insulate the heck out of the gas refrigerator insert space. I used 4" rigid foam block. Then foam insulated the actual rear of the refrigerator. Saves EIGHTY-PERCENT on LPG. I clad both doors in 1" foam board with mahogany panel (thin).
RV Park 50-amp receptacles tend to be in better shape than 30-amp receptacles. You will be drawing a lot less.
Wire L2 to all the items that you would never wish to run while boondocking.
For Alaska I would be sorely tempted to fit healthy size home baseboard heaters in the living room and bedroom. Thermostats.
Plenty of receptacles. Spec grade and 12/2 marine duplex - tinned.
Marine not RV switch type breakers on both AC and DC. Klixon just like on a sailboat. Smaller, neater, easier to wire and a lot more durable.
Order lots of 10-12 gauge uninsulated fork (spade) terminals for receptacles. Much better contact and WAY easier to wire.
Rerurning to your power panel...
Klixon ganged 40-amp master breaker. A pair of inexpensive 200-volt digital AC voltmeters. Plug in, refer to the monitor and when YOU decide that L1 and L2 are adequate YOU flip the ganged Klixon and power-up. This guarantees zero missing neutral nightmares. You can also monitor each AC leg at the same time.
Wire the rig with intelligent wiring color coding. Black Blue white and green for the 240 AC.
Red and YELLOW for DC. Yellow is now the standard YSB color coding for 12-volt ground. It prevents fatal confusion between 120 volt hot legs and DC ground.
Use 16-gauge duplex wire with yellow ground for 12-volt lighting feeders. Instantaneous recognition of circuit.
I did all this with the 2 buses I built. But it was a long time ago. Analog gauges, halogen lighting and BW Magnatek chargers. Yes all this costs more. But you will throw yourself kisses in the mirror later on.
Forget resale value. You are building a heirloom. A new 40 grand rig is worth 30 the instant it hits the street. If you hide an 8,000 BTU window AC under the bed and a second AC under the dinette seat you will jump for joy at the elimimation of problems using AC with a generator. I refused to endanger an AC by placing it on the roof. One tree limb and ka-pow. Also leaves the roof wide open for solar panels.
Good fortune to you! Planning and building your own rig to me is fun beyond description.
One more note - insulate the heck out of the gas refrigerator insert space. I used 4" rigid foam block. Then foam insulated the actual rear of the refrigerator. Saves EIGHTY-PERCENT on LPG. I clad both doors in 1" foam board with mahogany panel (thin).
