Power converter question
Hi, New to the forums. Just got our first TT. 2005 Dutchmen 26F. I've been upgrading it and redoing the inside. Everything was finished and we were ready to take her out on our first trip when all...
Forum Discussion
I plug into my house 120VAC Receptacle in my garage all the time. This was a receptacle used for an air compressor at one time and is fed by a 20AMPS House Circuit Breaker... There is nothing else on this 120VAC 20AMP House Service. Perfect for me to use for my trailer Shore Power cable.
My trailer sits about 50 feet away from this receptacle so I run a heavy duty 10-guage contractor type YELLOW thick extension cord from the garage receptacle out into the back yard where I can plug my Trailer 30A Shore Power cable into it. You can get away with a 12-gauge type cord but stay away from those RED-ORANGE cords you find at WALMART. They are 16-Gauge which is way to small to use here... I use one of these RV30A-15A LONG DOGBONE type adapters from WALMART that looks like this plugged into the end of the long extension cord. I usually cover this outside connection point with a small plastic tub to keep rain water away from it...
First however I use one of these very inexpensive 120VAC circuit testers (WALMART-LOWES-AMAZON) to tell me all three conductors inside the garage receptacle and 50-foot Extension Cord are good and working. If I see the bottom two lights come ON the tester for 'CORRECT' I know the garage 120VAC receptacle and the 50-foot HD extension cord is good to use
Google Image
Then I plug in the RV30A-15A Long Dogbone Adapter from WALMART that looks like this... I have never had any luck with the small round RV30AMP Adapters. They always got hot me and burned up my 30A plug on the shore power plug. I am always checking for heat when having my trailer plugged into the garage connections.
Google Image
If you have an inexpensive multimeter (WALMART-LOWES-AMAZON) you can also measure around the three sockets on the 30A adapter to insure you have the correct AC VOLTAGES using this Chart...
30AMP RV SERVICE
NO SHOCK ZONE image
Be sure you read the AC VOLTAGES as shown...
Now you can plug in the trailer shore power cable knowing you have the correct AC VOLTAGES available to use. Be mindful that by using the three conductors from the house source also provides your trailer frame ground connection to prevent getting a small AC shock by standing on the ground and touching something metal on the trailer skin. The trailer only gets its frame ground connection from the 120VAC HOUSE SOURCE or PEDESTAL SOURCE when camping at a campground with hookups...
I also have one of these 120VAC PLUG IN METERS from AMAZON that is plugged into a receptacle socket inside the trailer where I can get a good glimpse of it telling me I have 120VAC power.
Google image
Now I know I have a good 120VAC connection from my house/garage receptacle...
Some folks thinks all of this is not necessary to do but for me I don't have to guess about anything. I know it is working normal doing it this way...
My quick test for 12VDC being available either from the shore power connection of just running form my battery when OFF-GRID is jus turn on the ceiling lights. These work from the 12VDC side of the trailer and will light up if the 12VDC is all working...
We plug into our 20AMP Service all the time here at the house so I can work on trailer projects and cleaning routines etc. Also neat to sleep over in the trailer when I get the urge... Grandkids have a ball in ti when they are over visiting and spending the night...
Just passing all of this on to give you some pointers on what to look for...
Roy Ken
My trailer sits about 50 feet away from this receptacle so I run a heavy duty 10-guage contractor type YELLOW thick extension cord from the garage receptacle out into the back yard where I can plug my Trailer 30A Shore Power cable into it. You can get away with a 12-gauge type cord but stay away from those RED-ORANGE cords you find at WALMART. They are 16-Gauge which is way to small to use here... I use one of these RV30A-15A LONG DOGBONE type adapters from WALMART that looks like this plugged into the end of the long extension cord. I usually cover this outside connection point with a small plastic tub to keep rain water away from it...
First however I use one of these very inexpensive 120VAC circuit testers (WALMART-LOWES-AMAZON) to tell me all three conductors inside the garage receptacle and 50-foot Extension Cord are good and working. If I see the bottom two lights come ON the tester for 'CORRECT' I know the garage 120VAC receptacle and the 50-foot HD extension cord is good to use
Google Image
Then I plug in the RV30A-15A Long Dogbone Adapter from WALMART that looks like this... I have never had any luck with the small round RV30AMP Adapters. They always got hot me and burned up my 30A plug on the shore power plug. I am always checking for heat when having my trailer plugged into the garage connections.
Google Image
If you have an inexpensive multimeter (WALMART-LOWES-AMAZON) you can also measure around the three sockets on the 30A adapter to insure you have the correct AC VOLTAGES using this Chart...
30AMP RV SERVICE
NO SHOCK ZONE image
Be sure you read the AC VOLTAGES as shown...
Now you can plug in the trailer shore power cable knowing you have the correct AC VOLTAGES available to use. Be mindful that by using the three conductors from the house source also provides your trailer frame ground connection to prevent getting a small AC shock by standing on the ground and touching something metal on the trailer skin. The trailer only gets its frame ground connection from the 120VAC HOUSE SOURCE or PEDESTAL SOURCE when camping at a campground with hookups...
I also have one of these 120VAC PLUG IN METERS from AMAZON that is plugged into a receptacle socket inside the trailer where I can get a good glimpse of it telling me I have 120VAC power.
Google image
Now I know I have a good 120VAC connection from my house/garage receptacle...
Some folks thinks all of this is not necessary to do but for me I don't have to guess about anything. I know it is working normal doing it this way...
My quick test for 12VDC being available either from the shore power connection of just running form my battery when OFF-GRID is jus turn on the ceiling lights. These work from the 12VDC side of the trailer and will light up if the 12VDC is all working...
We plug into our 20AMP Service all the time here at the house so I can work on trailer projects and cleaning routines etc. Also neat to sleep over in the trailer when I get the urge... Grandkids have a ball in ti when they are over visiting and spending the night...
Just passing all of this on to give you some pointers on what to look for...
Roy Ken
