Adding 110V outlets

jamnw wrote:

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

The first thing, and cheapest thing, is to improve you power management practices. Otherwise, what I would do is add a new power inlet on the side of your TT such as Marinco/Park Power makes. Keep in mind that a hair dryer can be 1500 watts (12.5 amps) and you can't run another appliance for very long without tripping a 20 amp breaker.

Pedestals often have a 20 amp T-slot receptacle on a GFCI. (Sometimes all you will get is a 30 amp recept. tho.) What I would do is install 15/20 amp T-slot receptacles with #12 gauge wiring inside your TT and a #12 ga. extension cord. Then I would install a new 20 amp recept. on the side of your TT for when there is no 20 amp recept. at a ped. and plug the 20 amp extension cord into this recept. You might consider a SPDT transfer switch but you'd need to ensure it's done to Code for safety reasons.

You might be able to run #14 ga. from the 1st to 2nd recept. and use a 15 amp recept. for the 2nd one, but I would check with the NEC or ask an inspector or electrician. I would not trust the GFCI in a pedestal and would make sure you use a GFCI in the bathroom. Plus you never know when you might be parked somewhere where there isn't a GFCI to plug into.

You can run wiring concealed in a TT. I've done enough to know it can be done, but it does take an effort. It may depend on your TT layout and construction details tho. You might be able to pick up the MW circuit behind the panel and extend new romex to the bathroom from there.

15/20 amp T-slot GFCI info.: Hubbell If opting to add to the panel, another choice would to be use a GFCI breaker but they tend to be expensive. If short on spare breaker space in the panel, you can replace existing breakers with "tandem" breakers that have 2 breakers in the space of a regular one.

Having said all the above blah, blah, what I would do is install the additional power inlet on the side of your TT and install a dedicated 15/20 amp T-slot GFCI recept. in a convenient location somewhere inside your TT. Maybe close to the bathroom for the hair dryer. Then you can leave the existing bathroom recept. alone. Unless you run another heavy appliance (toaster, coffee maker, etc.) at the same time, you probably will find the MW runs fine. I often run our toaster and coffee maker at the same time and have yet to trip a 30 amp breaker because they're not on long enough. Installed a power inlet and dedicated recept. in our first TT for times that we'd want to use an appliance (crock pot, rice cooker, griddle, etc.) in addition to anything else (on 30 amp service). Funny thing is, we never had an occasion to ever have to use it, but we never used our AC though.

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

The self contained "press fit" receptacales are used for one reason only. They are cheaper.

Sorry, but I have to disagree with that. One reason they are used in RVs is because the thickness of walls will not accommodate an outlet box and you can't attach an outlet box to a stud like in a house. SCDs are also used in in mobile homes. They are CSA or UL listed and approved by the NEC. As long as they are properly installed, there is absolutely nothing wrong with them and they are quite capable of drawing their rated current and are just as reliable as anything else. I can buy a residential outlet box and receptacle at less cost than an SCD anytime. If there have been issues with them, I'd like to see something from a Code committee or electrical safety authorities. SCDs can be improperly installed at the factory as I found out with our first TT, but that's not the receptacle's fault. If someone is concerned with them, you could pull each one out and make sure the wires are connected correctly.

n7bsn wrote:

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

Afraid I don't agree with this either (EE here too). GFCIs in series doesn't cause nuisance tripping. What happens is when there is a ground fault, you won't know which GFCI will trip, or they could both trip. Unless a person knows that there are GFCIs in series, they may not be able to find the GFCI that actually tripped, or if both tripped, they likely won't know to look for a 2nd GFCI. If you can find something from a wiring device manufacturer saying multiple GFCIs causes tripping, I'd like to see it. I've done a lot of googling and nothing says that it causes tripping. Some outdoor appliances (pressure washer,for ex.) have a GFCI built into the cord and they work fine when plugged into a GFCI recept.