Electric new install

[starcraft69]

I am putting in all new 12v and 120v electric in a van. Quick question should i use two or three strand 120v wire for plugs? putting in a WFCO 8700 series power center.

[time2roll]

http://www.bestconverter.com/4000-Series-Compact-Power-Center

[wa8yxm]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Park to park hopping aPower Pole Princess WFCO is OK as long as you got if for free.

I will second that.. If you have to pay for it though go with Progressive Dynamics. for one thing American Made (Marshall, Michigan) which worked out well for me when my converter died.. I was close to Marshall and my route took me even closer so on Halloween AM I pulled the thing out and put it in my car, drove about 15 miles, carried it into the building... carried a factory refurb out 15 miles, and hooked it back uip... in the snow.. and off I went to the land of no snow for the winter.

[Bobbo]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

Bobbo wrote:
I think 18g, while marginally acceptable for lights, is too small for any outlets.

18g, will easily carry 10A, with very little voltage drop for the length of a Class B or C.

That is my point exactly. An 18g wire will only carry about 10 amps, not 15 amps like the breaker. Thank you.

[DrewE]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

The really old laptops had some big "power bricks" that really needed to be run off of AC. The new ones are tiny and you can buy a 12V power supply that would draw about 5A-6A. The new USB-C Power Delivery specification has a 100W max output, but 60W is more common. I have yet to see a 100w USB-C 100W power supply that runs on 12VDC. Even so, it would draw less than 10A.

The NEC does not permit anything smaller than 14 gauge for ordinary AC branch circuit wiring. 18 gauge wires are permitted a few specialized cases, including certain control circuits and fixture wire (which includes cords for appliances and drop wires for pendant lights).

Even if it were permitted, appropriate circuit breakers smaller than 15A are not all that common (although they do exist).

[theoldwizard1]

Bobbo wrote:
I think 18g, while marginally acceptable for lights, is too small for any outlets.

18g, will easily carry 10A, with very little voltage drop for the length of a Class B or C. Lights, even before LEDs, drew about 1/4A each. Now, a couple mA (unless we are talking a high power exterior lighting)
Entertainment center, a couple of amps (assuming no aftermarket amplifiers).

The really old laptops had some big "power bricks" that really needed to be run off of AC. The new ones are tiny and you can buy a 12V power supply that would draw about 5A-6A. The new USB-C Power Delivery specification has a 100W max output, but 60W is more common. I have yet to see a 100w USB-C 100W power supply that runs on 12VDC. Even so, it would draw less than 10A.

[time2roll]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I recommend Marine Grade Tinned Copper Wire Duplex Boat Cable (you only need 18 AWG for lights and convenience outlets) and Marine Grade Wire 14/3 AWG Tinned Copper Triplex Boat Cable.

These cables are more expensive, but they are stranded wire, not solid, so they are more flexible. "tinned" means they will likely never corrode even when exposed to water.

Just make sure the outlets and bus are compatible with stranded wire.

[starcraft69]

Thank you everyone for all the help

[Bobbo]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I recommend Marine Grade Tinned Copper Wire Duplex Boat Cable(you only need 18 AWG for lights and convenience outlets) and Marine Grade Wire 14/3 AWG Tinned Copper Triplex Boat Cable.

These cables are more expensive, but they are stranded wire, not solid, so they are more flexible. "tinned" means they will likely never corrode even when exposed to water.

I think 18g, while marginally acceptable for lights, is too small for any outlets. The absolute minimum for an outlet should be 14g, and I far prefer 12g. You don't need 14/3, or 12/3, as they have two hot wires and only a single neutral wire. You want 14/2 or 12/2. Those have only a single hot wire. In all of the above, the ground wire is present. I will agree that Marine Grade Tinned Copper Wire is better, for the reasons that theoldwizard1 gave.

[theoldwizard1]

I recommend Marine Grade Tinned Copper Wire Duplex Boat Cable (you only need 18 AWG for lights and convenience outlets) and Marine Grade Wire 14/3 AWG Tinned Copper Triplex Boat Cable.

These cables are more expensive, but they are stranded wire, not solid, so they are more flexible. "tinned" means they will likely never corrode even when exposed to water.

[theoldwizard1]

If you think you will EVER need/use and inverter (and appropriately sized battery bank) NOW IS THE TIME to pay a bit extra for an inverter/charger/automatic transfer switch. It will make your wiring a lot easier and use will be much simpler.

[wa8yxm]

Two wire + Ground for 120 volt though 14GA is specified for a 15 AMP CIRCUIT (dang caps lock keeps coming on) I'd use 12.. (Firm believer in overkill).

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Park to park hopping aPower Pole Princess WFCO is OK as long as you got if for free.

[DrewE]

Typically standard NM-B cable is used (often called "Romex", although Romex is actually a brand and they make other kinds of wire as well). You'd use 14/2 + G (two 14 gauge conductors with an additional safety ground) for 15A circuits, and 12/2 + G for 20A circuits, of course with appropriately sized breakers in the power center.

Note that NM-B cable is not for use where it's exposed to the weather, or where it would be flexed in use (such as leading to a slide-out). 120V runs underneath the floor, if any, should be of a wire type that's rated for wet locations and properly protected from physical damage in conduit or something similar. Usually in RVs 120V wire is not generally run under the floor at all. Other types of wiring could also be acceptable, if less common, as laid out in the National Electric Code.

The 120V section of the power center is wired like a subpanel in a house, with the neutral and ground kept separate, and the ground should be bonded to the chassis of the van.

[time2roll]

Outlets need a hot, neutral and ground. Not a fan of WFCO.