Electrical

[asherl33]

My 30 amp trailer wont handle all my appliances. Want to run a wire with male plug from the out door post to a receptacle inside the trailer.( to be installed) What type of wire should I use? Thanks

[Bob_Landry]

myredracer wrote:

Bob Landry wrote:

I did my 20A feed into the side of the trailer that would give me the shortest amount of wire to pull under the coroplast. There is 12ga wire from the inlet to the breaker, then the breaker feeds two outlets with 14ga wire since I'm not ever going to plug a 20A load into the outlets. They are 15A outlets so I couldn't do that anyway. The circuit breaker protects the wire from the pedestal to the breaker. These are only used to run space heaters in cold weather.

Are you the one that posted info. on that small breaker thingy in your photo? It's a marine item IIRC. Would you mind posting the manufacturer's brand and info.?

The little panel and the circuit breakers are made by Blue Sea. It's a double pole breaker because when I do marine wiring, I'm required to break both legs. Blue Sea also makes a panel for a single breaker. I don't remember the part numbers, but you can get it off of Blue Sea's website.

[myredracer]

Bob Landry wrote:

I did my 20A feed into the side of the trailer that would give me the shortest amount of wire to pull under the coroplast. There is 12ga wire from the inlet to the breaker, then the breaker feeds two outlets with 14ga wire since I'm not ever going to plug a 20A load into the outlets. They are 15A outlets so I couldn't do that anyway. The circuit breaker protects the wire from the pedestal to the breaker. These are only used to run space heaters in cold weather.

Are you the one that posted info. on that small breaker thingy in your photo? It's a marine item IIRC. Would you mind posting the manufacturer's brand and info.?

[AllegroD]

Yes. it is. Sorry. Had not read the last page.

[Bob_Landry]

Kiwi_too wrote:
Use a recessed male socket on trailer.

Isn't that what the Marinco inlet shown above is?

I did my 20A feed into the side of the trailer that would give me the shortest amount of wire to pull under the coroplast. There is 12ga wire from the inlet to the breaker, then the breaker feeds two outlets with 14ga wire since I'm not ever going to plug a 20A load into the outlets. They are 15A outlets so I couldn't do that anyway. The circuit breaker protects the wire from the pedestal to the breaker. These are only used to run space heaters in cold weather.

[AllegroD]

Use a recessed male socket on trailer.

[j-d]

Nothing to add here. Other than I like the idea of color-coded receptacles inside the coach.

[myredracer]

You could do it by installing a standard Marinco (ParkPower) 20 amp inlet like in the photo. The duplex recept. on a pedestal is usually 20 amps (and GFCI). Install a 15/20 amp T-slot receptacle in a convenient spot inside which might be close to the inlet to make running wiring easier. Use a 12 gauge (20 amp) extension cord. You would need to use a connector that fits into the Marinco inlet. I would buy a standard #12 cord and install a new connector like the Marinco one pictured. Marinco products tend to be rather pricey and you could either shop around the internet or use an equivalent brand.

You don't want to use a 14 gauge (15 amp) extension cord and recept. (inside) because the 20 amp pedestal breaker will not properly protect anything downstream rated at 15 amps.

This is a good mod. to do if you want more power for a heater or other appliance and it's fairly straightforward to do. I did it on a previous TT and the only difficult part (nerve wracking) was drilling a hole in the exterior.

Camping on the weekend, I noticed several MHs with a cord out a window plugged into the 20 recept. on the pedestal. No 50 amp pedestals in our CG so the only way to get more power is to utilize the 20 amp recept. Just looks funny to see a big dollar MH with a cord hanging out a window....

[wa8yxm]

Oh, one other suggestion....

If you cut the end off the end of the extension cord and replace it with a DUPLEX receptical.. Make it a DIFFEREN COLOR from the ones in the RV now.. Usually the RV either has white or off-white, or black or brown.. If white, use black or brown, If black or brown use white or off white.

For inverter powered outlets use red, yellow or orange.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

I get "around" powering all the "extra" outlets in a little different way.

If I have only 30 amp shore power, I use the inverter to power the "extra" outlets using a 30 amp to 15 amp dog bone.

The dog bone is plugged into the inverter, and the two auxiliary shore power cords are plugged into that.

I do the same thing if and when I run the generator (for air conditioning). That way I can exceed the generator output (Yamaha 3000 sIEB).

[Dave_H_M]

mmiille wrote:
I did that. I ran an extension cord from the 20 amp receptacle for an additional heater through an opening in our slide that the other hoses and electrical wires run through. This past winter was a test on how much we really needed. We have 2 separate 50 amp receptacles where we are now so I might add two electric heaters and more heat tapes underneath to account for the furnace not running as much..

Same way I ran my 12 2 with ground. terminated it in a two plug receptacle inside since it was handy. I split the receptacle so now i have one plug that works with the 20 amp external power and one that runs off the 30 amp trailer service.

[mmiille]

I did that. I ran an extension cord from the 20 amp receptacle for an additional heater through an opening in our slide that the other hoses and electrical wires run through. This past winter was a test on how much we really needed. We have 2 separate 50 amp receptacles where we are now so I might add two electric heaters and more heat tapes underneath to account for the furnace not running as much..

[wa8yxm]

Bumpy.. That is exactly how I read it as well..

As I said, I have one cord that is just that, and extension cord that has a plug on one end (OUTSIDE) and an outlet on the other (INSIDE) end. Actually. I have two of those but the other one is a tad more complex.

The night it hit 11 degrees outside here in the lowlands of Upstate SC where it rarely drops below 20.. I needed every watt I could draw. And I drew them too.

[Bumpyroad]

Bob Landry wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:

sh410 wrote:
An extension cord with a male plug on both ends is called a "suicide cord". Very dangerous

I didn't conclude that he was planning on doing that. he wants to run a cord plugged into the post to an outlet in the RV.
bumpy

That's exactly what I concluded that he meant. Maybe it's terminology but power cords from the power pedestal plug into inlets, not outlets. The pedestals have outlets. It may be nit-picking, but it makes a difference when asking a question or solving a problem. If he's talking about a double male cord and plugging it into a wall outlet in the trailer, that's a no-no because there's already voltage on the outlet. I think this would be a mod better suited for someone with a working knowledge of shore power systems.

There are safe ways to do it. I installed a second 30A service, but most people don't want to go to the trouble to do that. He can also run 20A cord into the trailer, but to be safe it should be circuit breaker protected and sized with the appropriate wire. I also did that and I have a total of 80A of available power. Either way, a sub panel needs to be installed to protect the wiring both from the pedestal and inside the trailer.

The most simplistic approach would be to run a 20A extension cord into the trailer to plug an appliance into.

I read it that he wants to have a cord that plugs into the campground post/outlet and terminates in an outlet inside the RV. no suicide cord involved.
bumpy

[wa8yxm]

Well a 12 ga extension cord,,, It may be possible to route it through existing holes in the floor and not even have to drill. 12 ga has less voltage drop.

Now, look at your water lines,, If they drop through the floor at any point (The waste lines clearly do) there may be enough room in that hole to sneak one end of the extension cord through.. Then depending on your trailer you can route it into an outdoor compartment, or you can terminate it there (Buy the proper length cord) and use a 2nd 12ga cord to the pedestal. I have one such cord installed... I do not use it often (Since I have other choices) but when the temps drop below 20.. I need all the power I can get.