30 amp connection

[ALANSD]

My home's circuit breakers are located not too far from the garage door. I would like to install a 30 amp connection for my MH. I know what to buy, but I am looking for tips on how to install it.
If I buy the right connectors, 10 ga wire and such can i do this myself? I have put in regular 110 outlets and light fixtures but never really worked on the breaker box or main circuits myself.

[Over59]

I'm going to do a similar thing from an auxillary panel which will not be hot as I will turn off the feed. You really don't want to be working in the main circuit panel which is hot. You could turn off the MAIN breaker(s) and that would make it 90% safe. However if you don't know what is still hot, and it is still hot, you could find yourself in MH Heaven. It's not like getting hit by 110, it is serious stuff. The rest of the project is no problem. Follow directions for mounting the plug box. Buy the box, cover, socket, and plug as a unit and it will all fit together. You don't want to use a regular box from HD for #8 or #6 wire as there isn't enough room to get it all together. Feed the outside box from the bottom to keep water from crawling down the wire into the box.
Good luck and happy sparking.

[wb13798]

if you house is constructed like mine you will have to go over head and come down the outside wall with conduit. watch ebay and get a good water tight box. i used 6agw and plan to later go to 50 amp svc all i will have to do is pull a ground wire and re wire the existing wire.

[wb13798]

i used plastic conduit on the outside wall to the outlet box.
my box has 2 breakers one for 30 and one for 20. i also have a 20 amp outlet. it has worked quite well . cant run 2 Ac's with the present hook up. just got tired of tripping over the cord running across the floor from the breaker box in the garage. just be careful when you are in the power panel. it can be a shocking experience.

[john hd]

alan

be very careful fishing around in your breaker box!

depending on what size transformer serves your home there can be up to 15,000 amps of fault current available! that is enough to completely engulf you in a arc! you will not be the same after an accident of this sort.

the safest way to do this task is to call your utility and arrange an appointment to have your service disconnected. the lineman or meterman will deenergize the panel by either pulling the meter or opening the cutout disconnect at the transformer.

this is normally done at no cost to the customer as it is considered normal service, my office does 5 to 10 of these calls a week. and we are glad to do it too!

usually, if it is just a matter of installing a breaker the utility worker will just stand by and reconnect you when you are finished.

this IS the safest way.

pm me if you have any further questions.

john

[bryanl]

I'll second the idea that you shouldn't get into the panel unless you really really know what you are doing. It's really a simple process but it is easy to make a mistake and the consequences can be drastic.

Make sure the 30A breaker is single pole (110v)

Always have someone working with you as a safety backup.

[Janets Husband]

I would think you could get this installed by a electritian for about 1 or 2 hours of labor plus parts. $150 to $250
If you aren't absolutly sure of what you are doing call a professional and live longer.
$0.02

[Safari Tim]

Here's one way to save $$.

I ran the wire myself. Had to go into the crawl space and act like a worm to squirm my way around.

I mounted the box for the RV plug and wired it according to the diagram. Ran the other end of the wiring to the breaker box. Just under in not in it.

Then I had an electrician come out and do the final hookup and check.

Only took a couple of minutes after all the manual stuff was done.

I also did a sump pump with the 20 amp circuit for it at the same time and had that wired as well.

The electrican told me with the wiring done, sump pump installed etc.. I saved myself $400. (over having them install everything).

So, you can save $$ and be safe at the same time.

[Tom Nugler]

Boy, I got lucky. I already had a 30 amp 220 volt outlet in the garage that I use for the an air compresser. Turned off the breaker, branched off one leg of the 220 circuit, ran conduit with weathertight connecters along the inside wall of the garage and located the outlet just inside the garage door. It's cheap but works great. The cord on the coach has enough reach to enter under the corner of the door and the seal on the bottom crushes around the cord. Nothing like having light, heat and A/C while working.
Good Luck,
Tom

[ALANSD]

ok, guess I will go with the run the wire myself plan, and have the pro come over and do the hook up. No need to fry myself. I am one who will try to fix or maintain almost anything, literally....except at the top of the roof, and now inside the breaker box.

I have saved so much over the years doing a lot of everything myself...but sometimes it does pay to hire a pro. In the spring I repaired my central humidifier for the cost of a rubber o ring. The pros wanted 200 bucks when I described the problem to them on the phone. Then there was the time.....

[TomW]

Originally Posted by ALANSD

ok, guess I will go with the run the wire myself plan, and have the pro come over and do the hook up...

Make sure you run the correct gauge of wire for the distance you are running from your breaker box. To me, the proper wire gauge selection is the toughest part of your project.

Paul had the best response on the right wire gauge. Remember, lower gauge (in wire) is better for future expansion

Tom

[john hd]

alan etal,

here is a handy dandy minimum wire size calculator. just plug in your values and presto!

note, it assumes 3% voltage drop, no more worries about burned out airconditioner compressors!

wire size calculator


john

[Safari Tim]

Tom,

Sometimes the neutral on a 220 circuit is smaller gauge than the two 110 leads since it's not required to carry the same amount of current.

Just an FYI to make sure the existing neutral you have is big enough for the new circuit you installed.
-

Originally Posted by Tom Nugler

Boy, I got lucky. I already had a 30 amp 220 volt outlet in the garage that I use for the an air compresser. Turned off the breaker, branched off one leg of the 220 circuit, ran conduit with weathertight connecters along the inside wall of the garage and located the outlet just inside the garage door. It's cheap but works great. The cord on the coach has enough reach to enter under the corner of the door and the seal on the bottom crushes around the cord. Nothing like having light, heat and A/C while working.
Good Luck,
Tom

[87MH]

Originally Posted by john hd

...here is a handy dandy minimum wire size calculator. just plug in your values and presto!.......no more worries about burned out airconditioner compressors!

Just remember to calculate ALL of the wire runs......there is the wire from the box to your new take off point.....the 25 to 50 feet of the AS umbilical line.....AND the internal wireing within the Airstream.

I had to replace the front AC last year PROBABLY due to low voltage.

Everyone....GET A PLUG IN AC VOLTMETER!!!!!

One of the best $20 investments you can make - just leave it plugged in in an outlet you will view often - ours is in the kitchen, right below the major appliance selector switch.

[TomW]

Originally Posted by Safari Tim

..Sometimes the neutral on a 220 circuit is smaller gauge than the two 110 leads since it's not required to carry the same amount of current...

Tim,

I believe you meant to say the ground. There is no neutral on a 220 vac circuit.

Tom

[Safari Tim]

Thanks Tom

That's why I hired a guy to hook mine up :-)

Still I hope I got the point across.

Originally Posted by tcwilliams

Tim,

I believe you meant to say the ground. There is no neutral on a 220 vac circuit.

Tom

[Pick]

Be careful when hooking up the wire to the 30 amp outlet. I just bought an RV box with 30 amp outlet at HD and it fell apart when I hooked the #10 up and tried to push the wiring into the outlet box to button it up. Not sure if any of the commerically available outlets would take a #6 or #8 wire, #10 was tough enough.

The previous owner of my new house had installed an RV electrical line out to the water well pump, and also installed a cleanout in the septic line, so we also have a dump station too!