Wiring Tradewind power hook-up

[smith135]

My electrician recommends I power my Airstream with one 20 amp circuit to the heat/air and another 20 amp circuit to everthing else (at my farm). Anyone knowledgeable on this? I assume my Tradewind is a 70's model and has no newer wiring or connections.

[airstreamjudy]

smith135, you will get lots of posts. My suggestion is as your electrician suggests about the HVAC. You need to take a look at the other electrical appliances that you will be using. I had 3 switches in my '68, 24' Tradewind. I added another one for my new water heater. So the a/c and the water heater each have a switch with a 20 amp breaker. Then I have starboard/port outlets that handles everything else. I'm thinking that I'm going to change my 30amp incoming system to a 50 amp service and then add a few new outlets for electric heaters. I no longer have propane.

[Lumatic]

When you say "heat/air" are you referring to an air conditioner with a heat strip. The AC runs on 120v ac. The furnace runs on 12v dc.

In my 71 Tradewind there are 2 120 circuit breakers. It would make sense to have one breaker for the AC and one for everything else(?)

In my 71 (and I believe other 70s models) there are 4 12 v circuits, one of which I think is just for the furnace (?).

[azflycaster]

Originally Posted by smith135

My electrician recommends I power my Airstream with one 20 amp circuit to the heat/air and another 20 amp circuit to everthing else (at my farm). Anyone knowledgeable on this? I assume my Tradewind is a 70's model and has no newer wiring or connections.

It sounds to me like your electrician wants to setup power to feed your Trade Wind and to do it with separate circuits. This is really not needed since the power is distributed from the 120 volt panel in the trailer.

You should have a shore power cord with a RV style plug on the end. Your electrician needs to wire an outlet (120 volt 30 amp) for this to plug into.

[Alwhisman]

Mine is set up that way, I have one for my roof unit (AC/Heat Strip), and the second for the outlets


Al

[smith135]

all i know is heat and air are part of same rooftop unit which I assume is on one line\circuit\same

[Alwhisman]

That's correct

[smith135]

Originally Posted by azflycaster

It sounds to me like your electrician wants to setup power to feed your Trade Wind and to do it with separate circuits. This is really not needed since the power is distributed from the 120 volt panel in the trailer.

You should have a shore power cord with a RV style plug on the end. Your electrician needs to wire an outlet (120 volt 30 amp) for this to plug into.

I have two red and one green fairly heavy wires, probably 30 amp, coming out to the outside compartment under the kitchen sink. They probably use to have an RV type 30 amp plug on them but are now bare. They feed to under the sink into a kind of spaghetti looking conglomeration of wires, but I have seen no panel there or anywhere else. If I have a panel do you have a guess where it is, assuming the spaghetti thing is not the panel or quasi panel?

[azflycaster]

On my 75 TW the power cord is inside the rear bumper. The power panel and converter are located inside the bathroom closet.

[68 TWind]

My 68 TW has 3 15 amp breakers. One for a/c and two for the two 110 circuits. I added a 4th for my new gas/electric Atwood water heater.

[Alwhisman]

Looks like a regular breaker panel, just smaller (like an 8 space). Should be in the bath closet.

Your spaghetti network sounds like part of your 12 volt system

[Alwhisman]

just wondering, are you talking about the power center in your AS, or something your installing for shore power at your home (farm).

Your AS should already configured and running okay.....

If it's for shore power, just one 30 amp single pole will be just fine (120vac to your AS). You can pick up a box and RV outlet online or from a supply house.

[Birdwell57]

The reason for two 20A circuits would be that you you don't have a 30A outlet (supply) available. If you go with two 20A outlets (supply) to plug into they would have to be fed from separate house breakers. If you plug one cord in the top and one in the bottom of an outlet that is fed from a single 20A breaker and turn everything on in the AS you're probably going to trip the breaker. The advantage to two 20A circuits is that you can hook up pretty much any where that has electricity (as long as the supply circuits are on separate breakers). As Azflycaster said, have the electrician install a 30A outlet at the farm. Most campgrounds with hookups will have a 30A outlet to accommodate. If the campground only has a 15A or 20A you will need an adapter and not be able able to run as many devices.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by smith135

all i know is heat and air are part of same rooftop unit which I assume is on one line\circuit\same

I believe the "heat" you are referring to is a heat strip in the AC which is not adequate to be the primary heat source. Maybe you have something else like a heat pump. I don't know about those. Most ASs have a propane furnace as the primary heat source. The fan on the furnaces run on 12v.

[kennethowens]

Look and see if you have a small breaker box inside the trailer.
If not, they sell small one's at Lowe's. You may want more power
available for usage, if you do, a small breaker box with room for
4 to 6 breakers would work. I would suggest a new power cord
and a new small breaker box if things look as messy as described.