Look at what I did today.

[Safari Tim]

My brother gave me an RV 30 amp outlet and box with about 70 feet of #8 wire.

I did not want to crawl under my house to run the wire myself because its only about 14" of clearance and wet and muddy.

We have a problem with standing water during the winter months and now in July it is still muddy.

I had an electrician come by about a month ago to give me a quote on installing the RV plug. We also talked about a sump pump and wiring for that to address my wet crawl space problem.

He commented that he would do the job but did not want to dig the hole for the sump pump bucket. Said that I would have to do that.

After about a month waiting to hear his quote I decded that if I had to go under the house myself to dig the pit, I might as well run the wiring myself.

So that is what I did today. After being under the house for about 4 hours, I ran the #8 for the RV plug, ran #12 for the sump pump circuit, and dug a hole an installed a sump pump with float switch under the house. All in 14" of work area

All is done execpt the actual wiring at the breakers box. Which I'm sure I can handle, but my cousin has done much more of this than me so I think I will let him do the hookup.

Here are some pics of the RV plug I finished wiring and mounted. The black hose on the bottom is the outlet for the sump pump.

[JohnG]

Nice installation Tim.

I have thought about doing the same but I, like you, have a small muddy crawl space and in my part of the country it's not unusual to run into a snake in your crawl space. Guess for now I will keep thinking of other things.

[BobbyW]

You will really enjoy having the proper connection handy for your Airstream.

I was given mine my a neighbor whose church used to have RV hook-ups for traveling evangelists. When they enlarged their parking lot, they pulled up 4 of these connections with 150' of cable on each of them and tossed them in storage. He was over at the house one day and commented about all the cords I had scattered all over the driveway. Next thing I knew we were running cable through the attic and mounting the box on the side of my house. I had an electrician come out and terminate it for us. I hang an outdoor GFI pig-tail on it and use it to run the A/C in the Airstream now.

[Safari Tim]

JohnG - Snakes! Guess I was lucky. Didn't see any of them

BobbyW - Through the attic eh... That would have been quite a run for me with my two story and the circuit box in the garage At least I got my sump pump setup now, so that's done.

What is this GFI pig tail you speak of? Is it good for 30 amps?

[Pick]

I've been fortunate, in that the previous owner of my new house had installed a #10 line out to the well pump area with 30 amp breaker. I would like to extend it another 250', so I can park the A/S down in a park like area under the shade. This will involve trenching, to extend water and electric. I will need to go to #6 wire because of the distance. I would not have to worry about allowing a few gallons of grey water to escape at that distance from the well, something I would not even dream of doing now.

[BobbyW]

Can't find an exact photo, but similar to this one except mine is a 30 amp. The one pictured is a 20 amp. I have been shocked so many times that I have become almost paranoid. Since my Globetrotter is totally isolated from the ground, I don't want to be the human wire that completes the circuit.

(pictured: 20amp inline

(GFI) Ground Fault Interrupt)

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by BobbyW

Can't find an exact photo, but similar to this one except mine is a 30 amp. The one pictured is a 20 amp. I have been shocked so many times that I have become almost paranoid. Since my Globetrotter is totally isolated from the ground, I don't want to be the human wire that completes the circuit.

That's an interesting device. Handy because you can take it with you, like when your camping.

Even still if your regularly getting shocked from your trailer, you should investigate that

I use a multimeter when ever we are camping to check the voltage. Then I use one of those polarity checkers on a dog bone adapter to check for correct wiring.

The one pictured is $8 from Home Depot.

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by Pick

I've been fortunate, in that the previous owner of my new house had installed a #10 line out to the well pump area with 30 amp breaker. I would like to extend it another 250', so I can park the A/S down in a park like area under the shade.

That sounds like it would be very nice. Camping in your own back yard.

[BobbyW]

Originally Posted by BobbyW

I have been shocked so many times that I have become almost paranoid.

Never been shocked from my Globetrotter, just during my lifetime. Since discovering GFI's I just use them religiously. When I had my last 2 home's electrical worked on, I have had them put everywhere that I thought they would help, even if code did require them. Cheap insurance.

[Silvertwinkie]

I too have the box and gear...just need the wire and the time to install the 30a. When I had the electric done in the garage (before I owned and RV), I had them place a 2" pipe between the house and the detached garage.

My house doesn't have a basement, so the RV is my quasi basment/retreat. Be nice to run the A/C unit in the summer!

[garry]

Installed mine last week and worst part by far was the crawling under the house. It is nice not having the wire under the door or out the window
I installed a 30A breaker but thinking of going back to a 20A.

Garry

[Safari Tim]

Originally Posted by garry

Installed mine last week and worst part by far was the crawling under the house. It is nice not having the wire under the door or out the window
I installed a 30A breaker but thinking of going back to a 20A.

Garry

That's what I figured Gary. That's why when the electrician said I would have to dig my own hole for the sump pump, I decided just do the whole thing myself and save some $$$.

Wondering why you would want to go back to a 20 amp breaker? As long as you have 10 gage or bigger wire, with the 30 amp plug, what would the benefit be going with a 20A breaker?