Setting Up 30 Amp etc

[carpenc]

Hi there, I am “building” my own campsite which means I need the usual 30 amp post with 2-3 “regular “ plug ins. That’s what Iv’e told the contractor but I think he needs to hear it in contractor or Electrician-ease. There is an old house on the property so electricity is available ( and has been shut off). Any translations welcome

[Al and Missy]

If you mean you want 2 or 3 30A plugins, that will take 90 amps of service. Either a large gauge feeder run to a distribution panel near the plugins, or separate runs from the house to each. The electrician should know how to size the wire depending on the length and the current.

The receptacles you want are:
https://www.zoro.com/hubbell-wiring-...yABEgLrAvD_BwE

or similar. Your electrician should be able to select a box for mounting them. You'll want one suitable for use in wet areas when the trailer is plugged in.

Al

[carpenc]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

If you mean you want 2 or 3 30A plugins, that will take 90 amps of service. Either a large gauge feeder run to a distribution panel near the plugins, or separate runs from the house to each. The electrician should know how to size the wire depending on the length and the current.

The receptacles you want are:
https://www.zoro.com/hubbell-wiring-...yABEgLrAvD_BwE

or similar. Your electrician should be able to select a box for mounting them. You'll want one suitable for use in wet areas when the trailer is plugged in.

Al

Thank you Al, I want one 30 amp plug and a few 220 (?) to run various appliances lije fans, laptops, small heaters etc outside. Thank you for the info and the link. Embarrassed I don’t know the verbiage for the other plug ins—too accustomed to just mindlessly plugging in at State Parks.

[pdavitt]

Originally Posted by carpenc

Thank you Al, I want one 30 amp plug and a few 220 (?) to run various appliances lije fans, laptops, small heaters etc outside. Thank you for the info and the link. Embarrassed I don’t know the verbiage for the other plug ins—too accustomed to just mindlessly plugging in at State Parks.

Whoa. Be "sure" the electrician understands that you want a 30A 120V service, plus some 15A 120V receptacles. Many home electricians assume that a 30A circuit should be at 240V. If you plug 240V into your airstream you will probably fry a lot of stuff.


Pat

[TN Princess]

the "others" for outside computer, fans, etc is 120v 20amp duplex receptacle (also called a outlet).

[Titus]

Show him the end of your power cord and the 120/125V, 60HZ, 30A sticker on the Interstate where the power cord plugs in. That should be all he needs to know.

Not sure that you'd need separate power for computer or fan - you could just use the inside or outside outlets on the Interstate. But an extra circuit (separate from the Interstate power) would be good for a portable heater. That would let you run the microwave and/or electric water heat in the Interstate and have the heater going outside.

[Bill M.]

I think if I was going to put in an outlet for a camper and was hiring an electrician I would go ahead and put in the 50 amp service. Maybe both a 30 and a 50 or use the 50 to 30 adaptor that one has to carry now anyway. And at least 1 gfi 120 outlet. It will cost more for the wire and parts but not likely to have to do it again in the near future.

[A W Warn]

Originally Posted by carpenc

Hi there, I am “building” my own campsite which means I need the usual 30 amp post with 2-3 “regular “ plug ins. That’s what Iv’e told the contractor but I think he needs to hear it in contractor or Electrician-ease. There is an old house on the property so electricity is available ( and has been shut off). Any translations welcome

You could order one of these then run over and pickup the panel for the contractor.
This is the type found in a campground. This could be mounted on the side of the old house or on a pole at your campsite.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Siemens-125...nel/1000044297

or go a cheaper route:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Eaton-30-Am...-Panel/3027569
and
https://www.lowes.com/pd/REDDOT-Meta...ver/1000405007

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Bill M.

I think if I was going to put in an outlet for a camper and was hiring an electrician I would go ahead and put in the 50 amp service. Maybe both a 30 and a 50 or use the 50 to 30 adaptor that one has to carry now anyway. And at least 1 gfi 120 outlet. It will cost more for the wire and parts but not likely to have to do it again in the near future.

This.

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

If you mean you want 2 or 3 30A plugins, that will take 90 amps of service.

One would think so, on paper, but if you look at campgrounds, they don't do that.

I was staying at a park while they rewired it. Big commercial electrician with distro boxes etc. All the sites were 50 amp, but they didn't have 50 amp x the number of sites. Maybe half of that. They claimed that there's a formula for how much power is needed for x number of sites at 50 amp each. Eventually, I was told to butt out.

They also used direct burial cable, and I would have put it in conduit.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Mollysdad

This.


One would think so, on paper, but if you look at campgrounds, they don't do that.

I was staying at a park while they rewired it. Big commercial electrician with distro boxes etc. All the sites were 50 amp, but they didn't have 50 amp x the number of sites. Maybe half of that. They claimed that there's a formula for how much power is needed for x number of sites at 50 amp each. Eventually, I was told to butt out.

They also used direct burial cable, and I would have put it in conduit.

Actually the code allows for that. The assumption is the more outlets you have the lower the probability is that they would all be running at the full 30A rating at the same time. The derating starts at five, if I recall correctly. For just 3 there is no derating. But a box with multiple outlets, like 50 and 30 or 30 and 15 or 20 only needs to provide capacity for the higher rated receptacle.

A 30A outlet for an RV and other outlets in the same box can be fed by one 30A feeder but other outlets at other locations would have to be on a separate branch circuit, per code anyway.

Al

[TG Twinkie]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

If you mean you want 2 or 3 30A plugins, that will take 90 amps of service. Either a large gauge feeder run to a distribution panel near the plugins, or separate runs from the house to each. The electrician should know how to size the wire depending on the length and the current.

The receptacles you want are:
https://www.zoro.com/hubbell-wiring-...yABEgLrAvD_BwE

or similar. Your electrician should be able to select a box for mounting them. You'll want one suitable for use in wet areas when the trailer is plugged in.

Al

Not true.
Look at the distribution panel in your home.
If you were to add up the total of each circuit breaker in the panel and compare that total to the main breaker size. There would be a significant difference.

[gklott]

Recommend having your electrician install an Eaton CHU1N7N4NS, available via Home Depot.

Tell your electrician that this is for a recreational vehicle (NEC Article 551), and you feeder panel will provide receptacles shown in Figure 551.46(C)(1) of the 2017 NEC Handbook. Recommend that your electrician also installs a new grounding electrode (ground rod) at your outlet panel.

Strongly recommend that you provide GFCI protection for each circuit in your feeder panel. This means replacing the 30A panel breaker with:
Eaton BR 30-Amp 1-Pole GFCI Circuit Breaker Model GFTCB130
and replacing the 50A breaker with:
Eaton BR 50-Amp 2-Pole GFCI Circuit Breaker Model GFTCB250CS
Believe the panel above uses Eaton BR type breakers, but have your electrician verify it first. The Eaton panel above has a GFCI protected 20A receptacle.

While not yet specified in the NEC, we are sure glad we replaced our 30A and 50A breakers with GFCI. At least twice, they identified a problem with our trailer.

73/gus

[cazual6]

If the electrician doesn't know what a 30A 120v RV plug is, I am concerned for your safety.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Not true.
Look at the distribution panel in your home.
If you were to add up the total of each circuit breaker in the panel and compare that total to the main breaker size. There would be a significant difference.

See Post#10. NFPA 70 is complex. Certain services can be de-rated, each with a different formula; others cannot. 15/20A duplex receptacles are a good example. When many are combined on a branch circuit one must only account for 150VA for each while they can provide over 10 times that. Your home breaker panel is another. There are rules for what service you need to support a series of loads. You can't make general assumptions by counting breakers. You have to consider what the combination of loads are on each branch circuit fed by a breaker.

Al

[TG Twinkie]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

See Post#10. NFPA 70 is complex. Certain services can be de-rated, each with a different formula; others cannot. 15/20A duplex receptacles are a good example. When many are combined on a branch circuit one must only account for 150VA for each while they can provide over 10 times that. Your home breaker panel is another. There are rules for what service you need to support a series of loads. You can't make general assumptions by counting breakers. You have to consider what the combination of loads are on each branch circuit fed by a breaker.

Al

Seems to me you were doing that when you called for 90 amps for 3 30amp receptacles.
That was my point. You don't need 90 amps for this.

[PirateChris]

Sounds like you want a standard RV power panel.

Try this link to Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Siemens-TL137...32207842&psc=1

or just google "30 Amp RV Power Panel"

this is an easy and straight forward install for a licensed electrician.

good luck

PirateChris

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by TG Twinkie

Seems to me you were doing that when you called for 90 amps for 3 30amp receptacles.
That was my point. You don't need 90 amps for this.

You didn't read post 10. My information comes straight from NFPA 70. What is your source?

EOM

Al

[markdoane]

One thing your electrician will need to consider is what type of feeder you are using.

If you are on rocky soil with lots of tree roots you should use rigid galvanized pipe. You can use UF (underground feeder cable) buried 12" deep if you are only using 120v 20a service and have GFCI protection. Otherwise UF needs to be 24" deep.

If you are on sandy or loose soil you can use plastic PVC conduit buried 18" deep.

Which you choose depends on the type of soil, how long the run, and your electrician's willingness to dig a trench. He will also know if any local rules override the general conditions above.

[sthrngary]

You have gotten some very good information on this topic. I actually did this to my home in Florida. The key for me was to have a on/off switch both at the 30 amp pole breaker and at the main breaker on the wall of my home. The reason for this is you never want to plug your power to your RV in while current is going through it. You plug in first, then turn on breaker.

The other issue I had was how deep to put the cord coming from the home to the 30 amp pole. We settled on three feet of a continuous line. I hope this is helpful.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by sthrngary

The key for me was to have a on/off switch both at the 30 amp pole breaker and at the main breaker on the wall of my home. The reason for this is you never want to plug your power to your RV in while current is going through it. You plug in first, then turn on breaker.

I have a 30a outlet at home. No switch. I simply plug in my surge suppressor first without the umbilical plugged in. That gives me 2 1/2 minutes to plug in the umbilical from the AI before the surge suppressor passes 120v through to its outlet. I always hear the microwave beep when the line goes hot as confirmation that I have power to the AI. I do the same at the storage yard.