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Old 06-23-2016, 02:31 PM   #41
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Where is your meter? I installed a sub panel just under the main disconnect which is mounted to the back of the house next to the meter. The panel has breakers and outlets for 50 and 15 amp service. My main panel is in the garage at the other end of the house. It is a 300 amp panel, but to get to the side of the house where the trailer is parked I would have to either tunnel under the driveway or go through the attic, down through the wall and through the brick. Installing the sub panel where I did took about an hour and no digging.
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Old 06-23-2016, 04:14 PM   #42
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Don't jack around with electricity. Do it right or not at all please.
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Old 06-23-2016, 04:21 PM   #43
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Most homeowner insurance company's get upset when your house burns down and they find electrical work that does not meet code.
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Old 06-23-2016, 05:52 PM   #44
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Another option no one has mentioned would be to wire an extension cord to plug into the dryer recepticle of the home. it is a dedicated and protected 30 amp 240 volt circuit. only using one phase of the plug to run the AS. laundry may pile up but the AC will run.
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Old 06-23-2016, 06:00 PM   #45
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The best option would be to mount a 50a 240v sub panel to the garage. Get your electrician to do your connections but run the wire yourself. this will save you a ton of $$$$. run 6/3ga wire from electrical panel to garage. easiest way is to rent a trenching machine from (HD,Lowes,rental place) spend an afternoon running the wire (easy job but time consuming when paying someone buy the hour to do). then the sparky can do your hookups in an hour or 2 and you are set for anything in the garage. HUGE selling feature for the home as well in the future.
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Old 06-23-2016, 06:15 PM   #46
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There is a lot to AC power that many of us do not know. About two years ago someone shared an adapter that they had purchased to use on their generator on the forum. I found that the product had been removed from the market for safety reasons. I too was trying to use both outlets on the generator but my father, mr electric, laughed and talked about how you cannot always do that because of phase and other issues. Don't mix electrical sources he said just remember that ok? So, he started my generator and found that both were actually in phase but regardless he said, it isn't necessary as the generator will output the max to one plug anyway.

Houses are different as are circuits- like a different source. Anyway, I feel for you. Hope the best with the electrician.
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Old 06-23-2016, 06:28 PM   #47
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"Jerry-rigging" and "30-amp service" are not happy to co-exist in the same sentence ... much less in reality. I am glad you asked before leaping ... hire a pro. You will be far better off. We understand wanting AC for your rig at home, as we are in AZ ... we hired an electrician to run a 30-amp line run to our trailer and it was one of the smartest things we have ever invested in for our rig. We have never regretted it ... and now our Bambi can remain in a non-melting state even in 100+ degree weather.

Good luck!
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Old 06-23-2016, 06:37 PM   #48
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Lots of great information/opinion exchange going on this thread, and I appreciate all of the participation as it gets me thinking of alternative options.

So a bit more information: My main breaker box, as mentioned earlier, is mounted near the front corner of the house. It is a 200A box, and the meter is right next to it.

I do have a correction to earlier mis-est some space in the bimates: Distance from the box to the garage is 104 ft.


Between my main power cord and an extension, I have enough to reach the back of the house, so maybe a conduit run along the length of the house to a 30A female could be a safer alternative...
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Old 06-23-2016, 07:06 PM   #49
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Throw in a double breaker or two and make some room.

Sounds like your electrician was including the BPCF (Boat Payment Correction Factor)
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Old 06-23-2016, 07:07 PM   #50
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Originally Posted by Belegedhel View Post
Lots of great information/opinion exchange going on this thread, and I appreciate all of the participation as it gets me thinking of alternative options.



So a bit more information: My main breaker box, as mentioned earlier, is mounted near the front corner of the house. It is a 200A box, and the meter is right next to it.



I do have a correction to earlier mis-est some space in the bimates: Distance from the box to the garage is 104 ft.





Between my main power cord and an extension, I have enough to reach the back of the house, so maybe a conduit run along the length of the house to a 30A female could be a safer alternative...


And a lot easier to have installed.


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Old 06-23-2016, 07:47 PM   #51
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JimGolden has your solution. Take out the two circuit breakers that go to your garage and replace them with the slim line splits. They will go back into the box leaving you an open space. Use this to place a new 30 Amp breaker and run your line to where you want to install the new outlet.

Make sure you research the size of wire needed to carry the 30 amps through the distance you need. While reading all of this I was wondering how large is the wire that services the circuits in your garage? In home wiring, without special cases or distances, a 15 amp circuit is usually carried on a 14 gauge wire while a 20 amp on a 12 gauge wire. A 30 amp requires a heavier wire and even heavier if going a long distance.

My house was built in 1924 but it did have a "new" 200 amp box installed somewhere in the 70's. We have had a new kitchen done, a new furnace and two new air conditioners. Each time the electrician swapped out the old circuit breakers with the newer splits. Always done to code and always passed. No problems.
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Old 06-23-2016, 07:55 PM   #52
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Here is something you might find interesting.

http://www.myrv.us/Imgs/PDF/30-amp%20Service.pdf

Google voltage drop charts and see what gauge wire you will need. A 30 amp circuit runs nicely on a 10 gauge wire but only to around 25 feet. At 100 feet I think it said 8 but 6 might be better...Lots of stuff here to read about wire size, load and distance.
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Old 06-23-2016, 08:35 PM   #53
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To be honest, I think you're asking for trouble.

30 amp is 30 amp is 30 amp. PERIOD.

It's not a good idea to Mickey Mouse this connection. If you have to, call an electrician.

Stick with the proper connection that engineers intended. You'll be glad you did.

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Old 06-23-2016, 08:56 PM   #54
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The two outlets could be wired to opposite sides of the main power line, which would mean the hot leads (the black wires) would have 240 VAC across them.

Absolutely don't mess with a jumper plug to bridge the two outlets.

You may be able to install 1/2 width breakers to open up some space in the panel, without rewiring the whole thing. You can get 1/2 wides for most brands.
Then you could add a proper 30 amp new circuit. 10ga if short distance, 8ga if long distance.

However if your panel is FPE Federal Pacific Electric, then call a good electrician, because FPE breakers may not drop out even in a total short circuit, I have had it happen personally!! Replace a FPE panel if at all possible.
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Old 06-23-2016, 10:01 PM   #55
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FPE dual breakers are also very bad. They don't pop either.


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Old 06-23-2016, 10:09 PM   #56
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One way to save on job is to buy correct size wire for job. Get an electricians recommendation for that. Call the # for safe digging I think it's 811. They will come out and mark all underground wires and pipes. You can rent a trencher that you can handle and trench and lay your own wire. That would save a lot of labor costs . Than the expense would be for the electrician to do the final connections at garage and panel.good luck.
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Old 06-23-2016, 10:33 PM   #57
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aftermath View Post
JimGolden has your solution. Take out the two circuit breakers that go to your garage and replace them with the slim line splits. They will go back into the box leaving you an open space. Use this to place a new 30 Amp breaker and run your line to where you want to install the new outlet.

Make sure you research the size of wire needed to carry the 30 amps through the distance you need. While reading all of this I was wondering how large is the wire that services the circuits in your garage? In home wiring, without special cases or distances, a 15 amp circuit is usually carried on a 14 gauge wire while a 20 amp on a 12 gauge wire. A 30 amp requires a heavier wire and even heavier if going a long distance.

My house was built in 1924 but it did have a "new" 200 amp box installed somewhere in the 70's. We have had a new kitchen done, a new furnace and two new air conditioners. Each time the electrician swapped out the old circuit breakers with the newer splits. Always done to code and always passed. No problems.
This. Use "mini" breakers for the smaller existing circuits to make room for a new single pole 30 amp breaker. Run proper sized conduit and wires. $1000.00 from a licensed electrician doesn't seem out of line, out here anyways.
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Old 06-23-2016, 11:18 PM   #58
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Originally Posted by rodsterinfl View Post
There is a lot to AC power that many of us do not know. About two years ago someone shared an adapter that they had purchased to use on their generator on the forum. I found that the product had been removed from the market for safety reasons. I too was trying to use both outlets on the generator but my father, mr electric, laughed and talked about how you cannot always do that because of phase and other issues. Don't mix electrical sources he said just remember that ok? So, he started my generator and found that both were actually in phase but regardless he said, it isn't necessary as the generator will output the max to one plug anyway.

Houses are different as are circuits- like a different source. Anyway, I feel for you. Hope the best with the electrician.

Hi, I have one of those orange adapters on my Yamaha 2400 and it works great. If you have a duplex outlet that has one hot, one neutral, and one ground wire connected to it, this will work fine. The advantage that this adapter has is double the connections at the generator and a direct 30 amp connection for the RV cord. Not necessary, but a much better connection than a 30 amp to 15 amp reducer. [a reducer can shake loose, or fall out, due to the weight of the RV cord]

The problem with this adapter, and the reason it was discontinued, was because many contractor generators had separate phases, or separate wires to each outlet. And houses with duplex outlets wired for two different purposes. Common in some houses is a duplex with one outlet that is always hot and the other one is switched for a lamp. Also a duplex under the kitchen sink with one hot outlet for the dish washer and the other one switched for the garbage disposal. These would be very dangerous, but then again, why would anyone use this RV adapter on a inside of your house outlet?????
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Old 06-24-2016, 09:03 AM   #59
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Here's an option to consider and one that at least has built-in breakers - just in case...

http://www.streambrite.com/images/in...r-power-I6.jpg
I guess my initial post was not thinking so far out of the box afterall...Looks like Steambrite already manufactures something that achieves a similar goal. Pricey though!

http://www.steam-brite.com/mytee-500...0-p-14192.html
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Old 06-24-2016, 09:27 AM   #60
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Steambrite does not tell enough about that unit to get me to drop $350.00 on it.

Interesting, the sticker on the thing sort of shows two of them going to one other device.

It may be intended for the pressure washer equipment they sell.
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