Conduit for interior wiring?

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Conduit for interior wiring?

Postby cdc3jj » Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:58 pm

I'm getting ready to start rewiring my 10' traveleze. Do I need to run the wiring through the gray plastic conduit? I'm going to be running a mini fridge, hot plate, toaster oven, possibly a roof a/c and small stuff like lights and phone chargers. I'm planning a dedicated outlet for the stove and the fridge, 2 accessory outlets for the cook area and 2 accessory outlets for phone/computer chargers etc. Also what gauge wire is advisable? I'm not planning on trying to run anything big off a battery. Perhaps just lights if we happen to be without an electric hook up. The camper originally had a small single fuse. Should I build in a small fuse panel? I apologize if some of this info has been covered before. I'm hoping to start running wires tonight. Thanks
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Re: Conduit for interior wiring?

Postby citylights » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:21 pm

cdc3jj wrote:I'm getting ready to start rewiring my 10' traveleze. Do I need to run the wiring through the gray plastic conduit? I'm going to be running a mini fridge, hot plate, toaster oven, possibly a roof a/c and small stuff like lights and phone chargers. I'm planning a dedicated outlet for the stove and the fridge, 2 accessory outlets for the cook area and 2 accessory outlets for phone/computer chargers etc. Also what gauge wire is advisable? I'm not planning on trying to run anything big off a battery. Perhaps just lights if we happen to be without an electric hook up. The camper originally had a small single fuse. Should I build in a small fuse panel? I apologize if some of this info has been covered before. I'm hoping to start running wires tonight. Thanks


Most people do not run conduit. They pull the wires through holes drilled in the studs and then maybe apply some spray foam or squirt caulking at the holes.

A few run conduit in the underside of the teardrop, to junction boxes at the floor. I ran conduit for the wires that ran under the floor and no conduit for the rest. My 110v circuits and the 12v trailer driving lights run under the trailer and pop up as needed. My 12v circuits for lights and fantastic fan run through the ceiling skin and pop down as needed.

And an even fewer number (maybe 1 in 100?) run full conduit everywhere.

I would recommend one of these, or maybe it's smaller brother if you don't need that many circuits.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-5029-Block/dp/B000MMH1GC/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1404335790&sr=1-4&keywords=blue+sea+fuse+block

Oh, one more item, I used exterior direct bury grade Romex for my 120v circuits. Then "buried" them in my under tear conduit and popped up in my teardrop walls to outlets.
Last edited by citylights on Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:38 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Conduit for interior wiring?

Postby citylights » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:25 pm

Have a look through this thread... Pretty much everything you need to know about teardrop circuits, wire, fuse, and switching is in there.

http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=1941&start=195
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Re: Conduit for interior wiring?

Postby MtnDon » Wed Jul 02, 2014 4:56 pm

citylights wrote:
cdc3jj wrote:
I would recommend one of these, or maybe it's smaller brother if you don't need that many circuits.

http://www.amazon.com/Blue-Sea-Systems-5029-Block/dp/B000MMH1GC/ref=sr_1_4?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1404335790&sr=1-4&keywords=blue+sea+fuse+block



That is a satisfactory panel for low voltage DC but not for 120 VAC. I mention that just to make certain the recommendation was for DC and not AC. (see last line of the specs on the page linked to; 32 VDC maximum)

As for conduit, it is not really needed inside. The advantage to using it would be that it would make accidental penetration of any wire pretty much impossible. I used some where it was easier to run exposed surface wires rather than buried inside wall or floor framing.
Our 6x12 deep vee nose cargo trailer camper conversion... viewtopic.php?f=42&t=58336

We have a small off grid cabin we built ourselves in the NM mountains; small PV solar system; 624 watts PV, Outback CC & inverter/charger ... http://countryplans.com/smf/index.php?topic=2335.0
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Re: Conduit for interior wiring?

Postby citylights » Wed Jul 02, 2014 9:28 pm

MtnDon wrote:That is a satisfactory panel for low voltage DC but not for 120 VAC. I mention that just to make certain the recommendation was for DC and not AC. (see last line of the specs on the page linked to; 32 VDC maximum)


Mtndon, you are correct. I am sorry that I was not more clear. The fuse box I posted was for 12v circuits. The links I gave have discussion about those and options for 120v power systems too.

I used that fuse box for the 12v circuits and one of these (or similar model) for a couple of 120v circuits, 120v circuit breakers, 12v converter, and 12v battery charger.

http://www.amazon.com/WFCO-WF-8735-PB-Black-Power-Center/dp/B004LF14Q4/ref=pd_sim_sbs_e_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0XMYMY70H1JP1HGGB2MQ
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Re: Conduit for interior wiring?

Postby cdc3jj » Thu Jul 03, 2014 11:57 am

Thanks for the reply. I purchased a small 70a box so I'll have 4 15a circuits coming in from my 120 hookup. I didn't think about running a small fuse panel for 12v, but as I look for more appliances I'm seeing more 12v options so I might install a little fuse box for some aux goodies. Thanks for the link. I'll just run the wire in the walls and staple it down.
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