Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

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Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby toconnor602 » Sat Jul 30, 2016 5:50 pm

Hey Everyone,

I am finishing up the planning stage of my build. I am running into some confusion on how to setup my electrical. I am building a big woody camper. Here are items I plan to have in that will require power.

Reading lights above the bed
3 interior outlets 120 VAC
Car stereo with flip out lcd screen (to watch dvd's) - 2 small 4" speakers
electric cooler - 1.5 amps
ice maker - 1.5 amps
Small 2500 BTU air conditioner (we live in Florida)
3 outlets in the galley
Coffee Maker
Vent Fan
1 exterior outlet
1 exterior light

I plan to use the MIghty Mini from Progressive Dynamics. so here are my questions.

1. I would like to have an inlet for 120VAC in case I would like to hook up at my house where 30 Amp is not available. Will I be able to run this line directly into the mighty mini as well or do I need a separate junction box?

2. from the above items which ones other than the air conditioner need to be ran off of 120 VAC?

3. How may circuit breakers will I need and what types (30 Amp) (1 breaker with 2 15 Amps)

4. I looked for pictures for the back of the Mighty Mini but could not find any. Does anyone have a diagram of all the connections in the back?

5. I am assuming the built in charge wizard is to recharge the battery I will have in my tongue box.

6. Any issues mounting this in a galley cabinet?


Thank you for your input, I am an electrical novice at this point so any help pointing me in the right direction is greatly appreciated!.

Terrence
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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby m.colley » Sun Jul 31, 2016 4:11 pm

toconnor602 wrote:Hey Everyone,

I am finishing up the planning stage of my build. I am running into some confusion on how to setup my electrical. I am building a big woody camper. Here are items I plan to have in that will require power.

Reading lights above the bed
3 interior outlets 120 VAC
Car stereo with flip out lcd screen (to watch dvd's) - 2 small 4" speakers
electric cooler - 1.5 amps
ice maker - 1.5 amps
Small 2500 BTU air conditioner (we live in Florida)
3 outlets in the galley
Coffee Maker
Vent Fan
1 exterior outlet
1 exterior light

I plan to use the MIghty Mini from Progressive Dynamics. so here are my questions.

1. I would like to have an inlet for 120VAC in case I would like to hook up at my house where 30 Amp is not available. Will I be able to run this line directly into the mighty mini as well or do I need a separate junction box?

2. from the above items which ones other than the air conditioner need to be ran off of 120 VAC?

3. How may circuit breakers will I need and what types (30 Amp) (1 breaker with 2 15 Amps)

4. I looked for pictures for the back of the Mighty Mini but could not find any. Does anyone have a diagram of all the connections in the back?

5. I am assuming the built in charge wizard is to recharge the battery I will have in my tongue box.

6. Any issues mounting this in a galley cabinet?


Thank you for your input, I am an electrical novice at this point so any help pointing me in the right direction is greatly appreciated!.

Terrence



Hiya Terrance,
If by the mighty Mini your talking about the PD4045 or the PD4060 you've made a good choice, many people on this forum use it.

1. I would like to have an inlet for 120VAC in case I would like to hook up at my house where 30 Amp is not available. Will I be able to run this line directly into the mighty mini as well or do I need a separate junction box? Yes you can run use the same inlet, just use a simple "dog bone " adapter. It will allow you to plug into a 15/20A outlet at your home.

2. from the above items which ones other than the air conditioner need to be ran off of 120 VAC?That would depend, is the electric cooler and ice maker rated to take 120V to run? If so then both of them, the coffee maker, the galley receptacles and the 3 interior receptacles. The rest can pretty much be run off of 12V DC

3. How may circuit breakers will I need and what types (30 Amp) (1 breaker with 2 15 Amps). That would depend as well, you will need atleast two for PD 4135, one being a 30A. I would suggest wiring your AC on a separate circuit of its own (15 or 20A) depending on need. You could then wire the 3 interior receptacles on one circuit (15A), the 3 galley receptacles one a circuit (15A) and depending on the answer to #2 above possibly one more 15A circuit. Using tandem breakers will save one space in the 4135's panel

4. I looked for pictures for the back of the Mighty Mini but could not find any. Does anyone have a diagram of all the connections in the back? The wiring diagram they supply sucks. Look thru the electrical section threads for a better understanding

5. I am assuming the built in charge wizard is to recharge the battery I will have in my tongue box.Yes you are correct

6. Any issues mounting this in a galley cabinet? None that I'm aware of, many people mount them in the galley

Martin
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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby H.A. » Sun Jul 31, 2016 11:20 pm

Dont forget your 120vac receptacles should be connected thru your favourite GFCI device.
As you plan to remote locate a battery,
Be sure to utilise adequate size conductor and fit your favourite OCPD as close to the battery connection as practical.
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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby aggie79 » Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:19 am

Take a look at this thread: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=59874. It has some better pictures and explanations.
Tom (& Linda)
For build info on our former Silver Beatle teardrop:
Build Thread

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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby toconnor602 » Mon Aug 01, 2016 1:43 pm

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply!

Definitely helps me clear up a few things.

Still a little confused on one item


3. How may circuit breakers will I need and what types (30 Amp) (1 breaker with 2 15 Amps). That would depend as well, you will need at least two for PD 4135, one being a 30A. I would suggest wiring your AC on a separate circuit of its own (15 or 20A) depending on need. You could then wire the 3 interior receptacles on one circuit (15A), the 3 galley receptacles one a circuit (15A) and depending on the answer to #2 above possibly one more 15A circuit. Using tandem breakers will save one space in the 4135's panel



I plan on using the PD4045. My initial thought was that I would only be able to place breakers in here that add up to 30 Amps total, but reading the specs states the max output is 45 AMPS (DC) and One main Breaker of 30 Amps for 120VAC with up to 7 branch circuits. Reading the comment above it sounds like I could place 3 separate 15 Amp Breakers off of the main 30 AMP and be fine?
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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby H.A. » Mon Aug 01, 2016 2:41 pm

toconnor602 wrote: Reading the comment above it sounds like I could place 3 separate 15 Amp Breakers off of the main 30 AMP and be fine?


This is right.
The 30amp is the max for the entire camper, the individual circuits are generally never loaded to their maximum, much less all at the same time.
Some folks use twin breakers, what can provide a 30 amp as a main & 7 additional circuits of 15 amp.
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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby m.colley » Mon Aug 01, 2016 2:47 pm

toconnor602 wrote:Thank you to everyone for taking the time to reply!

Definitely helps me clear up a few things.

still a little confused on one item
I plan on using the PD4045. My initial thought was that I would only be able to place breakers in here that add up to 30 Amps total, but reading the specs states the max output is 45 AMPS (DC) and One main Breaker of 30 Amps for 120VAC with up to 7 branch circuits. Reading the comment above it sounds like I could place 3 separate 15 Amp Breakers off of the main 30 AMP and be fine?


On the PD4045, the 30A breaker acts as Main breaker just like the breaker box in your house. Including that 30A breaker you have room for 7 breakers total if you use a "tandem" style breaker on the other circuits. A tandem breaker looks like the picture below
140875
Three of these along with the standard 30A breaker gives you 7 circuits. Be careful, the tandem breakers aren't cheap to buy. I think I paid almost three times what a normal breaker would cost vs the tandem.

Martin
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Re: Basic setup questions - Mighty Mini

Postby toconnor602 » Mon Aug 01, 2016 7:22 pm

aggie79 wrote:Take a look at this thread: http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=59874. It has some better pictures and explanations.


Thanks, the schematic on Page 3 helped tie it together.
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