Electrical advice needed...

[kymoonshine]

Hello and thanks for such a wonderful forum...I have no doubt at all I will find all the info here I need to finish my camper...and I hope to be able to contribute with the knowledge I have learned so far as well...I have read so many threads in the electrical forum that my head hurts and my eyes are crossed...so I thought I would ask my questions about wiring the little guy up:

I will be powering 1 very small(smallest unit I can find)AC unit....1 battery Charger(unless I go with inverter) two outlet boxes in galley for electric skillet etc and two outlet boxes in camper for laptop cellphones and small heater in cold weather...

1. Should I use a Distribution Panel like Progressive Dynamics that host 120/12 volt and charges the battery or go with separate boxes for both and use a good battery tender/charger..the cost of a good Progressive Dynamics is just a little more or real close to the cost of a good battery tender, small breaker box and breakers....I already have a really good 12 volt panel installed in camper... my reasoning is if something goes bad its an easy task to run down the problem and replace it with the items being separate...but if an inverter/panel goes then its pulled out for repairs....what do you guys recommend?

2. Should I go 15 or 30 amp? I like 15 because the cord is smaller and easier to deal with..the cost of the items like the inlet and cord is cheaper....my Honda EU2000i and EU2000i Companion generators have a 30 amp twist lock plug already on them for times I would be without shore power so I could use 15 or 30(I would only need one and not have to Parallel them like I do on my Airsteam) but if I did go 30 amp I would probably use something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Furrion-FCKIT30-P ... +amp+Inlet
to get power into camper.....then into the panel or inverter..

so that's about it.....here is a picture of my camper if you have not yet seen one and all electrical items will come in on left side and be installed in lower left corner...any insight you can share to help me decide which routes to take will be appreciated...

[eamarquardt]

I will be powering 1 very small(smallest unit I can find)AC unit....1 battery Charger(unless I go with inverter) two outlet boxes in galley for electric skillet etc and two outlet boxes in camper for laptop cellphones and small heater in cold weather...

I doubt that you'll use your a/c unit (ten amps), skillet, and other devices at the same time so a 15 amp service should provide enough current for your needs.

1. Should I use a Distribution Panel like Progressive Dynamics that host 120/12 volt and charges the battery or go with separate boxes for both and use a good battery tender/charger..the cost of a good Progressive Dynamics is just a little more or real close to the cost of a good battery tender, small breaker box and breakers....I already have a really good 12 volt panel installed in camper... my reasoning is if something goes bad its an easy task to run down the problem and replace it with the items being separate...but if an inverter/panel goes then its pulled out for repairs....what do you guys recommend?

I agree that the converter/charger/panel combinations are cost effective. That said, I prefer separate components. If the charger/converter fails you have to replace the whole unit. It seems to me as though the manufacturers change the "footprint" of their devices on a regular basis so if it's built into a cabinet alterations may be required at a later date to fit a new one. It seems that almost every time I have to replace a "unit" of one flavor or another it's not just remove and replace. I think that the possibility of a breaker pane failing is rather remote. Chargers/converters seem to fail more often. I'd go separate but that just my bias. I wouldn't buy a tv with a dvd player built into it either.

2. Should I go 15 or 30 amp? I like 15 because the cord is smaller and easier to deal with..the cost of the items like the inlet and cord is cheaper....my Honda EU2000i and EU2000i Companion generators have a 30 amp twist lock plug already on them for times I would be without shore power so I could use 15 or 30(I would only need one and not have to Parallel them like I do on my Airsteam) but if I did go 30 amp I would probably use something like this
http://www.amazon.com/Furrion-FCKIT30-P ... +amp+Inlet
to get power into camper.....then into the panel or inverter.

12 gauge wire and 120 volt standard plugs and receptacles will carry 20 amps safely. Why bother with expensive connectors, plugs, sockets, cords, etc. Just cut a hole in the floor of your galley, cabin, or whatever and have a short lead with a standard plug on it. Use a standard extension cord and your set. It will be out of the weather under your trailer and just pull the pigtail inside and put a rubber stopper in the hole when on the road. Simple and "cost effective". I'm not sure if the standard RV power pole has only 15 and 30 amp 120 volt receptacles but if you really need 20 amps you could plug into the 30 amp connector using a home made adapter with standard plugs and sockets available at a big box store (and the plugs and sockets won't be marked RV, Marine, or Aviation and priced accordingly).

so that's about it.....here is a picture of my camper if you have not yet seen one and all electrical items will come in on left side and be installed in lower left corner...any insight you can share to help me decide which routes to take will be appreciated...

[Shadow Catcher]

One of the pluses of the PD is that it is very easy to replace the power section and it makes for ease of wiring. I found that I ended up using all of the 12V fuze and 120V circuit breakers and yes we have a bunch of stuff, but when you plug in a couple of cell chargers the charger for the lap top, the weather radio TV, heater or AC, then you get to the DC side 5A for the XM receiver 20A stereo, LED lights (9 in the cabin, 5 outside [including "porch lights"]) computer case fans... DSI for water heater, outlet DA and AC for the Waeco refrigerator, TV and sat receiver.
With the availability you will be surprised hoe many conveniences will tag along. Were you are will not be where you will be in the future, plan for expansions!
The PD convert does a good job and the 30A cord is a universal with most camp grounds.

[kymoonshine]

I had some time today so I almost completely finished the 110 and 12 volt in the breadbox today.. I installed a gfci outlet in galley and two outlets in cabin...as well as one 12 volt outlet in galley and one 12 volt in cabin...here is the start...







I took Miriam C.'s advice(Thanks so much) and used her pictures to wire up my breaker box....everything works as it should....tomorrow I will install the battery and battery box and finish wiring up the 12 volt....

[Vedette]

Nice neat job!
This part of the Forum really helped me make my decisions when I was at thhe wiring planning stages of "Miss Piggy's" build.
Good Roads
Brian
PS
Fun to check in here once in awlile!