Easiest electrical installation

[ahollland]

Hello everyone! I am new here, and have been trying to look up ways to set up the electrical in the teardrop trailer we plan to start in the next month. All of this electrical stuff is dizzying! Can someone point me in the direction of the easiest set up a newbie could tackle?

[wannabefree]

Wow, that's kind of wide open.

1 -- Start by figuring out what you need. Make a list. Keep it simple.
2 -- Figure out if you can go 12V only or if you need 110. You can do 12V only if your needs are lighting, radio, place to plug in the laptop. Need a microwave, you need 110. Wiring will be simpler if you can run just 12V. If you only want to run 1 set of wires, make it 12V, IMO.
3 -- Figure out where you want fixtures and outlets.
4 -- Figure out where your distribution box will be. This goes for both 110 and 12V.
5 -- Run wire from each fixture, switch, or outlet to the distro box. Run wire anywhere you think you might need it someday. Even if you don't use it right away, wire is cheap and it sure looks better in the walls than stapled to the outside. Well, wire isn't cheap anymore, but try www.skycraftsurplus.com. Best prices and good wire.
6 -- Figure out where your battery will be. It doesn't need to be next to the charger, but that is easiest. If it's not near the charger, run 6ga or larger wire to where the battery will be.
7 -- Get a converter/charger if doing 110, otherwise a charger is enough. www.bestconverter.com is one source.
8 -- Wire up the converter/charger per the instructions that come with it.
9 -- wire up everything else

That just leaves questions like how big a battery, how many Amps do you need our of the converter, what size wire, what size fuses, LED or incandescent... you get the picture. There are threads on this site that go into all that, and if I did it here people might not appreciate it. I'm getting a reputation for long posts.

I remember a sticky with wiring diagrams. Study that one.

Good luck. If you find the wiring stuff daunting, look for a geeky kid interested in electronics. He would love to help. I know, I was one. Still geeky, just not a kid anymore. The details are hard to handle in a forum like this.

[mikeschn]

Easy... run an extension cord to your trailer...

I did something similar here...

http://www.mikenchell.com/Lil_Diner_2_P ... ndex3.html

That big black thing is a gfci...



Mike...

[ahollland]

Hi Mike, this looks about my speed right now, haha! So the black box with the yellow cords is a GFCI Surge guard? That has a 30 amp extension cord coming in (right?) and then the GFCI is going to (what is this box called?) Just trying to figure out what products to look for. Thanks for your help, I am no electrician, just trying to do it safe and easy so we can have a small AC and maybe a microwave.

[Larwyn]

Easy... run an extension cord to your trailer...

I did something similar here...

http://www.mikenchell.com/Lil_Diner_2_P ... ndex3.html

That big black thing is a gfci...



Mike...

Mine cost more money, took more time, weighs more, takes up more space and is about the same electrically as the one in the Mike's picture.

[ahollland]

found it! Thanks guys! I really appreciate the help.

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Contra ... B001THO1JO

[oklahomajewel]

Really, simple is good. I have a $10 power strip with 5 plug ins - one on the back galley wall and one inside on the cabin wall, inside one cabinet.
The one in the cabin runs thru the wall and plugs into the one in the galley.

I have a hole in the exterior galley wall on the drivers side , and just plug in the extension cord at the pig tail.... put it to the hole and plug in the power strip... waalaa! (I've since had a friend add a plug at the galley wall, but the original way worked fine)

I don't have a microwave and haven't used the galley one much at all. The one in the cabin I've used for laptop, electric blanket, fan, cell phone charger. I did get power strips that have built in breakers.

I just made an AC hookup but it will sit outside, so it'll be plugged in directly to the pigtail.

For the 12v stuff inside (galley light, cabin light, porch lights, 12v plug in) I used speaker wire . I went ahead and ran a line to the roof vent, in case I want a fantastic fan later and a line for a reading light above the bed... but never installed..

I bought a big marine battery from Sam's for $70 but could probably do fine with a $20 lawn mower battery, since I don't leave lights on all evening , and you can always plug in a little trickle charger and charge the battery while paying for elec at the site.

A picture speaks a thousand words... I'll add one later today.

[ahollland]

ok, is this essentially the same as your black gfci cord? If not I am having a heck of a time finding it, haha.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... ield/18337

[caseydog]

Easy... run an extension cord to your trailer...

I did something similar here...

http://www.mikenchell.com/Lil_Diner_2_P ... ndex3.html

That big black thing is a gfci...



Mike...

My "electrical system" is similar to this. I bought extension cords and power strips to mount inside the TD.

The only cutting and splicing I have is for the power inlet on the side of the TD.

Use heavy gauge cords and power strips. My cord from the pole to the TD is 10 gauge, and rated for 15 AMPS. The cords can get smaller as they reach the end of the line, except for the one that serves the air-conditioner. But, I use 10 or 12 gauge throughout.

CD

[madjack]

...both bLowes and Home DeSpot should have those type items in their electrical department...at least 'round here they do.................
madjack

[caseydog]

ok, is this essentially the same as your black gfci cord? If not I am having a heck of a time finding it, haha.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/it ... ield/18337

I got all my cords and power strips, including the GFCI at Lowes. The only thing I ordered online was my 15AMP Pass-Thru (amazon.com)...

http://www.amazon.com/Marinco-150BBI-Ma ... 201&sr=8-2

CD

[wlooper89]

Lots of good advice here and choices to make. I opted for 30A service and then split into two 20A circuits going back into the trailer. This is only needed if one is greedy about electrics. I wanted things like microwave oven, electric blanket and coffee maker. Maybe a small ceramic heater in cold weather.

Bill

[starleen2]

...both bLowes and Home DeSpot should have those type items in their electrical department...at least 'round here they do.................
madjack

[Frog]

Aholland:

A word of caution about Oklahomajewels comments that she "bought a big marine battery from Sam's for $70.00 but could probably do fine with a $20.00 lawn mower battery". (I'm not being critical of Oklahomajewels comments in any way).

Since you said the electrical stuff is dizzying, you may need to research the difference in battery types. For Oklahomajewels application she's no doubt correct, however, please understand that a "marine" battery is usually a deep cycle battery designed to be deeply discharged fairly often; a lawn mower battery is both smaller in capacity and is a "starting" battery which is not designed to be deeply discharged.

Run the starting battery down deeply more than a few times and it's toast due to sulfating. A deep cycle battery is built differently and is designed to be discharged more often within certain limits.

There is excellent advice in this forum from folks that know a lot more than I do about "electrical stuff", but I would suggest figuring out your normal electrical use then double that figure if you have access to a way to recharge the battery and probably triple or more if you "boondock" or "dry camp". How you will use the TD will determine your electrical needs. If you're moving the TD every day, then your tow vehicle will keep the TD battery charged so a smaller battery would work. However, it you stay put for a few days without a 110V power source you'll need a larger battery, particularly if you use a lot of power for lights, fans, radio, TV or computer. Plus, as batteries age they lose capacity so err on the cautious side and don't buy the minimum size or you will end up replacing it sooner than later for a larger and more expensive battery.

Wannabefree had some excellent advice as did Oklahomajewels. Again, not being critical, but as a new guy I didn't want you to be accidentally mislead.

[Larwyn]

If you need lots of power for radio, tv and computers, why didn't you just stay at home where there is plenty of power and fewer distractions from all that nature stuff out there. Why go camping if you are just going to do the same things you would have done at home anyway?