Which Power Inlet Type Should I Get?

[LMarsh]

Thats an awsome idea and I'm going to use it on my TD! I understand your description of the setup but what is a hospital grade plug?

[ARKPAT]

Hospital grade would be great value for the buck. Only thing is they are somewhat more expensive but very reliable outlets. Their strong suite is being able to hold up under numerious plugging and unpluggings over it's lifetime. Another thing is they make better contact than standard grade outlets ie...less heat buildup from a bad internal connection. Just plain stronger outlets but four to five time the cost but worth it in the long haul. Just my thoughts.






Pat

[Alphacarina]

Lowes and Home Depot both sell plugs similar to 'Hosiptal Grade' - They're $6 to $8 but worth the extra money

Lowes calls them 'Industrial Grade'

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... lpage=none

Don

[BPFox]

Don's right, a 30A service is overkill for a tear. You'll wonder what you were thinking after your trailer is done.
Bruce

Hate to disagree with you both, but the size of the trailer has nothing what-so-ever to do with the size of the electrical system. sladezero's choice of electrical appliances demands the use of the 30amp system. You may disagree with his choice to use a two burner electric stove, but it is his choice to do so and he needs to supply his trailer with the power necessary to use those devices. The campground provides 30 amp service and it doesn't cost anymore to hook up to it. Remember, it is always easier to step down the power than it is to step up the power. The old saying holds true; It's better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it. Peace.

[BPFox]

Hey Everyone,

I have finally made a decision. I decided to do a cord hatch like a few other people on the forum have.

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-p ... atches.htm

I think you made the right choice going with the 30 amp cord. However, the decision to use the cord hatch you describe has nothing to with your electical choice. The hatch simply provides a way to get the power inside the trailer. I would highly recommend you equip your trailer with circuit breakers. I would have one dedicated circuit for your two burner stove. Then put everything else on a separate circuit.

You mention a 12 vold dc fan. Are you planning on a battery to run this or are you going to install a 120 volt ac to 12 volt dc converter? I would recommend using both. I would also wire any lights as 12 volt dc. That way, you will be able to have both lights and an exhaust fan when, and if, no outside ac power source is available.

Hate to throw too much at you at once, but planning ahead is the key to success. Good Luck.

[Alphacarina]

The old saying holds true; It's better to have it and not need it than it is to need it and not have it. Peace.

So long as you don't mind hauling around all of the extra weight, I guess that's true

A 50 foot shore power cord (10 gauge, for a 30 amp service) weighs perhaps 15 or 20 pounds and costs $100 while the same thing in 12 gauge (an ordinary extention cord) is about $25 and weighs 6 or 8 pounds

Tearsdrops are usually designed to be fairly minimalist, only containing what you actually need, so you can tow them with smaller, fuel efficient cars - Which you can to . . . . at least until you start filling them up with things you'll never use. Teardroppers who haul around everything they could ever need do their camping in RV's

Don

[BPFox]

Keep in mind that this teardropper is planning on doing his cooking on a two burner electric stove. Since in most cases you are not charged extra based on how much electricity you use, he will save plenty over those using LP gas. The extra weight of the cord is nothing compared to the weight of LP gas. The money saved not buy LP is also a plus. This is especially true when you consider where the price of LP gas is going. It may not be for everybody, but this is the choice he has made. Since your electric system is only as good as it's weakest point. The cord is not the place to try and save weight or money. Yes, perhaps 20 amps is enough, but why place that limit on yourself when you can get 30 amps for the same price. Over the life of the trailer he stands to save hundreds of dollars with only a slightly higher up front cost.

[bdosborn]

Oops, I missed the electric burners. A 30A circuit will be required if he wants to use the burner and have his electric fridge plugged in too. The problem with the 30A is that campgrounds are the only place that you'll find them. I bet he doesn't have one in his garage so any propane savings will go to the electrician if he wants to plug in at home. He also won't be able to pick up an extra extension cord easily or cheaply if he needs one ( I forget things at home a lot). He'll also need an a pretty big RV generator if he wants to do any boondocking, since most generators don't have a 120V, 30A receptacle. If campgrounds with electric service is the ONLY place you camp, the 30A is fine. If you want maximum flexibility, the 20A is a much better choice.

Bruce

[BPFox]

Don't forget, you can always step down. What you can't do is step up. That's the key. You can always hook up to a 20 amp service even if your trailer is set up for 30 amps. What you can't do draw 30 when you are only set up for 20. When I had my full size travel trailer it came with the 30 amp cord. More often than not I adapted down to the 20 amp connector. My trailer wasn't airconditioned so 20 amps was more than enough power. My point in all of this is that everybody's situation is different. If you always camp at campgrounds and you always hook up to the electric and like cooking with an electric stove, then it's worth the extra expense of the 30 amp system. Take into account that you don't need LP and you don't need 12 volt and cost is pretty much a wash.

[Miriam C.]

Hey there,

Yes, I know the cord hatch is different from the inlet. I really do not want to
spend a ton on this endeavor. I just want to make sure it seals when the cords are not being used. I am getting an adapter at the end of the cord to plug in my strip. That's the plan.

-V/R

Slade

Whoa! Did I miss something? What strip are you using? Is it and the wiring rated at 30amps. I admit to not knowing much about strips but this isn't sounding right. Clue me in guys.

[Miriam C.]

Hey there,

Yes, I know the cord hatch is different from the inlet. I really do not want to
spend a ton on this endeavor. I just want to make sure it seals when the cords are not being used. I am getting an adapter at the end of the cord to plug in my strip. That's the plan.

-V/R

Slade

Whoa! Did I miss something? What strip are you using? Is it and the wiring rated at 30amps. I admit to not knowing much about strips but this isn't sounding right. Clue me in guys.

Here is Mike's answer to "is there a 30amp strip?)

Yes, but very uncommon. Wiremold makes a part # JPDU-A, sells for $315.06 . It has a maximum load rating of 24 amps. 12ft 10/3 SJT cord and a 30 amp twistlock plug. Has 12 ) 15 amp single receptacles on 2 circuits.
The standard are 15 amp and 20 amp.

It isn't that you can't have 30 amps. You can wire the cord straight to a panel, use 2 breakers and make receptacles from there. I have two 15amp breakers in mine so I can use the air, or a hair dryer. I didn't get a 30amp cord (yet)

Here is how a breaker works
http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/ci ... reaker.htm

[Alphacarina]

Oops, I missed the electric burners. A 30A circuit will be required if he wants to use the burner and have his electric fridge plugged in too

Why?

He says his double burner draws 12.5 amps, so a 20 amp cord/connector (12 gauge) would provide ample power for not only the double burner, but also a small 120 volt fridge and even a windowshaker A/C all at the same time, if he so chose

Don

[brian_bp]

That Wiremold JPDU-A is slick... it essentially is a two-circuit distribution panel and a bunch of outlets (divided among the two circuits) all in one ready-made box. I'm sure do-it-yourself would be cheaper...

I don't know where you people are finding 20A outlets, but around here is a campsite has anything more than 15A power, it has 30A and/or 50A. If an RV here needs more than 15A, it might as well have 30A.

[brian_bp]

A 50 foot shore power cord (10 gauge, for a 30 amp service) weighs perhaps 15 or 20 pounds and costs $100 while the same thing in 12 gauge (an ordinary extention cord) is about $25 and weighs 6 or 8 pounds...

Sure... but why would anyone carry a 50-foot 30A cable? If you're in a serviced site, you don't need anything like 50 feet of cable. If you're leeching off of some outlet in the area - such as running around to the back of some friends' house - you're only likely to find 15A there anyway.

A sensible compromise might be to equip for 30A service, carry a short 30A cable (all you need for properly serviced sites), an adapter, and Don's suggested $25 12ga extension cord (for the jury-rigged sites).

And be glad you're not handling 50A (times two lines, so that's three big conductors plus ground)... I have a 50-foot 50A RV extension cable to power a large RV trailer in my driveway from my garage welding outlet, and it makes that 50ft 30A cable look light and cheap!

[brian_bp]

...The problem with the 30A is that campgrounds are the only place that you'll find them. I bet he doesn't have one in his garage...

I have a welding outlet in my garage. They're far from standard, but not all that rare. While it is a 50A outlet, it can be readily adapted down to 30A.

What kills me about this is that when I wondered where a member using a trailer for hurricane evacuation was expecting to find 50A (at 240V) power, it wasn't a concern... but 30A (single 120V) is unknown outside of campsites?

...He'll also need an a pretty big RV generator if he wants to do any boondocking, since most generators don't have a 120V, 30A receptacle...

About the receptacle... 15A at 120V is only 1800W, so any generator larger than that - which means many camping generators - must have higher current capacity. To run both stove burners and anything else, the well-known Honda EU2000i would not put out enough power, and the EU2600i and EU3000i (for examples) have a 30A twist-lock receptacle.

Yes, all-electric is not the hot setup for boondocking... but I think Slade knows that.