Electrical Tutor?????

[Jeeper92]

I am wondering what i need to wire up my ttt. I would like for it to be able to use the electricity at the campsites, I would also like to be able to power itself for the more remote places and tailgating. How can I accomplish this?
Thanks in advance

[Kevin A]

I am wondering what i need to wire up my ttt. I would like for it to be able to use the electricity at the campsites, I would also like to be able to power itself for the more remote places and tailgating. How can I accomplish this?
Thanks in advance

Jeeper,
Here's a good place to start. http://tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?t=11272

[Jeeper92]

Thanks, I just found that after I posted, wow thats ome confusing stuff

[Guy]

Dear Jeeper,

There are three great buttons/links on this forum. One is the search link at the top line of each page, the second is on the fourth line down which is Sdtripper2's index, and the third is "View posts since last visit" on the right side of the Index page about seven lines down.

They will lead you to info that we all use, especially diagrams, instructions, and very important sources.

When you go into each forum you will usaully see a bunch of "stickys" which often contain information vital to the new builder.

[sdtripper2]

Jeeper:


To flesh out what Guy has explained about search.

Try the Google Advanced Search to find threads or posts of interest.




Use Google in Firefox or Internet Explorer (IE)
How to search using google to find more of what you want with ease.

Example:
In the google window use this format or on the URL window of IE type the following.

water tanks site:http://www.mikenchell.com/


water tanks site:http://www.mikenchell.com/

Results here Results of the example here
Just use the format above and
change the key words in red
to get close to what you want here on the forum.


***Here***
is a thread on Google advanced search
with many examples and how to
add this feature as an add-on for Firefox clicky ~

[Miriam C.]

Jeeper, I doubt if there is any two tears wired exactly alike. A good place to start is the link Kevin provided and start with the following:

Does anyone have a basic diagram of a power layout for a trailer?
Answer:
Joanne/Kerry's basic diagram
Joanne/Kerry's basic diagram with battery charger circuit
Joanne's Wiring diagram thread
Another Wiring diagram thread

Question:
Does anyone have any information on 12 Volt systems.
Answer:
12 Volt Side of Life and Battery Information – Great Information

Question:
Internal power panels, wire gauge questions & ground fault circuit (GFCI)?
Answer:
There are many setuPs here on the forum for power panels.
Read some of the forum threads and then ask questions.

BRUCE(bdosborn) GFCI and circuit breakers
provide different kinds of protection and compliment each other.

BRUCE(bdosborn) Discusses wire gauge and fuse sizes
What Gauge wire to use?
Wire gauge & grounding question
Wire gauge & grounding question
Fuse panel Vs. Direct Wire
AC power panel"Chuck Craven"
Fuse Blocks and other electrical items

These will give you a good foundation for your plan. If you find them too confusing after reading them...hire an electrician. It will be much safer and cheaper in the long run.

Enjoy

[Tear Les]

I'll chime in here too since part of what I do for a living is design power systems for mobile applications (AC and DC).

You can mess around with the DC (12 volt) side some and unless you're holding onto a wrench or such and span across the battery terminals about all you're likely to do is make sparks and fry a few components.

If you mess around with the AC side (typically 110 to 120 volts in the U.S.) you can kill yourself and those that use what you installed in the trailer. This is especially true with respect to getting the ground system correct when using shore power.

If you read through all that's here on the forums and on the Internet and the lightbulb in your head doesn't come on and you don't actually get comfortable with it DON'T DO IT. Find a firend or a shop that can help you and only rely on that friend if you're really comfortable with his/her skills (especially with respect to the AC side).

Some will label this response as alarmist but there's nothing funny about a dead body laying in a pool of water because the grounding system was installed incorrectly and they touched the wrong thing at the wrong time. There is no other time to get it right than in the beginning when the system is installed by someone that understands what they're doing. [Again, this is relative to the AC side of things.]

I saw an item there in Miriam C's post about the difference between a circuit breaker and a GFCI outlet. The basic answer is that Circuit Breakers protect wiring; GFCI outlets protect people. If the person wiring your AC system doesn't understand that go elsewhere.

[Jeeper92]

thanks for hte heads up
I have a buddy who is a electrician i may ask him to do it

[madjack]

jeeper...very good and sage advice above...to help simplify(in your mind) what you NEED..make everything 12VDC...then use a battery witha converter or a switchable power supply/3stage charger
...you can hardwire either into the system, run 120VAC to them, add a couple of 120VAC outlets for 120 appliances and the proper circuit and GFI protection and your done
madjack

p.s....the above is an oversimplification...there are many components needed to accomplish the above properly and as stated elsewhere, unless you fell comfortable doing your own electric, seek advice from a professional......

[rbeemer]

Tear Les,

I would not worry about being an alarmist in this place. Words of wisdom are alwaays welcome and the big word for me in everything I do is SAFETY - once grabbed the coil wire for a distributer while the engine was running, my arm hurt for two days after that act of stupidity

[Jeeper92]

are you tlakign about hte the power converters found at pep boys???? I thoguht that may be a way to go

[madjack]

are you tlakign about hte the power converters found at pep boys???? I thoguht that may be a way to go

...to clarify definitions...
converters are 120VAC(campsite/shore power) units, that provide power handling capabilites for 120VAC and have a 12VDC power supply for battery charging and running 12VDC appliances and outlets...they provide circuits breakers for 120VAC and a fuse block for 12VDC applications......

...inverters, take 12VDC and turn it into 120VAC...a not very efficient means of doing so that is not recommended for hi power applications

[diverguy]

just going to put in my 2 cents here. built one tear and working on #2. #1 is completely 12v. i have a couple of those plug in inverters for running my small tv or charging a cell phone.
#2 will also be completely 12v. however i will have some shore power. but my shore power is completely independent of my 12v. so basically if i am camping where i have shore power then realy i only have an extenson cord wiredto a couple of outlets. if i am camping where i have no shore power then i loose nothing. just no blender for margaritas.
i thought about it and thought about it and this is what will work best for me. completely 12v with some shore but each is completely independent of each other.

[Miriam C.]

If your buddy can't do the electrical you might do it the way Mary K did hers. Check out her build pictures.

http://tinyurl.com/2raech

MikeS used a portable power source with a breaker built in. Works good and cost is minimal.

[diverguy]

here is my question, maybe mad jack can answer, i have this charger

i have read every thread i can find. and i am not that smart to understand a lot of the technical stuff. so here is what i am thinking.
camping at a nice campground. camper is completely 12v.
plug the charger into the shore power, and turn on charger. go about with my 12v side of life.
so with this charger, can i leave it charging the battery while i run my 12v stuff?