Electrical Questions

[sandman]

Hey Guys,

Getting my Little Guy Sport ready for the first big camping trip next week and I am about begin wiring it up. Got a few questions...based on posts I read here, I ordered a WFCO 8725 Power Panel and a Hubbell 30amp Inlet. Can I use regular household Romex cable to wire the Hubbell inlet to the WFCO power panel?

Also, the WFCO does not come with breakers, can I get the right kind at Home Depot??? What Amp rated breaker should I get?,

I won't be using any battery next week since the campgrounds have shore power.

[madjack]

SM, I can't answer much about the WFCO, except to say, a couple of 15A breakers should be enough...AND...while using Romex might be just fine, going to the hardware store and getting a few feet of 12ga, stranded, appliance cord may be easier to use for this application.......
madjack

[Mary K]

Yeah, that Romex is a PITA! Get some stranded wire if you can.

Not sure about the breakers either.... Take the box into Lowes or HD ans see if they have some CBs that fit.

MK

[brian_bp]

The WFCO 8700 manual which I found at BestConverter provides the following breaker specification:

AC Breaker Specification: Max 20 Amps 120V/240V 1pole or 2
poles. Current interrupting rating MAX. RMS Sym. Amperes
10,000 at 120/240 Volt AC

AC Breaker Manufacture:
Cutler Hammer Type BD2020, A2020
Siemens type QP or QT
Square D Type HOMT

I suppose common home building supply stores would stock these breakers. In addition, BestConverter sells breakers for the WFCO boxes online: 25 Amp Power Center. They apparently sell the Square D HOM and HOMT breakers.

While all three of the WFCO-specified brands are familiar, I don't see any of them in the Home Depot website. In-store selection may vary.

It appears that the 8725 is just a DC converter/charger and DC distribution panel... no AC distribution to other circuits. If that is the case, then one 20A breaker (as specified in the manual) would make sense to me. If it does allow you to connect additional AC circuits (such as to an outlet), then the breakers for those circuits would need to match the circuit wiring, presumably 15A for common household cable (14 ga) and receptacles.

[Sonetpro]

I used a dryer cord for shore power. I also got the breakers at Lowes. I used 15 amp. One circuit for the A/C and one circuit for the converter, kitchen outlet and cabin outlet. I used 14 GA romex going to the outlets.

[sandman]

Thanks for the help so far guys!!! I have decided to heed ya'll's advice and stay away from Romex since it's so stiff and hard to work with. If I get stranded cord, what gauge would I need to get to wire the shore power inlet to the WFCO 8725 Converter?

[madjack]

SM, I would use 12ga...that will carry all the power you need and is big as you get in a common extension cord for hooking to the power pole...I have a 12 ga, 25 extension cord and I installed a GFIC plug on the end, so that everything behind it is GFI protected...I also have a 4gang receptacle box on the other...this allows me to hook up the tear, and plug accessories into it(like the petcool)....
madjack