AC Electrical & Breaker Panel, what you would improve?

[BC Dave]

Hi All:

Looking for some AC Breaker Panel Advice and AC electrical plan critique; what was your experiance? and heres my AC electrical plan; what you would improve on yours if you were to do it all over again? and on mine outlined below?

Just in process of purchasing parts for a simple electrical system; I'm trying to keep it as simple and straight forward as possible. I'v read though what i could find in electrical secrets. I have a functioning 12V DC System with a 120 ah wet cell, and envision using a plug in style charger (battery minder or my older deep cycle charger). The system consists of ...

- an exterior grade 15 amp marine shore plug in (on the left; drivers; street side)
-15 amp marine breaker, I like the idea of using a marine style 15Amp breaker in a waterproof receptical box; or a simple marine breaker panel
-3 wire 12 ga 300V rated ext cab tire wire (ie exterior extension cord wire);
- wiring in 3 GFIC outlets;
-outlets housed in plastic waterproof outlet boxes with water proof friction fittings for the cab tire wire

- AC power is to be used for heating; powertools; fan; plugging in a portable 12V charger; laptop charger; maybe a AC in the distant future; maybe a microwave. Lights; fans & cooler are all 12V. I can also see adding a solar powered battery charger for my 120 ah wet cell deep cycle marine battery.

I'd connect the breaker to the hot wire (black) and more or less continue the neutral though and make a ground to the frame with green.

What did you do and what did you find worked? what didnt work so well and what would you improve upon if you were to do it again?

Open to suggestions ... Cheers Dave

[Dale M.]

If it were me I would consider using a GFI style breaker.... It gives you that little extra measure of security ahead of your outlets in case the wiring (inside trailer walls) goes funky and you have metal sides on trailer and you walk up to it on a rainy evening and don't get knocked on your butt or worse.....

Dale

[BC Dave]

If it were me I would consider using a GFI style breaker....
Dale

GFI style breaker.... GFI style breaker.... ?!? .... Havent heard of that before ... sigh! ... more to think of and reserch! Have you used one? how is it different from a regular breaker? (Its GFI; but how does it work).

Installing the 15A marine breaker as close as possible to the shore inlet as possible.

[BPFox]

With only one 15 amp circuit and only three receptacles, there is no need for them all to be GFCIs. Put one GFCI first in the circuit and two regular receptacles wired to that and all three will be GFCI protected but at a lower cost.

[BC Dave]

With only one 15 amp circuit and only three receptacles, there is no need for them all to be GFCIs. Put one GFCI first in the circuit and two regular receptacles wired to that and all three will be GFCI protected but at a lower cost.

... now you tell me!

To repeat, so I understand correctly, if I had a string of 3 recepticals; and the first in line was the GFCI; installed closest to the incomming power and main breaker; all recepticals would be GFCI protected?

[xzerokidx]

With only one 15 amp circuit and only three receptacles, there is no need for them all to be GFCIs. Put one GFCI first in the circuit and two regular receptacles wired to that and all three will be GFCI protected but at a lower cost.

... now you tell me!

To repeat, so I understand correctly, if I had a string of 3 recepticals; and the first in line was the GFCI; installed closest to the incomming power and main breaker; all recepticals would be GFCI protected?

Yup

[digimark]

I don't want to complicate your install too much, but if you have only a 15A shoreline, and at least three receptacles, the chances of you overdrawing the limits of the system are pretty high. The first time you plug in a hair dryer and a coffee pot at the same time you're going to trip the breaker.

You'd be better served with a 30A shoreline feeding those 15A individual receptacles. You can always use a dogbone (30A->15A plug converter) to power the trailer when you only have access to a 15A circuit/jack.

[BC Dave]

Digimark, yes I considered 30 amps; but I try to travel light when "camping" so also was trying to keep the electrical on the light side; I'm wiring with that in mind though 2 recepticals on one run and one receptical is a stand alone ....

Yes I will have to be concious of what I'm running and how much power is being used ...

[BPFox]

Digimark, yes I considered 30 amps; but I try to travel light when "camping" so also was trying to keep the electrical on the light side; I'm wiring with that in mind though 2 recepticals on one run and one receptical is a stand alone ....

It should go without saying that anticipated loads should be considered first. Receptacles are usually placed for convienence of use. In most applications they are not all in use at the same time. That said, three receptacles on the same circuit is not too many, in fact, six on the same circuit is not too many. Unless you are using several items that are of a "heating element" type such as toasters, electric frying pans, coffee makers, hair dryers etc, you will be just fine.