14/2ga(w/ground) indoor Romex; ok under trailer?

[working on it]

While cleaning out my garage to make room for the completion/storage of my TTT, I found a box of (free, unknown origin) Romex indoor 14/2ga . Though I'm planning a mostly 12v electrical installation, I'm going to wire in a 2k watt (or 3500w, if I can come in at under 1000 lbs) generator, and galley wall -mounted A/C unit (again if, 5k btu's or up to 10k-I have a spare 10k-if I use the 3500w gen). My question is: can the indoor Romex be run under the trailer, without conduit to save cost and weight, and is it rated to carry up to 15 amps at 120vac ? I'll also have a 400w inverter for smaller 120vac draws, using standard extension cords. I plan to use stranded automotive wire for the 12vdc runs. The longest individual wire length will be 9 ft, of any voltage.

[terryjones1]

I would not recommend it.
There is not very much protection from physical damage to the cable.

[GuitarPhotog]

I wouldn't be particularly worried about physical damage, unless you're going off-roading, but I would worry about long-term safety. Indoor romex isn't built or rated for exposure to the elements, and while the underside of a trailer doesn't get much UV, it gets lots of moisture and muck off the roads.


<Chas>

[working on it]

I was just trying to get away with using a freebie. I will go back to the original plan of using 12/3 extension cords with GFCI for shore power and/or generator fed A/C use. And I'll keep my wiring in an interior conduit from the rear wiring panel on the interior galley wall. No exterior 120vac wiring at all. I'm always trying to complicate things by taking a different route, Keep It Simple Stupid. Thanks.

[48Rob]

Sell it on Craigslist and use the money to buy what you need.
Copper scrap value is pretty high too...

Rob

[ebutler]

Romex is solid wire and is prone to breakage in installations where vibration is present. Stranded wire of the same size and weight will carry more current (due to skin effect)
and is far more resistant to vibration breakage than solid wire. I would use only stranded wire in a trailer and auto. Also always use conduit for external runs of wire, EMT conduit is cheap.
Elmo

[working on it]

48Rob said:

Sell it on Craigslist and use the money to buy what you need.

I'm piling high lotsa scrap from my garage bay cleanup (gotta make room for the TTT) onto my car trailer. Old appliances, bed frames, wheels, rotors, drums, brake shoes and pads, shocks, brackets, pulleys, braces, steel, aluminum, brass, tin, riding mowers, push mowers, carburetors,electric motors, ecetera etcetera.... I am hanging on to three Chevy rear axles, two extra gearsets,a 327, and a 350, and a '73 C-10 front suspension w/discs that I never got around to using, and some usable carburetors and distributors that all may end up on Craigslist (as well as the non-running Fiero that blocked all this in for 12 years or more). It's amazing how much stuff can be piled into a 24' x 10' bay. I've got stuff packed in front and sides of my wife's Cobalt, and all around my Chevelle racecar (only fire it up once a year to scare the new neighbors now, no racing for four years).The inconsequential very small box of Romex I can keep for some other project (stationary, house or shed!).

[bdosborn]

Romex is solid wire and is prone to breakage in installations where vibration is present. Stranded wire of the same size and weight will carry more current (due to skin effect)

Commercial RVs use romex so the vibration of an RV doesn't seem to be a problem. Skin effect is proportional to frequency and isn't a an issue at 60 hz. A #14 awg stranded carries the same amount of current as a #14 awg solid, which is 15 amps per the NEC. I don't see a problem using romex under the trailer if you protect it with conduit. Stranded is a little easier to work with but not enough to buy if I had some romex for free.

Bruce

FWIW, the NEC prohibits the use of portable cord in an RV but allows romex (type NM). I used an extension cord in the teardrop anyways as I had an extra one laying around.

[working on it]

bdosborn said:

FWIW, the NEC prohibits the use of portable cord in an RV but allows romex (type NM). I used an extension cord in the teardrop anyways as I had an extra one laying around.

....So a private individual can wire a RV with whatever will work, but if it is sold commercially (or even re-sold privately ??), then the wiring must meet code? If I ever finish mine, I'll probably never sell it anyhow, but good to know anyway. And I guess I should not rewire the wife's Puma with extension cords either.

[Kharn]

If I had to run romex outside the tear, I'd use electrical conduit to protect it. The plastic stuff is cheap and very easy to work with, and there are a variety of fittings available to make any bends you might need.

[rowerwet]

or run the wire inside a conduit of PEX, which is also cheap and flexible, look around construction sites you might get it for free.