Additional 120v circut

[Hank Hill]

I'm wanting to add an additional 120 volt circuit that will plug directly into the shore power post to run my ceramic heater. Any ideas?
I'm guessing I'll use a heavy duty #12 wire extension cord to the post. Where would I put my outlet and wire penetration into the camper. Maybe mount the receptacle in the pass through with the male plug in going through the floor and hang down underneath??

[TxTwoSome]

I did this to my trailer I bought a Marinco plug set from Amazon. Drilled a hole in the side of the slide out and put the receptacle under the Dinette.

Then used a heavy duty extension cord to plug into the power post.

It works great you can buy a Marinco kit with everything you need (you will need an odd size hole saw) Sorry can't remember the size but the kit instructions tell you.

[RoyBraddy]

I do this all the time with my setup by just running a drop cord from the pedestal 20A service. I run my two Oil Filled Electric heaters doing this. This does not take away for my 30A Pedestal source connection...

Having a special cable connection for the side of the Trailer would be great idea... This would be using a safe enclosed MALE connection mounted on the trailer as you would not want to connect a 20A service cable that would have a open access male end connection on it.

There are a few camp grounds that doesn't like you to have a couple of cables plugged into their pedestals. I have run into a couple of them in my travels...

I have always plugged into the the 20AMP Service connection at the pedstals for all of my outside use of 120VAC around my trailer hookup. If the connection is available on the pedestal seems like you should be able to plug into it haha...

One of the places we go to alot is Westmoreland State park and in the B section they have both tent camping and RV trailers using electric connections both mixed in together. Everytime we go and get all hooked up seems like someone always shows up dragging a long extension cord across the open area behind our site setup asking if they can plug into my pedestal to power up a few things in their tent site... Who am I to say "no way" haha...

One time I was walking around where they had p;lugged into my 20A service so I just walked the line to see where it went. I found a couple of multiple hook-ups on their end feeding about four or five tents haha... When I got back to my camp site I unplugged the 20A extension cord and heard all kinds of yelling of what happened to the power haha... I moved his cord to the next camp site close to us which was unattended and plugged it back in to that one... Let the next camper hooking up address the issue haha...

I would install something like this on my trailer...


google image

I was at one time going to do this on my trailer setup but never completed it. The connection to the right of this image is my 1500WATT PSW Power Inverter which is a 120VAC Power Source which is why it is a female connection...


Roy's image

This would be my poor man Transfer Switch hehe...

Roy Ken

[Mustang65]

Thanks Roy..

That is exactly what I was going to look for. I want to mount it on the driver's side and connect it to a regular outlet on the curb side, as DW likes to use the crock-pot and 2 element electric hot plate for cooking outside.. keeps the heat out. I keep pulling out the HD extension cord for her and running it under the TT.

Now I will be a MUCH happier camper.

I am now researching SOLAR ovens.. DW will probably kill me for even thinking about it.

Don

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by TxTwoSome

I did this to my trailer I bought a Marinco plug set from Amazon. Drilled a hole in the side of the slide out and put the receptacle under the Dinette.

Then used a heavy duty extension cord to plug into the power post.

It works great you can buy a Marinco kit with everything you need (you will need an odd size hole saw) Sorry can't remember the size but the kit instructions tell you.

Did exact same thing. Buy the unique hole saw bit that they sell next to the actual plug in set. You'll need it to do a professional looking job. May do a 2nd one next Spring to bring a second power source to the kitchen island to handle the toaster etc without having to unplug ceramic heater.

[TCNashville]

I added the 20 amp Marinco unit to the back of my trailer. I removed the fixed table top and wired it into a dedicated outlet. While I was in there, I also did the detachable power cord mod. I hinged the table top for easy access.

[Hank Hill]

You guys have some great ideas. In the process of getting the parts together. Do you think it would be worth while to use a GFI receptacle??? Thanks for all the great input.

[Mustang65]

It can't hurt, I use them on all the outside ones and any outlet near water (sink, shower..). Better safe than sorry.

If you are adding more than one outlet you and they are accessible to each other you only need one GFI and power the other outlet off the GFI Load connection on the back.

Don

[Vicr]

The National Electrical Code only requires indoor receptacles to be GFI's when they are within 6' of a sink, tub or shower or in the garage. Simply put in your bathroom or around your kitchen sink. Buy a high quality receptacle that has screws that tighten the wire to the receptacle (Leviton, Hubbell or Pass and Seymore). Also make sure the extension cord to the pedestal is 12 gauge.
I would install an AFCI 20 amp receptacle for the best indoor protection when not near a water source. The NEC does not require these in RV's yet but that code change is sure to come soon.
Vicr
IBEW Local 46
Seattle, WA

[us71na]

How many watts is your ceramic heater? If it is 1000 watts or less you should be able to safely run it on the existing circuits as it will draw 8.3 amps or less which is okay since your circuit breakers in your camper are most likely 15 amp breakers. A 1500 watt heater is only going to draw 12.5 amps.

You may have to limit what else your try to run on any given circuit at the same time to avoid tripping the breaker.

[Vicr]

He wants to have a dedicated circuit for his heater us71na. That's what the post is about.

[Hank Hill]

That's a professional looking job. My camper has aluminum siding. Hope it turns out as well.

[Seann45]

Originally Posted by Mustang65

Thanks Roy..

I am now researching SOLAR ovens.. DW will probably kill me for even thinking about it.

Don

off topic Yesterday I baked a cake, biscuits and made bean stew in my solar oven

[tjpolsin]

Originally Posted by Hank Hill

I'm wanting to add an additional 120 volt circuit that will plug directly into the shore power post to run my ceramic heater. Any ideas?
I'm guessing I'll use a heavy duty #12 wire extension cord to the post. Where would I put my outlet and wire penetration into the camper. Maybe mount the receptacle in the pass through with the male plug in going through the floor and hang down underneath??

I don't understand the need for a separate outlet for a ceramic heater?

I plug my ceramic heater into the outlet under the dinette. Works just fine. All other lights/appliances work just fine when the heater is turned on.

why the need for an additional outlet?

Tim

[Hank Hill]

On our last camper we occasionally tripped breakers when we had coffee pots, crockpots, electric skillets, fans, etc. ( no we don't run all of this at once). It will be handy and take some of the load off the traditional wiring system. Thanks everyone for the input. The first Marinco receptacle I received was broken. Sent it back and should get a replacement tomorrow or the next day.

[norty1]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

I don't understand the need for a separate outlet for a ceramic heater?
I plug my ceramic heater into the outlet under the dinette. Works just fine. All other lights/appliances work just fine when the heater is turned on.

why the need for an additional outlet?

Tim

I can only surmise that you have 30a service to your camper. The attached chart shows the typical amp draw of appliances used in your camper. Many reduce that by using the water heater on gas and alternating use of high draw things that combined can cause the 30a breaker to trip. The idea of the additional outlet for one or 2 outlets is to reduce the total load in order to give you more options. For instance with our hot water heater running in our old 30a rig we knew we could not run a coffee pot and the microwave without a trip out to the pedestal to reset the breaker. Powering the water heater or a electric heater reduce the chances of that happening.

[TCNashville]

Originally Posted by tjpolsin

I don't understand the need for a separate outlet for a ceramic heater?

I did it so I can run 2 ceramic heaters during cooler times without stressing about amperage [12.5 amps vs 25 amps]. In the summer my wife uses the dedicated outlet for a hairdryer, toaster etc all while the AC/fridge/water heater is running. Having an additional 15 amps running into the trailer is nice as we only have 30 amps to work with.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by TCNashville

snip... In the summer my wife uses the dedicated outlet for a hairdryer, toaster etc all while the AC/fridge/water heater is running. Having an additional 15 amps running into the trailer is nice as we only have 30 amps to work with.

DW understands the limits of 30amps. That's why she took her hairdryer outside one summer and plugged it into the outlet on the side of our trailer... poof!