Want to add a separate circuit for heater

[TomMiller]

I want to add a 1500 watt ceramic heater in our MH, but would like to put it on its own circuit to avoid overload when other things are powered on as well. Standard fuse box is full... so, how would some of you go about adding an extra circuit and the duplex plug to power the heater?

Thanks,
Tom

2005 Fleetwood Bounder
37' DP

[Ramblin]

Originally Posted by TomMiller

I want to add a 1500 watt ceramic heater in our MH, but would like to put it on its own circuit to avoid overload when other things are powered on as well. Standard fuse box is full... so, how would some of you go about adding an extra circuit and the duplex plug to power the heater?

Thanks,
Tom

2005 Fleetwood Bounder
37' DP

They make duplex breakers (two breakers in one space) but you have to be careful not to overload your panel. What brand of panel do you have?

[336muffin]

Tom, the way I did ours was to run a 20amp cord from the cg pedestal. The cord enters at the wet bay, in the wet bay we have a chaseway into the mh in. The chaseway goes under the rear furnace and provides heat to the wetbay. I plug the heater straight to that. This completely by passes the mh completely, safe, easy and cost efficient. I've done all of our mh's this way.

[LLVanB]

Originally Posted by TomMiller

I want to add a 1500 watt ceramic heater in our MH, but would like to put it on its own circuit to avoid overload when other things are powered on as well. Standard fuse box is full... so, how would some of you go about adding an extra circuit and the duplex plug to power the heater?

Thanks,
Tom

2005 Fleetwood Bounder
37' DP

I suggest adding a receptacle near the AC distribution panel connected to the same circuit breaker as the front air conditioner. This air conditioner is typically on its own 20A circuit. The theory is the heater would never be run at the same time as the air conditioner; therefore no overload. This is exactly what I have done and it works great. My AC distribution panel is under the refrigerator near the middle of the coach - a perfect spot for an electric heater.

Good luck,
Larry...

[D Lindy]

We have in the past run a heavy duty 20AMP extension cord out thru the slide at a bottom corner. Then plugged into the pedestal and had a separate dedicated line for our heater.

[pumper9x9]

If you go through the existing panel make sure that the it doesn't run through the inverter first. Or you may fry your inverter.

[wa8yxm]

by "The standard fuse box is full" do you mean "The breaker box is full"?

If so remove one breaker,, If your rig is a 50 amp remove one that is on the leg the water heater is NOT on.

Take it to the hardware store or home improvement store and have it tagged as "incoming" so you don't have to pay for it on the way out.

Now, look for one identical save that there are TWO breakers in the same size package.. Make one 20 amp (They come in mixed sizes) and the other side the same size as you are holding in your hand. (15 usually)

now back to your breaker box. INstall this new one in the old slot hooking the original wire to the 15 amps side.

Using genuine 12ga wire run a line to where you are parking your new outlet

Use a 15/20 amp Home style outlet (it has a "T" shaped neutral slot) in a proper wall box.

And that's how... I did it.

One other thing you can do if you are willing to take the risk

Share the AIR CONDITIONER breaker.. In theory you never use both heater and A/C at the same time.

[TomMiller]

In the campground, the hookup post usually has a 50, 30 and 20 amp choice. It seems to me if I plug into the 50 amp I would be using the maximum that source provides and plugging a second cord into the 20 amp outlet would create a reduction in the amps coming into the coach... am I correct or is this mis-guided thinking? I would hate to be running under powered and shorten the life of appliances, etc., inside the coach.

Tom

[TomMiller]

oop's sorry, I thought I was replying to D. Lindy reply to me...

[LLVanB]

Originally Posted by TomMiller

In the campground, the hookup post usually has a 50, 30 and 20 amp choice. It seems to me if I plug into the 50 amp I would be using the maximum that source provides and plugging a second cord into the 20 amp outlet would create a reduction in the amps coming into the coach... am I correct or is this mis-guided thinking? I would hate to be running under powered and shorten the life of appliances, etc., inside the coach.

Tom

Not correct, Tom. The pedestal (utility system) will provide whatever current the load demands. The voltage at the load will reduce with higher load current. The campground electrical system and wiring to the pedestals should be designed (per the National Electrical Code) to have no more than 3% voltage drop at full circuit load. This drop should not be a problem for any RV electrical appliance or device.

Larry...
Electrical Power Engineer

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by LLVanB

Not correct, Tom. The pedestal (utility system) will provide whatever current the load demands. The voltage at the load will reduce with higher load current. The campground electrical system and wiring to the pedestals should be designed (per the National Electrical Code) to have no more than 3% voltage drop at full circuit load. This drop should not be a problem for any RV electrical appliance or device.

Larry...
Electrical Power Engineer

Actually I am going to disagree with this to a point. Depending on how the pedestal is wired. If it has wiring to it based on 100 amps of power being drawn 50 amps to each leg then you could overload the power to the pedestal and trip the breaker for the pedestal. To do this however you would have to have the 50 amps on each leg maxed out by use of your coach. I do not know about you but I have never had so many things running at the same time that I have ever pulled 50 amps per leg
coming into my coach. I imagine that the wiring going into the pedestal is probably higher than necessary to handle overloads. Even though you could theoretically overload the pedestal by plugging into the 20 amp receptacle at the same time you plug your 50 amp power cord in the chance of you doing so is extremely unlikey

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by wa8yxm

by "The standard fuse box is full" do you mean "The breaker box is full"?

If so remove one breaker,, If your rig is a 50 amp remove one that is on the leg the water heater is NOT on.

Take it to the hardware store or home improvement store and have it tagged as "incoming" so you don't have to pay for it on the way out.

Now, look for one identical save that there are TWO breakers in the same size package.. Make one 20 amp (They come in mixed sizes) and the other side the same size as you are holding in your hand. (15 usually)

now back to your breaker box. INstall this new one in the old slot hooking the original wire to the 15 amps side.

Using genuine 12ga wire run a line to where you are parking your new outlet

Use a 15/20 amp Home style outlet (it has a "T" shaped neutral slot) in a proper wall box.

And that's how... I did it.

One other thing you can do if you are willing to take the risk

Share the AIR CONDITIONER breaker.. In theory you never use both heater and A/C at the same time.

AS opposed to fake 12 guage wire ?

[gemini5362]

if you AC is a heat pump you might want to be careful of running off of the same breaker as the AC. If you have the heat pump on in your thermostat and the electric heater to add a bit more heat then when both of them are on you are going to be tripping breakers.