Adding 20 amps to my 30 amp coach

[Wanabee FTer]

Originally Posted by dzmiller

Does Romex (solid wire) meet any vehicle wiring standard?

I am not an electrician as stated in the OP, so proceed at your own risk.
I have found Romex factory installed in my Gulfstream with and without the use of conduit. If someone where to add to the 120V system they could use conduit and it would be better then the factory installed 120V in my 1998 model. IMHO
As far as Romex meeting any vehicle wiring standards, Definitely not for the chassis, but the house/coach is a completely different issue.

[wa8yxm]

TQ60. You make some good points, However there is one thing you need to know about the PSRV adapter.

This "Cuts in" to the single wire that goes to the rear Air Conditioner. Now, if you use something like a "Dual power" cheater box where you have two 30 amp plugs or a 30 and a 20, combined down to a single 50 amp outlet, the majority of RV parks it will trip the GFCI on the 20 amp outlet and not work, in fact if it does not trip a GFCI, something is wrong with the GFCI.

But the PSRV does not do this.. Here is why.

Imagine you could UNPLUG the rear air conditioner.. Totally disconnnect it from the RV and plug it in independent of anything else... Imagine that.

That is EXACTLY what the PSRV adapter does.. Provides the rear A/C with a completly independent power source, No common anything with the rest of the RV (Unless like mine it is a Carrier V which does share the 12 volt control voltages with the rest of the RV)

No tripping of the GFCI, No common ground, (Save on the 12 volt side) Neutral or hot wire, It is completely separated from the rest of the RV.

Another analogy.. Imagine using a portable electric oven setting on the picnic table.... And running a cord to the power box just for it.. That's exactly how it works.

[zzjea]

I bought the Power Solutions Dual Power adapter from iRV2 Classified and it is installed and working great. I may add a 20A outlet when not using the AC but it won't be easy to find a way to get it in the coach. Thanks for all responses.

John

[zzjea]

I intersected the rear ac power and wired from genset to adapter and then to ac relay switch.

I have an EMS system with 30A and it acts exactly like it would if I ran the genset, which is it doesn't even know the genset power is there. So when both cords (30A and 20A) are plugged in to the shore power, the rear ac will run and the front ac will run along with all other coach AC circuits. If the shore power will accommodate it, I will have about 50 amps to work with.

The Duo Therm climate control tstat controls both ac's but does not use the 30A side to run the rear ac when it thinks the genset is running. There is a ac relay delay switch that switches power thru the genset leg if power is there (priority). So by supplying power thru the adapter, the switch uses that leg to energize the rear ac. Walla, all is good.

[Wanabee FTer]

Glad to hear your install worked out well. Enjoy your A/C this summer as I suspect it's going to be a hot one.
If you decide to add a 20 amp outlet, you will be able to run a powerful heater on that circuit in the winter time. I picked up a Holmes HQH307 quartz tower heater that keeps the entire RV more than warm enough in near freezing conditions. Tried a cheap ceramic heater first but not enough heat for DW.
It shouldn't be that difficult to do. My DPA is located about 6 feet away from the rear bed. I ran the Romex cable through the storage bays and sealed all holes with silicone. Wired it right into the DPA outlet box, works perfectly. Of course I can't run the rear A/C while using the outlet at the same time, but don't really have any reason to.

[BostonPups]

John --

I can't believe you have already received the DPA and have it installed. I am really glad it could be used. Enjoy
Tom R & Ann

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by Wanabee FTer

Woohoo!
Just finished and hooked up to complete testing, works great.

wa8yxm, My setup sounds very similar to yours. Now with the added 20 amps I can run both a/c's or I can run one heater on the main 30 amp line and one heater on the 20 amp line.

As I read the PSRV documents they do not provide for a 20 amp outlet for a heater, Just to power the A/C. I provided a second cord for my heater by simply installing one, it too is 100 percent independent, the set up is a whole lot like running a cord in via a window (I ran it in via an existing opening from a basement compartment) when I do that.

My Air Conditioner set up is patterened after the PSRV dual power adapter so yes, it would (Should) work the same. Works very well I might add.

I have never seen a site wired like this

Main line---30 amp breaier---20 amp breaker

I ahve always seen them

Main line----30 amp
Main line----20 amp

The problem is some sites are wired

Main line --30 amp

nothing--20 amp

And I'm on one of those as I type.

[John_N_Terry]

The dual power adapter is by far the best thing I've had done to my coach. I purchased a 50 amp portable EMS from Progressive Industries,

then a dual 30 to 50 adapter, and another 30 amp shore cord from Dual Power. I run the coach 30 amp to one leg of the adapter, then the other 30 amp shore cord to the other leg. Works like a charm!!

Here it is plugged into a 3 cylinder diesel generator we were using for gate guarding.

[Wanabee FTer]

Originally Posted by John_N_Terry

Here it is plugged into a 3 cylinder diesel generator we were using for gate guarding.

Nice set up.
What are the two 15 amp yellow lines used for?

[zzjea]

Originally Posted by John_N_Terry

The dual power adapter is by far the best thing I've had done to my coach. I purchased a 50 amp portable EMS from Progressive Industries,

then a dual 30 to 50 adapter, and another 30 amp shore cord from Dual Power. I run the coach 30 amp to one leg of the adapter, then the other 30 amp shore cord to the other leg. Works like a charm!!

Here it is plugged into a 3 cylinder diesel generator we were using for gate guarding.

Where did you get the 50 to 30/30 dual adapter and how much was it?

Thanks, John

[wa8yxm]

Originally Posted by zzjea

I bought the Power Solutions Dual Power adapter from iRV2 Classified and it is installed and working great. I may add a 20A outlet when not using the AC but it won't be easy to find a way to get it in the coach. Thanks for all responses.

John

Might be easier than you think... There are several passages into and out of the coach now, most run through the floor.. I cut the end off a standard extension cord and found one of the holes (Actually I found several) the one I found passes plumbing from inside the motor home into the compartment where the valves are.. I dropped the cord down that hole and wired a brand new weather tight plug on the end of it (Since it's in a wet bay when stored) Routed the cord out and it comes out under the toilet riser, around a corner, under a door and there it's wire clamped to the wall,, Completly out of the way.

On my rig the doors do not seal hard (nice puffy soft seal) and you can run a cord or even a water hose in with the door closed.. Or you can drop it out the hole for the big 3" hose and make the connection under the rig out of the weather.. I like having it above the water level though.

Other holes come out on the fresh water side, and a few other places.

I'm not all that concerned about drilling and sealing holes through the floor, epically if they are in a cabinet... Much more concerned when I have to go through a wall, but a common 30 amp electrical hatch works well going through a wall.

[John_N_Terry]

Originally Posted by Wanabee FTer

Nice set up.
What are the two 15 amp yellow lines used for?

Those are for the lights that you use when gate guarding.

[John_N_Terry]

Originally Posted by zzjea

Where did you get the 50 to 30/30 dual adapter and how much was it?

Thanks, John

It's $65.00 but extremely heavy and very well made. I got it from the Power Solutions catalog on this page...Power Solutions

[Senior Chief]

Thanks for your tips! We have the Dual Power Adapter on order, and we'll add this splitter as well.

This is a great solution for a 30 amp coach that doesn't carry a Master Electrician on board!