Community Forums

fxdave · 09-11-2011, 05:16 PM

well i bought a breaker box last year to plug the rv in at home but never hooked it up instead ive just been using an extension cord for lights ect when ever i go some where i always start an run gensets anyways so im trying to decide if i really need that 50 amp box ? it will be a 165 ft run by the time i run it to the fuse box so i just dont know to do it or not will need new breakers ect a couple a hundred more to finish it im just undecided ? your thoughts plse

**NLOVNIT** · 09-11-2011, 05:23 PM

You already seem to be leaning towards "shouldn't" by the tone of your post. If it were me, unless I was planning on using more of my appliances while at home or setting it up as a guest suite, I wouldn't bother.

Lori-

RickO · 09-11-2011, 05:49 PM

You might want to price out properly sized cable for that length of run. I think you'll need at least 4ga and it can be VERY expensive. I investigated doing the same thing with a 100' run not long ago and changed my plans.

Good luck...

Rick

puttin · 09-11-2011, 06:06 PM

if I were you, I would just keep the extention cord and use the gen. when necessary.

Elkhartjim · 09-11-2011, 06:12 PM

Are you running an extension cord 165 feet?

Steve N Sal · 09-11-2011, 06:17 PM

If what you have has been working for you then possibly stay with what you have. Copper wire is mighty expensive these days but what isn't? Well I guess you'll just have to decide.

RickO · 09-11-2011, 06:20 PM

One way to save a few buck and still retain nearly full functionality of your coach would be to connect your box to two 30 amp legs instead of two 50 amp legs. You'll still have 60 amps available for the coach but might get away with a lighter gague cable. This is what my current plans are for installing coach power at my FIL's place next summer.

Rick

fxdave · 09-11-2011, 06:28 PM

ive been running a 100 ft cord out of a 20 amp breaker i mainly doit to keep the batteries up an its been working good ! i bought the box last year thinking it would be better but i never got to it ! seeing this fit my needs ! i figure its another 200 to 250 for the wire an conduit breakers ect and really i guess you need a permit to do it correctly i know we can do it im just thinking do i really need too ? also ricko i was going to run mobile home service wire its about a buck a foot its also buriable i was going to use conduit so i could pull it out if i decided to move

Steve N Sal · 09-11-2011, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickO

One way to save a few buck and still retain nearly full functionality of your coach would be to connect your box to two 30 amp legs instead of two 50 amp legs. You'll still have 60 amps available for the coach but might get away with a lighter gague cable. This is what my current plans are for installing coach power at my FIL's place next summer.

Rick

Running that far you would have to take voltage drop into consideration. Therefore a larger gage conductor is required.

ahicks · 09-11-2011, 07:37 PM

As RickO suggests, I wouldn't do the 50 amp thing either. I wouldn't even do the twin 30's he suggests. If the extension cord plan has been working well or at least OK for you, I'd go with just 30 amp service. Maybe even 20? That's all I ever use. Just me though...

RickO · 09-11-2011, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve N Sal

Running that far you would have to take voltage drop into consideration. Therefore a larger gage conductor is required.

Very true. The cable needs to be properly sized no matter what approach is taken. My point is that properly sized 30 amp cable should be less expensive than properly sized 50 amp cable.

As for sticking with the extension cord, if things aren't broken, don't fix them.

If you'd like to be able to run appliances or maybe use the rig as a guest house... that's a different story. The reason I'm going to install power at my FIL's house is because we spend at least a month there each summer and I need the AC in Minnesota in the summer!

Rick

Elkhartjim · 09-11-2011, 07:53 PM

I think the extension cord is okay if its heavy enough. For 20 amp service with 100 foot run you should use 10 gauge wire.

ronspradley · 09-11-2011, 08:43 PM

As has been said here on this forum, "if it ain't broke, fix it until it is"............

if an extension cord is working then stick with it. You can run generator for A/C when needed for a long time cheaper than 170' of heavy buried cable.................ronspradley

JimM68 · 09-11-2011, 09:40 PM

Have you checked your AC voltage in the rig?
You may very well be starving things for power right now.

I use a heavy duty (30 amp) extension cord to plug into a 20 amp circuit. At 20 amps draw (indicated on my ems panel) a voltmeter stuck in an a/c outlet on the rig shows 106 volts. At the outlet in the garage shows 121.