Community Forums

Incessant · 02-24-2018, 03:48 PM

I am planning on adding an additional 15/20 AMP, 120 V power line to my Class C which will be dedicated to a single duplex receptacle to support a ceramic space heater. I have a Class C with 30A service but the space heater puts too much strain on the single 15 A circuit which supports all of the outlets as well as seeming causing the GFCI to fail.

I plan is to hard with a male inlet plug which is hard wired directly to the single duplex receptacle. While I will usually be plugged into a 20A circuit on the pedestal, I anticipate occasionally having to connect to either a 30 or 50A pedestal outlet and stepping down to the 15/20A cord. When I do this, I would like to have a circuit breaker sized to the power cord.

However, I have not been able to locate an 'in line' 15 or 20 A circuit breaker that I could put between the step down adapter and the 15/20A cord.

Does anyone know if they exist?

Thank you for your thoughts.

cruzbill · 02-24-2018, 03:55 PM

Not sure if I follow you, but when you plug your 15a cord into the power pedestal, the power pedestal outlet is protected by its own circuit breaker on the pedestal.

I think the simpler solution would be to add a 15a circuit breaker to your existing circuit breaker panel in your MH and wire direct to your new outlet from there.

cruzbill · 02-24-2018, 03:58 PM

https://www.doitbest.com/products/528390

2 Stroker · 02-24-2018, 08:55 PM

When we had our Alpenlite 5er,this is the way I did mine. Will be doing the same thing this year to my coach.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1ZO5RxKoq8

2 stroker

Playtime III · 02-25-2018, 08:44 AM

What is the AMP or Watt draw of the heater? 15a might not be enough.

Incessant · 02-25-2018, 09:52 AM

1500 watts, 13 amp draw. I am planning ro size wire and receptacle for 20 amp.

I noted that the in extension cord / in line breaker suggested above also comes in 12 guage and was going to try that and put 'caps' on the two extra legs if i can not find a single leg device

Of course, if i could find a similar device for 20 amp i would go with that.

Cruzbil thank you and the other responses for your help.

cruzbill · 02-25-2018, 09:57 AM

1500w is standard for home heaters, why? Because that's the wattage (nominal) available from a standard wall outlet.

cruzbill · 02-25-2018, 09:58 AM

Incessant, Have you discarded the idea of adding a 15a breaker to your existing panel?

Incessant · 02-25-2018, 10:09 AM

Adding to the existing panel would not be my preference. I would still be limited to 30 amp total (no microwave, toaster, coffee pot, etc with heater and no room on the existing cb panel. But perhaps i am missing something.

cruzbill · 02-25-2018, 10:14 AM

You can use a slim, or twin breaker, one for two circuits but fits in one space. The thing you complain about was that your one 15a circuit has too much stuff plugged into it. That doesn't mean you are out of juice, just that you are at the limit of that one circuit, that is the way circuits are designed, for safety. For larger RVs, they will provide more than one-15a circuit for receptacles. Just seems hokey to me to run an extension cord around when you don't have to. But, as you please.

MisterT · 02-25-2018, 11:02 AM

... agreed, it looks like the original thought is to basically make the coach into a 45a or 50a coach(50amps, not 100 like 'true' 50a service, with a double-pole breaker)...

I don't see an issue with this, but it means that you want to effectively 'add another breaker to your breaker box', but just not actually add one to your breaker box, but instead somewheres' else... just a little different way of doing it.

now, We've had times when we needed to make use of a 'secondary' outlet, such as the 15/20a additional outlet at a power pedestal in an rv park or campground, when available, to use a electric heater within our wetbay during freezing conditions. Trying to run the heater in conjunction with all our other items in the coach would cause easy nuisance tripping, OR, it seemed easier to just run a simple short extension cord from the wet bay deckplate opening to the power pedestal, usually within 5'-10' away.
This, in effect, made us a 115a to 120a coach... so, there are reasons for it.

I would suggest using an appropriate wire sized extension cord, plugged into the secondary 15/20a power pedestal outlet, and run it into the coach thru an existing wiring cavity, opening, etc. Plug your heater into this extension cord, and you're own your way.
You could even have a 'coach' extension cord always run from the coach down into a storage bay or the wet bay or the electrical bay, and use a separate extension cord from that to the power pedestal.... this way you have effectively 'wired' yourself an easy and quick way to have tap into an additional 15/20a of power, when it's available. We've done this, and I've used not only the secondary outlet at the power pedestal, but also an extension cord long enough to reach an electrical outlet somewhere else, such as a building nearby.

cruzbill · 02-25-2018, 11:14 AM

In my view, extension cords for space heaters are a disaster waiting to happen. I know, I know. But that is not how the space heater is designed, just look at that big label on the cord that says: don't use with an extension cord.

Anyway, adding another 'convenience' or 'miscellaneous' circuit to a 30a coach means the coach is still 30a, no more. No extension cords this way.

Good luck!!