Adding 30 amp hookup to our house

[98winnie]

Not sure I have the correct forum, but - The wife and I will be having some major remodeling done to our house in the next several months. I currently keep our rv in storage, but we will probably be displaced from our house for several weeks while work is being done. We don't want to leave during renovation, as we want to monitor everything closely. My question is, I want to install a hookup at home, and the closest I can park to one is about 75 feet. Is there a problem with tying 2 lines together to reach the 75 feet, or purchasing a 75 foot line instead? Not sure about power loss over that length.

Any thoughts?

[richard5933]

Biggest reason for voltage drop is using undersized wiring. It might be easier to have the contractor run the long line from the service panel in the house to a pedestal near where you can park, and then plug into the pedestal like normal.

Be sure that they know what they are installing. If you are doing 30 amp they must install 120v circuit, not 240v.

[FlyingDiver]

Are you talking about putting the RV connection 75 feet away from the house, or putting it at the house and using 75 of shore power cord (or extension) to connect to it?

If you have heavy enough shore power cord, 75 isn't unreasonable. But you can't cheap out on the cords.

[Old-Biscuit]

Need to have a 30A RV outlet installed ---120VAC One HOT, One NEUTRAL, one GROUND fed from a 30A Circuit Breaker

Then 100' of extension cords with at minimum 10 GAUGE wire


Now would be time to just install a power pedestall at location for on-site RV parking
30A circuit breaker.....THREE 10 GAUGE wires (Hot, Neutral, Ground) and a pedestall with 30A Outlet

Could even upgrade to 50A for future needs
Double pole 50A CBs, FOUR 6 GAUGE wire (2 Hots, 1 neutral, 1 ground)

[Pmiller1]

X2 on 10 gauge ext cord will work should run everything ok just when running ac might get close to max with microwave or 110 waterheater ..

[KanzKran]

10-gauge copper, at about 1.25 ohms/1000 ft, will drop about 5.5 volts over 150 ft (75 out and 75 back) when carrying 30A. If your voltage at rest is relatively high, say 120V, that's just a little under 115V under load. No problem. And that assumes you're actually pulling 30A through that circuit, which you almost certainly will not be this time of year unless you're using electric heat.

If your voltage is normally low, then losing too much in a long cord is more of an issue, but again, that depends on how much current you would normally draw. And, I should add, what loads you are actually driving. Motors and converters/chargers don't like low voltage (increases current draw since the connected load remains constant), but resistance heaters and incandescent lights and ovens and such don't care as they just put out less heat or light.

If the question is two 50 ft cords vs a single 100 ft, aside from the additional connection in the middle, which will present its own additional resistance, there isn't much downside. And you could always sell off the extension cord to another RV'r on this forum (or wherever) when you're done with it.

[Itchytoe]

You should be fine using an RV 30 amp extension cord to make the 75 foot run. That long of a run certainly isn't ideal, but you're also extremely unlikely to actually be trying to pull 30 amps through it. You're probably only going to be pulling about 15 to 20 amps through it. Just don't try to microwave leftovers while making toast when your wife is blow drying her hair and has a space heater warming the bathroom. That's definitely going trip some breakers. As they say, a little common sense goes a long way.

[98winnie]

Because our lot is really small and in a neighborhood, I don't have the space for permanent rv storage. Hence the reason for the long cord. I would be parking in the street in front of the house, for a few days at a time (so the cops don't ticket me). I saw a 75 ft. cord online for about $150, which made me think of this in the first place. I suppose we could find a campground close by but why spend the money if I don't have to. A permanent connection makes sense as I bring the rv home regularly for maintenance anyway. don't know the installation cost yet, but I'm guessing it's not that much.
I do also have a 50 amp connection attached to the generator wiring, so could install 50 amp at the house instead.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by 98winnie

Because our lot is really small and in a neighborhood, I don't have the space for permanent rv storage. Hence the reason for the long cord. I would be parking in the street in front of the house, for a few days at a time (so the cops don't ticket me). I saw a 75 ft. cord online for about $150, which made me think of this in the first place. I suppose we could find a campground close by but why spend the money if I don't have to. A permanent connection makes sense as I bring the rv home regularly for maintenance anyway. don't know the installation cost yet, but I'm guessing it's not that much.
I do also have a 50 amp connection attached to the generator wiring, so could install 50 amp at the house instead.

Just make sure that 75' gives you needed slack so plugson the cord are not stressed
Also check that the $150 30A cord is 10 gauge at minimum.


As for that generator .....need a transfer switch so whenever gen is connected/supplying power the Utility company power is disconnected.
NO BACKFEEDING OF POWER into Power Grid!

[98winnie]

I do have a transfer switch at the generator, either 50 amp or generator, just flip a lever. I will look more closely at the different cords and see what is most recommended.
We have plenty of time before it's needed.
Thanks for the replies.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by 98winnie

I do have a transfer switch at the generator, either 50 amp or generator, just flip a lever. I will look more closely at the different cords and see what is most recommended.
We have plenty of time before it's needed.
Thanks for the replies.

I misunderstood your use of Generator.
Thought you meant supply AC power to house.....


Transfer switch in RV is for same reason you would need one if powering house AC.
So only one source is connected/powered......no backfeeding power into the 'other' source.
Gen fro power house..need HOUSE transfer switch to prevent sending power out into Utility Grid

[98winnie]

would it be best to have a dedicated electrical box installed at the house for the rv? I have extra slots on my existing box, but am NOT an electrician so don't know what's best.
I should have had this done last year when I had an electrician install all new wiring for my pool.........

[twinboat]

If you have one empty slot you can install a 30 amp line to a RV 30 amp outlet.

If you have a double slot available, you can install a double 50 amp breaker, and run 50 amp 240 volt service to an outlet.

[Old-Biscuit]

Existing open slots in Hosue Power Panel can be used.
Add a 30A CB (or Two 50A if possible) then need to pull new wire from House panel to location where NEW RV outlet would be installed....external Electrical Outlet


30A





50A