Proper electrical hook up a home?

[happycampers2]

A Newbee here with trailer at the house for the first time. What is the right way to hook up electric to house current? Do I have to install a special outlet, is an adapter available at Camping world? Are there switches that have to be thrown? Thanks to anyone who replies. I have a 2011 Forest River Surveyor SP240.

[Dave_Monica]

Welcome to the forum!

All you would need is a 30A to 15A adapter. They sell them everywhere...probably in the RV section of Walmart.

Some have a dedicated 30A outlet to plug into allowing anything in the camper to be powered up. Ensure that it's a 30A 120V outlet not 220V...that mistake has been reported on here many times including work done by hired electricians.

Dave

[buzzards27]

Do not install anything until you have researched the process. Connecting it wrong will damage your wiring. While the plug look a bit like a dryer plug they're different, ask for a RV plug.

This article should get you started. http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm

Sorry, here is the correct site... http://www.myrv.us/electric/index.htm

[Triguy]

My replies in blue

Originally Posted by happycampers2

A Newbee here with trailer at the house for the first time. What is the right way to hook up electric to house current? What do you have at your house today? Certainly, you have a 15amp or maybe a 20amp circuit, but probably not a 30amp 120volt service. You will need adapters to go from your 30amp TT to the 15 or 20amp receptacle.


Do I have to install a special outlet Take a read through this thread. This is a forum discussion I had before I installed a 30amp service at my house.

Should I install 50 amp or 30 amp service?


is an adapter available at Camping world? Yes, and its always a good idea to carry it with you so you can adapt your 30amp trailer to work with 15amp at the CG if needed.

Are there switches that have to be thrown? No

Thanks to anyone who replies. I have a 2011 Forest River Surveyor SP240.

[GASPEDDLER]

If your rig is 30amp and you do not have a 30 amp RV outlet at home, you can use one of these. You can buy them at Walmart for $10. It will allow you to run some but not all your electrical in your TT. The best way is to have a dedicated 30 amp 120 v RV outlet installed-not 220v. Make sure to hire an electrician who knows RV electrical to avoid frying your converter and appliances- or worse.

[Herk7769]

Here is an excellent article on how to do it. If you do hire an electrician make sure he is given a copy before work starts.

[LaydBack]

I'm an electrician, and I'd encourage you to install the 30A RV outlet. They make one that comes in a weatherproof box. They also make other ones that also have other receptacles in them, depending on what might suit your needs. The reason I suggest the 30A is that people that have them at home tend to hang out in them, and need AC or whatever, so may as well have the proper setup. If you can give me more specifics, I can probably walk/talk you thru it.

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by LaydBack

I'm an electrician, and I'd encourage you to install the 30A RV outlet. They make one that comes in a weatherproof box. They also make other ones that also have other receptacles in them, depending on what might suit your needs. The reason I suggest the 30A is that people that have them at home tend to hang out in them, and need AC or whatever, so may as well have the proper setup. If you can give me more specifics, I can probably walk/talk you thru it.

X2.-but I would do the 50 amp so you can upgrade your trailer without having to do the electric again.

[sideout1961]

Is regular household power 110 or120? I get confused when I see these discussions. When I plug my 30amp at home with the adapter am I plugging into 110 or 120?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by sideout1961

Is regular household power 110 or120? I get confused when I see these discussions. When I plug my 30amp at home with the adapter am I plugging into 110 or 120?

This should answer your question.

110 Volt Vs. 120 Volt | eHow.com

They are used interchangeably in the US.

[jimh]

Originally Posted by sideout1961

Is regular household power 110 or120? I get confused when I see these discussions. When I plug my 30amp at home with the adapter am I plugging into 110 or 120?

110, 115, 120, 125 are used interchangeably they are all refer to the same.

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by jimh

110, 115, 120, 125 are used interchangeably they are all refer to the same.

X2 kinda like 220 & 240

[jimh]

i started to add that abt 220 but didn't want it in the same post as 110.

at home, i simply hook up with a 20 power cord. can run most anything just one at a time on the heavy users. will probably run 50 when i finally put a permanent outlet out there.

even if i only required 30 amp, i would be tempted to run the 50 and adapt down. as stated above future use.

[sideout1961]

Thanks all for the reponses it really helps. What is the need for such a large plug and cable if it is just 110? Is it because of the 30amp power that goes through it or is the service at a campground different than at home. Sorry if the questions seem dumb but electrical service is confusing to me. My only experience is changing outlets and switches at home.

[MillerTime]

Originally Posted by sideout1961

Thanks all for the reponses it really helps. What is the need for such a large plug and cable if it is just 110? Is it because of the 30amp power that goes through it or is the service at a campground different than at home. Sorry if the questions seem dumb but electrical service is confusing to me. My only experience is changing outlets and switches at home.

Yes it is because if the amount of amps that each type of plug can handle or is rated for.

[GASPEDDLER]

The 30 amp plug with allow you to provide the full 30 amps the rig requires to run most of your electrical devices at the same time. The 15 amp will limit you to half of the juice available with the 30 amp. This will further limit the number of electrical devices you can operate at the same time.

[sideout1961]

Just one more question. I have an unused outlet in my shed next to where the camper is parked. The breaker in the house for this line is 20 amp. Can I switch this out for a single pole 30 amp breaker that is mentioned in the article or is this not the correct thing to do? The camper would be the only thing on this line.

[Grizzlygibbs]

Definitely NOT ok. You need to upgrade the wiring as what is in that receptacle is likely 14 gauge romex. Depending on the distance from the box, you should have 10 or 8 gauge to be able to handle the amps!

I am not an electrician but know enough to not get shocked

[sideout1961]

Originally Posted by Grizzlygibbs

Definitely NOT ok. You need to upgrade the wiring as what is in that receptacle is likely 14 gauge romex. Depending on the distance from the box, you should have 10 or 8 gauge to be able to handle the amps!

I am not an electrician but know enough to not get shocked

Thanks for the advice. That's why I asked the question don't need any fire hazards!!

[Grizzlygibbs]

Indeed!