30 amp Plug at Home?

[Riich]

Originally Posted by formerFR

I don't know why you think it's 'scary'.

Some of the threads are certainly scary. People giving the wrong advice on how to do an electrical installation should scare everybody.

Originally Posted by glen1971

If you aren't 100% sure of what you are doing, why would you attempt to do something that if you F-it up could cost you thousands in repairs?

Exactly! Or cause injury or death.

[MuddauberE]

I did not read all the comments but doing this is a very simple install. I did it back in 2013. I parked my Roo in my driveway and ran a 120 watt 30 amp circuit just outside the garage for about $50. I installed a 30 amp breaker in the box already in my garage. You could do this on the outside of your house. And then installed a 30amp plug box on the brink wall outside. Ran 30 amp cabling to it and been using it all season long. I disconnect the battery in the wonder and hook up to a better tender but all spring, summer and fall, I have it plugged in and the fridge on most of the time.

Of course make sure it’s 30 amp 120 volt as you see in previous posts.

[SquiggyFreud]

Is this acceptable?





Haven't connected to breaker box yet.

[D W]

Originally Posted by SquiggyFreud

Is this acceptable?





Haven't connected to breaker box yet.

All in all, okay, but I question the use of "crimp" connectors on the receptacle?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by SquiggyFreud

Is this acceptable?



Haven't connected to breaker box yet.

What gauge wire is that? It looks like it might be 12 gauge (20 amp max) or god forbid 14 gauge (15 amp max) to me .

Please confirm it is at least 10 gauge from the power panel to the socket.
(8 gauge if the run is longer than 64 feet).

AND

I would get rid of the terminal connectors; they are a fire waiting to happen.

[SquiggyFreud]

10/2 romex. That is how the box came to me with crimp connectors. Run was 25 feet.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by SquiggyFreud

Is this acceptable?





Haven't connected to breaker box yet.

That ground pigtail between the outlet and the box with the terminal should go directly to the ground lug on the right.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

That ground pigtail between the outlet and the box with the terminal should go directly to the ground lug on the right.

I wondered about that too.

[SquiggyFreud]

So, midwest sells plugs with crimp connectors that are a fire hazzard, and a miswired ground, how are they still in business? Just a bit snarky this morning apologies.

[WY Husker Fan]

The crimp connectors and the ground connection are fine. Those are factory connections and the wire is stranded. There is no better connection that can be made.

The ENT conduit is the only code related issue as it is not rated for exterior use.

I would have used larger pan head screws to attach the box to the wall as the flat head screws appear to just barely catch the edges of the mounting holes.

If you connect the other end of the Non-metallic cable with the black to a single pole 30 amp circuit breaker and the white to neutral you should be good. Ground will connect either to the neutral bar if it is bonded in the loadcenter you are supplying the circuit from or to an equipment ground bar if the neutral is isolated.

[Chuck_S]

My 30a "RV" connector is wired directly to my main breaker panel in the house. I guess it's got 3 feet of wire, they're that close. No additional breaker outdoors. The camper is rarely in the driveway so I fashioned a weatherproof electrical box at the end of a 12" power cord with regular 20a outlets in the box to give me outside power for a multitude of tools and lights when needed.

-- Chuck

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

My 30a "RV" connector is wired directly to my main breaker panel in the house. I guess it's got 3 feet of wire, they're that close. No additional breaker outdoors. The camper is rarely in the driveway so I fashioned a weatherproof electrical box at the end of a 12" power cord with regular 20a outlets in the box to give me outside power for a multitude of tools and lights when needed.

-- Chuck

That breaker at the outlet is a good idea, it allows you to turn off the power before connecting or disconnecting your rv. When you turn it off it prevents arcing when you plug in or unplug.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by SquiggyFreud

So, midwest sells plugs with crimp connectors that are a fire hazzard, and a miswired ground, how are they still in business? Just a bit snarky this morning apologies.

Apologies;
The crimps were not obvious to me as being factory crimps.

They did not look to me to be machine made; therefore susceptible to loosening over time causing arcing in the terminal under load.

[WY Husker Fan]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

My 30a "RV" connector is wired directly to my main breaker panel in the house. I guess it's got 3 feet of wire, they're that close. No additional breaker outdoors. The camper is rarely in the driveway so I fashioned a weatherproof electrical box at the end of a 12" power cord with regular 20a outlets in the box to give me outside power for a multitude of tools and lights when needed.

-- Chuck

The use of the cord and box with 20 amp receptacles is a bad idea. No GFCI protection and good potential for overloading extension cords etc while using “ a multitude of tools and lights”. If the breaker panel is as close as you say, it would be really easy to install a 15 amp GFCI receptacle with the proper WP box and in-use cover.

[babock]

Originally Posted by WY Husker Fan

The use of the cord and box with 20 amp receptacles is a bad idea. No GFCI protection and good potential for overloading extension cords etc while using “ a multitude of tools and lights”. If the breaker panel is as close as you say, it would be really easy to install a 15 amp GFCI receptacle with the proper WP box and in-use cover.

Of course what's interesting is that if you step up to a 30A connector, no GFCI is needed per code.


I know what you meant putting 20A extension cords on a 30A circuit though.

[5picker]

Originally Posted by WY Husker Fan

The crimp connectors and the ground connection are fine. Those are factory connections and the wire is stranded. There is no better connection that can be made.

The ENT conduit is the only code related issue as it is not rated for exterior use.

I would have used larger pan head screws to attach the box to the wall as the flat head screws appear to just barely catch the edges of the mounting holes.

If you connect the other end of the Non-metallic cable with the black to a single pole 30 amp circuit breaker and the white to neutral you should be good. Ground will connect either to the neutral bar if it is bonded in the loadcenter you are supplying the circuit from or to an equipment ground bar if the neutral is isolated.

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Apologies;
The crimps were not obvious to me as being factory crimps.

They did not look to me to be machine made; therefore susceptible to loosening over time causing arcing in the terminal under load.

Yep, I've installed several of those Midwest boxes and they were all like that. Not sure the crimps were 'machine made' as I redid several of the ones in the installs I did with a better crimp and then soldered. Most of the receptacle screws for the crimp connectors were not tightened very well either.

As for the ground wire... I suppose an argument could be made that it would have been better to attach it to the ground block but both attach to the metal case and continuity is made through it. There won't be any issues the way it is.