30 amp Plug at Home?

[EricEdwards]

Has anyone installed a 30 amp plug at home (if you keep your rig parked at home) for true shore power?

I keep a battery tender hooked up to my battery when we're parked at home. A couple of days before we leave on a trip, I disconnect the battery tender and use a dog leg to plug into a "regular" 110 outlet at my garage. I turn on the fridges, set the clocks on the microwave and stereo, and generally get stuff ready. The problem is, when we're getting ready to go or working inside our rig, it can get really hot. When we turn on the AC, it will run for a minute or two and then the GFCI on our garage outlet will trip. The rig is drawing too much juice. We want to be able to run the AC when we're tinkering inside or getting ready to go. Also, my teenagers like to hang out with friends and watch a movie in the rig when the cover is not on. They can't do that when the weather is warm.

Has anyone had an electrician install a 30 or 50 amp plug? Was it cost prohibitive? It it's more than a couple of hundred bucks I don't want to do it. I'm not experienced enough in electrical to do it myself.

[ependydad]

I’m spending 2 weeks parked at my cousin’s house. In preparation, I ordered a 30amp outlet and wire and sent it to their house. He went out and bought the right breaker and mounting mechanisms (for securing the wire and attaching the box to the side of the garage).



Cerrowire 25 ft. 10/2 UF-B Wire
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Unit Price $30.73


GE 30 Amp Temporary RV Power Outlet
Store SKU # 1000500043
Internet # 202307113
Unit Price $35.25

[KyDan]

Lots of folks have RV receptacles at home- both 30A and 50A.

One VERY STRONG WARNING--- it's a common MISTAKE that even licensed electricians make all the time.
A home RV 120 volt 30 Amp socket is very similar to the old fashioned 3 prong
240 Volt dryer socket. So similar that they get confused all the time.
If you plug your 30 A RV into a Dryer socket it WILL burn out a LOT of expensive stuff in your brand new trailer.
Make SURE your electrician knows that a 30 Amp RV socket is 120 Volts NOT 240!!

As far as cost is concerned I doubt you can get a licensed electrician to do it for $200. It totally depends on how far the RV outlet is from your home main panel.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by EricEdwards

Has anyone installed a 30 amp plug at home (if you keep your rig parked at home) for true shore power?

I keep a battery tender hooked up to my battery when we're parked at home. A couple of days before we leave on a trip, I disconnect the battery tender and use a dog leg to plug into a "regular" 110 outlet at my garage. I turn on the fridges, set the clocks on the microwave and stereo, and generally get stuff ready. The problem is, when we're getting ready to go or working inside our rig, it can get really hot. When we turn on the AC, it will run for a minute or two and then the GFCI on our garage outlet will trip. The rig is drawing too much juice. We want to be able to run the AC when we're tinkering inside or getting ready to go. Also, my teenagers like to hang out with friends and watch a movie in the rig when the cover is not on. They can't do that when the weather is warm.

Has anyone had an electrician install a 30 or 50 amp plug? Was it cost prohibitive? It it's more than a couple of hundred bucks I don't want to do it. I'm not experienced enough in electrical to do it myself.

Depending on the distance, the cost of materials could run a couple hundred.

The farther from the panel the larger the wire size required. I installed my own (grew up on a farm and learned enough about electricity to do it myself and even pass inspection) and have 3 #6 awg conductors in conduit running to my pad. Total run is around 80-90 feet (i forget). When I park I plug into a 30 amp receptacle on a post and can run EVERYTHING in my TT from this with voltage on the power panel showing nothing less than 119 volts.

I did the "extension cord" trick for too many years and after burning the ends off a few, and having to reset breakers I said "No More".

As for getting an electrician, shop around. Many qualified individuals are in business for themselves and don't charge as much as the "Yellow Page Companies".

In my state a homeowner can do his own electrical work and only has to purchase a "Safe Wiring Sticker" from local building department. When work is done they'll inspect and either show where corrections are needed or give you their blessing and leave. You do, however, need to know what you're doing with electricity. It's not all that hard as the basics are a lot like plumbing for water. Difference being a "leak" won't just make things wet, it could knock one on their keister or create a lot of smoke (with fire at it's worst).

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Lots of folks have RV receptacles at home- both 30A and 50A.

One VERY STRONG WARNING--- it's a common MISTAKE that even licensed electricians make all the time.
A home RV 120 volt 30 Amp socket is very similar to the old fashioned 3 prong
240 Volt dryer socket. So similar that they get confused all the time.
If you plug your 30 A RV into a Dryer socket it WILL burn out a LOT of expensive stuff in your brand new trailer.
Make SURE your electrician knows that a 30 Amp RV socket is 120 Volts NOT 240!!

As far as cost is concerned I doubt you can get a licensed electrician to do it for $200. It totally depends on how far the RV outlet is from your home main panel.

If a licensed electrician can't tell the difference between a blade and a "U-ground" (round prong) perhaps he should consider another career.

[5picker]

There have been many discussions here on installing 30a/or 50a plugs at their homes.

As mentioned, it is a common mistake to wire these up incorrectly even by those who 'claim' to know.

These might help...

[5picker]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

If a licensed electrician can't tell the difference between a blade and a "U-ground" (round prong) perhaps he should consider another career.

Agreed.... BUT... I know of at least a dozen reports here of Licensed Electricians wiring up R/V outlets incorrectly. !

[rjshiflet]

I ran a 30 amp circuit to my fifth wheel and we keep it plugged in full time at home. Keeps the fridge/freezer cold and we can run one A/C if we need to.

[CedarCreekWoody]

To the OP, you may find that if you turn off the breaker to the GFCI outlet in you trailer that you can run on the garage outlet without tripping the garage GFCI.

[EricEdwards]

Originally Posted by KyDan

Lots of folks have RV receptacles at home- both 30A and 50A.

One VERY STRONG WARNING--- it's a common MISTAKE that even licensed electricians make all the time.
A home RV 120 volt 30 Amp socket is very similar to the old fashioned 3 prong
240 Volt dryer socket. So similar that they get confused all the time.
If you plug your 30 A RV into a Dryer socket it WILL burn out a LOT of expensive stuff in your brand new trailer.
Make SURE your electrician knows that a 30 Amp RV socket is 120 Volts NOT 240!!

As far as cost is concerned I doubt you can get a licensed electrician to do it for $200. It totally depends on how far the RV outlet is from your home main panel.

Thanks for that. At my former home, there was an old 240 outlet, that indeed looked very similar to a 30A plug.

The location of the 30A plug will be within 3 feet of the panel.

[EricEdwards]

Thanks everyone. I have some ideas now on how to proceed.

[wmtire]

We keep a PDF file at this link that you can print out to hand the electrician to make sure there are no mistakes.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...d.php?p=231880

[Bluepill]

Installed this just below my outside service panel for under $30:

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Bluepill

Installed this just below my outside service panel for under $30:

Ideal if it's possible. No clearance near my service panel for a Moped, much less a TT.

Just add a zero to your cost for wire alone to get power to my pad.

[woo10-210]

If you're going to go through the trouble you might as well wire for 50A instead of 30A. You might upgrade RV's in the future and want the 50A. You can always adapt down to 30A.

I did my own. 50A box at Home Depot is $35, breaker is $10, plus I only needed a couple of feet of 6/4 stranded cable.

[TheWolfPaq82]

Did my own 30A off my garage panel. Not a certified Electrician, but I stayed in a Holiday Inn Express once.

[SBurson]

We use our MH as an extension of our home and had a licensed technician install our 30 amp. The cost will depend on if they have to dig a trench. Our trench was about 20 feet. The job was about $900, but worth it to us.

[Telstar]

I installed a 50 amp outdoor box. Bought at Home Depot. They also have 30 amp ones. You will need to add an appropriate 240v breaker and use the correct wire size based on amp fairing an length of run. Use metallic conduit. Mine was easy because it’s only 30’ from the breaker box.

[jenandrand]

I had an electrician install a 50 amp rv outlet at my home, we didn't need a trench and he supplied all of the parts. It cost me $395.

[Vince and Charlette]

Paid a licensed electrician to put in a 30 and a 50 amp outlet. The advantage was that I have a an external power box from the pole to the house with a whopping 300 amps. He just tapped into it adding the appropriate circuit breakers, ran the exterior shielded cable 40' and added two weatherproof outlets...$550!