help with wiring a 30 amp breaker box

[universalexports]

I have been searching for a "how to" here, but have not found one,

my 61 airflyte only has one breaker, and NO outlets that I can find, Weird???

it had an icebox, so no outlet there either,

I plan on putting 3 or 4 outlets for the fridge, AC, microwave, electric stove top burners, and a convection oven. so I need at least one maybe 2 thirty amp breakers I would guess maybe more,

my stove top burners are 1800 watts each, so 2 x 1800 there.
and my AC unit (8,000 btu) that also heats, when in heating mode is 1300 watts
my convection oven is 1800 watts as well.
the fridge is a small energy star fridge, so it shouldn't use much.

I plan on 5 120v lights as well

so can someone advise me what I need, and where to start? I have no idea about electrical.

[vikx]

Wow. All the electrical units are going to overwhelm a 30 amp system...

First of all, the box and breaker are Federal Pacific. There have been problems with FP breakers not functioning as intended and fires. So the breaker box and main wire would have to be replaced.

A 30 amp Marinco inlet with proper gauge wiring to the new breaker box/breakers will run the lights, 15 amp plugs and ONE appliance at a time. Your electrical needs are beyond that. Meaning: the convection oven will need a 20 amp dedicated circuit, the A/C another 20 amp circuit, burners another 20 amp. You won't have enough amperage to to do that because the lights and other plugs will need a 15 amp circuit: 20 + 20 + 20 + 15 = 85 amps.

Of course you wouldn't use them all at the same time but you simply have too many high amp electrical units to operate on a 30 amp system.

I recommend you consult a licensed electrician before proceeding.

[universalexports]

thx Vikx,

I am not sure how many of these will be used at the same time, mostly the cooking stuff I would guess, I may have to not use the convection oven,

my brother inlaw is a licensed electrician, but it took my wife (his sister) 5 years to get him over to work on a lamp over our kitchen sink. but I will talk to him.

I have a 12 volt power inverter, I can run 12 volt lights and use that, should help a bit.

and I can down size a bit with the AC, an 8,000 btu is a bit much for my new smaller camper.

my local campground has 50 amp camping sites but far less of them than the 30 amp hook-ups.

I'll have to re-evaluate my plan. thanks

[universalexports]

been searching the web, looks like a smaller microwave will take me from 1250 watts to 900 that will help a bit as well.

[universalexports]

just found a Frigidaire 6,500 BTU air conditioner that is energy star rated and draws only 5.75A, with Wattage around 565. that will help lessen my requirement a bit as well.

[mamasherb]

Is it this one, universal?:
www.lowes.com/pd_317015-2251-LRA074AT7_0__?productId=3200897
If not, do you have a link?

[universalexports]

yeah, that is it, (I saved the part # on my spreadsheet and want list I have) I spent about an hour or more on google before I found info on the watts, amps etc.

[mamasherb]

I Googled it again and found the Q&As that gave you that info, Universal. It's not a bad price for that kind of efficiency, it seems to me. Might have to get one for the trailer AND the house (in western PA, the attic fan is usually enough so we don't have central air. But the times, they are a-changin' . Dumb question: I've been re-reading the thread on here about installing an under-the-bed AC and it looks like what people are using is a window (rather than a portable) unit. Is that right?

[universalexports]

right, one just like this one we are talking about. that is how I plan on installing it as well.

[offspringin]

we rewired everything when we redid the paneling. we figured out amperage on all appliances etc etc and beefed up the feed line from the 30amp incoming RV style cord to the breaker box, think it had originally 14GA running the few outlets. In any case we have dedicated circuits for particular functions and set up the wire gauge accordingly too.

[idqrocks]

I have a new RV electrical panel for sale. It has plenty of room to make branch circuits for all your stuff. The breakers are super cheap too.

I can make a deal if your interested.


vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=partsforsale&thread=4592&page=1#28501

[cowcharge]

Watts=volts x amps

2 x 1800 watt burners = 3600 w / 120 v = 30 amps, poof...

[universalexports]

Apr 22, 2012 19:24:14 GMT -5 cowcharge said:

Watts=volts x amps

2 x 1800 watt burners = 3600 w / 120 v = 30 amps, poof...

yeah, I agree, but that is with both burners on full, they go from 500-1800, so assuming you run both at 3/4 full, you should be fine on a 30 amp system, and I dont really see a need to run them on full, most burners you just dont need that much heat.

[universalexports]

Apr 15, 2012 16:14:18 GMT -5 universalexports said:

just found a Frigidaire 6,500 BTU air conditioner that is energy star rated and draws only 4.75A, with Wattage around 565. that will help lessen my requirement a bit as well.

I just bought one of these!!!

should help with my outrageous power demands.

and should be big enough for my 13 foot airflyte

[westend1530]

May 4, 2012 18:43:54 GMT -5 universalexports said:

Apr 15, 2012 16:14:18 GMT -5 universalexports said:

just found a Frigidaire 6,500 BTU air conditioner that is energy star rated and draws only 4.75A, with Wattage around 565. that will help lessen my requirement a bit as well.

I just bought one of these!!!

should help with my outrageous power demands.

and should be big enough for my 13 foot airflyte

where did you get it?

[universalexports]

at the local Lowes store.

[lunchbox]

To even safely run all of these appliances you would atleast need a 50 amp main breaker. I would not reccomend running numerous things at once. And make sure you use 12 gauge wiring for all of your circuits and also have dedicated circuits for anything that is in the kitchen. Dont forget to use GFI outlets anywhere there is water near it (kitchen, bathroom, outdoors.. etc). I was an electrician for 6 years and can try to help any way I can.

[universalexports]

Thanks this is an upcoming project, and I know nothing about electrical except it hurts,

I got stuck to my uncles camper about 30 years ago, I was about 10, I was barefoot and grabbed the door handle and got shocked so bad I was stuck until my cousin who was with me unplugged the camper. to fix the problem they put down a rubber mat to stand on when entering the camper, redneck ingenuity.

[61 Shasta]

I guess I'm just a curious kind of guy but why in the world are you using an electric stove in a camping vehicle? I have had 6 or 7 camping rigs over my lifetime and none of them have had an electric stove. The reason is pretty obvious when you start lining up the electrons as you have above. It just don't make sense!!! Also, I have been an electrician for over 50 years and with the kind of loads you are talking about here, you are going to have to have your own power plant unless you don't do any boondocking at all. I would suggest you take a real practical look at what you really need and start from there. Don't get me wrong, if what you list is what you really need to go camping then it certainly can be done, just plan on camping at places with 50amp capabilities and wiring your unit accordingly. I would be happy to help if that is what you want to do.

[universalexports]

yeah, the stove tops are my wifes idea, thats what she like to cook on, she is scared of propane for some weird reason, I use my propane grill for the meats outside, and she cooks the rest on the stove. we never boondock, and pretty much always go to the same campground at the lake nearby.

the stove tops arent as bad as they sound, they are 1800watts when all the way on high, at 3/4 they both will only be 22.5 amps which is as high as they would need to go. our park has a 30 amp plug in and two 15 amp plug in's at each camp site, as well as 50 amp service with full septic if need it. but those sights are higher priced and fewer.

I am looking for a more efficient induction cooktop, I have found several that are only 1800 watts, for both burners, but they just adjust the power to not exceed 1800 watts, if you have one on high the other will not hardly work, or you can run them both at 50%.

and as you can see above I got a smaller 6500 btu energy efficient AC unit, much more efficient that the 8,000 btu I was going to use. I am trying to cut my power requirements and still make the wife happy, she does not like the camper at all, so I am trying to give it everything she wants, thanks for the help.

[idqrocks]

My question is about the 30 amp main. I am changing to a 30 amp service. I bought a converter panel which has room for AC breakers. But there is no "main" 30 amp breaker. Do I need to install a 30 amp breaker before the converter? OR, does the 30 amp breaker in the campground electrical panel that you plug into act as the 30 amp main?

[61 Shasta]

Where your power comes from the 30 amp campground service, you need to have some kind of distribution point to protect the internal wiring within your unit. If your power goes directly to this converter panel and is distributed from there, then no, you don't need a main. The only thing you need to do is be sure the wiring coming into the power converter is rated for 30 amps, which would be a size 10 conductor. Good luck

[idqrocks]

Awesome. Thanks!

[universalexports]

on an interesting note, I done some experimenting with my induction burners,

it's heat adjustment is actually by watts, 500, 800, 1000, 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800 watts

I was able to bring a pretty big pot of water 3 inches deep to a boil in 16 minutes on only 1200 watts.

So as long as I dont run them higher than 1200 watts, that cuts my amps from 30 to 20 when using both burners. that will help a lot.

and my energy efficient AC unit only used 4.75amps

the campground I frequent has a 30 amp plug on a 30 amp breaker, and two regular 110 v plugs on a 20 amp breaker, for a total of 50 amps, I just have to run 1 or 2 extension cord type cords along with a 30 amp plug. to have 50 amps available

[61 Shasta]

Sounds to me like you have found a solution to your camping needs, that is awesome and what it is all about. Sometimes we forget that we are not the only ones on the camping trip. I applaud you for taking the time to make it as comfortable as possible for all concerned. I am one lucky guy, my wife has followed and enjoyed my camping evolution from sleeping in the back of a station wagon, to tents, horse camps, pickup campers, trailers and motorhomes. Both of us are looking forward to getting "chucks waggin" on the road as an alternative to and extension of our motor home. I still take time out once per year to participate in "elk camp". Tent camping at its best. I must say, we raised 5 boys who for the most part are also camping nuts.

[cowcharge]

I never had a gas stove until I got the camper, but after using it a few times I now find waiting for water to boil on an electric stove frustrating, hehehe. Although with the electric range at home, if I run fully hot tap water into the pan, it only takes two or three minutes to boil on high. 16 minutes? I'd never be able to wait that long...

[joecamper]

I am very close to upgrading An Airflyte with a 35 amp a/cd/cpanel with converter and charger new power receptical on the outside twist in removavle cord.

I will make sure to show pictures and tell sources.

A/C side can have 5 branches d/c has 6 I think. 3 stage charger cooling fan flush mount 5 by 8 by 10 160 bucks

[universalexports]

thanks!!!

[joecamper]

That panel you pictured can be utilized better. It is rated for 30amp open it up and read the back of the face. As was originally configured it could accept another breaker hence the break away tab.

I just set one up EXACTLY the same panel I went up to a 30amp main breaker in place of the 15 on the one side and put 2 mini or thin double up 20 amp breakers in the second slot for 2 branch circutes plus the main.

[joecamper]

In fact that is the panel I pulled out of the Airflyte Im doing the upgrade on. I refit it and its going into the Trotwood Im also doing and will serve that camper just fine.