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I d e a s F o r Y o u r V i n t a g e
C a m p e r
I n s t a l l i n g A C W i r i n g _______________________ Please read our DISCLAIMER --------------------------------------
INTRO : Installing electrical wiring into your vintage camper has some things you need to consider and plan before you start the job. Below are some TERMS of the main electrical equipment-components you will likely need to know to wire your vintage camper: 1. SIZE OF SERVICE - this is the size of the electrical capacity into your vintage camper. IE: 20 amp, 30 amp, 50 amp. These are the typical sizes supplied at most campgrounds. At some, you may also see a 15 amp supply and/or all the others I listed or some combination. Whichever service size you use, you can not use anymore than the rating or the campground breaker will trip. The size of service you choose or need will be determined by what you want to install and use in and out of your camper, including DC applications; if you plan on an AC powered inverter for the dc power. 2. GFI BREAKER - Ground fault interrupter - this is a breaker designed to immediately trip if something gets wet for safety purposes and is required in all wet/outside applications. Most campgrounds use a GFI breaker for your service supply from their campground box. You should have at least one in your vintage camper for outside use. 3. POWER CORD - this is much like an extension cord that will supply the electrical power from the campground box to your camper. The rating of the cord will be determined by the size of service into your camper. IE: 20 amp service cord would be # 12 awg wire size or larger. Typically these cords are around 25 - 30 feet in length for a reason - with heavy loads you may experience a voltage drop with longer cords which may damage electrical equipment. 4. MAIN BREAKER BOX - this is the box where the power cord will come into your vintage camper. It will be rated for the size of service as the service power cord or less. The main box should have the capacity of the size of service into it. It will be mounted somewhere secure and where it should not get wet. It may or may not have a main breaker. 5. MAIN BREAKER - this is in the main breaker box for your vintage camper, which will be rated for the size of service into your vintage camper. If, there is a short circuit or the rating is exceeded by the total of everything being used, the breaker will trip and shut off the power into your vintage camper. 6. CIRCUIT BREAKERS - these are individually sized breakers installed in the main breaker box for various circuits. " More circuits is a way to have the breaker size closer to what you are using, rather than all on one circuit. Maybe you have an elect fridge and you could have a circuit for it that is closer to what it uses. Maybe an outside plug on a GFI circuit. These breakers can trip individually BUT all the circuits CAN NOT draw more than the MAIN breaker rating or it will trip"
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7. BOXES - these can be metal or plastic and are used to install switches, receptacles and lights in your camper or as a junction box to connect many wires. You may need surface boxes or ones that can be used inside walls, if you have studded walls. Metal boxes are required to be grounded as equipment ground. There are special outside boxes that are waterproof and have water - tight covers, IE: outside receptacle. 8. WIRE - normally you will use wire known as Romex, which can be for inside or outside use, which can have various numbers of wires with or without a ground wire inside a sheath of plastic. Likely you will use inside Romex with 2 wires ( black, the hot wire and white, the neutral wire) and a ground wire for a typical application. The rating of the wire used is determine by the rating of the circuit or equipment it is used for, IE: 15 amp circuit would need a # 14 awg wire. An electrical store can give you the wire table as to wire sizes and ratings. Wire is rated for maximum voltage and current carrying capability, as well application. 9. CLAMPS - CONNECTIONS - ETC. - there are various clamps for securing the Romex, boxes, etc, as well wire connectors, tape or solder to securely connect the wires together. 10. GROUNDING - All non-current carry metal parts are to be bonded to the grounding terminal - bus bar in the main breaker box. As well, the chassis is to be bonded by # 8 copper wire(minimum) to the grounding terminal - bus bar in the main breaker box.. Your power cord will have a 3 prong connector (20 and 30 amp) with an equipment ground wire that may be covered, this wire is to be connected to the ground bus bar in the main breaker box. A 50 amp cord will have a 4 prong connector for 3 pole with ground rather than the 2 pole with ground of the 20 - 30 amp. This is generally used on larger campers needing more power requirements. I am not discussing the 50 amp cord here. The black wire(hot) is connected to the top side of the main breaker. (20- 30 amp cord) The white wire(neutral) - the grounded circuit wire is connected to the neutral bus bar in the main breaker box. The neutral is to be insulated from all metal parts and all bonding straps, screws in the main box or other appliance shall be removed and not used. ( 20 - 30 amp cord) ______________________________________________________________________________________
PLANNING
:IF, you are NOT TOTALLY confident in your ability and knowledge of electricity, then you might want to consider hiring someone to wire your vintage camper. IF, you feel you can do the work of installing the electrical components, but not sure of what you need, then you could hire someone to determine the size of service into your vintage camper based on what info you provide, various circuits needed and the necessary electrical equipment you will need to do the job. IE: wire, boxes, cords, clamps, etc. I would suggest you get this in writing detailing everything involved. Also, whether this person is going to assist you with info as to the correct procedures, grounding, etc. REMEMBER: any person who is a professional is putting their liability on the line as if they did the job by giving you this advice. So, whether someone would be willing to do this and a cost, is something I can not answer? Some electrical items you may want in your camper : lights - both ac and dc, inverter for DC power, fan, tv, radio, dvd/cd player, blender, microwave, air conditioner, small space heater, outside plug and there may be more. It is better to plan for EVERYTHING now, so if you decide to add anything later the main service into your vintage camper will have enough capacity. Be sure to sit down and make a list first. When deciding on what you want, make sure the main box has room for the # of circuits you want to use. A small 30 amp main box may only have space for 2 breakers. Just something to be aware of as their are different size main breaker boxes/panels. Finally, the National Electric Code does have guidelines/codes as to the number of circuits, wire size, installation of certain items and grounding relating to campers. I have listed some info and hopefully this can help you decide if you can do the job or need a professional. ____________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________
Last Edited : 5.28.2009 Web page created by Larry Bush: 8.19.2009 Serro Scotty ~ Vintage Campers © All Rights Reserved ________________________________________ |