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bravefoot

Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2006
Posts
5
Newbie here and I would like to know if it is worth the money to get a RV outlet installed at my home or is the old orange cord good enough to keep the furnace going while in storage during the winter months?
 
We stored several m/h (with 30 amp systems) using a 15 amp house circuit but with a 15 amp extension cord that was 15' long, just long enough to reach the coach to keep the voltage as high as possible.

If you plan to use electric heaters or other appliances or have a newer coach with 50 amp service  it would probably be wise to add at least 30 amp service to your home.
 
A 15A circuit is plenty to keep the battery charger humming, which will provide plenty of power for the furnace.  You only need 30A or more if you want to run an electric heater (or a/c in the hotter months).

Make sure the "orange cord" is actually a heavy duty one, at least 14 gauge wire and preferably 12 gauge if it has to run more than about 20 feet. The typical "orange cord" is 16 gauge and that is not an adequate wire size to deliver a continuous 15 amps.  Better yet, buy yourself an RV 30A extension (which has 10 gauge wire). You can use that in the camp ground when the power pole is a bit too far away, as well as during the winter.
 
bravefoot said:
Newbie here and I would like to know if it is worth the money to get a RV outlet installed at my home or is the old orange cord good enough to keep the furnace going while in storage during the winter months?

I have had my garage wired with a pair of dedicated 20 amp circuits back a lotta years ago.  When I got the trailer, I installed a special 30amp RV outlet in a separate box and wired it in parallel with the 20amp GFI outlet .  Since the traler's circuit is always under load, I wired in a 20 amp switch above the RV outlet to prevent arcing and damage to the trailer's power cord plug.    I do use a 15' extension 30amp-rated heavy duty RV extension cord.  It can do double duty in camping.    20amp wiil even handle my A/C but that you should always check the voltage drop on your rig.
 
While we're on this topic, what's the average cost to have these 30a outlets installed?  I realize that may vary, I'm just looking for a ballpark figure.
 
Well depending on how far you are from a breaker box, putting in a 30amp outlet isn't hard.  You just have to buy the proper 30A breaker for the breaker box, the appropriate length of 10gauge romex (burial wire if you plan on burying it) and a 30A "RV Outlet" sold at Lowes for $35ish.  You could easily do it yourself for under $100 - Just make ABSOLUTE SURE to kill power to the breaker box before you start working on it.
 
Scotty - I'm not afraid to try basic home stuff. I put in hardwood floors (messed up part of it, but ... looks better than the rotten carpet!), new sinks, etc. But I have no clue about electrical stuff. The total for a 30 amp box installed a few weeks back was just over $400. I know, I know - do it myself for a third of that. It's one thing to monkey with light switches, etc but raw power feed to the house could kill you. So - it was worth it to me.
 
The breaker and the 30A RV outlet aren't real expensive, but running wire out to the Rv may be.  If it needs to be buried, you can save $ by digging the trench yourself, even if you need an electrician to do the wiring. Electricians don't like to dig either and often pay somebody else to do that part anyway.

If you are paying for the installation, you may as well put in 50A instead of 30 - planning for the future. The materials are more expensive but the labor is the same.
 
The cost of the fixture, itself.

Our RV pad is in the back yard, next to the garage. (3 ft from the wall, 10 ft wide.) The incoming electrical service comes to that wall from service lines in the alley. The meter is on that wall, as is the 250 amp main service box. There was room for the new circuit breakers and capacity for the 50 amp service. The cable in the RV is long enough to reach that outlet from anywhere on the pad.

We had a 50 amp service professionally installed there. The cost was $125.00. (I did Shanghai an electrician working on a near-by house, at the time. I did make sure he bought separately, for my job. ) Took him less than an hour. Only thing I regret is that I might have had him install a 110 outlet there, as well. Would have been a good idea.

To go further than two or three feet from the meter, of course, would cost more. Also, labor rates in Idaho are relatively low. But that is one example of the cost of the service alone. Going further from the main breaker box or upgrading the incoming service would cost more.

Ray D

 
scottydl said:
While we're on this topic, what's the average cost to have these 30a outlets installed?? I realize that may vary, I'm just looking for a ballpark figure.

In my case, I ran from an existing 20amp outlet box and did the work myself.? It was knothead simple and just involved about 4" of thinwall, a two pole 20amp switch and a 30amp RV outlet in a box.

HOWEVER, the 20amp dedicated circuit and breaker was installed under a permit by a licensed electrical contractor as a part of a larger job.? Even without the larger job I would have done it under permit by a licensed contractor.? I won't touch my breaker box.? ?Why?? ?Well, because if my house should burn down, I do not want to give my insurance company a cheap way out of its obligations.? ?Furthermore, when I sell the house, I have to notify the buyer of unpermitted work.? Here, lying can cost money.
 
When I installed the meter loop and pedistal here at Sam's Camp I got the appropriate permit and the installation was approved by the state electrical inspector.  I did the work myself.
 
Ron said:
When I installed the meter loop and pedistal here at Sam's Camp I got the appropriate permit and the installation was approved by the state electrical inspector.? I did the work myself.

You are a better electrician than I, Ron.  But then lots of folks are.  ;D
 
Good rule of thumb if you stick with the orange cord--if it ever gets warm and it's not because of the sun, it's not enough.
 
Thanks guys for all the good advise!  I think I'll just upgrade my "orange cord" for now and see how it goes from there.
 
I just had a 30 amp outlet installed in my garage and it cost $540. Of course I know absolutely nothing about electricity so paid for an experienced electrician to do it.
 
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