Utility line 50 amp

[GlennWest]

My thoughts are relocating it. It at very back of my Teton. Bring it halfway. How well do you think Teton anchored it. Would like to pull line forward to inverters. Would save me right much money. Wire expensive now. 

[Randyretired]

Our Teton had a transfer switch just behind the front storage.  Tapped into that and put a 50amp plug in it.  Also put a 50amp receptacle on the cable coming from the back.  The trailer can be plugged into the inverter, original rear receptacle or a cable from the front storage.  For power through the inverter the inverter can be plugged into the original rear location or a cable from the front storage area.

[GlennWest]

I don't have a transfer switch. Yours must have come with a generator or at least factory equip

Edited November 24, 2022 by GlennWest

[Randyretired]

It was generator prepared.   If your breaker panel is in the front maybe you could tap in there?

[GlennWest]

My panel is midway. Actually in bathroom. could pull out the feed line and tie into it. But wanted to relocate it. Very inconvenient at rear of unit. 

[Randyretired]

Yes it is inconvenient at times.  That it why I modified mine for front storage area or rear.  Straight or through the inverter.

[Chad Heiser]

The wire is typically just run through the underbelly.  It may take removing sections of the coroplast or at least undoing some of the screws holding the coroplast up to pull the wire back and relocate the shore plug connection.  There may be some zip ties holding the wire in places.

[trailertraveler]

I guess it depends on the parks that you stay in, but I have noticed no standardization of where the utilities are located on a site from park to park. Many have the utilities at the rear of the site. Others have them midway and some have them nearer the front. My electric inlet is on the rear driver's side corner of the 34' trailer. I recall only a few times that the 30' factory supplied cord was not long enough to reach the pedestal.

[GlennWest]

I tow with my HDT. It is roughly 30'. So I need to get Teton as far back as possible so truck can stay in front. I have on several cases had to park truck elsewhere or go buy an extension for my service. Don't really care for extensions. The midway location should work most places

Edited November 24, 2022 by GlennWest

[D&J]

When I was laying out and wiring RV parks the NEC said pedestals will be located midway or to the rear of sites but not in the back or front. I would locate them 1/3 of the way forward from the back. 

We always travel with a 50 amp extension cord, we are using it now because we are in a manufactured home park the the power is in near the front along with the water, sewer is way in the back so we are using all our hoses and cords 🤣.

Denny

[GlennWest]

My intention is midway. Right where water and sewer connections are. Be easy to get to also. I may just abandon that cable. It around $300.00 worth of cable though at today's price.

Edited November 24, 2022 by GlennWest

[oldjohnt]

Glenn, the pros and cons of where on the RV to locate your power DEPENDS on the so many different RV park pedestal locations. Of course packing an extra extension cord of 25 or so feet will do the job in most RV parks.

 NOTE there's an advantage of NOTTTTTTTT having an automatic (Genset/Utility) transfer switch (if one even has a genset ??) as they can fail and/or they can develop burned/carboned/resistive contacts. If you or others would happen to be equipped with a 120/240 Volt 50 Amp capacity Genset and a NEMA 14-50R Receptacle into which you MANUALLY plug your shore power cord you're good to go. On those type configurations with those genset equipped travelers the genset (configured as a Separate Derived Source) is where the SINGLE Neutral Ground Bond is created and the frame serves as the Grounding Electrode. Of course a transfer scheme is required for an Inverter and some systems have that function (along with a method so there can be ONLY ONE NG Bond) built in.

 You got this

John T

 

Edited November 25, 2022 by oldjohnt

[Kirk W]

I think that if I were to do a major rewire of a large RV today I would use a removable shore power cable and put in connections for it at each end and in the middle. 

[GlennWest]

Ya'll done lot more traveling than us. Never been where midway wouldn't work. Not saying there aren't parks out there where it is needed. I could splice into it and have one at end and center. Likely easiest too. 

[oldjohnt]

41 minutes ago, GlennWest said:

I could splice into it and have one at end and center. Likely easiest too. 

Mornin Glenn, That would be easy peasey using four conductor 6 Gauge Copper cable and appropriate connectors HOWEVER likely seldom if ever even required as center or rear location should work in most all parks. I wouldn't worry about it, as they say "If it aint broke dont fix it" lol.........

John T  Still in the RV in Lakeway, Texas.

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, GlennWest said:

Never been where midway wouldn't work.

Actually, 3 connections probably aren't needed but there are some really interesting sites out there. Part of the issue is the length of the cord that you use. If you always stay in an RV park you probably wouldn't need all 3 but we have been to a few volunteer locations that the front one would have been much easier to use and I have also seen a few with the power on the wrong side. We volunteered once where the power as on the door side near the front so our cord had to pass under the RV. Had we still been in the motorhome we could have pulled in forward and the connections would have been perfect and the view best also. There is a county park in WA that redesigned their host sites when we were there and at my suggestion the put a complete set of connections on each side of the parking pad. That way either a fifth wheel or a class A could park to look out on the bay the park is on with a back-in site and the view behind the site.

[Ray,IN]

I've seen a 50A receptacle attached to the pin box on a 5er, so the 5er may be powered by a genset while  driving (genset was on a stand welded to the pin box). So almost anything is  doable.

Personally, I'd just carry a 50A extension cable

Edited November 25, 2022 by Ray,IN

[GlennWest]

Well to wire up inverters I have to disconnect it anyways. Shore power goes to inverters first. 

[Kirk W]

39 minutes ago, Ray,IN said:

Personally, I'd just carry a 50A extension cable

Like Glen, I don't like to use extension cords, especially for my shore power. And have you checked to see what a 50' extension cord rated for a 50A RV costs lately? The least that I  can find is $195 plus tax. There there is also the issue of storing one and the weight it ads. There are also factors like line loss to be considered. I carried a 25' extension cord of 50a rating and it was no fun to pack up and it would get quite warm if I used both air conditioners on a hot day. 

[Randyretired]

2 hours ago, GlennWest said:

Ya'll done lot more traveling than us. Never been where midway wouldn't work. Not saying there aren't parks out there where it is needed. I could splice into it and have one at end and center. Likely easiest too. 

Be careful about just splicing to have both as that will leave a hot plug on the unused end.

[GlennWest]

6 minutes ago, Randyretired said:

Be careful about just splicing to have both as that will leave a hot plug on the unused end.

The rear is in a compartment with a spring loaded cover over it. 

[oldjohnt]

  It's safe and wise to select proper plugs, receptacles and methods to avoid hot exposed suicide cords or connectors. I see a lot of good condition RV extension cords at Flea Markets, Car/Tractor shows, swap meets or Thrift Stores (especially churches) like 1/4 to 1/2 the cost of new WHICH ARE EXPENSIVE grrrrrrrrrrrr. Of course I don't like to use extension cords unless necessary which is rare (often dry camp) and for my situation carrying an extension cord for the rare times its needed is easier then installing additional RV power locations..But to each their own methods and choices, no right or wrong answer to this one.

John T

1 hour ago, GlennWest said:

Well to wire up inverters I have to disconnect it anyways. Shore power goes to inverters first. 

A Pass Through style Inverter/Charger is great and typically programmable regarding how much you may or may not choose to draw from the utility. 

 John T

[GlennWest]

One function that is nice I can choice between solar, battery and shore power in any order I program into it.

[Chad Heiser]

I have a power cord reel at the back of my 46’ toy hauler and a standard twist lock 50 amp receptacle at the front of my 46’ toy hauler.  I use an adapter to go from the twist lock to standard NEMA receptacle and then have an 18’ 6 AWG 50 amp extension cord.  The two plug ins run to an ATS in the trailer so only one can send power to the trailer at a time.  This set up works well for me.  I can use the front or rear plugs or add length to the rear cord real with the extension cord.  It provides lots of options.  So far this year, I have probably had to use the front plug about a 1/4 of the time at the places we have stayed since I got the trailer in June.  I am happy to have the options for convenience sake.  I currently am mooch docking on a family property and have a standard 12 AWG extension cord run to the front of the trailer from the garage on the property.  I then have 15 to 30 and 30 to 50 dog bones connected to get a bit of power to the trailer at the front receptacle.  As I said, it is nice to have options. 

[GlennWest]

27 minutes ago, Chad Heiser said:

I have a power cord reel at the back of my 46’ toy hauler and a standard twist lock 50 amp receptacle at the front of my 46’ toy hauler.  I use an adapter to go from the twist lock to standard NEMA receptacle and then have an 18’ 6 AWG 50 amp extension cord.  The two plug ins run to an ATS in the trailer so only one can send power to the trailer at a time.  This set up works well for me.  I can use the front or rear plugs or add length to the rear cord real with the extension cord.  It provides lots of options.  So far this year, I have probably had to use the front plug about a 1/4 of the time at the places we have stayed since I got the trailer in June.  I am happy to have the options for convenience sake.  I currently am mooch docking on a family property and have a standard 12 AWG extension cord run to the front of the trailer from the garage on the property.  I then have 15 to 30 and 30 to 50 dog bones connected to get a bit of power to the trailer at the front receptacle.  As I said, it is nice to have options. 

If I get an ATS which would you recommend. Goggled it and lots of them.