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Old 04-18-2020, 08:30 PM   #21
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50-30-20 amp pedestal, water spigot & sewer connection would be an absolute must if I were building new construction. Plus have connections on a slab out side next to this RV port possibly for summer parking or guest with their own RV.
If you've got the $$ do it just like you want now or later you'll wish had.
Go big or go home.

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Old 04-19-2020, 02:06 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by Bob Denman View Post
You sure don't want to make your guests TOO comfortable: they might not want to leave!
Guests? What's that.... I think I remember those kind of people long before the Covid-19 days

Not sure how it will work with my new RV, but I controlled the guest on my boat by inviting them earlier to help with the preparations cleaning. THe good guest would stay afterwards and help out with the gas. You would be surprised at how many peeps I have come by the Marina to take a cruise with a spouse or date, and show up just in time to leave, make the statement "oops I didn't get beer because I didn't want to be late", and as soon as we pull up to the slip, they have to run to be someplace else.

But k2whire sounds like he has a plan primarily for family. That is different at least for me anyway. I let them slide
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Old 04-25-2020, 07:29 PM   #23
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Some good advice previously posted. 50 amp is a given.
I would also say build it big enough for your next two rv's length. You will always go bigger until you downsize. lol.
I would also add ventilation fans so that you could exercise your generator and engine without relocating out into your frigid winter.
I have a 40 X 60 x 14' for the camper. Wish it were bigger, the garage too.
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:05 PM   #24
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Originally Posted by Pete'sMH View Post
There are lots of these already built. They are called RV port homes. Do some on line research and see what you like and don’t like. No point in reinventing the wheel. A few years ago I was at the Indianapolis home show and got to talking to a builder about making a community of these. All the ones I know about are in snowbird locations but, of course all those snowbirds come home in the summer and could use a local port home. He was really intrigued and we talked for nearly an hour. I won’t be surprised if a community pops up around here one day. Zoning is an issue in some locations.

I've seen this as well. The RV has a special slideout that mates with an equal size opening in an outer wall of the home. Then the outer wall of the slide out opens like double doors. The RV and home create a virtually air-tight seal.
The port opening in the home was even (somewhat) 'funnel' shaped so that you could be off a few inches and still mate up with a good fit.

Pretty darn cool!
But NOT cheap - I'm told..
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:21 PM   #25
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Big Windows

Big Windows will keep it from being claustrophobic.
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:27 PM   #26
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I installed an electric subpanel by CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC with 50/30/20 amp outlets. You would not use the 50 and 30 at same time. You size the copper wire for 50 amps and based on the length of the run from main panel. I went one size up to safely handle 50 plus possible use of 20 at same time. Probably overkill but I can't hurt anything but your wallet. Be sure to use conduit large enough to accommodate all three conductors (L1. L2, Ground). If the path has many 90's and 45's that will make pulling harder too. You probably want 1.5 or 2.0 inch conduit.

I installed three RV electric panels at home, the one described above is convenient to house for RV guest and we use it to prep our unit a few days before a trip; we always start long trips with one or two nights hooked up at home to make sure all systems are GO. That station has water and sewer connections. The other two panels farther from the house are under covered storage for our RV and travel trailer.
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:41 PM   #27
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Originally Posted by Solanopete View Post
I installed an electric subpanel by CONNECTICUT ELECTRIC with 50/30/20 amp outlets. You would not use the 50 and 30 at same time. You size the copper wire for 50 amps and based on the length of the run from main panel. I went one size up to safely handle 50 plus possible use of 20 at same time. Probably overkill but I can't hurt anything but your wallet. Be sure to use conduit large enough to accommodate all three conductors (L1. L2, Ground). If the path has many 90's and 45's that will make pulling harder too. You probably want 1.5 or 2.0 inch conduit.
What size breaker did you use in main panel that feeds your sub panel? That is the key to me. I id my own but used the GE Subpanel just like your Connecticut Electric. I love Connecticut Electric when I can afford it

But I digress, I used a GE 60 amp Breaker that feeds my subpanel; so I can use all of the 30 & 20 amps with no issues. It is highly unlikely I ever trip the 60 amps breaker without 1st tripping the 50 or 20 amp on subpanel. Besides at Home Depot the 60 amp was the highest I could find
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Old 04-25-2020, 08:57 PM   #28
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Most suggestions have been covered. I have a 40x60x18 insulated metal building with 12x14 RV door, 10x12 truck door, 10x8 utility door, and 2 walk thru’s. In addition to the above suggestions, install vents in the roof for exhaust when using appliances in the RV. Try to get well sealed doors to prevent dirt and debris from blowing in; I didn’t. I read above where you can’t sleep in a garage; didn’t know that. We lived in our RV, in the garage, for about 6 months while our home was being built. We also plumbed the garage for full bath with shower, but never installed one.
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Old 04-25-2020, 09:01 PM   #29
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The Connecticut RV subpanel uses 50,30,20 amp breakers (not included) inside and I feed it from a 50amp breaker in the supply panel. It's possible that the 50 amp feed breaker might trip under heavy load but it never has. We live in the hot, dry climate near Sacramento so winterizing is not needed but we gobble up kwh during summer AC season.

The breaker in the supply panel is important to protect the wiring TO the RV subpanel. The subpanel breaker only protects the wiring from it to the RV. As we used to say about VW valve adjustments ... I'd rather HEAR 'em (breaker activate) than SMELL 'em (smoke coming from conduit from feed to RV subpanel.
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Old 04-25-2020, 09:10 PM   #30
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Originally Posted by clev View Post
We lived in our RV, in the garage, for about 6 months while our home was being built.
What proof do you have that you are still alive

I would have to assume that you didn't run the generator or engine in the enclosed garage unless you had a very good ventilation system? My brother stores his RV one of those new man cave like garage places and he stays in it sometimes because it is so far from his house, but he does not run the generator or engine when inside.

When my generator is running and I am outside; I get nervous if I stay around the back too long. Based on the wind I may not run at alleven outside.
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Old 04-25-2020, 09:16 PM   #31
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Originally Posted by Solanopete View Post
The Connecticut RV subpanel uses 50,30,20 amp breakers (not included) inside and I feed it from a 50amp breaker in the supply panel. It's possible that the 50 amp feed breaker might trip under heavy load but it never has. We live in the hot, dry climate near Sacramento so winterizing is not needed but we gobble up kwh during summer AC season.
That may explain why I went with the GE Subpanel, it was 100% prewired with all of the breakers; I just needed to feed it the L1, L2, Neutral & Ground. 50 amp on Main panel is good, may actually be safer than my 60 amp assuming the wiring is all the exact same. I have never tripped any of the breakers either. I even run both ACs on the 30 amp with no problem. I use the 50 amp connection just because I have it, but I know I am good anywhere with just 30 amp even though my coach is designed for 50.
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Old 04-25-2020, 09:24 PM   #32
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Thanks for adding the reminder about FOUR wires L1 L2 Neutral (white) and Ground (green). Now for a fascinating discussion of whether your jurisdiction requires ir forbids bonding of the neutral to the ground buss.
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Old 04-25-2020, 10:20 PM   #33
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Originally Posted by Solanopete View Post
Thanks for adding the reminder about FOUR wires L1 L2 Neutral (white) and Ground (green). Now for a fascinating discussion of whether your jurisdiction requires ir forbids bonding of the neutral to the ground buss.
You need to hope that Cavie or another expert can chime him when it comes to code. I am in Dallas Texas area.

I didn't do anything special with neutral ( citing POTUS; I may have it and I may not I did get the proper grade of wiring for both inside and outside. Since my main panel is properly grounded, I connected to it. I would assume I am okay. All my pool equipment is... I actually did this subpanel a year before actually buying RV.

What I can tell you is to get around the neutral ground with my generator, I made a simple grounding plug. I never would have known about it except I was testing my sub panel with my brothers RV and while it worked fine, when I used my portable generator to power the 30 amps on his RV his Surge Guard would indicate error. The plug fixed that, but we don't use our generator anyway. The RV has 5kw son my 3500w is childsplay.
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Old 04-25-2020, 10:29 PM   #34
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Originally Posted by dkoldman View Post
You need to hope that Cavie or another expert can chime him when it comes to code. I am in Dallas Texas area.

I didn't do anything special with neutral ( citing POTUS; I may have it and I may not I did get the proper grade of wiring for both inside and outside. Since my main panel is properly grounded, I connected to it. I would assume I am okay. All my pool equipment is... I actually did this subpanel a year before actually buying RV.

What I can tell you is to get around the neutral ground with my generator, I made a simple grounding plug. I never would have known about it except I was testing my sub panel with my brothers RV and while it worked fine, when I used my portable generator to power the 30 amps on his RV his Surge Guard would indicate error. The plug fixed that, but we don't use our generator anyway. The RV has 5kw son my 3500w is childsplay.
I've been watchin" They all require neutral/ground bonding at the service disconnect. separate after that.
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Old 04-26-2020, 12:53 AM   #35
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I've been watchin" They all require neutral/ground bonding at the service disconnect. separate after that.
Whew, I get lucky sometimes, I am that blind squirrel that just keep finding nuts. I just keep trying and enjoy learning.

This is my subpanel that I bought in 2018 and I love it.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Eaton-Po...N4NS/100168377

I mounted it on the side of new 8 ft fence, but I would have preferred it on the brick right next to it, but I was afraid of screwing up the holes into the brick to mount. At the time my priority was was it going to work, not exactly the best location now that I know exactly where the RV is parked. I may get bold one day and move it over 12 inches to the left so it is on the brick. It would give me 12 inches more clearance when RV is parked next to it, plus it would be easier for me to walk behind RV.

I think the picture may help to show what I am talking about.
The Rotate Police are never around when you need them I can't rotate after it uploads. Silly problem that should be easy fix?
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Old 04-26-2020, 01:20 AM   #36
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yep, get it off the fence and on the brick wall.
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Old 04-26-2020, 02:01 AM   #37
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That catwalk is a great idea!
Quote:
Originally Posted by EA37TS View Post
If it were me I'd scrap the 30 Amp and go 50 amp from jump street. If you ever change the RV and buy one with 50 amp service you'll be happy to did the 50 amp up front. You can step down 50 amp to 30 amp with an adapter but you can't increase 30 amp to 50 amp. Better yet put in an RV park style pedestal with 20, 30 and 50 amp service.

I am talking from experience. I paid 350 to 30 amp installed and then had to pay 500 to have 50 amp installed because everything (plug, wires, breakers etc...) had to be changed. Live and learn.

If the garage is being built consider a cat walk around the sides for accessing the RV roof.

Just my opinion.
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Old 04-26-2020, 04:45 PM   #38
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Check with your insurance broker about both your home and your RV coverage.

We have our motorhome parked in our driveway for the foreseeable and our daughter is going to move into it for a while. I called our RV insurance company “just to make sure” there wasn’t anything extra we needed to cover and they said our RV policy would be void if someone, even me, was living in it ... here at home. Drive it south and live in it for the winter - no problem! Logic, anyone...?

How’s the ventilation in your garage for fresh air?
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Old 04-26-2020, 05:32 PM   #39
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we built this 26 x 44 covered port, then tow years ago fully enclosed it to help with weather and give me covered secured storage, we have an apartment on the back part that has a loft bedroom and bath room upstairs and a small kitchen and dinning/lounge area, laundry and half bath




it has 50 amp service, water inside, the sewer is routed through the side wall to the dump connection




and we have the tank flushers tornadoes, on both tanks. the black tank has two, one at each end. the video guy has a flaw in his black tank setup. its flat bottomed and the drain is above the lowest part of tank. my tanks have built in depressions that route the stuff towards the drain.
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Old 04-26-2020, 08:32 PM   #40
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Originally Posted by dkoldman View Post
What proof do you have that you are still alive

I would have to assume that you didn't run the generator or engine in the enclosed garage unless you had a very good ventilation system? My brother stores his RV one of those new man cave like garage places and he stays in it sometimes because it is so far from his house, but he does not run the generator or engine when inside.
When my generator is running and I am outside; I get nervous if I stay around the back too long. Based on the wind I may not run at alleven outside.
_____________

I had power to the garage and wired it myself; outlets every 10 feet, 8 ft fluorescents with 3 way switches, 30 amp Svc (now 50), sewer dump, air compressor with multiple connections, etc. No, I didn’t run the generator, as I had power. I did use the LP systems. However, if I had used a gen set, I would have rolled it by the door, made sure the vents with fans were open, and cranked it up. I don’t have a MH, but had a 30 amp TT at the time. I have done a lot of engine work in the garage, and take the same precautions.
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