Installing a new shore power line

HTX

Advanced Member
Joined
Dec 5, 2011
Posts
87
Location
TX
Is there an electrician in the house?

I only have 30 amp service and the panel I am pulling from is maxed out. The owner of the park has given me permission to tap into a 200 amp panel that is on the park building and not tied to any row of park spaces, of course at my expense.

The panel is at about 40-50 capacity space wise and the building is not being utilized other than minimum lighting etc. and no immediate plans to bring it back on line.

The total run is about 150-160 ft. The first 30-40 ft. above ground and the remainder underground, all of it will be in conduit. Right now I am looking at URD 4-4-4-4 or 2-2-4-6 or MHF 2-2-2-4. The cost difference is marginal between any of them.

I'd love a recommendation before I call an electrician so that I am somewhat knowledgeable when he gets here.

HTX
 
what do you need to know??
you will need a 2 pole 50amp breaker to match the existing panel
you will need 2 hots (black wires)--1 neutral (white wire)-- 1 green or bare (ground) you can use bare if it is in conduit. you can use PVC conduit both above and below ground most likely 2" will be the choice.
you will need the total length to calculate the voltage drop and size for your area as per the local electrical code. a distributor can give you this. it may also be over all cheaper to go to a teck cable seeing as you are going above and below ground. also the local building inspector will tell you how deep in needs to be buried. wire is more but no conduit or fittings and less labor. DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY OF THIS WORK IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. 240 VOLT CAN MORE THAN FRIZZ YOUR HAIR
then you will need the pedestal box with a 15-30-50amp socket and breakers. or just a 50a socket/breaker if it is only for you.
You are looking at a few $$$$$$$$
 
what do you need to know??
you will need a 2 pole 50amp breaker to match the existing panel
you will need 2 hots (black wires)--1 neutral (white wire)-- 1 green or bare (ground) you can use bare if it is in conduit. you can use PVC conduit both above and below ground most likely 2" will be the choice.
you will need the total length to calculate the voltage drop and size for your area as per the local electrical code. a distributor can give you this. it may also be over all cheaper to go to a teck cable seeing as you are going above and below ground. also the local building inspector will tell you how deep in needs to be buried. wire is more but no conduit or fittings and less labor. DO NOT ATTEMPT ANY OF THIS WORK IF YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. 240 VOLT CAN MORE THAN FRIZZ YOUR HAIR
then you will need the pedestal box with a 15-30-50amp socket and breakers. or just a 50a socket/breaker if it is only for you.
You are looking at a few $$$$$$$$
 
wire size

Trust me I am not attempting this myself. I'm interested in what type and size of wire anyone else might have used when installing a panel to keep power to the unit when they are not on the road and if they were satisfied with their choices.
 
most of your info needed is either the local/state/province that will dictate what to use. and if you go by the recommendations you will not be disappointed. the reason why i can't tell you what to use is you area may require a 10 or 20% increase of size over the standard
 
Yes, it will be some cha-ching as I looked at a 50 amp from our garage breaker box out to the back of our brick mailbox to plug in and it was expensive... and not worth it to us.

I can't believe he rented you a 30 amp spot knowing you had 50 amp... it should be on his dime or let you move OR give you a very substantial discount for improving his park ! Is it THAT nice of a spot you want to invest in it ?
 
Yes, it will be some cha-ching as I looked at a 50 amp from our garage breaker box out to the back of our brick mailbox to plug in and it was expensive... and not worth it to us.

I can't believe he rented you a 30 amp spot knowing you had 50 amp... it should be on his dime or let you move OR give you a very substantial discount for improving his park ! Is it THAT nice of a spot you want to invest in it ?

Oh no nothing quite like that. I started off here with a 30 amp unit. I wanted a bigger RV knowing I would face the problem sooner or later but like where I am enough to make the investment in upgrading the power.

HTX
 
It will run you a few hundred bucks if you do all the work, more if you hire it done.
Last fall before leaving our home base for the winter, I installed a 50 amp full hookup at the end of our stick house for the RW.
 
I did the work myself and it was still pretty expensive. While I was at it, I ran a separate set of lines back to the service box & installed a transfer switch so I could use my Onan to power my house in the event of a power failure. This has worked out well several times since I did this - but was a lot of work at the time.
 

Try RV LIFE Pro Free for 7 Days

  • New Ad-Free experience on this RV LIFE Community.
  • Plan the best RV Safe travel with RV LIFE Trip Wizard.
  • Navigate with our RV Safe GPS mobile app.
  • and much more...
Try RV LIFE Pro Today
Back
Top