30amp rv outlet installed at your home

Brooky

Anyone ever install a TT-30R receptacle with a 30 amp single pole circuit breaker pre-installed from Camper World? I'd like to put one on the outside of my garage. That way I could make better use of our T@b in the yard. Looking for info on how to connect to the main 200amp panel. 

ChanW

Well, let's see... Where to start? B-)  That's a pretty broad question!

The NEC codebook might be handy. 

I think there are too many "it depends on..." variables to know where to begin. (ie: finished garage? Panel in the garage? Distance from panel to receptacle? Attached garage? etc)

I'd contact an electrician probably, for safety's sake.

jkjenn

ChanW said:

Well, let's see... Where to start? B-)  That's a pretty broad question!

The NEC codebook might be handy. 

I think there are too many "it depends on..." variables to know where to begin.

Followed by a trip to get a permit?

ChanW

Really though, Brooky, a good heavy-duty 12ga or, better yet, 10ga extension cord, plugged into a standard 20A receptacle would probably be plenty for most of the electrical demands you might have in the Tab.

Photomom

Sounds like a job for an electrician. 

Verna

No offense, Brooky, but this is one of those things that if you have to ask, you truly need to hire a professional to do the work.  You can kill yourself or seriously maim yourself if you don't know what you are doing in your 200 am circuit breakerbox. Please do listen to this advice. 

Most sane people will not give you instructions because of the danger.  

ScottG

I agree with Verna's sentiment (though she forgot to add "burn your house down" to the list of evils that will potentially befall you).

I've done plenty of residential wiring. It's not difficult, but the stakes are high--you have to know exactly what you are doing, and why. If you trust your abilities enough to assume the responsibility, there are plenty of authoritative resources out there you can learn from.

jkjenn

ScottG said:

I agree with Verna's sentiment (though she forgot to add "burn your house down" to the list of evils that will potentially befall you).

I've done plenty of residential wiring. It's not difficult, but the stakes are high--you have to know exactly what you are doing, and why. If you trust your abilities enough to assume the responsibility, there are plenty of authoritative resources out there you can learn from.

True story: friends' house being built burned to the ground recently due to faulty wiring, the week before they were supposed to move into it.

ScottG

jkjenn said:

ScottG said:

I agree with Verna's sentiment (though she forgot to add "burn your house down" to the list of evils that will potentially befall you).

I've done plenty of residential wiring. It's not difficult, but the stakes are high--you have to know exactly what you are doing, and why. If you trust your abilities enough to assume the responsibility, there are plenty of authoritative resources out there you can learn from.

True story: friends' house being built burned to the ground recently due to faulty wiring, the week before they were supposed to move into it.

I believe it--wouldn't be the first time. At least it burned down before they were in it...

Was the wiring being done by a "professional?"

Ratkity

Dad is an electrician and I'm not completely inept when it comes to simple wiring. That said, I'd still hire a bonded, licensed professional to install any outside wiring to a building.

I'd first check with local code to make sure you can have something wired outside like an RV pedestal. A good electrician should know local code and get a proper permit, but I guess I'm not completely trusting of folks as a single female. If I know what is needed ahead of time, then I can verify the electrician knows what he's doing (or she) - he's also aware that I know the local code and more than likely the person won't skip the permit thing. Where I live, the towns abut one another and what might be up to code across the street, might not be ok at my house. 

Whatever you decide to do, be safe! We love all our T@bbers.

jkjenn

ScottG said:
Was the wiring being done by a "professional?"

Yes.

ScottG

jkjenn said:

ScottG said:
Was the wiring being done by a "professional?"

Yes.

That's why I'm a veteran do-it-yourselfer. I can burn my own house down for free! ;-)

Sgtjohn

I do all my wiring and wire 220v if necessary-like for a compressor so I wouldn't have any problem wiring except for crawling around in the attic.  Usually there is a pipe or flex hose leading from he attic to the breaker box that one can feed the new wiring then you'd have to run the wire to where the outlet is needed.  Sometimes that's a difficult job since the roof may drop where you'll have very little room to work.  But once you get past that part, drop the wire down, find it and install a box for your 30 Amp plug.  Then ya gotta go back and install the proper amperage circuit breaker and that is the dangerous part if you're not careful.  I could go on but hopefully you could do the work.

Brooky

Thanks for all the feed back, I always like to get some input. I do most any thing myself. Worked for a plumber, also a electrician, built our log home. So most likely I'll do the work myself, but I'll make sure it's all legal and up to code.

Mouseketab

When ourBobbo said:

My one caveat, after it is installed, use a VOM to check the voltage of the 30 amp outlet to be sure it is only 120v. I have read too many cases where licensed electricians wire it up as 240v by mistake. It looks a lot like a 240v welder outlet.

Absolutely! When we had our garage built, we told him we wanted a 30 Amp RV outlet. Our contractor did wire it up as 240v. Fortunately, another camping forum I was on, someone mentioned this to me, and we checked and had our contractor fix it.

ScottG

Mouseketab said:

When ourBobbo said:

My one caveat, after it is installed, use a VOM to check the voltage of the 30 amp outlet to be sure it is only 120v. I have read too many cases where licensed electricians wire it up as 240v by mistake. It looks a lot like a 240v welder outlet.

Absolutely! When we had our garage built, we told him we wanted a 30 Amp RV outlet. Our contractor did wire it up as 240v. Fortunately, another camping forum I was on, someone mentioned this to me, and we checked and had our contractor fix it.

That's why I'm a veteran do-it-yourselfer. I can miswire my own house for free! ;-)