New to RV Life - What are the options for Boondocking Power?

[solv3nt]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Agree with the above. The other issue is Romex is a " hard wire" intended to be secured in walls and ceilings. Repeatedly "coiling them up" will result in broken conductors.

Romex has the same solid wire under the sheath, I'm not sure that it is any more susceptible to breakage than standard THHN. If I recall, THHN is used in Romex. The main issue is that it is not rated for outdoor usage or in an area where it is subject to physical damage.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Agree with the above. The other issue is Romex is a " hard wire" intended to be secured in walls and ceilings. Repeatedly "coiling them up" will result in broken conductors.

^^^and a stiff, twisted, unwieldy wire mess.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by solv3nt

Romex has the same solid wire under the sheath, I'm not sure that it is any more susceptible to breakage than standard THHN. If I recall, THHN is used in Romex. The main issue is that it is not rated for outdoor usage or in an area where it is subject to physical damage.

Take a piece of solid copper wire and bend it back and forth repeatedly and it will break. The whole purpose of stranded wire in a cord is that it allows it to be flexible. Using numerous small guage wires vs one larger solid wire is used for it's flexibility and strength. Romex can me used outside if it's UF and can be rated for direct burial in the ground or run overhead. The conductor wire is the same the difference is in the sheathing and insulating material surrounding the conductors.

[solv3nt]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Take a piece of solid copper wire and bend it back and forth repeatedly and it will break. The whole purpose of stranded wire in a cord is that it allows it to be flexible. Using numerous small guage wires vs one larger solid wire is used for it's flexibility and strength. Romex can me used outside if it's UF and can be rated for direct burial in the ground or run overhead. The conductor wire is the same the difference is in the sheathing and insulating material surrounding the conductors.

UF is not Romex, Romex is type NM/NMC. Please do not use Romex outdoors; using Romex outdoors is a violation of the NEC as well as the listing for the cable.

[jxnbbl]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Take a piece of solid copper wire and bend it back and forth repeatedly and it will break. The whole purpose of stranded wire in a cord is that it allows it to be flexible....

Two common problems that I've encountered over the years are exactly the above as well as outlets/plugs where the connection is not tight enough. In both cases this causes resistance/heat. Prior to putting a screwing in and outlet/plate/cover/etc. I always check that the connection is torqued or for the quick connection type give it a tug. When using romex please give it a good visual inspection while running it....looking for crimps.



Case in point, we built a prefab home....the bottom floor is prewired and the 2nd comes with the circuits coiled up. We had a spot light in the peak that never worked and about a month after I borrowed a 40ft ladder to reach it. New bulb...still didn't work. I found in the attic crawl space about 3 ft from the floor the wire properly stapled to the 2x6 with a bunch of melted insulation and charred wood! The new house almost burned down! Inspecting the damaged wired wire it definitely had been crimped at sometime in the process.

[Todd727]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Since I have no idea whether your camper is 30A or 50A since you don't have a signature, if it is 50A, make sure the electrician knows to wire it specifically for an RV and not a dryer, etc.

30A is the one that can get you in trouble if they wire it 240.

50A four wire is the same for RV or anything else.

[German Shepherd Guy]

These are the specs for his TT
https://www.rvusa.com/rv-guide/2018-...2670bh-tr34266


As your sister is at a rental unit first thing is to contact the landlord to find out is it OK to plug in?
If you are not running the AC but just using the fans the 15 amp should be OK IMO.


Fridge can run on the propane. The 15 amp would alllowyou to watch TV at night and to run the fan to keep cool.


BUT and this is big, Landlord might not want even that. Is it residential and would a generator create even more problems?


Best solution is a 30amp RV line being installed next to the house and running your cord from there. Don't say "is not possible". That would suggest your sister has not talked to the Landlord about this arrangement or has and he/she has already said no.

Good Luck.

[Socaldave]

I would agree with others here on advice not to tap into the rental house. If you need to run the A/C go buy a correct size inverter to do so. If you can't afford a Honda go to Harbor Freight and get the Predator line.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Todd727

30A is the one that can get you in trouble if they wire it 240.

50A four wire is the same for RV or anything else.

Aware. I ran my own buried feeder wire from my meter loop/main box to all four shops and wired them. Have single phase 240V in media blasting shop for my old frankenstiien compressor.

[hawghauler]

Hi OP my 2 cents

EBay sportsman duel fuel 3500 watt inverter generator

We powered our old rig with one of these " ran on propane stored in camper no gas smell " we ran a Coleman 15000 btu everything in the camper amd supplied the cook tent as well

Again propane won't spill on you or make the camper stink and imo is the best way to go

Side note a 20 pound gas grill bottle runs it for about 26 hours