Wire gauge

[Stacyismetoo]

Does anyone know what typical gauge wire is used to wire the power outlets? I would like to run a small space heater but I need to plug into someone with no less that 14 AWG wiring 1875 Watts

[flybouy]

Was that 1875 watts a typo? 1875 watts divided by 120 volts equals 15.625 amps. That would require a 20 amp circuit with 12/3 wire.

[notanlines]

No matter what, what Marshall said^^^^, NOTHING less than 12 gauge.

[Stacyismetoo]

Just copied from the fire warning tag from the space heater. So that’s all the information I have…but your response doesn’t answer my question. I understand what I need, my question is do I have it? Trying to find out the typical gauge wiring ran in a travel trailer. I don’t want to burn the thing down

[NH_Bulldog]

Wiring is typically 14 ga to the outlets in the trailer. Look in the power center, 15a breakers equals 14 ga, and 20a breakers equal 12 ga wire. RV wiring doesn’t follow the National Electric Code (NEC), so I would be uncomfortable pushing that much draw through the wiring in the RV.

We have a Lasco Ceramic heater at 1500w (or 12.5a) and heats up the interior so good we only ever run it at the lower 900w setting and let the internal thermostat cycle the heat on and off.

[sourdough]

I would agree with the others. That "small" heater is too large for your outlet wiring, which I am assuming is 14ga. My 120vac outlets are 14ga/15A I expect yours will be the same. Look in the power center; do you have 15A breakers? If so, you need to get a smaller heater, rewire the trailer or chance it and see what smokes. I did find 12ga. wiring from my water heater relay board to the heating element but that has no bearing on your outlets.

[wiredgeorge]

I believe my microwave outlet in the cupboard is 20A and 12 ga wire. I rewired it myself from the 20A breaker so I am fairly sure.

[CedarCreekWoody]

I installed a dedicated outlet for my heater. 12guage romex, 20 amp circuit breaker and top quality outlet. No worries when I run it.

[Stacyismetoo]

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

Wiring is typically 14 ga to the outlets in the trailer. Look in the power center, 15a breakers equals 14 ga, and 20a breakers equal 12 ga wire. RV wiring doesn’t follow the National Electric Code (NEC), so I would be uncomfortable pushing that much draw through the wiring in the RV.

We have a Lasco Ceramic heater at 1500w (or 12.5a) and heats up the interior so good we only ever run it at the lower 900w setting and let the internal thermostat cycle the heat on and off.

Thanks so much for the info!

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by Stacyismetoo

Does anyone know what typical gauge wire is used to wire the power outlets? I would like to run a small space heater but I need to plug into someone with no less that 14 AWG wiring 1875 Watts

Are you trying to heat your trailer with a single space heater? Maybe at 50 degrees out side with a 1,500 watt heater, but less than that good luck. As stated before you need a quality 20 amp circuit with 12 gauge wire (12/3) and quality 20 amp outlet. You will likely need at least two if not three to heat that much space down to about freezing.

[ChuckS]

You will have issues with any of your 120 volt outlets trying to run 1500 watt heaters. The wiring is marginal at best and the outlets are all the self contained style that use spring clips that are supposed to Pierce the insulation on the wire and provide good contact ..

You also have quick splices used in place of junction boxes that will be ok provided you aren’t constantly drawing high current through them.

Personally I removed every self contained wall outlet and upgrade using shallow work box and outlet with screw on terminal connections..

[flybouy]

As Chuck pointed out above trailer wiring isn't the best. Never use ANY outlet that uses "friction contact" for a heavy, constant load. This includes standard duplex receticals with the "strip the wire and insert it in a hole" connection. They rely on the tension of the metal against the conductor and will heat up and arc over time.

Only make 120 ac wire connections using screw terminals with the wire properly stripped and looped in the proper direction. If this doesn't make sense to you then pay an electrician to install it. The risk of fire is just to great to not do it properly.

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by flybouy

As Chuck pointed out above trailer wiring isn't the best. Never use ANY outlet that uses "friction contact" for a heavy, constant load. This includes standard duplex receticals with the "strip the wire and insert it in a hole" connection. They rely on the tension of the metal against the conductor and will heat up and arc over time.

Only make 120 ac wire connections using screw terminals with the wire properly stripped and looped in the proper direction. If this doesn't make sense to you then pay an electrician to install it. The risk of fire is just to great to not do it properly.

Marshall, there are high quality outlets that allow back wiring, with a screw down clamp. These outlets provide the large contact surface area.

Once again one of the reasons I heat with RV Comfort Systems “Cheap Heat”. This is a hard wired system providing 5,000 watts of heat on a 240 volt 30 amp circuit in a 50 amp trailer.

https://www.rvcomfortsystems.com

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by Stacyismetoo

Does anyone know what typical gauge wire is used to wire the power outlets? I would like to run a small space heater but I need to plug into someone with no less that 14 AWG wiring 1875 Watts

I added a convenience plug near the stove so DW didn't have to route a power strip around the sink to power her induction cookpad. The job was a bear, snaking 12ga through the cavities and forcing it around corners. When to got to the stage where I had to connect the wire to the existing and the new boxless outlets, I discovered they were all made for 14ga and the entire rest of the trailer was factory wired in 14ga. Ah well.

All the 14ga wiring is protected by 15A breakers, so it's not as if you're going to overdrive it. If your heater tries, it will just pop the breaker.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

Marshall, there are high quality outlets that allow back wiring, with a screw down clamp. These outlets provide the large contact surface area.

Once again one of the reasons I heat with RV Comfort Systems “Cheap Heat”. This is a hard wired system providing 5,000 watts of heat on a 240 volt 30 amp circuit in a 50 amp trailer.

https://www.rvcomfortsystems.com

And you can use them, I won't.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by LHaven

I added a convenience plug near the stove so DW didn't have to route a power strip around the sink to power her induction cookpad. The job was a bear, snaking 12ga through the cavities and forcing it around corners. When to got to the stage where I had to connect the wire to the existing and the new boxless outlets, I discovered they were all made for 14ga and the entire rest of the trailer was factory wired in 14ga. Ah well.

All the 14ga wiring is protected by 15A breakers, so it's not as if you're going to overdrive it. If your heater tries, it will just pop the breaker.

The circuit breaker WILL NOT ALWAYS trip... I had an outlet in my house with a 1500 watt ceramic heater plugged in... The outlet in fact overheated and started smoking.. old style outlet using spring clips on back for the wires... the circuit breaker NEVER TRIPPED.. we started smelling smoke and burning insulation off the wires on that outlet in the house

I have since replaced every outlet in the house with new outlets and used the screw on terminals..

I have also yanked out EVERY self contained outlet in the RV and replaced with old work boxes and quality outlets using screw on connections...

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by ChuckS

The circuit breaker WILL NOT ALWAYS trip... I had an outlet in my house with a 1500 watt ceramic heater plugged in... The outlet in fact overheated and started smoking.. old style outlet using spring clips on back for the wires... the circuit breaker NEVER TRIPPED.. we started smelling smoke and burning insulation off the wires on that outlet in the house

I have since replaced every outlet in the house with new outlets and used the screw on terminals..

I have also yanked out EVERY self contained outlet in the RV and replaced with old work boxes and quality outlets using screw on connections...

This is so true, even with 14 gauge wire on a 15 amp outlet, heat is the issue. Heat won’t cause a breaker to trip, but can cause a fire. I have not replaced the existing outlets in our RV as we don’t put high draw devices on them.
In the kitchen I added a new circuit with two 20 amp pop up outlets in the kitchen. Now those are hard to find in 20 amp with 12 gauge wire.
As to replacing the outlets my hat is off to you, they don’t seem to put much slack in the wire feeding the outlets.

[ChuckS]

A bit of electrical info for your RV ..the Romex wiring is color coded yellow or white for a reason..
1. YELLOW Romex means it is connected to a 20 amp breaker with MAX amp draw of 16 amps on the wire circuit
2. WHITE Romex means it is connected to a 15 amp breaker with MAX current draw of 12 amps on the wire circuit

Images of wire color code .. first two lines in first image are what you will find in your RV

Third image shows two 16 amp yellow line circuits and two 12 amp white line circuits

Last image shows my power center panel in my 2014 3010RE. Your panel may have a different arrangement of breakers

In the last image the breakers highlighted with yellow arrows are from left to right
1. Main and BR A/C units
2. Microwave
3. Electric heating side of my water heater..breaker is OFF so I don’t accidentally put 120 volts to heating element with no water in the heater
4. Converter

The rest the breakers are all 15 amps which means they will handle 12 amp MAX load continuous.. and of course the two 50 amp breakers are my main feed for 100 amps total service

If the RV is an older unit then the precious owner could have rewired so this info is “general gee whiz” only

[rhagfo]

Originally Posted by rhagfo

This is so true, even with 14 gauge wire on a 15 amp outlet, heat is the issue. Heat won’t cause a breaker to trip, but can cause a fire. I have not replaced the existing outlets in our RV as we don’t put high draw devices on them.
In the kitchen I added a new circuit with two 20 amp pop up outlets in the kitchen. Now those are hard to find in 20 amp with 12 gauge wire.
As to replacing the outlets my hat is off to you, they don’t seem to put much slack in the wire feeding the outlets.

Well it has been a while since I installed the pop up outlets, guess my memory isn’t as good as it was.
The pop up outlets have 14 gauge wire, I installed a 15 amp breaker and tied the two pop ups to a GFIC Feed through outlet under the counter.
I don’t think I could find any with 12 gauge wire.

[Crusty]

Originally Posted by Stacyismetoo

Does anyone know what typical gauge wire is used to wire the power outlets? I would like to run a small space heater but I need to plug into someone with no less that 14 AWG wiring 1875 Watts

REPLACE THE OUTLETS!!!

they use cheap wedge connectors that work loose and will short out, ESPECIALLY IF YOU ACTUALLY USE THEM


Higher power causes a faster heat buildup.


Regular home outlets use a screw connections and ARE DESIGNED FOR HIGHER POWER.