25 or 30 amp main breaker on WF-8725-PB - Page 2 - Fiberglass RV
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Old 10-20-2017, 06:31 AM   #21
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Name: bob
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2 circuits 2 breakers

It is pretty common knowledge don't overload your circuits. If you have an A/C then you need at least 15amps for that and 15amps for your other stuff. Thus 2 15amp breakers.

Most campers today are wired with at least 30amp mine is a 95 and its wired that way!

But since I am a moocher I will never have the pigtail out to hook it up anyway! I have seen el. outlets on poles at Walmarts I don't suppose Sam put those in for us. He liked to camp but not that far for his customers!

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Old 10-20-2017, 10:07 AM   #22
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Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye View Post
....#12 wire protected by a 20 amp breaker...
I'll add, from having been a customer not an electrician, that with a 20 amp breaker the switches and outlets used on that branch should be rated for 20 amps as well, so check those if you go 20 amp. Good stuff Jon.
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Old 10-20-2017, 11:19 AM   #23
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Not to get too picky, but it is perfectly legal & safe to put 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp breaker (with #12 wire), at least if there is more than one receptacle on the branch circuit. There are 15/20 amp receptacles that have a "T" blade that accepts either a 15 or 20 amp plug, and must be wired with #12 wire & a 20 amp breaker.

There is a wide range of quality in receptacles. I'm not fond of the stab type used in many RVs since they are not easily replaced by the owner (needs a special tool to properly seat the back). If you are using standard receptacle, I'd avoid the inexpensive back wired (push the wire into a hole) type, particularly for receptacles you might use for heavy loads such as electric heaters, etc.

The best are the back wired that use the side screw as a clamp. An example is the Leviton 5252. More expensive than the standard back stab type, but a much better connection between the wire & receptacle.
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Old 10-20-2017, 12:01 PM   #24
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I have this same converter and I used the slim breakers so I have a 30 amp main and two branch circuits 15 amps each. One is for a/c and heat, the other is fridge, toaster oven and an extra outlet. All my lights are led and run on the dc circuits as well as the vent fan and water pump and a 12vdc accessories plug
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Old 10-20-2017, 12:32 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by Jon Vermilye View Post
Not to get too picky, but it is perfectly legal & safe to put 15 amp receptacles on a 20 amp breaker (with #12 wire), at least if there is more than one receptacle on the branch circuit. There are 15/20 amp receptacles that have a "T" blade that accepts either a 15 or 20 amp plug, and must be wired with #12 wire & a 20 amp breaker.

There is a wide range of quality in receptacles. I'm not fond of the stab type used in many RVs since they are not easily replaced by the owner (needs a special tool to properly seat the back). If you are using standard receptacle, I'd avoid the inexpensive back wired (push the wire into a hole) type, particularly for receptacles you might use for heavy loads such as electric heaters, etc.

The best are the back wired that use the side screw as a clamp. An example is the Leviton 5252. More expensive than the standard back stab type, but a much better connection between the wire & receptacle.
I am in full agreement with Jon . The push in terminations on receptacles especially the style used in many RV's ( Escape as an example ) are a problem / fire hazard waiting to happen.
If I had a nickel for every back wired switch or receptacle I replaced , I would be a rich man . The last 2 electrical contractors I worked for did not allow us to use the push in connections on receptacles because all it led to was call backs and unhappy customers.
They make commercial / industrial grade receptacles which are much better than residential grade and only cost about a buck more.
Well worth the money IMHO.

Again Jon is spot on with his advice, he is speaking from experience. Thanks Jon !!
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Old 10-20-2017, 12:54 PM   #26
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I have to agree with Jon and Steve on the use of those commercial grade receptacles. You have the convenience of just pushing the wire behind the terminal plate but the rock solid connection when you tighten down the screws. You will notice that those commercial grade receptacles grip the plug tighter than those push in receptacles. I replaced most of the receptacles in my house because they barely gripped the plugs and they turned out to be those cheap push in receptacles. I am surprised that the NEC hasn't outlawed them.
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Old 10-20-2017, 01:06 PM   #27
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If you really want to go first class, buy hospital grade receptacles.
( Green dot on face of receptacles.)
When they tests hospital grade receptacles the contact tension of the receptaclr must be capable of withstanding 8 pounds of pull.
They don't want medical life support equipment to accidently become unplugged . In the coronary care units we replaced the receptacles in the patient care areas yearly.
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Old 10-20-2017, 03:25 PM   #28
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circuits

When I put an addition on my house I counted up all my proposed added electrec including running an el. heater, pump in bathtub I used ohms law. Since I wasn't near the rated capacity of my original circuit I added no new circuits.

in 15 years I have never thrown a breaker!

bob
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Old 05-09-2020, 08:02 AM   #29
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Hi everyone, new to the forum with a question about this old post with a follow up question. Great to find this post as I just bought this unit as a replacement and the instructions were confusing. I'm on the right page now with the shore power going to a 30 amp main and then an existing 2nd breaker 2 pole next to it to feed my existing circuits. My original box was just a 120 outlet circuit so there was no 30 amp main. A previous owner added an AC unit and split the circuit breaker in a 20/15 split. Not sure if that was correct but it was as I bought it.
Now to the question. 2 available breaker slots. 1 will be my 30 amp main, 2nd is my existing 20/15 branch breaker, where would the converter power feed go? All I can think of is getting the main as a 30/15 split (hard to find?) or wire the converter power to the bus bar feed. The second option seems like it would protect the converter as it's on the back end of the main 30 amp. Am I thinking this through right?
thanks for the help everyone!
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Old 06-16-2021, 09:55 AM   #30
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Sorry to highjack this old thread...but

I also have a wf-8725 in a popup camper. I am trying to figure the electrical system out so that I can add a dc to dc charger to charge my lithium battery from my tow vehicle and protect my alternator. Does anyone have suggestions on where to put the charger in the electrical system?
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Old 06-16-2021, 10:47 AM   #31
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converter power should come from a 15 amp circuit. a converter that puts out 30 amps @12 volts DC will only draw in the neighborhood of 3 amps AC,
It is such a small draw, it can be on the same circuit as the plugs, use the 20 for the AC, make sure your plug in cord will handle a minimum of 20 amps,(#12 wire) 30 amps if that is the plug you choose to start with(#10 wire)
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Old 06-16-2021, 10:58 AM   #32
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Where does the power panel supply dc charging power to the 12v system? My ac converter and power panel are combined. I need to interrupt the charging line and continue the current from the battery back to the 12v system.

Or I think I can interrupt the dc power into the trailer then connect the b2b charger and install a second second terminal to continue the dc power to the power panel.
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Old 07-31-2021, 07:22 PM   #33
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New aspects to consider with this model

I'm installing the WF-8725 and I had the same question as the original poster about the hot ac power going to the bar in the diagram. Glad to see peoples suggestions so I can finish my install. I did want to point out two other discrepancies with this model as they led to more questions.

1) It's advertised as having the ability to have 1 main 30 AMP breaker and 3 20 AMP breakers. Which sounds good until you consider the converter needs one of those 3 and is supposed to be 15. So...how? Run it without the convertor? Why would anyone buy an overpriced breaker box? Am I misunderstanding this?

2) The convertor hot cable has a pig tail to allow a branch circuit...okay fine so you can do 1 main 30 AMP, 1 15 AMP for the convertor and pig tail, and then still do 2 more breakers. However the neutral bar only has 4 connectors which means it looks like this:

1 - AC shore power neutral
2 - Converter neutral
3 - 1st 15 or 20 AMP circuit neutral
4 - 2nd 15 or 20 AMP circuit neutral

But if you run a circuit off the convertor pigtail where is the neutral supposed to go? So my other question for the group is can I replace the 4 terminal neutral bar with a 5? There is room in the box but just wanted to make sure that was safe.
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Old 08-01-2021, 07:01 AM   #34
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Originally Posted by Deadbolt0803 View Post
I'm installing the WF-8725 and I had the same question as the original poster about the hot ac power going to the bar in the diagram. Glad to see peoples suggestions so I can finish my install. I did want to point out two other discrepancies with this model as they led to more questions.

1) It's advertised as having the ability to have 1 main 30 AMP breaker and 3 20 AMP breakers. Which sounds good until you consider the converter needs one of those 3 and is supposed to be 15. So...how? Run it without the convertor? Why would anyone buy an overpriced breaker box? Am I misunderstanding this?

2) The convertor hot cable has a pig tail to allow a branch circuit...okay fine so you can do 1 main 30 AMP, 1 15 AMP for the convertor and pig tail, and then still do 2 more breakers. However the neutral bar only has 4 connectors which means it looks like this:

1 - AC shore power neutral
2 - Converter neutral
3 - 1st 15 or 20 AMP circuit neutral
4 - 2nd 15 or 20 AMP circuit neutral

But if you run a circuit off the convertor pigtail where is the neutral supposed to go? So my other question for the group is can I replace the 4 terminal neutral bar with a 5? There is room in the box but just wanted to make sure that was safe.
No problem switching to a 5 (or more) position neutral bar as long as it is still isolated from the neutral or any grounded metal in the box. If you need more circuits, you can use the before mentioned split breakers.
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Old 08-01-2021, 07:03 AM   #35
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Originally Posted by Bigpapa559 View Post
I also have a wf-8725 in a popup camper. I am trying to figure the electrical system out so that I can add a dc to dc charger to charge my lithium battery from my tow vehicle and protect my alternator. Does anyone have suggestions on where to put the charger in the electrical system?
The DC to DC charger should go close to the battery (but be protected from the weather). If you have a breakaway switch between the DC to DC charger & vehicle, it must be rewired to the trailer battery since the DC to DC converter is a one way device.
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Old 08-01-2021, 08:08 AM   #36
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No problem switching to a 5 (or more) position neutral bar as long as it is still isolated from the neutral or any grounded metal in the box. If you need more circuits, you can use the before mentioned split breakers.
Thank you. Yeah it only has two slots so I thought that would be 4 breakers max with two duplex.
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Old 08-06-2021, 04:14 PM   #37
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The way the WFCO drawing is shown, they are depending on the breaker out on the pedestal to protect the trailer and provide a main for it. I don't know whey they illustrate the 30 amp or specify the breaker retainer clip if you wire it the way they show.

Run the shore cord to the 30 amp and don't hook anything on that lug on the end of the bus bar.

Charles
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