Recommendations on electrical setup

[Bigsky1]

I just purchased a 78 Burro. I'd like to get recommendations from folks regarding the electrical setup. Currently none of the tail or side lights work. So I am going to get that checked out. It has a 220 cord that goes to an external hook up. Can be converted to 110 with an adapter. That goes to one box in the camp with 2 two prong outlets (no ground). Both work. There is a breaker box under the sink. There are also connectors for a battery in the rear that go to 2 internal lights. No battery yet so I am not sure if it works.

If I need to get this re-wired what do you all recommend regarding the setup? 110 vs. 220? Definitely 3 prong outlets? Should I replace the old breaker box with something more modern?

Any suggestions are appreciate - I am new to all of this!! Todd

[mary and bob]

Are you sure it's a 220 plug and not a 30 amp RV plug? I would probably put in a new power converter, interior lights, 110 outlets, rewire the 12 volt lights. I used a Progressive Dynamics 4045 converter as it has 12 volt fused circuits and 110 breakers. Other opinions will follow.

[Bigsky1]

I'll take a picture and post it tomorrow. It looks like the outlet on a kitchen stove.

[Bob Miller]

I have never seen a 220 RV built on this side of the pond. I am sure you will find that it is a 30 amp RV plug for 120VAC. If in doubt, don't connect to 220 until you have an electrician look it over first.

I second looking into a Progressive Dynamics PD-4045 power chassis. It will give you a new a/c distribution/breaker panel, a AC-DC Converter, a 12 circuit 12 VDC fuse panel and a 3 stage smart charger for your battery. I have installed about 6 of them.

[Glenn Baglo]

Is this what you are looking at? If so, it's not 220.
You can get an adapter that allows you to plug into a standard 120 for less than $10.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

I have never seen a 220 RV built on this side of the pond.

I believe that even on the other side of the pond it's nominally 240 volts, not 220. Here, 240 volt is common, but only for larger RVs; the common high-power service is 50 amps at 240 volts, via a NEMA 14-50 connector just like those typically used for electric home kitchen ranges.


If it does not actually look like a kitchen stove plug, but instead like the TT-30 mentioned and illustrated above, that would be the 30 amp 120 volt service which is much more common in our size of RV.

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

If in doubt, don't connect to 220 until you have an electrician look it over first.

I agree that it's a good idea to get it checked; however, if the plug is correct for the intended voltage it will not fit into any inappropriate receptacle.

[steve dunham]

In the US Receptacles and cord caps are designed and built to conform to NEMA standards Each device based on voltage , amperage ,grounding , 1 phase or 3 phase, and if it has a neutral will have a different physical layout .There are some old NEMA standard devices around but not many . A 120 volt cord cap will not fit in a 240 V or a 277 V or a 380 V or a 480 V or a 600 V receptacle nor will a 20 amp cord fit in a 15 A or a 30 A or a 50 or a 100 A ETC receptacle ! The problem I see in most trailers is not enough and poorly balanced branch circuits . My Scamp had the refrigerator ,microwave , kitchen receptacle and the outside GFCI on 1 circuit and the receptacle on the face of the side dinette on the other circuit ,not exactly balancing the load as called for in the code . We could not run the coffee pot and another appliance at the same time . This is not unique to Scamp my buddy bought a new 34 ft 5th wheeler
same problem the refrigerator , kitchen counter receptacles and outside GFCI are all on the same circuit . I would run a sufficient number of branch circuits to be able to properly split the load . I would not go with a 50 amp 120/240 volt service , you do not require that much power and in a lot of campgrounds 50 amp 120/240 volt is not available .

[frank_a]

I restored an old tin can trailer that came with wiring up to the ceiling vent. I bought a small ceiling A/C unit that fit right into the vent hole, but first had to put a new load center in. I didn't have to fool with the converter at all, but did want more than one circuit in the trailer. It was last year, so I don't remember all the specifics, but I have pics in the computer at home of the products I used and what I did if that would help.

I would almost bet your outside light problems are either bad bulbs and/or poor or non-existent grounds. When I renovated my first trailer I also had to "fix" the exterior driving lights. All that stuff runs between the outer and inner walls. I did it in the least painful way possible, running all new wire, including a ground to each and every light. Especially in a 'glass trailer, you want grounds to every light if you can.

Good luck!

Frank

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I believe that even on the other side of the pond it's nominally 240 volts, not 220. Here, 240 volt is common, but only for larger RVs; the common high-power service is 50 amps at 240 volts, via a NEMA 14-50 connector just like those typically used for electric home kitchen ranges.


If it does not actually look like a kitchen stove plug, but instead like the TT-30 mentioned and illustrated above, that would be the 30 amp 120 volt service which is much more common in our size of RV.


I agree that it's a good idea to get it checked; however, if the plug is correct for the intended voltage it will not fit into any inappropriate receptacle.

Europe runs at 50 Hz The US run at 60 Hz Europe is 220/380 volts, US is 120 /240 volt or 120/208 volt or 277/480 volt . The US runs a grounded system !. Homes are a 120/240 volt single phase system The 50 amp RV service in the US is a 120/240 volt single phase system. A range receptacle in the US is 50 amp 120/240 volt or 120/208 volt with an equipment ground (single phase) Our small trailers use a 120 VAC single phase system that's why you do not see 14-3 or 12-3 NM (Romex) used for branch circuit wiring in the trailer only 12-2 or 14-2 NM cable

[Bigsky1]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

Is this what you are looking at? If so, it's not 220.
You can get an adapter that allows you to plug into a standard 120 for less than $10.

Yes - that is it. Thank you.

[Brian B-P]

Okay, so the existing cord ends in a TT-30 plug, so presumably the cable has 30 amp capacity. Everything is 120 volt, with a single circuit supplying the trailer. The distribution panel will have 15 amp (or lower) breakers for each circuit to outlets and built-in 120 V AC stuff.

The adapter has nothing to do with voltage; it just allows you to use the big 30-amp plug with common 15-amp outlets... but then of course you need to be careful to avoid using more than 15 amps.

I would not downgrade this to only 15 amp capacity, although some owners have done so. I don't know why any of the 120 V AC system would need to be chsnged, unless it is malfunctioning.