Chum lee
Albuquerque, NM
Senior Member
Joined: 08/03/2015
View Profile
 Offline
|
Have you checked (verified) the actual main panel voltage under use? You mention 125 volts in your original post, but, is that nominal or actual? With runs as long as 250 feet, if your panel voltage (under load) is less than about 115 volts, you may need to considerably upsize your conductors to prevent those occasional "Texas heat of the day" circuit breaker flips.
Chum lee
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
OP, if you have to ask, I would recommend you get an electrician on board and not the rvnet experts….
And direct bury is fine but in a conduit is more betterer for future conditions or issues.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
|
StirCrazy
Kamloops, BC, Canada
Senior Member
Joined: 07/16/2003
View Profile
|
you could get by with 6 AWG, at 250 feet I would say it's the bare minimum, I would use 4 AWG myself. but another idea and what I would do is install 1 AWG and run 50amp power out there and use an adapter to go down to 30 for your use. in the future if you buy a bigger unit that take 50amp your already set.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100
|
JimR 1
Custer South Dakota
Senior Member
Joined: 08/29/2003
View Profile
|
eHoefler wrote:You need 1/0 aluminum for that distance you would get less than 3% voltage drop
Why Aluminum?
JimR
|
rk911
DuPage County
Senior Member
Joined: 05/30/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
midnightsadie wrote:while your doing this up grade to 50amp during the summer you might need two ac units.or upgrade your rv in the future,
absolutely. do it now rather than later. and outfit the post like those in RV parks...1-30 amp, 1-50 amp and 1 or 2 15/20 amp connections.
Rich
Ham Radio, Sport Pilot, Retired 9-1-1 Call Center Administrator
_________________________________
2016 Itasca Suncruiser 38Q
'46 Willys CJ2A
'23 Jeep Wrangler JL
'10 Jeep Liberty KK
& MaggieThe Wonder Beagle
|
|
|
MFL
Midwest
Senior Member
Joined: 11/28/2012
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
This thread reminds me of the buy the biggest truck now, for the next trailer. This is often good advice though, especially if cost/money no issue.
I agree with 6 AWG being a minimum for a 250' run, plus likely 30 more feet of camper cord, before reaching the converter. Just going one wire size heavier could make $$ per foot difference, times 250.
Is the OP looking for best overall, for his current needs, or best possible set up for now and beyond?
Jerry
.jpg)
|
2oldman
NM
Senior Member
Joined: 04/15/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
MFL wrote:Is the OP looking for best overall, for his current needs, or best possible set up for now and beyond? Maybe he'll come back.
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
2oldman wrote:MFL wrote:Is the OP looking for best overall, for his current needs, or best possible set up for now and beyond? Maybe he'll come back.
Pump the brakes there buddy….
He only asked the question earlier this morning.
|
wa8yxm
Davison Michigan (East of Flint)
Senior Member
Joined: 07/04/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
I would use copper not aluminum as well. Copper lasts longer with fewer problems
Some considerations
If you put in 4Wire line (L1-L2-Neutral-Ground) as one would do for 50 amp service. Even if you only use a 30 amp box and 30 amp breakers. UPGRADING when you go to 50 amps will cost a whole lot less.
Second Most 50 amp RV's are happy with 30 amps on each leg in storage
Id either 1/0 will work for 50 amps over that distance (in RV service) as well so consider putting in 50 amp lines. a 50 amp outlet (Adapt to your 30 amp rigs) 30 amp breakers in the feed and a note card, With information on what you did incase someone wants to up it to 50 amps later...
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
Kenwood TS-2000, ICOM ID-5100, ID-51A+2, ID-880 REF030C most times
|
rk911
DuPage County
Senior Member
Joined: 05/30/2004
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
rhagfo wrote:valhalla360 wrote:Consider running it in a PVC conduit so you can easily run new or different cables in the future
This^^^^
Make sure the conduit is large enough to carry wires large enough for a 50 amp service.
We did the same thing in the late 80's. We installed a PVC pipe larger than needed for a 30-amp hookup (I tend to think ahead. Not clairvoyant so had no idea that a 50-amp hookup would be coming down the pipe but I used a larger PVC than was needed just in case I might need the room...someday)
Years later we had a 50-amp RV so I wanted to add or change the 30-amp post to 50-amps. But I neglected to account for the weight of the gravel driveway. The pipe had collapsed under the weight and while the 30-amp hookup was working there was no way to add any wire to it. So we had to run a new pipe for the 50-amp hookup and now have two hookup posts next to the drive.
The moral of the story: Run whatever cables you think you need now, tomorrow and in a few years. If I was doing this today I'd do a uo-to-date RV post....15/20 amps, 30-amps and 50-amps.
|
|
|
