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How to wire RV connection


30-50 amp flush outlet
-30 amp outlets can be connected to 30 amp breaker ONLY

-50 amp outlet can be connected to 50 amp breaker

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Legrand At Amazon
Outlet cover

30-amp flush outlet
-30 amp outlets can be connected to 30 amp breaker ONLY

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Legrand At Amazon
Outlet cover

30 amp Power grip plug
Buy:
Power grip at Amazon
Power grip at Amazon
All Camco power plugs
Camco 50 amp 30'
Camco 50 amp 15'
All RV extension cords
50 amp pigtail to 30 amp
30 amp pigtail to 50 amp

50 amp Power grip RV extension cord
Buy:
Camco 50 amp at Amazon
RV extension cords
Use only 600 volt wire.
Lamp cord, extension cords are not rated 600 volt.
Use copper wire only. Aluminum wire is fire risk and should be avoided or installed by professional.

30 amp breaker use 10 gauge /
120-240 volt 30 amp outlet can be installed on 30 amp breaker only/ use 10 gauge wire ... cannot be connected to 15-20-40 amp breaker.

Orange/ #10 gauge wire, with ground ... 30 amp capacity. Safe maximum: 30 x 80% = 24 amps.
Buy:
10-2 gauge/ 30 amp
10-3/ 30 amp
Southwire electric tools
Yellow 12 gauge 20 amp
120 volt 20 amp outlet can be installed on 20 amp breaker, but not 15 amp breaker/ use 12 ga wire.
... cannot be connected to 30-40 amp breaker. 1

Yellow/ #12 gauge wire, with ground ... 20 amp capacity. Safe maximum 16 amps.
Buy:
12-2 gauge/ 20 amp
12-3/ 20 amp

NMB is house wiring
UF is underground
Rolls of stranded wire
HOOK UP Wires
White 14 gauge 15 amp
120 volt 15 amp outlet, AFCI, GFCI, timer, switch etc can be installed on 15 or 20 amp breaker. Never connect 15 gauge wire to 20-30-40 amp breaker.

White/ #14 gauge wire,  with ground ... 15 amp capacity. Safe maximum 12 amps.
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14-2 gauge/ 15 amp
14-3/ 15 amp

NMB is house wiring
UF is underground
50-60 amp breaker use 6 gauge /
240 volt 50 outlet can be installed on 50 amp breaker only
6-2 wire
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6-2 wire
Southwire electric tools
NMB is house wiring
UF is underground
40-50 amp breaker use 8 gauge /
240 volt 40 amp outlet can be installed on 40 or 50 amp breaker only
6-2 wire
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8-2 wire
Southwire electric tools
NMB is house wiring
UF is underground
     
Copper ground wire.
Every device, load, metal enclosure etc must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous throughout installation, never switched on-off, never used as a Neutral wire.
Generally ... use same size as other wire in circuit
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12 gauge copper ground wire
Ground wire
Green ground wire
Ground pigtails
Ground rods/ ground clamps at Amazon
armored cable
Non metallic flexible cables must carry ground wire, but do not have hazard of short circuit causing injury from shock.

Armored steel cable can be used as a grounded connection, and will protect wires from damage. Metal can be energized from an insulation failure.

All conduit ...metal, plastic ... flexible and rigid ... must be attached to structure, and attached to enclosures, boxes.
Movement, damage and deterioration are major cause of electrical failure.
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Non-metallic flexible conduit
Power whip
Armored cable
Southwire armored cable cutter
Pull boxes
Southwire armored cable cutter
Electrical tools must be insulated.
Always best to disconnect power, but insulation failure, lack of proper grounding, grounded neutral, lack of GFCI, out-of-code wiring, generator operating without transfer switch, and other problems still pose a risk to anyone working on electric power ... even when breaker is off.

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Electrician tools kits
KLEIN TOOLS
Tools kits
IRWIN tools
KNIPEX

Telephone cable knife
Low Voltage Mounting Bracket for Telephone
Push on wire connectors

Push-on wire connectors in place of twist-on connectors

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Push on wire connectors Amazon
Red 3P connector for 10-14 gauge wire
Lever connectors for stranded wire at Amazon
HOOK UP Wires

Protect wiring from damage
Use nipper instead of pliers or screwdriver for removing staples (and nails). Do not damage cable or wires inside cable.

-Code says: Cable SHALL BE secured without damage to the outer covering. NEC sec. 336-15
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End cutting nippers at Amazon


Electrically insulated tools
When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistance and heat on wire and creates possible weak point.
Buy tools:
KLEIN TOOLS
Wire strippers at Amazon
Electric Wire Stripping Machine
Linesman pliers
Utility knife at Amazon
multimeter
Multimeters
Voltage is tested across two separate wires. Ohms or resistance is tested across both ends of same wire. Amperage is tested along one or two points on same wire.
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Analog multimeter
Multimeters at Amazon
Klein multimeter
Electric testers at Amazon
Clampmeter for testing amp flow on line

GFCI circuit breaker
A GFCI circuit breaker will protect all boxes on circuit.

Circuit must be grounded. Ground wire must be continuous and connected to each piece of equipment.

White wire on circuit breaker must be connected to Neutral busbar inside the breaker panel.

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GFCI circuit breakers
Push down
single-pole breaker
1" wide Push down breaker
Plug-in breaker
Buy single-pole:
Choose from 15 to 60 amp
Eaton CL series
Siemens 15-60 amp

Single-pole tandem breaker
Tandem breakers
Push down
double-pole breaker
2" wide Push down breaker
Plug-in breakers
Buy double-pole:
Choose from 15 to 125 amp
Choose from 15 amp to 200 amp
Eaton CL series circuit breaker
Siemens circuit breaker
Double pole GFCI
RV connection
A. 14-50R 240 vac / 50 amp
B. TR-30R 120 vac / 30 amp
C. 6-20R 120 vac / 20 amp
ALL NEMA TT-30R (Travel Trailer) are 120 vac

Do not confuse NEMA 10-30R or 14-30R; people have tried to "adapt" their RV 30 amp power cord to plug in a dryer receptacle. Mucho damage.

Perhaps a special section for RV power considerations.

NEMA 14-50R Trailers / Motor Homes are 240 vac / 50 amp

NEMA 6-20 "T-Slot" is 120 vac / 20 amp

TT-30R is NEVER configured as 240 vac

Nearly ALL RV Sites have a peristalsis with all 3 services

Nearly ALL RV Sites have a pedestal providing all 3 RV power sources - 240 vac / 50 amp and 120 vac / 20 & 30 amp.

Resource:
Trailer 120 volt connection
50 amp connection
Read about 240 volt outlets

50 amp/ 3-prong/ RV


For RV,  the 50 amp is 240 volt and 30 amp outlet is 120 volt, not 240 volt, and wires are typically Black-white Hot-Neutral... with silver screw for  Neutral ... see illustration below

50 amp/ 3-prong/ RV


Hey Gene,

The first diagram I mentioned was of course the one labeled "30 amp/3-prong/RV outlet".  It's the last receptacle wiring diagram before the section on "Locking plugs/ twist lock".  As I mentioned before, RV 30 amp service is strictly 110V,* and the receptacle is wired hot-neutral-ground.

The second diagram is three diagrams above that and is labeled "30 amp/3-prong/dryer".  You show that as a hot-hot-ground configuration.  Technically the NEMA 10-30 is a no-ground circuit.*  Immediately to the left of that receptacle diagram, you show a picture of the 10-30R with the following caption:

30 Amp
Profile NEMA 14-30
NEMA 10-30R

Actually the 14-30(R) is the 4 wire receptacle shown in the diagram immediately below this (labeled "30 amp/4-prong/dryer").  The wiring diagram for that receptacle is shown correctly (with both neutral and ground), but the caption underneath the picture of the outlet on the immediate left says "Neutral is NOT required for 240 volt circuit".  This is not correct as the neutral is used between the the hot legs when the loads aren't balanced.  The only real difference between this service and the one shown directly below it ("50 amp/4-prong/RV") is the current carrying capacity. 


* Some background source material:

NEMA 10 devices are a deprecated type that had been popular in the United States for use with electric clothes dryers and kitchen ranges. They are classified as 125/250 V non-grounding (hot-hot-neutral), yet they are usually used in a manner that effectively grounds the appliance, though not in a manner consistent with most modern practice. This was before the requirement of a separate safety ground was a incorporated in the National Electrical Code. As commonly used, 10-30 and 10-50 plugs have the frame of the appliance grounded through the neutral blade. This was a legal grounding method under the National Electrical Code for electric ranges and clothes dryers from the 1947 to the 1996 edition. Since North American dryers and ranges have certain parts (timers, lights, fans, etc.) that run on 120 V, this means that the wire used for grounding is also carrying current. Although this is contrary to modern grounding practice, such installations remain common in older homes the United States.

NEMA 14 devices are four-wire grounding devices (hot-hot-neutral-ground) available in ratings from 15 to 60 A. Of the straight-blade NEMA 14 devices, only the 14-30 and 14-50 are common. The 14-30 is used for electric clothes dryers and the 14-50 for electric cooking ranges. Both are used for home charging of electric vehicles. The voltage rating is 250 V. They are essentially the replacements for the NEMA 10 connectors above with the addition of a separate grounding connection.

All NEMA 14 devices offer two hots, a neutral and a ground, allowing for both 120 and 240 V (or 120 and 208 V if the supply system is three-phase rather than split-phase). The 14-30 has a rating of 30 A and an L-shaped neutral blade. The 14-50 has a rating of 50 A and a straight neutral blade sized so that it does not fit in the slot of a 14-30.

NEMA 14-50 devices are frequently found in RV parks, since they are used for shore power connections of larger recreational vehicles. Also, it was formerly common to connect mobile homes to utility power via a 14-50 device.

NEMA 14-30 and 14-50 receptacles


NEMA TT-30 plug and receptacle. (The center hole on the receptacle is not a contact.)
NEMA TT-30 (TT stands for Travel Trailer) is a 125 V, 30 A recreational vehicle standard (hot-neutral-ground), also known as RV 30. It is frequently (and sometimes disastrously) confused with a NEMA 10-30. The RV receptacle is common in nearly all RV parks in the United States and Canada, and all but the largest RVs manufactured since the 1970s use this plug. The hot and neutral blades are angled at 45° from vertical and 90° to each other, similar to NEMA 10 devices. The plug is slightly smaller than a NEMA 10 but larger than ordinary 5-15 plugs. The ground pin, however, is round, like those on straight-blade NEMA grounding devices. Referring to the diagram, the orientation is the same as the NEMA 5 plug and socket, with the receptacle neutral on the lower right. The appearance of this plug makes many people assume it is for 240 V, but this is a 120 V device.

Hope this helps :-)
Hey Gene,

A light bulb went off in my head at 2:00 this morning, and I realized what (I think) you meant by the language that "Neutral is not required for 240 Volt circuit" next to the picture of the NEMA 14-30 receptacle.  I was of course approaching this from the standpoint that the 240v circuit is made up of two 120v legs.  If you have no 120v loads and are using nothing but a 240v load, then the neutral conductor will indeed carry no current.  So, it's "not required" in the sense that with a pure 240v load the circuit will work without a neutral.  In most circumstances though I'm pretty sure it would still be a code violation to wire a 14-30R without the neutral conductor.  If you want to run a 3 wire circuit, then you would use the 10-30R shown directly above the 14-30.
LOL about the 2am light bulb idea !!
Sounds like me... jumping out of bed and writing down something so I don't forget

Here's an illustration that might clarify 120-240 volt wiring a bit..
http://waterheatertimer.org/images/Inside-Main-Breaker-Box-12.jpg

I haven't had time to digest your emails ... however the 120 volt Neutral does not carry voltage
The function of the neutral is to complete the circuit back to generator ... it 'balances the equation' so to speak, stabilizes the grid against surge events, assists circuit breakers, and connect all ground wires into one giant array across the grid. No small task.
http://waterheatertimer.org/240-volt-generator.html
Just a word of caution about your page showing how to wire 240 volt outlets.  You have a diagram showing a "30 amp/3-prong/RV outlet" wired as a 240 volt circuit.  Thirty amp RV service is strictly 120 volts only.  Because of the shape of the outlet & plug, the TT-30R & TT-30P are often confused with the old NEMA 10-30, but if you wire a TT-30R for 240 volts and plug an RV into it, you will smoke everything in the RV in seconds.

And I'm not trying to nit-pick, but on the diagram you show for the NEMA 10-30, you have the neutral labeled as "ground".  

Just thought I'd pass that along.....

Thanks for your page.

I feel your Website is in error. Under your 30 amp / 3-prong / RV
http://waterheatertimer.org/How-to-wire-240-volt-outlets.html
 
The 30 amp 3-prong RV service is 110 vac and not 240 vac
 
It is a TT-30R receptacle which is 110 vac only. Your configuration will fry a Travel Trailer. A lot of RV’ers try to hook up to a house dryer receptacle and fry RV their electrical system.
 
I have bookmarked and fine your site very informative.
 
Regards,
 
David Little

Multimeter
Test for breaks in wire/ Test for voltage
Most appliance require 80% rated voltage to function correctly
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Analog multimeter
Multimeters at Amazon
Klein multimeter
Electric testers at Amazon
Clampmeter for testing amp flow on line
Resource:
How to test and replace element
How to test thermocouple
Element tests for 120 volts
How to test wire
Safety when testing wires:
Never touch wet or previously flooded appliance.
Never stand on wet surface when working on electric.
Never stand on bare soil, put down dry boards.
Tape tester leads to wood sticks to keep hands away from power.
Use non-contact voltage tester before touching wires.
Never touch or lean into any made of metal.
Remove metal objects from pockets.
Do not use oxygen or fuel accelerants in same room as electrical repairs

Resource:
Basic house wiring

Non-contact voltage tester
Test for power without touching connectors
NEVER assume power is OFF

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Non-contact voltage tester Amazon
Electric testers at Amazon
Resource:
How to test electric power is off
GFCI receptacle120 volt 15 amp devices including GFCI, timers, switches, plugs, wifi controls etc can be installed on 15 or 20 amp breaker.

120 volt GFCI, outlet, receptacle that is rated 20 amp can be installed on 20 amp breaker only, but NOT on 15 amp breaker.  
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15 amp GFCI
20 amp GFCI
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Basic electric book
Home plumbing/ electrical codes
Basic electric book
Or learn about basic household electricity... use and search my site/
Resource
Safe electric wiring
Basic house wiring

Use outlet tester to check for correct wiring on any 120 volt straight-blade outlet.
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Klein testers
Outlet tester
Circuit breaker finder
Electric usage monitor
wire connector assortment

Twist-on wire connector assortments

Do not reuse old connectors
Twist wire connector very tight. Pull wires to ensure they will not come loose. Cover all bare copper.
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Connector assortment at Amazon
Connector assortment at Amazon
Resource
How to select and install twist-on wire connectors
Weatherproof wire connector

Weatherproof wire connector

Connector cavity is full of silicone
Built-in cover keeps silicone in place
Protect from water, dust etc
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Weatherproof size 14 to 6 Amazon
Weatherproof size 22 to 8 Amazon

Resource
How to select and install connectors
Connect wire to screw terminal
Use only 600 volt solid copper wire.
Do not use stranded wire or extension cord.
Do not use solder anywhere on residential 120-240 volt wiring.
Attach electric installation to structure. Tighten screws very tight against wire.

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NEC books
Dewalt plumbing/ electrical codes
Basic electric book
National electric code guide/ illustrated

Resources:
How to twist wire
How to select and install twist-on wire connectors
Lever switchWeatherproof lever switch on outdoor lights
Safely operate outdoor toggle switch
Replaces outdoor cover
Install over top of ordinary switch
Works with single-pole, double-pole, 3PST, 3-way, 4-way switches etc
Use weatherproof box for outdoor
Can be used indoor or outdoor

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Best choice: Cantex lever switch
Outdoor lever switches at Amazon
Lever switches

Resource
Cantex-toggle-switch-covers.pdf
Cantex-PVC-junction-boxes.pdf

Treminals

Terminals

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Terminal kit
Blue for 16-14 wire
Yellow for 12-10 wire

Resource:
How to install terminal
Push on wire connectors

Push-on wire connectors in place of twist-on connectors

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Push on wire connectors Amazon
Red 3P connector for 10-14 gauge wire
Lever connectors for stranded wire at Amazon
remove cable staple
Use nipper instead of pliers or screwdriver for removing staples (and nails). Do not damage cable or wires inside cable.

Code
-Cable SHALL BE secured without damage to the outer covering. NEC sec. 336-15
Buy
End cutting nippers at Amazon

 
linesman pliers

When removing insulation from wire, do NOT score or put cuts on surface of copper wire. Doing so increases resistances on wire and creates weak point.
Buy tools:
Wire strippers at Amazon
Linesman pliers
Pro linesman plier
Needle nose pliers
End cutting nippers at Amazon

Weather resistant plastic box for outdoor extension cord connections, Christmas lights, outdoor power strip etc . Not for connecting wires with wire nutsŪ, or in-wall wiring, but can be used indoors to organize extension cords, power strips etc.
Weather resistant is not weatherproof or watertight. Use enclosures rated IP65 and IP67 for waterproof.
Extension cords cannot be used for permanent wiring.
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Large-medium-small electric cord box
Socketbox
Raintight enclosures
Water-tight cord lock
Resource: Enclosures and boxes

Contactors/ relays
Type 1 and type 2 surge protection surge protection
Programmable timers

Woods timers
surge protection
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Electronic parts

Industrial supplies

Tools and home improvement

Home and garden

Hayward pool
Pentair pool

Southwire electric
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Tools

DEWALT
Black and Decker
Stanley
SKIL
Makita
Porter-Cable
Bosch

Irwin Hand tools
Klein hand tools
Fluke electrical testing
Dremel hobby tools

Campbell Hausfeld air powered
Tekton automotive

Powerbuilt automotive
Saws and saw blades
box timers Resource:
Compare box timers
DPDT timers
Intermatic
Control water heater w/ Z-wave
Intermatic control centers Resource:
Intermatic control centers: and parts
Digital control centers and parts
Tork control centers and parts
Subpanels
All control centers and parts
Enclosures
programmable timer Resource:
Programmable timers
Countdown timers
Off delay timers
On delay timers
Timer modules
Din rail
Twin & one-shot
Woods
Intermatic
Tork
Low voltage power packs Recirculation systems
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