#22 ELECTRICAL MUMBO-JUMBO, BAD YA-YA, AND DOOM - 12 MAY, 2024

 WHAZAMMO AND THE GILLIG #22  (Click the "MORE POSTS" link at the bottom to find Post #1)

If you like to read, I have a great list for you to look at, medical books, insurance policies, the glossary of Latin legal terms, and the National Electrical Code book, a publication so secret that you have to spend the $144.00 to buy it !! (if you want to read it that is).

In today's world, (as I lament repeatedly), these three lettered groups (CIA, FBI, IRS, NEA) are taking control, and we are losing, as I said in an earlier post our RV/boat/bus building is in their sights as sniper/sharpshooter/assassins to our DIY crowd and the unwealthy.

Here is Whazammo's recap of my possibly hundreds of rewire/install logics... but let's start with some NEC blurbage... electricians like to use hallucinatory terms from their secret code book, "you" are never supposed to understand this stuff, or they would be out of a job. its sort of like a poor man's Latin-attorney/Doctor speak, it is intended to sound educated, even intelligent.

The 2020 Edition of the National Electric Code says in 90.2 (A)(1) that its scope covers recreational vehicles. NFPA/ANSI/RVIA/RVEC/OESC-ALL get involved in your electric future… California has banned under 25 HP portable generator use for RV, and Oregon is trying to stop public diesel fuel sales.  2023 NEC ARTICLE 551.0 IS FOR RV’s see here https://www.codebookcity.com/codearticles/nec/necarticle551-1.htm#:~:text=National%20Electrical%20Code%20Top%20Ten,%2C%20camping%2C%20or%20travel%20use.

8.16.2 Direct Wired. That portion of a branch circuit that is installed in an expandable unit shall be permitted to be connected to the portion of the branch circuit in the main body of the vehicle by means of flexible cord installed in accordance with 551.47(P)(2)(a) through (P)(2)(e) or other approved wiring method.

• The flexible cord shall be listed for hard usage and for use in wet locations.

• The flexible cord shall be permitted to be exposed on the underside of the vehicle.

• The flexible cord shall be permitted to pass through the interior of a wall or floor assembly or both a maximum concealed length of 600 mm (24 in.) before terminating at an outlet or junction box.

• Where concealed, the flexible cord shall be installed in nonflexible conduit or tubing that is continuous from the outlet or junction box inside the recreational vehicle to a weatherproof outlet box, junction box, or strain relief fitting listed for use in wet locations that is located on the underside of the recreational vehicle. The outer jacket of the flexible cord shall be continuous into the outlet or junction box.

• Where the flexible cord passes through the floor to an exposed area inside of the recreational vehicle, it shall be protected by means of conduit and bushings or equivalent.

Where subject to physical damage, the flexible cord shall be protected with RMC, IMC, Schedule 80 PVC, reinforced thermosetting resin conduit (RTRC) listed for exposure to physical damage, or other approved means and shall extend at least 150 mm (6 in.) above the floor. A means shall be provided to secure the flexible cord where it enters the recreational vehicle.

NEC RE: MOTOR HOMES…. https://thenecwiki.com/2021/02/article-551/

https://manuals.heartlandowners.org/manuals/Electrical/Basic%20Electrical%20Info/Understanding%2050%20Amp%20Shore%20Power%20System.pdf

https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/163680/three-wire-vs-four-wire-feed-remote-sub-panel

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

SEEN ENOUGH ?  Here is my version.  Go to the ritziest RV sales lot in your town, only look a the Country Coach, Dutchman, Prevost chassis types of "top-of-the-line" over $200,000.00 RV's...  crawl underneath, and think about that NEC code you just read about, be sure to do this while you examine exposed cable, and flexible (decorative) wire covering, think about these wires with rocks tumbling underneath, and driving through heavy tall grass, bushed, etc.... look at the uninsulated SS clamps, and let your mind wander as you see how these wires will never get crushed, ripped out, cut or snagged, because these builders do not follow zilch of the NEC code, the only do lip service... NEC rules are written as law suit protections, perhaps if you paid more... or bought a better RV ?

As "common sense" builders, we need to be concerned about fire, shorting, safety from shock, and feeling secure when we get off road into a stump laden corn field, hit a tree branch lying on the road, or high center ourselves in the dark, it is not rocket science to protect your underpinnings and wire runs down below. rubbing, chafing, cutting, and slack unsecured wires all spell trouble. your type of cable is very important, it must be wet area, rough service cable, and protected.

RV/MARINE INDOOR MOUNTED MAIN AND DISTRIBUTION BOX DETAILS ARE HIDDEN INSIDE THE NEC CODE BOOK AS “SUB PANELS”.

The best and safest boat or RV Electric system needs to be a 4 wire 50 AMP 120/240 Volt AC setup is (L1-L2-N-Ground) input, the Neutral and ground should only (ever) be tied together at the source (Dock, or RV park stanchion) never in the RV or Boat … those Dock shore power/RV park/Campground connections are somewhere at the panelboard in the plug-in source, that is your shore power connection where ever you plug in.

L1, L2, Neutral should be routed through separate 50 amp breakers (like a spa or generator installation) and have four separate busses for L1, L2, Neutral and Ground wire connections,  “only” 3 wire  SJOOW or THWN cable ((black-white-green) should be used for 120 VAC …(not two wire Romex, I have NEVER-EVER allowed flat Romex household cable aboard any boat or RV that I have ever built) 15 amp 14/3, and 20 amp 12/3 adding in a GFI in your boat/RV requires 3 wires.  All tools, appliances, and heaters require 3-wire connections…all 240 volt connections require four wires, for maximum safety (sized by ampacity ie; 30 amp 240 with  10/4 AWG, and 40-50 amp 240 with  8/4 AWG) all those old-time 2 prong 120 VAC plug-in connections “should” only be used in a GFI outlet.

It has been my practice to have both voltage and ammeter coils on L1, L2, and… the Neutral inputs to the panel breakers for obvious reasons, and, I happen to over use GFI receptacles everywhere 

I put a 50 amp triple pole breaker in the top spaces of the panel. Forget the Main Lugs in the panel.  Run your incoming (4 wire) 50 amp service as L1 to a 50 amp breaker and bus feed, then run L2 to the other bus and onto a bus bar.

The white Neutral or third leg of your 50 amp breaker goes to an ungrounded insulated bus bar.   .Then run the ground [green wire] to your ground bus bar.  Be sure you ground the ground bus bar to your panel with the screw provided in your panel.  Mark your 50 amp breaker as a MAIN.   You can then put your individual 120-volt circuit breakers in your panel, be sure to balance the load as much as you can between L1 and L2. This setup is what is known as "back feeding" the main.   

Generally, I only use SJOOWN cable  (deciphered as: S = Service Cord (600 Volt rated) the J for a “junior” ampacity rating of only (300 amps), the OO = double Oil Resistant, both inside wires insulation, and the outside jacket, W =a  CSA designation for weather/water resistance, and the N stands for nylon coated.   (Inside the outer cable cover most individual wires are wrapped in THHN-THWN coatings, but, the outer cable cover is where the cable rating comes in).

Simple wire sizing is 14 awg for 15 amp max, and 12 awg for 20 amp max. 10 awg for 30 amp max, #4 wire, for 40 amp max, #6 wire for 50 amp max, ALWAYS…. use /3 wire cord for AC, “never” two wire or Romex

 

It's been my experience that connection integrity (quality) is the biggest hidden disaster waiting to spring up in your boat/RV... overloading circuits are #2. so lets talk wire-ends, connectors, soldering and cramping, breaker types and switches, receptacles.

Most likely the worst encounter with connecting is going to be on your main supply cable (the four-wire 6AWG) from the dock/RV stanchion or power pedestal to your boat/RV.

The special end plugs are sometimes twist lock design, or sometimes flat spade design, it doesn't matter... the "connection" process inside the plugs are the same.

The plugs and wires are both in colors and idiot-proof, usually, you will carefully strip each wire end to back around 5/8"-3/4" bare wires, inserting them into the lug-holes is where the fun begins... remember, you need every strand of that copper wire for current, so cut carefully ! the splaying and inserting is the challenge, I learned a very long tie ago to simply twist tighten and then solder these ends.

The wire run inside, from the plug to power box is the same problem, "I" solder these, there is some differences of opinion on soldering and where to solder... we are at 125 volt and 50 amp, not 200 amp 400 volt three phase.

Remember... we only use 3 or 4 stranded copper wiring on our install... no romex or solid copper/aluminum stuff, which starts problem two, hooking stranded wires into circuit breakers.   Circuit breakers by any of the big manufacturers come in different styles, we will go over those choices next time.

THE BEST REVIEW...EVER !  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUSNa-7Hecw

More later, I just ordered the wire, breakers, and powerbox, I will go into wire-up, and routing next time, as "I" start this install from scratch.. 250 foot of 14/3 SOOW 25 pounds, GE breaker/distribution box 24 circuit, GE THQP mini-breakers.