iwannabearetiree
SE Oklahoma
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What is the minimum wire size? I've got a regular household electrial outlet in my garage just about 3 feet below the breaker box. I'm almost certain it is wired with regular 12-2 with ground. I was wondering if perhaps I could replace the 20 amp breaker for that circuit with a 30 amp and then replace the receptacle so that I could plug in my trailer and run the air conditioner. Otherwise, it will require poking a hole through the drywall and running conduit or something similar.
Just so you don't panic, I intend to have a "real" electrician do this, I was just wondering how much of a job it would be.
Thanks!
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Claude B
Montreal, Canada
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For 30 amps, you need #10 gage wires.
Claude & Lise
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iwannabearetiree
SE Oklahoma
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That's what I was afraid of. Thanks!
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JFG
TN
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If you have room in the breaker box, just add a 30 amp breaker... run #10 wire from the breaker to a new 30 amp receptacle. the people at Home Depot or lowes will fix you up with what you need.
Fred
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enblethen
Moses Lake, WA USA
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I would suggest installing a thirty ampere receptacle on the 12/2 with ground. Do not upgrade circuit breaker. Everything should run without any serious problems. Just don't try to run too much at one time, AC, no microwave, space heater, no microwave.
Bud
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Angus_NB
Riverview, NB Canada
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Like enblethen said, you can put a 30 amp RV receptacle on the 20 amp breaker and 12-2 wire. As long as you leave the 20 amp breaker you'll be ok and legal. 20 amps will run your AC and lights but probably not the AC and the microwave at the same time.
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garry1p
Oklahoma
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It depends on how far the RV will be from the wall socket.
If the RV will be plugged in direct or use a short 10 gage extension cord I would do as enblethen suggest and limit what you run. The 20 amp circuit breaker won't let you run to many things.
However; If you will be running more than 25ft of extension cord or more than the AC I would do the full upgrade.
Garry1p
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iwannabearetiree
SE Oklahoma
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Thanks all! The cord that came with the trailer will reach the outlet. I have an adapter that I've plugged in with to watch TV and run the fridge prior to a trip, but I haven't tried running the AC. I guess I figured the AC would draw more than the 20 amp circuit would allow. I might plug it in and see. Worst that could happen is trip the breaker? If that doesn't work, there is plenty of room in the breaker box for another circuit.
Update: I decided to try plugging in and trying the AC. It worked just fine, as several of you said it would. If I decide I just have to run other stuff at the same time, I'll add a circuit. Thanks again.
* This post was
edited 07/11/09 03:35pm by iwannabearetiree *
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wolfe59
South
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Our A/C went out one summer and we pulled the trailer up next to the house and used the adapter. We lived inside the trailer for 3 days running the trailers A/C and watching tv and didn't have any problems.
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wrenchbender
Phx
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If you are at the box than just wire in a 30 amp recepticle and use a 30 amp C/B to power it,I routed one in and used a sub panel box with a door to keep out unwanted varmints.
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