| Author |
Message |
Ken Munford
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 9:12 am: | |
I'm making our coach total electric and would like to know what size panel most of you guys and gals are using? I'm going with 50 amp service and a 12 kilo gen. I know there are alot of variable, just trying to get some idea where to start. Thanks in advance. Ken |
Marc Bourget
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 10:10 am: | |
Ken,
It depends more on your setup and how many breaker positions you might require.
Most appliances should be dedicated to one breaker. For trouble shooting and isolation, you might want to supply just a few outlets per breaker.
Then there's load balancing to anticipate and deal with, esp. if you're going the 240V route.
Various authors like Messrs Galey and Meyers and others recommend doing a table of fixtures and amperage draws towards this purpose.
Need more info for a more accurate response
Onward and Upward |
Cliff (Floridacracker)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 10:52 am: | |
Ken,
I agree with Mark. Go with as many individual circuits as you can.
Put it in greenfield conduit and you can change or upgrade if you needs or ideas change.
Unlike a house, redoing some of the electric can be a real mess.
Wire and outlets are relatively cheap and I am running seperate circuits for each room on lighting and at least two circuits for outlets in each room or location.
That may be overkill to some, but I remember all the things I hated about my stick built.
Conduit is a must.
Oh your question, I am putting in a larger panel of 100 amp capacity. It will be setup at 50 to start with room to grow if needed.
Cliff |
Jim Stewart (H3jim)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 3:11 pm: | |
with the 13kw generator and max 50 amp service in parks, you don't need anything more than the 50 amp servivce (actually its two 50's side by side for the 240 volt).
I am all electric with a 13kw gen as well. I used the Iota panel. Its small, attractive, inexpensive. It uses square D ciruit breakers, and if you use the double ones (two per one inch) you can fit 20 breakers plus the mains. Not wildly too many, but should be sufficient. |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 3:29 pm: | |
Ken, you indicate you are putting in 50 amp service for a 12 kw genset. Remember that campground 50 amp service consists of two 50 amp legs with 240 volts between legs and 120 volts from each leg to neutral.
Therefore you should use a 240/120 volt panel with at least 6-8 breakers per leg. A two leg panel at 50 amps minimum per leg to accommodate a 12 kw genset.
You also must have a transfer switch or some means of switching between genset and shore power.
Unless you actually need 240 volts, then I would strongly recommend you wire the genset for 120 volt output only.
There is lots more you need to know before you finalize your design.
Richard |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 6:56 pm: | |
Jim,
The 12 kw genset is rated for 100 amps at 120 volts. Why would you only put in a 50 amp service? Might as well sell the 12 kw and buy a 6 kw. It would be much more fuel efficient.
The 50 amp campground service is actually 100 amps at 120 volts or 50 amps at 240 volts. Very few converters install anything electrical that requires 240 volts, so it is much preferred to wire at 120 volts, 100 amps in my opinion.
Richard |
Jim Stewart (H3jim)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 7:51 pm: | |
50 amps a side, 240 volt, total 100 amps. That confused me at first when I was looking at the electircal boxes. Even though 100 amps goes through it, its still called 50 amp service since each leg only has 50 amps. Even the common circuit only has 50 amps since the current of the two legs are out of phase wtih each other so at any given moment only 50 amps are flowing.
I did it this way on Dick Wrights recommendation. I do not have anything in the coach that is 240 volt. I am considering rewiring the genset so its 120 volt, not 240, that way I don't have to woryy about balancing. However as I type this I realize that the way the generator is wired, if I do make it 120 volt, the entire 100 amps would be available on either leg, and so the 50 amp protection I have would not adequately protect. I also used 6 gauge wire everywhere, and that would not be enough to handle 100 amps. I think I'll leave it as it is.
Actually I am a little under utilised, since the generator will actually put out 55 amps a side, and my breaker will stop that. I do not anticipate ever really needing the full generator output. My three 15k airs might come close on starts, but not much else. |
Cliff (Floridacracker)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 8:15 pm: | |
Jim,
Where did you get your Iota panel from?
Cliff |
John Jewett (Jayjay)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 8:33 pm: | |
NEC says you can't use piggy-back breakers on new work. Only in limited applications on re-wiring of residential services. Look it up. Cheers...JJ |
Jim Stewart (H3jim)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Thursday, September 08, 2005 - 11:18 pm: | |
So use two panels if ten breakers is not enough.
I can't remember where I bought the Iota from, some internet site I think.
www.iotaengineering.com/power.htm
is their website.
IDP-240 is the load center model number
$54 from http://www.solarseller.com/iota_automatic_transfer_switches__iota_power_distribution_panel s__inverter_load_.htm#a_c__distribution_panel |
Richard Bowyer (Drivingmisslazy)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 9:19 am: | |
Jim, you would need 100 amp protection at the genset to protect the alternator itself and the wiring to the breaker.
You can feed each 50 amp leg of the breaker panel with 100 amp service.
It really does not matter if the 100 amps is available on both or either leg of the breaker distribution box as long as the WIRING from the genset to the this panel is rated for 100 amps.
Richard |
Ken Munford
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Friday, September 09, 2005 - 4:27 pm: | |
Thanks guys I think 100 amp box with 14 spaces should do it. Thanks again for the imput, you guys are great.Ken |