[medicineman4040]

OK my PM friends.
This week we will finish the insulation and the basic running of wires for the overhead/ceiling lights.
Then pop on the wall panels and ceiling panel....sounds too easy and I know it won't be, but if we get lucky
by Friday I will be routing the shore power=help!

Poof went by the outfitter who did Steve's PM (the gentleman in Baja), now called Blue Ridge Adventure Vehicles (I think I got that right, but its close).
He routes shore power mostly externally.
I thought I would use the channel where the wall meets the floor, that long triangular area with all the triangular black caps.

So if any would like to offer up specifics with images of penetration and the exact route I'd be very thankful.

So far we're using 30 amp service (inlet already here), will buy a nice 30 amp extension cord (ends to be sacrificed), and need to get from the bumper (the box will
be suspended under the left side of the bumper looking from the rear, and needs to go to 2 feet behind the driver's seat.

Thanks if you can ( or can't

 

[KNDLKSTMS]

May I suggest running ALL wiring around the inside roof channel. Front to rear , across back and up the other side . Factory runs there's along pass side and across back. Drop down at the pillars. Lots of room up there.
I just strung dome, outside, trailer ribbon, black n' red zip, and 110v extension cords all over that way. And have plenty of room for more.
I have a low roof so it was easy to reach up and feed n' pull.
All the cords are in split convoluted tubing. Color coded loosely by function. Purple for lighting , red for 12v / ribbon, yellow for 110v.
In a big high power RV , plastic conduit with regular gang boxes might be the ticket for 110v.

 

[medicineman4040]

KNDLKSTMS Thanks for the suggestion.
We have an easier simpler plan for 95% of our electrical runs....they will be to a shelf with the platform bed above.
4 percent (ish) of our electrical will be the runs to lights over the doorway, over the cabinet behind the driver's seat.
All that is easy and straight forward.

The only two challenges are-
1. shore power from bumper to cabinet behind driver's seat
2. cable from van battery to behind driver's seat.

The other challenge---and nothing to do with electrical--is to put together the 4 boxes of 80/20 stuff sitting in the kitchen

forgot to mention the cables from the aircon/fan/and solar panel are already at that space behind the driver's seat.

 

[MsNomer]

There is a channel already in the floor going from van battery box. Then go behind the black column base trim.

 

[KNDLKSTMS]

There are two square grommeted factory holes on each side next to the rear bumper mounts. On mine the back up sensor harness runs thru on the pass side. They also can be seen from the inside under the tail light access. Very easy .

 

[RDinNHandAZ]

Instead of rear bumper I chose to enter the vertical rib on the driver’s side to take advantage of it’s proximity to the control center on that side. I use a 15 amp waterproof boat entry but 30 would work. Once inside that rib the routing was easy and I tied the wire off with the usual wire ties to avoid vibration. The entry on the side of the van is where I see it when I drive away and avoids the dirt.salt,snow, corrosion, rain of the back bumper. You can see the battery vent too.

 

[medicineman4040]

Thanks to all for advice and pics.
Tomorrow when taking a break from insulation and paneling I'll look for these routes.

 

[KNDLKSTMS]

There is a bunch of room inside the rear bumper corners(also that interior access I mentioned). Problem there is bumping the corner with that campsite pole that wasn't there when you looked. I'm putting lights there for the car trailer activities. You wouldn't want to crunch your 110v .

 

[medicineman4040]

KNDLKSTMS thanks.
I found the pull out stoppers on the body adjacent to the bumper.
So I CAN get inside
Now I need to find out where I am on the inside...I think it's a space I've filled with insulation-no problem, easy to pull out.
Now my service is to be 30 amp and that inlet is larger than 15 amp---I'd thought about putting 15 amp INTO the bumper. 30 amp
will have to go into a weather proof box suspended under the bumper. and then contort conduit to go into the body access holes I just found.
Should be doable with a couple hours experimentation.

These maneuvers are so easy for many here on this thread but really this is rocket science to me.

Here is my extension cord from Lowes I plan to sacrifice ends off of-
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Utilitech-...0-Gauge-Yellow-Outdoor-Extension-Cord/3203697

 

[proeddie]

mm,

Look here for some pics on how I did it with a 15amp connector.
http://empowersites.com/edsvan/projects/adding-ac-electricity/

If you put the box in just the right place, a 90 degree curve will put you into the rubber boot. The unit I used is a waterproof conduit piece available at HD.
Easy to do, no holes in van (except for the two small bolts underneath)

You could do 30A if you really need to. JUst use a square box instead of the rectangular one like I used. The square will house a 30A connector. You might consider cutting the cord near the center, then connect the end with the outlet (female) thru the rubber, down the 90 degree then connect to the outside connector. Use the other half of the cord to plug into the female connector in the van, then route it to your 120V load source in the van. It gives you an inside disconnect instead of throwing the plug ends away... they're expensive!

Inside the van is a good place for a plugged-together connection, just in case you need to disconnect for some reason. Suppose the outside setup fails for some reason...you could just run the shore extension cord thru a door/window, and plug in the male to feed to van 120V electrics!

Routing wires up the driver side rear corner aloows plenty of space and then it's easy to get your wires along either side using the top frame area. I have all kinds of wires up there! (speakers, ham radio antenna, 12V, 120V, lighting) I built my top cabinets with an open back, so I can access the wires (or add another) there easily. THey all are ty-wrapped together to keep 'em from moving around.

 

[keeponvaning]

MM, ask yourself and your sparky "why do I need 30 amps? " even running a small AC you should easily be able to get by with 20 amps but, as Ed says "just use a bigger box" if you must have 30 amps.

 

[MsNomer]

There are times we wish we had 30 amps and we don't have an AC. When power is available and you've already paid for it, there is a tendency to want to use it.

 

[keeponvaning]

Most of us would have to work pretty hard to use up 30 amps even if it was available. I have never encountered a problem using 15/20 amps running a 110 vac fridge, 750 watt micro and small space heater. It's not worth the bother to deal with 30 amps for me (bad enough to have to look for the 30 amp to 15/20 amp adapter if they don't have a dedicated 15/20 circuit) . I suppose if you have a small room AC you wanted to run plus an AC fridge or micro all at the same it would be helpful tho.

As the "Prince" would say KISS and don't use a microwave!

 

[Winston]

50 Amp Nightmare

ask yourself and your sparky "why do I need 30 amps? " even running a small AC you should easily be able to get by with 20 amps but, as Ed says "just use a bigger box" if you must have 30 amps.

There are times we wish we had 30 amps and we don't have an AC. When power is available and you've already paid for it, there is a tendency to want to use it.

Wish we'd been reading this wisdom prior to installing our 50 amp shore power inlet. We purchased a 30' 50 amp cord - - it's bigger than a python and heavier than an ox. We can hardly lift it and it virtually takes two people to secure the screw retaining ring to the vehicle receptacle. Anyone need a 50 amp cord?

We're on our second attempt to find a dongle/adaptor to step this outrage down to something civil.

 

[medicineman4040]

Per your wise words I wrote my sparkie, his response-
'Most RV campgrounds have 30 amp at a minimum, little cost savings going to 20 amp. You would hate to kick a breaker every time the ac kicked on if you had a few things running'
Now guys it took me an hour today to figure out how to get a saw blade on a miter saw. A hour. Fish out of water for anything related to any kind of tool.
So if the sparkie says he wants to do 30 amp all I'm going to do is say thank you.
Oh, and I never could figure out how to get the spring loaded guard back on the miter saw.....but it runs without it :O

 

[Winston]

Fish out of water for anything related to any kind of tool.

No need to apologize . . . as your skills with the camera and nature/bird photography more than offset.

PS: We support your Sparkie - - you can allows 'down adapt' to a standard 15 amp extension cord.

 

[MsNomer]

"Fish out of water for anything related to any kind of tool."

AHEM. Isn't a camera a tool?

 

[Charger7022]

I picked up this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0182YQW8E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and just cut it In the side of the van right where my power panel is located. pretty easy and didn't have a run a 30 amp wire anywhere on the inside.
Our panel in located just forward of the driver rear wheel well.


you can also get the female end for the cord


https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E3ZRLK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[TedV865]

Besides 30amp being more common, it's safer to run 20amp through the larger cable than 20amp through a 15 or 20amp cable. Years ago the ex melted a long 20amp cable because she left it wrapped up too tight. " I was only pulling maybe 20 amps" she said. .... She never did fry the 30amp cable and adapter. A little bit of head room is a good thing.

I agree a 50amp is a bit of overkill on a class B. Unless you must run everything at once in the van. You're only as reliable as your weakest link.

 

[keeponvaning]

Wish we'd been reading this wisdom prior to installing our 50 amp shore power inlet. We purchased a 30' 50 amp cord - - it's bigger than a python and heavier than an ox. We can hardly lift it and it virtually takes two people to secure the screw retaining ring to the vehicle receptacle. Anyone need a 50 amp cord?

We're on our second attempt to find a dongle/adaptor to step this outrage down to something civil.

Winston there are lots of them out there, here is a sample.
http://www.ebay.com/bhp/50-amp-to-3...%3D711-53200-19255-0%26rvr_id%3D1175770595198

If you want it the other way around that's no problem either.