In our previous post, we talked about why some RVers, including full-timers, sometimes stay North in the winter. Today we’ll show you exactly how we installed a special mod to make winter RVing better than ever!
If you saw our last video, we talked about planning a new secret weapon for staying warm while wintering on a 30-amp campsite without propane readily available. Now we’ll show you the step-by step DIY tutorial of us installing one of the best mods we’ve ever done. It’s a simple way to increase the available power in our RV, allowing us to keep warm without burning through our propane, and without juggling electrical loads.
If you’re a competent DIY RVer, but a little skittish about handling electricity, you’ll like this project. Even though it involves working with 110-volt household power lines, there is basically zero risk of getting shocked. You don’t even have to turn off the power while doing the entire job, and it’s perfectly safe to touch all the wires!
Are you wondering how such a thing is possible? Watch the video to find out how! (hint: you can’t get shocked when your electrical project isn’t connected to anything). ;-)
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Featured & Related Products & Services:
- 1,500W Digital Space Heater – with digital thermostat and remote control – digital controls mean this heater will shut off and won’t turn back on after a power outage… but the remote is nice! ;)
- Heavy Duty Extension Cord
- Dewalt Cordless Drill
- 1/2″ Spade Drill Bit (Set)
- Safety Glasses
- Dremel Tool
- Outlet tester
- Wire stripper
- Romex 10/2 Cable (25-feet)
- Hammer staples
- 20-amp Power Cord (NEMA 5-20P)
- 20-amp Inlet (NEMA 5-20P)
- 20-amp Outlet
- 20-amp switch plate
- Old Work/Remodel Box
- Surface Mount Electrical Box
- PVC Cement
- Strain Relief – couldn’t find these on Amazon, so we picked ours up at a big box hardware store
- M4 Rechargeable LED Utility Light (save 5% with Discount Code “RVGEEKS5“)
Other “Winter RVing”-Related Products & Services:
- Kozy World Heater
- Water Hose Heat Tape
- Utility/Trouble Light
- 60W Incandescent Bulbs – needed for the Utility Light so it actually generates heat (LEDs won’t work!)
- 30A-male to 50A-Female Adapter
- Extend-a-Stay
- Propane extension hose (12 feet)
- 15psi Propane Regulator
JM
Tuesday 14th of August 2018
A youtube DIY RV electrical video WITHOUT a suicide cord? Amazing! Thanks for the excellent detailed instructions and parts list. I was thinking there must be a way to do just this thing for my brother's 30A RV that he just bought.
Richard Jacobs
Thursday 25th of January 2018
Really love your diy's. Planning on doing this to my motorhome but I have one question about the project. Why did you use the Leviton 5478-CWP-20 amp 250 volt instead of the Leviton 15378-CWP-20 amp 125 volt since the 20 amp outlet is 125 volts? The reason I ask is I know you went heavy on the wire so was this just a decision to go heavy on the outlet? Looking forward to your next video, always good stuff.
TheRVgeeks
Thursday 25th of January 2018
Hi Richard! Holy cow! We DIDN'T use a 250-volt inlet, but we just checked, and the listing for the 250-volt inlet on Amazon has the wrong photo, showing a picture of a 125-volt inlet instead of a 250-volt inlet, which made us think it's the 125! We missed that! We just went in and changed the link in the post, on our favorite gear page, and in the YouTube video description. If you look at the link we're using now ( http://amzn.to/2EGuHEB ), you'll see that it now goes to the correct 125-volt inlet, which is indeed the one we used. If you look at Amazon's listing for the 250-volt inlet ( http://amzn.to/2DMc1oB ), you can see that the pin arrangement is NEMA 5-20P, which is the wrong photo for that product! That's the 125-volt model. Thanks so much for catching that, Richard. You are a lifesaver!
Curt
Thursday 11th of January 2018
This is possible only if the park wiring is sized to provide 50 amps to your pedestal. In many parks you can connect to one or the other but not both. The pedestal supply line is connected to a circuit breaker at the distribution box that will only allow the maximum current draw of 30 amps to protect this supply line. For this reason, many park are not going to like your modification.
Vic Mazzaro
Thursday 4th of January 2018
Enjoyed your Video But I have one suggestion for you when installing the outlet it is a good practice to put black electrical tape around the out screws in case you have to pull the outlet out in case there is power still there. I know in this situation you would not need it because you could just disconnect the incoming power extension cord but for further references you might suggest this to your viewers. I have been an Electrician for 40 years and this is all about Safety.
TheRVgeeks
Thursday 4th of January 2018
Thanks so much for the additional tip, Vic! Always great to hear from the pros. :)
John Koenig
Thursday 4th of January 2018
I really like that you spent just a little extra $$ to boost the safety factor, by going with 20A service ALL the way. Most people don't understand electricity and, are also unwilling either to learn OR pay to have a COMPETENT electrician do the work (and many "household" electricians, when it comes to the peculiarities of RV electric, really are not competent).
I took Trade Electric 1 & 2 ~ 1999. I was the ONLY homeowner in the class (all the other members were electrical apprentices). We started with ~ 16 students and, at the end of the class, only EIGHT were left (and each class cost ~ $500! Most of the apprentices had dropped out and, they did NOT receive a refund!). The author of course manual stated he expected the next release of the NEC (National Electric Code) would REQUIRE the GROUND prong to be at 12 o'clock (or 9 o'clock for horizontal installations) as having the ground there was slightly safer. Obviously, that requirement was NOT included as today, most 15A (and 20A) outlets, have their ground prong installed at the 6 o'clock or 3 o'clock position). You'll note that on HIGH AMP outlets (30A & 50A), the GROUND prong IS at 12 o'clock.
Thank you for your GREAT videos! I regularly recommend them to other RVers (especially NEW RVers). My only disappointment is that I didn't win anything in the last big give-a-way :(
Again, THANK YOU! Regards, John Koenig
Mahlon Ray
Saturday 6th of January 2018
Thank you for your tips and info. I file them all away for future reference.
TheRVgeeks
Thursday 4th of January 2018
Thanks for the vote of confidence, and the additional information, John! Sorry you didn't win anything in the last giveaway. Wishing you luck in the next one. :)