SImple trailer wiring questions

I am improving a new to me trailer and have two questions about adding wiring. I am putting a 30 amp input that will feed a subpanel with 4 circuits. Three 15 amp and a 20 amp. The 15 will feed one plug outlet each (tire warmers or other electric stuff) for two of the circuits and the third 15 for a string of LED lights. The 20 amp will be for a future AC. Max draw on the ac units appear to be about 13 amps but I figured a 20 amp circuit would give me a little start up cushion. I will be powering this with a Honda EU3000 and I know I wont be able to run everything all at once and that is fine with me. My questions are this:

1. Should I ground the panel to the frame of the trailer or will the ground from the EU3000 be sufficient? I may hook this into shore power periodically too if that changes anything.

2. Is there any reason to use armored cable or just romex? I will be running the wiring behind insulation against the outside walls and don't know of I should be worried about vibration rubbing through the coax.

FYI the input wire will be #10, the 15 and 20 amp circuits will be run with #12 wires.

 

Coax???

 

Romex! (stupid wiring terms) LOL Fixerated...

 

Romex should be fine, actually you would probably be fine if you use pass through bushings any place you go through a structural member. If I was doing this to my trailer I would use romex. Your wiring plan seems sound as far as circuits and load plan (this is just my 2 cents worth).

 

Solid wires that get a lot of vibration can develop failures, but that takes years in the kind of service that a trailer represents.

Careful installation, making sure that all places where NM-B crosses/passes through metal members are bushed should be OK. Armored cable will provide a lot more protection against physical damage. Conduit (plastic or metal) will even be better.

Running NM behind the wall is fine, but I would not run NM-B exposed on the surface. Too easy for it to be damaged by stuff in the trailer.

I'm a fan of armored cables, as it's a lot harder for them to be damaged by rubbing on metal frame members, be pierced by screws, etc. I did my trailer in EMT (thinwall metal conduit) with stranded wire. Probably was overkill, but I never had any issues.

 

This was my line of thought too. I am spending a lot of time to insulate and wire and I would rather not have to pull it apart in a couple years looking for a short.

 

Definitely ground the breaker panel frame to the trailer frame. Connect all grounds properly in the panel, and to the ground pin of the power inlet. I would also use GFCI outlets to provide additional shock protection (we play in the rain).

 

Good idea with the GFCI's. Thanks.

 

GFCI’s for sure.

 

Never bond Neutral to Ground in a portable installation.

That bonding happens at/in the generator , or in shore power hookups, where the power enters the service panel (right after or at the meter) After that point the Neutral is a separate current-carrying conductor, and is insulated from the conduits, boxes, and the frame of buildings/trailers, etc.

 

I'd just use lamp cord and black tape.

 

That would border on non-consensual SM.

 

I've seen worse at the track, and in shops.

 

Speaker wire works good too.

 

Ohm-my! Watt an experience that must have been

 

You're a sick bastard, you'll appreciate this...

Doing a second panel swap in maybe 8 years...plumbing leak on the unsealed floor above arced out one of my panels, water following the conduits into the bucket, and literally pouring out the bottom of the panel. Standing water in the space between breakers. Took the leaf blower to it to force the water out and set the floor fan up to blow across the pipes and blow any drippings off before they got into the panel. Three hours of fucking around to dry things out enough to where I felt safe throwing the main disco back on.

Just ordered two raintight panels to replace them.

 

Wow. Hope you ordered some watertight hubs, too.