Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > MOC Technical Forums > Additions & Improvements
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 05-15-2007, 04:55 PM   #1
David and Jo-Anna
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Green Valley
Posts: 1,618
M.O.C. #6022
Splicing Surge Guard into main power line

I have several questions for the knowledgeable people on this forum about a project I'm thinking of doing. I have bought the 50 amp portable Surge Guard. Rather than hooking it up to the power pole, and having to worry about locking it up, I am thinking of installing it in the basement area by splicing it into the main power line where the power line comes under the staircase to the bedroom just before the main power line goes up to the circuit breaker box. I have purchased a six foot, 50 amp cord designed to be a replacement for an electric range's power cord. I am thinking of cutting the cord in half and splicing these two sections to the two ends of the severed main power line under the steps so that I can bring the connections out into the basement area--that way I can check the lights on the Surge Guard in operation as well as having it accessible if I later want to plug an Autoformer in before or after the Surge Guard.

I have several questions about the feasibility of this project. First, is there likely to be any problem using this 50 amp replacement cord as the means of splicing into the main power line. The cord has a 50 amp male plug at one end and four wires terminating in eyelets at the other end. I have also purchased a 50 amp female box. I plan to cut the six foot cord in half, splice the half with the male end onto one section of the main power line, and use the other half of the six foot cord to connect the other side of the spliced main power line to the female 50 amp box I bought. I will then plug the Surge Guard into the respective male and female ends of this hookup.

My plan is to connect the spliced ends with large (6 gauge) wire nuts, which I will put inside a metal junction box under the steps. Anyone see a problem using wire nuts for these splice connections? Another concern I have is that, upon closer inspection, I see that the 50 amp cord says it consists of two six gauge and two eight gauge wires. Does this represent any problem?

Sorry for the long winded explanation--hope it makes sense. And thanks in advance for your help.
 
David and Jo-Anna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2007, 05:34 PM   #2
fulltimedreamer
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cumming
Posts: 2,820
M.O.C. #919
David,

I used a similar scheme for installing an autoformer in my coach. The difference is that my coach is 30 Amps where yours is two 50 Amps circuits. I don't see any reason why this would not work for you. I'm guessing the six guage wires are for the two hot wires, with the eight guage wires used for neutral and ground. The reason they can do this is because the neutral wire only carries the difference in current between the two hot wires, as they are out of phase with each other. If some of the other guys see a problem, I'm sure they'll chime in. Here is a link to my 30 Amp hookup:

http://www.geocities.com/fulltimedre...ofrm_inst.html

Hope this is helpful.

P.S. I used wire nuts and taped them too, to make sure I had good tight connections and placed inside a metal junction box.
fulltimedreamer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2007, 01:32 AM   #3
Broome101
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Conover
Posts: 995
M.O.C. #1832
David, just a thought here. Why not exchange the pole unit you bought for a Surge Guard hard wire unit, would make this lot cleaner and safer job, that way you have no worries.
Broome101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2007, 02:58 AM   #4
nailbender
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Oakland
Posts: 887
M.O.C. #5811
I was thinking the same thing as Broome101. I have a hard wired Surge Guard with the remote monitor and installed the monitor above the light and slide switches. All I needed to install it was 3' of #6 wire.
nailbender is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2007, 04:13 AM   #5
David and Jo-Anna
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Green Valley
Posts: 1,618
M.O.C. #6022
Couple of reasons I went with the portable Surge Guard rather than the hard-wired one. One, the setup I'm proposing would let me plug in an Autoformer either ahead of or downstream of the Surge Guard if and when needed--I'd rather not have an Autoformer permanently installed (don't want it there if I'm running a generator), and having it in the basement area with the Surge Guard let's me keep the Autoformer out of sight so I don't have to worry about it getting ripped off or having to chain it up. Second, if something went bad in the Surge Guard, I could unplug it from the system and bypass it by plugging together the male and female ends I am creating by the splicing arrangement I am proposing to do.

And last but not least, I was able to buy the portable Surge Guard on sale from PPL at a lower cost than the hard-wired version--and since I've had it for awhile, I'm locked into working with the portable model.

Fulltimedreamer--I looked over your setup with the Autoformer and that's exactly what I'm proposing to do with the Surge Guard. Can anyone see any reason that what he did with a 30 amp power cord would cause problems with me trying to do it with a 50 amp power cord?
David and Jo-Anna is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2007, 10:18 AM   #6
Broome101
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Conover
Posts: 995
M.O.C. #1832
It will work as long as you know what wires form surge you are wiring in once you cut the end off. Not sure if they are all the same inside the cord or if they are color coded. If color coded like 50 amp cord red and blk to each 50 amp main breaker lug one red and one black. then green to ground buss bar and white to neutral buss bar your done. Then the main line coming in to your adapter and if you take it off you can by pass the surge guard or auto former. Mine is hard wired in before the auto former as well.
Broome101 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2007, 02:57 PM   #7
Cat320
Montana Master
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location:
Posts: 1,695
M.O.C. #5751
I'm no electrician, but working with that much current/power, and the possibility of the damage it could cause should something go wrong...believe I'd get a real live electician to hook this thing together.
Cat320 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2007, 05:14 AM   #8
ols1932
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
I'm with David. It's better to be able to disconnect if desired. But I'm still of the school of making it portable. My electrician's background says, "If you're undecided, don't take the word of people in cyberspace; get a live person!"

Orv
ols1932 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-17-2007, 08:18 AM   #9
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
We kept everything portable.We all hear of things being ripped off and it does happen, somewhere, someplace, sometime. We just don't think it is that big of a problem.. and..all this stuff is covered under our camper insurance so we will get new ones if any of this stuff disappears. we are at a rally in a fair grounds in southeren Ohio and the voltage looked shaky and it is calling for bad weather so for the first time we are using all our protective devices, auto former and surge protector. The Fairgrounds is 30 ampss so we used a adaptor..I note that all is working as advertised..the voltage came up and we are humming away. It is also pouring rain and we are parked on grass..got a bubble on the counter and am monitoring for list.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-19-2007, 03:31 PM   #10
Garin1
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Morgan City
Posts: 642
M.O.C. #2773
David, your basic idea is sound but,,, there is a reason the cord came with ringlets. If you don't mind the extra effort, use ring terminals and bolt them together. They will last longer with no headaches. Be sure to tape them well with Scotch 33 electrical tape.
Garin1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Surge Guard Big Dave Additions & Improvements 20 08-21-2016 12:45 PM
Surge Guard Surge Protector-SOLD azranger Trailers, Tow Vehicles & RV related items for Sale 7 10-21-2013 12:10 AM
50 AMP Surge Guard Phil805 Additions & Improvements 17 07-23-2012 04:04 PM
Surge Guard K&Gs3400RL Additions & Improvements 2 06-17-2012 03:58 PM
Surge Guard rlrich Solar, Charging Systems, Batteries and Electrical 67 01-29-2007 02:55 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 01:59 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.