# Trailer wiring



## Camling (Sep 30, 2010)

I have had my trailer for almost a year now and I am just about to overhaul the shelving again to better suit my needs. I have seen alot of yinz with shore power hook ups and outlets inside. I really dig that idea and the thought of not having to take batteries in the shop to charge every night. Can any one give me a better idea of what components i need and how to wire this up. 
Thanks in advance

C. Lingler


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I have a strip of outlets in my trailer for battery charges, etc., but I just run an extension cord from the trailer to an outside receptacle on the house.

I was thinking about an inverter and rewiring my plug so I can charge the batteries from my truck. But this was easier and less expensive and actually works for me.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

You want to be careful leaving batteries on a charger too. If they are charged and just sitting on the charger it can kill them I've been told. You can pretty much do whatever you want to do. Cutting holes in enclosed trailers is cake. There's barely anything there.


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

I set up 2 15A circuits with a 100' 10-3 extension cord hooked into a breaker box, we just roll the extension out and plug it in at the job site. One circuit is on the ceiling for (4) 4' florescent lights and the other is strewn about with 4 plexes.


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## svronthmve (Aug 3, 2008)

Morning Wood said:


> You want to be careful leaving batteries on a charger too. If they are charged and just sitting on the charger it can kill them........


This is true.....don't ask me how I know it.....


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## Rob1954 (Jun 22, 2010)

Robert, I gotta know.....what happens if you forget that 2x4?


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

RobertCDF said:


> I set up 2 15A circuits with a 100' 10-3 extension cord hooked into a breaker box, we just roll the extension out and plug it in at the job site. One circuit is on the ceiling for (4) 4' florescent lights and the other is strewn about with 4 plexes.


What size trailer is that - it looks huge!


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

Rob1954 said:


> Robert, I gotta know.....what happens if you forget that 2x4?



ROFLMAO!!! :laughing::laughing::laughing::laughing:


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

Rob1954 said:


> Robert, I gotta know.....what happens if you forget that 2x4?


It just makes it slightly easier to break into it. The back door is the weakest part so even if they get the locks off the 2x4 prevents the door from being opened. 

The trailer is 8.5x20x7' those pics are about a year old its got even more crap in it now.


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## Camling (Sep 30, 2010)

Seriously you guys make me jealous with your huge freakin trailers. Haha but i appreciate the feedback. so RobertCDF, you just have your power (Extension cord) coming into the breaker box and you have 2 circuits? how big a box and how did you wire it up. Sorry for being a PIA.
Thanks 

C. Lingler


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## Hardly Working (Apr 7, 2005)

Mount a power inlet like this to the outside of your trailer and use a extension cord going to the house. This one is rated for a 20 amp circut. http://www.marinco.com/product/20-amp-power-inlet-black


We mounted on similar to this one for a race trailer to hook up to when we have available to avoid running the generator all the time.


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

Hardly Working said:


> Mount a power inlet like this to the outside of your trailer and use a extension cord going to the house. This one is rated for a 20 amp circut. http://www.marinco.com/product/20-amp-power-inlet-black
> 
> 
> We mounted on similar to this one for a race trailer to hook up to when we have available to avoid running the generator all the time.


I did the power inlet on my last trailer but then some moron would grab the 100' 14ga to run the trailer instead of the 10ga. Or they would rob the cord from the trailer instead of running a new one, with a dedicated one wired direct in the box it's hard for even the dumbest person to mess it up. I'll post up some pics of the box later.


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

Pics as promised


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## FHS (Apr 24, 2010)

I have almost the same setup, i run the two breaker setup, one circut for inside lights, chargers etc. The second for the exterior outlets.


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## Newera (Jul 9, 2006)

RobertCDF said:


> I set up 2 15A circuits with a 100' 10-3 extension cord hooked into a breaker box, we just roll the extension out and plug it in at the job site. One circuit is on the ceiling for (4) 4' florescent lights and the other is strewn about with 4 plexes.


Hey there. I know this post is over a year old, but I thought you could maybe help me out with a question.

I'm not too familiar with voltage drops from running long cords. Is there a noticeable drop from running your 100' 10-3 from the customers house to your trailer panel and then running a 50'-100' 12 or 14 guage cord to your tools?

What if the customer only has a 15 amp circuit available which could be 50' from their panel. Is that enough to run a compressor in your trailer and a couple of saws at the same time?

I build new homes and sometimes I can buy power off of the house next to me, but don't want to trip their breakers. I have a large generator, but would rather not use it if possible. 

Any help/advice would be greatly appreciated.


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## overanalyze (Dec 28, 2010)

Newera said:


> Hey there. I know this post is over a year old, but I thought you could maybe help me out with a question.
> 
> I'm not too familiar with voltage drops from running long cords. Is there a noticeable drop from running your 100' 10-3 from the customers house to your trailer panel and then running a 50'-100' 12 or 14 guage cord to your tools?
> 
> ...


If your building new, then make it part of the contract that you cant start until the temp pole is set and live. Otherwise the generator is your next best and safest bet.

Running long cords like that with heavy draws can kill your power tools!


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## RobertCDF (Aug 18, 2005)

Newera said:


> Hey there. I know this post is over a year old, but I thought you could maybe help me out with a question.
> 
> I'm not too familiar with voltage drops from running long cords. Is there a noticeable drop from running your 100' 10-3 from the customers house to your trailer panel and then running a 50'-100' 12 or 14 guage cord to your tools?
> 
> ...


We don't do new construction so usually this setup is plugged into the front of the house and we plug in at the back of the house. About 70% of the time this puts the trailer on a different breaker than the back of the house where the work is occurring, sometimes though it's the same breaker. 

I just picked up another trailer the other day, I've got some of the build out done on it but I'm not done yet, I'll work on it some more tomorrow and maybe post up some pics.


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