[Jim/Chris]

It is not exactly like a house if you are planning on using inverters, shore power and generator power, but from the panel to the devices it is pretty much like a house.

[AL]

Congratulations and good luck! In defense of the electricians you called, the unknown is often scary, and that equals not making money. There is a reason we’re known as bus nuts!

I wired my GMC using type TC cable, tray cable, as it was free take-out from modifications in the plant where I worked, and it was suitable for the application. Multi-conductor and stranded. Most S&S rvs use type NM(Romex) but we’d like to do better. Marine wire, whatever that is, would probably be best. On various boards you can get heated discussions on solid vs. stranded, crimped vs. soldered, etc. I don’t have to tell you not to use extension cords, but you would be surprised that some think that’s ok.

For my new-to-me Prevost, I’ll use tray cable for 12v lighting, and stranded type MC (Metal Clad) for 110vac. So far I’ve only bought one roll, about $120/250 ft. A bit more than Romex. It’s more dificult to work with, will require metal boxes, but that’s my choice. A $30 jacket cutter is nice.

And now for a story.

When I got my first bus, the GMC, it had been converted to a band bus, probably in the 70’s by the look of the green shag carpet everywhere. The “electrical box” was a main-and-range pull-out fuse box, already long obsolete. It had 2 ungrounded, non-polarized 15A, 125V plugs hanging out of it on short cords, and a neon test light lying nearby. When asked, the PO informed me that when you plugged it in, to 2 shore power cords, the light was used to test for hot chassis. If hot, invert one or both of the plugs! I identified the ckts. leaving the fuse box and installed a breaker panel, feeding only the roof airs and known ckts. There was one run leaving the fuse box that read dead- short to bus body, but I wasn’t lacking any lights or outlets. When we stripped the interior, we found that run up behind the driver, end taped off, with a screw through it a few feet away. Probably for TV but then plans changed. The screw was one used to mount a 12V lamp, probably after the panelling was on and the Romex forgotten. That’s one reason why I’ll use MC. Although come to think of it, I’ve seen drywall screws through it, too!

Ted.

[Archived]

Keep it simple. Buy at least 4 colors of stranded wire / That will allow you to keep line 1 and 2 identified. Plus white for common and green for safety ground. you can use more complicated definitions for each. Keep grounds seperate al the way to pedstal. I do not terminate the green (safety ground ) for this discussion inside box. There is neutral ground bonding issues when gen sets and inverters are used which requires switching everything including grounds when changing sources. Simple is just use shore cord to switch between sources. It’s a indivual use decision. Power transferr switches are nice=more complicated system. I do run everything in plastic conduit just for convience in future abd pull in extra wires for future use. Number everythind both ends.Good discussion on neutral ground bonding on BCM search. Design coach load needs not to exceed source of power. Just basic considerations. Balance load (watt )between 2 halves of breaker box.

[Per]

Rusty, Definitely use metal clad wire or place in pvc pipe. I ran a 2″ pvc pipe down both sides of the bus under my OTR duct with T’s at points I thought I may add future electrical, catv or low voltage wiring. Ran everything down both sides to my 2nd bay and installed a panel on the drivers side to connect shore power. Plan ahead so if you need to add in the future it will be easy to fish a circuit to the location you need it to go. Mine will work well when I install in motion satellite or rear view camera in the near future. Surely you will miss something but if you plan access to the front or rear (both sides) of the bus it will make it a little easier down the road. Also remember all parks use 50 amp or 30 amp service. Doesn’t leave much room for a lot of electrical useage. Let us know if we can help!! You can do it! MT