Adding electric outlets March 04, 2022, 08:20:22 pm My 2007 MB has a shortage of AC outlets, so I'm planning to add some more. For example, under the dinette, and in the cab-over bed area. Maybe on the wall in the rear lounge area. I'm pretty good with electrical work. Just looking to see if others have had this problem and if there are any tips. eg, where best to tap, and how to run the wires for a clean look.Thanks,Bart 1 Likes
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #1 – March 05, 2022, 01:37:54 am I look forward to reading any responses. Posting any photos would be great!
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #2 – March 05, 2022, 02:15:01 am Hi Bart; I've added a few plugs and I'm in the process of switching some things around. Of course you can tie into existing GFCI protected outlets and run 14 ga. NM romex to other spots you want outlets. Fishing wires through external walls to the cabover would be difficult, but the refrigerator wall behind the driver seat is hollow. The back of the dinette would be easy since the MidBath has access through the back drivers side wall in the storage compartment. A proper job would have no visible wires. In wall mounted standard house fixtures, and GFCI protection. For under the side dinette wall, I'm sure a wall outlet would be handy. I also added a standard looking decora outlet with USB outlets under my rear dinette, and the cabinet above my 'TK vanity. Magnadyne WCP-USB-W Wall Mount 4-Port USB Charger With Wall Plate - White Those are wired only to 12VDC. No AC there. I had to put a switch next to it to shut off the little, very bright green LED, that interfered with my sleeping. Normally lights don't bother me. Also available in brown. I'll try to post pictures soon. Sam are you going to be at Morro Bay? You can look at my additions there, in person. RonB
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #3 – March 05, 2022, 12:30:56 pm Bart, you can also consider Wire Sleeves in places where wall access is limited. I have used them throughout our 98~MB and they are readily available at most home stores when you need one. Karen~Liam 98 ~ MB NinA 2 Likes
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #4 – March 05, 2022, 01:01:50 pm Concealed wiring is the best looking if you can pull it off, but in an RV that's often difficult. I'm not familiar with Wire Sleeves, but I've used Wiremold on several of my rigs. For 120 VAC wiring, their Cordmate II Kit is a good place to start. Surface-mount outlet boxes are available that mate with the Wiremold channel. You can buy these at most large hardware stores.For smaller wires, such as 12 V wiring, coax cable and the like, their CordMate Cord Organizer Kit is a good choice.Both types have snap-open covers, as shown in the photo that Karen~Liam posted, so that wires can be installed or removed after the Wiremold channel is in place.Since they're held in place by adhesive strips, be sure to prep the surface well before mounting. Properly installed, Wiremold channels look good--not klugy.
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #5 – March 07, 2022, 09:34:50 am Quote from: RonB - March 05, 2022, 02:15:01 am.... I'll try to post pictures soon. Sam are you going to be at Morro Bay? You can look at my additions there, in person. RonBRon B-Thank you for the offer! My wife and I would love to see all the different LD models and learn from the experts from the Lazy Daze Owners Group at Morro Bay; however, we cannot leave work.
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #6 – March 07, 2022, 10:42:27 am Quote from: Bart - March 04, 2022, 08:20:22 pmMy 2007 MB has a shortage of AC outlets, so I'm planning to add some more.This reminded me of one of our somewhat odd AC outlet stories. The LD specification sheet showed we should have 7 AC outlets including the exterior. For many months we could only find six (6)! Then one day I forced myself to bend my almost unbendable neck to do something over the stovetop. And imagine my surprise when I found #7 behind the light fixture. I might add that Margee was especially happy about this discovery. As most if not all LD owners know, the Factory doesn’t seem to count the exterior AC outlet for the refrigerator which is #8. At any rate, that’s my AC story.
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #7 – March 07, 2022, 12:27:16 pm Quote from: Ed & Margee - March 07, 2022, 10:42:27 amThis reminded me of one of our somewhat odd AC outlet stories. The LD specification sheet showed we should have 7 AC outlets including the exterior. For many months we could only find six (6)! Then one day I forced myself to bend my almost unbendable neck to do something over the stovetop. And imagine my surprise when I found #7 behind the light fixture. I might add that Margee was especially happy about this discovery. As most if not all LD owners know, the Factory doesn’t seem to count the exterior AC outlet for the refrigerator which is #8. At any rate, that’s my AC story. There will be one where the microwave plugs in, probably inside a cabinet. Not sure if that's one of the ones LD counts.
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #8 – March 07, 2022, 12:43:35 pm We have a 20amp AC outlet in the cabinet next to the microwave in our 98~MB which I think are in all LDs with microwaves. This is on its own circuit separate from the 7 or 8 outlets that might be scattered thought the LD which were installed by the Mothership. We have removed our microwave which was mostly used as storage. We also added a new AC outlet above the power center tied into that 20 amp Microwave circuit so we can plug in and extra electric heater. We have added many 12VDC plugs in our LD, back in the lounge, bathroom and other places and in places where we could not access the wall we used white channel sleeves to run the wire through. Those wire channels sleeves are ease to install with tape on the back and the front opens to set the wire in.. Karen~Liam 89 ~ MB NinA
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #9 – March 07, 2022, 12:44:27 pm Oh! Greg you beat me to it! ~Liam 1 Likes
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #10 – March 07, 2022, 01:32:05 pm "We have a 20amp AC outlet in the cabinet next to the microwave.. This is on its own circuit..."It shares a circuit with the air conditioner, so if you have both, remember not to use the microwave oven and air conditioner at the same time. On the other hand, because it's on a different circuit from all the other AC outlets (including the one outside, if you have that), it can be used to power a second electric heater without risking overloading the rest of the household AC outlets. Same caution applies to simultaneous operation with the microwave, of course.
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #11 – March 07, 2022, 11:13:38 pm Quote from: Andy Baird - March 07, 2022, 01:32:05 pm"We have a 20amp AC outlet in the cabinet next to the microwave.. This is on its own circuit..."It shares a circuit with the air conditioner, so if you have both, remember not to use the microwave oven and air conditioner at the same time. Our 2003 and every other LD I have worked has a separate breaker for the A/C and another for the microwave.We run a wall mounted electric heater in the bath using an extension of the microwave circuit. Larry
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #12 – March 08, 2022, 01:25:38 am So Larry, you're saying they have three breakers--one for the household circuits, one for the air conditioner, and a separate one for the microwave? That would add up to 40 to 45 amps of breakers on a 30 A chore power connection. I'm sure my 2003 midbath shared the same 15 A circuit branch between the air conditioner and the microwave. Or am I confusing breakers and circuits?
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #13 – March 08, 2022, 06:25:12 am Quote from: Andy Baird - March 08, 2022, 01:25:38 amSo Larry, you're saying they have three breakers--one for the household circuits, one for the air conditioner, and a separate one for the microwave?This is the setup in my Dec 2003 MB. 3 breakers for A/C, microwave, and household outlets.Rich
Re: Adding electric outlets Reply #14 – March 08, 2022, 11:18:25 am Andy, our 94 mid bath had 3 breakers also, A/C, outlets, and microwave. I added a fourth breaker to control the converter. Then of course the main 30 A. breaker. Even though all the breakers add up to more than the main breaker, your central buss will be protected by the main. Same as a house only on a smaller scale, the thought is there won't be every load on at once and if it is, the main will trip.Jon 2 Likes
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