Date:         Thu, 13 Apr 2000 20:27:06 -0400
Reply-To:     David Beierl <dbeierl@IBM.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Beierl <dbeierl@IBM.NET>
Subject:      Re: Westy Power Cord
Comments: To: Davidson <wdavidson@THEGRID.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <001801bfa59f$e633c9c0$0c15a2d1@dell>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed

At 19:27 4/13/2000, Davidson wrote:
>The fridge draws about 8 amps... the cabin light probably 2 amps... add
>the amps of what ever else you want to run (the stock radio connection is
>off the starter battery unless you change it)... total and then go look
>for your power cord.

I think you had a brain hiccup, Bill -- I know that you know that the
fridge draws 8 amps at 12 volts, less than one amp at 110.

The Westy circuit breaker is rated 15 amps -- the cord you get should also
be rated at least 15 amps.  The Westy comes with a fairly short 14-gauge
(maybe even 16 ga?) -- it's enormously thick, but that's because it's
RV-rated wire that's expecting to be driven over sometime in its
lifetime.  OK IMO to use regular outdoor cords, but you lose that margin of
safety.  The actual wire gauge of the cord should depend on how long it is
-- I run a 100-ft/30m cord and it is 12 ga to carry 15 amps that
distance.  And since I've been known to use an electric heater, I sometimes
use 15 amps.  But even if you never do, in order for the Westy breaker to
properly protect the cord, it needs to be rated the same or higher as the
breaker.

Incidentally, I cut out one side of the aluminum shroud around the circuit
breaker button, so that I could get a fingernail in and shut off the
breaker -- the camper manual speaks of it as a power switch as well as c.b.
but they made it impossible to use without a hooked tool of some sort.

david

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"