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I’m installing power to my horse trailer for camping. I bought a 30 amp breaker box and plan to run a cord to the outside of the trailer to plug a 30 amp cord into that and then into the 30 amp service from the campsite.

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How do I do this and can I use a internal double pole breaker? I’d like to run outlets on one side and lights on other side of breaker.

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    Where you plug in on the campsite will already have a 30A fuse or breaker. Your breakers inside your panel need to be correct for the wiring and loads you are using. To use normal receptacles and lights, you must use 15A or 20A breakers. They do not need to be a 2-pole breaker, that nano-panel there will take two independent breakers. 30A campsite power is 120V, so you will need to rewire this nano-panel to be 120V not 240V. Jun 29, 2021 at 16:35
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    It would be helpful to know where in the world you are. In U.K. for example, 16amps is maximum, and a lot of campsites provide a lot less than that. Also 120 or 220v? And a two pole breaker is far safer, considering some of the sites I've used! On this site, geographical location can make a big difference to answers!
    – Tim
    Jun 29, 2021 at 16:46

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Where you plug in on the campsite will already have a 30A fuse or breaker. Your breakers inside your panel need to be correct for the wiring and loads you are using. To use normal receptacles and lights, you must use 15A or 20A breakers.

They do not need to be a 2-pole breaker, that nano-panel there will take two independent breakers.

Note that 30A 3-prong campsite power is 120V, so you will need to rewire this panel to be 120V not 240V. If you were thinking you will get 2 legs of 30A each, that's not how RV power works. If you want two legs, you have to bump up to 50A RV service.

There is nothing wrong with putting lights and receptacles on the same circuit. The largest plug-in loads are generally 1500 watts. Two won't fit on a 20A circuit (2400W). So you can only have one per 15A or 20A circuit. If you put all your receptacles on one 20A circuit, you cannot run two such loads -- even though your supply power (30A/3600W) is capable of it. So put some receptacles on each of the two circuits.

Feel free to put the lights in one area on a different circuit than the receptacles for that same area... that way, when you have a problem you can still see. (the other area can't, but they are probably not inches away from a hot griddle or spinning saw blade).

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  • I mostly agree the op will probably need to feed the 30 amp 120v into both lugs and have 15 or 20 amp breakers in this box feeding the receptacles and lighting, I have a horse trailer with a front living space that the 30 amp 120v is plenty I have ( breakers) , it would run a rooftop AC but don’t put the coffee maker on the same leg as the AC. Using Metal clad MC is the quickest way to run inside from the panel to the receptacles and switches, lighting.
    – Ed Beal
    Jun 29, 2021 at 17:07
  • I am from Illinois. I’ll be running a window unit, mini fridge, microwave, and a tv from times. Also charging our phones. Will install 2 led lights inside and possibly a led rope light outside. I’d like to keep it 30 amp hookup. Inside the panel I have, where do i hookup my wires and what size wire should u suggest for power into box. And how do I make it 120 inside the box.
    – Shane
    Jun 29, 2021 at 17:34
  • Another question is since that circuit breaker load center is 30 amp max could I do a double pole and run a 50 amp service in but only do a 30 amp breaker. Or will I need a higher amperage box
    – Shane
    Jun 29, 2021 at 19:08
  • You would need a higher amperage box. Are you really, really, hoping they give out awards for making the most out of a teeny tiny sub panel? It can be done, my whole house runs on that exact same panel (really)... but the cost differential to a much larger box is trivial. Given that you're waffling on going 50A, I would get a 16-space at least. (16 space not 16 circuit). How to wire that box for 120V, ask a separate question. Jun 29, 2021 at 19:56
  • I will stick to 30 amp hookup if that box is fine just was throwing out another option. Any help on how to do this 30 amp would be much appreciated thanks
    – Shane
    Jun 29, 2021 at 22:56

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