New electrical run in Winnebago Vectra

[KMackk]

2005 Winnebago Vectra 40AD
Has anyone run a new electrical line and installed a new outlet on a slideout that can maybe help me figure this out?
I want to power a portable AC unit in the kitchen slide of this motorhome. This slide currently has a microwave/convection oven and 2 duplex outlets. Some of these came with a dishwasher prewired, but I don't see where this was done on my coach.

What I am trying to figure out to start with is it even possible, and how would I route the power cable. And what cable to use. I see where the existing cables are routed from the underside of the slide through the top of the frame going back to the breakers, but I don't see how I can access the same space above the frame. I can see how to route into the slide by putting the new cable run along with the existing as all of that is accessible, although some what difficult but very doable.
Thank you

[cbeierl]

Here's the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Installation diagram for your coach. I would suspect that you do have the wiring setup for the dishwasher, even if you don't have one installed. Do you have a drawer under your oven? If so, take it out and look near the floor at the front corner of that space--that where the dishwasher outlet should be if I'm reading the diagram correctly.

Making use of the wiring for the dishwasher would be MUCH easier than trying to run a new line into the slideout (with all of the issues of the moving slideout, etc.).

[imnprsd]

Since the OP and me have the same floor plan, and since I just added a 8,000 BTU AC, this thread will give you all the information you are looking for.

https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ad-360836.html

This setup is working fantastic. I highly recommend you duplicate my efforts, but if you come up with a better method, please share it with everyone.

I might even suggest you take all your parts with you to Puerto Penasco, MX (Rocky Point) and let Carlos install it for you... and then work with Gabriel to route your separate power cord.

These guys took my supervision and know exactly how to do it all and you can go get lunch at the restaurant and drink margaritas... unless you want watch them?

You will love their work and paint job and then you can run your portable on 20A shore power when you have it so it does not affect your 50A service.

And the wiring to the portable AC will be on Circuit #2 when you use generator power, because you can modify your ATS cover plate to plug your portable AC power cord into.

In conclusion, this 8,000 BTU GE Portable AC is now my primary AC when it's 80-85F out and not humid. And when I want more cooling I just use the basement AC blower-fan. And when I need maximum cooling in high humidity and 90F+ weather, then I turn on all my air conditioners and live is much better.

For more information about services provided at The Reef RV Park in Puerto Penasco, MX go to:

https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...-358003-2.html

[KMackk]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

Here's the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Installation diagram for your coach. I would suspect that you do have the wiring setup for the dishwasher, even if you don't have one installed. Do you have a drawer under your oven? If so, take it out and look near the floor at the front corner of that space--that where the dishwasher outlet should be if I'm reading the diagram correctly.

Making use of the wiring for the dishwasher would be MUCH easier than trying to run a new line into the slideout (with all of the issues of the moving slideout, etc.).

Maybe it is wired for the dishwasher?
I just took the drawers out again to look, and there is something although inaccessible for now, behind the roll out cabinet.

I assumed this was not wired for the dishwasher because the breaker panel does not have a separate breaker for the dishwasher, even though it is labeled as such. Is this where the dishwasher outlet is in your coach?
I cannot tell how or where the wires are getting to the third outlet or if that is a third outlet a junction box until I can remove the roll out cabinet to get to that area, maybe tomorrow or in a day or two.

Is this the same area yours was prewired for? Did you need to install a breaker or was it already install?

Perhaps I can run off of the existing power cable, not sure.

Thank you

[KMackk]

Originally Posted by imnprsd

Since the OP and me have the same floor plan, and since I just added a 8,000 BTU AC, this thread will give you all the information you are looking for.

https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ad-360836.html

This setup is working fantastic. I highly recommend you duplicate my efforts, but if you come up with a better method, please share it with everyone.

I might even suggest you take all your parts with you to Puerto Penasco, MX (Rocky Point) and let Carlos install it for you... and then work with Gabriel to route your separate power cord.

These guys took my supervision and know exactly how to do it all and you can go get lunch at the restaurant and drink margaritas... unless you want watch them?

You will love their work and paint job and then you can run your portable on 20A shore power when you have it so it does not affect your 50A service.

And the wiring to the portable AC will be on Circuit #2 when you use generator power, because you can modify your ATS cover plate to plug your portable AC power cord into.

In conclusion, this 8,000 BTU GE Portable AC is now my primary AC when it's 80-85F out and not humid. And when I want more cooling I just use the basement AC blower-fan. And when I need maximum cooling in high humidity and 90F+ weather, then I turn on all my air conditioners and live is much better.

For more information about services provided at The Reef RV Park in Puerto Penasco, MX go to:

https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...-358003-2.html

Nice install! I have a different type of portable although that is a great install and idea. (and I won't be headed south in the near future)

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by KMackk

Maybe it is wired for the dishwasher?
I just took the drawers out again to look, and there is something although inaccessible for now, behind the roll out cabinet.

I assumed this was not wired for the dishwasher because the breaker panel does not have a separate breaker for the dishwasher, even though it is labeled as such. Is this where the dishwasher outlet is in your coach?
I cannot tell how or where the wires are getting to the third outlet or if that is a third outlet a junction box until I can remove the roll out cabinet to get to that area, maybe tomorrow or in a day or two.

Is this the same area yours was prewired for? Did you need to install a breaker or was it already install?

Perhaps I can run off of the existing power cable, not sure.

Thank you

In general, Winnebago wiring supports all of the optional equipment, even if not installed--it's just much easier to do that (and also supports adding the optional equipment at a later date). Even if the breaker isn't there the wiring may still be run to the breaker box, just not currently used.

I would recommend taking a look at the wiring installation diagram I linked in my previous message and seeing if you can match that up with what you see in your coach.

I have a 36RD, which is a different layout than yours, so it's a bit hard to compare. We ordered out coach with the dishwasher, but I haven't tried to track down just where the wiring is.

In case it's also helpful, here's the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Diagram for your coach as well.

[KMackk]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

In general, Winnebago wiring supports all of the optional equipment, even if not installed--it's just much easier to do that (and also supports adding the optional equipment at a later date). Even if the breaker isn't there the wiring may still be run to the breaker box, just not currently used.

I would recommend taking a look at the wiring installation diagram I linked in my previous message and seeing if you can match that up with what you see in your coach.

I have a 36RD, which is a different layout than yours, so it's a bit hard to compare. We ordered out coach with the dishwasher, but I haven't tried to track down just where the wiring is.

In case it's also helpful, here's the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Diagram for your coach as well.

Thank you Chris,

I Have seen the diagram for my coach and it does show the outlet. I will need to remove the slide out cabinet to see further into the cabinet as see what is actually there on the floor. From what I can see today, it is starting to look like a junction box, as there are 2 cables coming into the slide, and looks like one goes up to the microwave/convection over and the other ones to the box in question.

Where is your dishwasher outlet physically located? Is it easily accessible?

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by KMackk

...
Where is your dishwasher outlet physically located? Is it easily accessible?

I haven't ever physically looked for the dishwasher outlet on my coach, but the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Installation for my coach (2005 Vectra 36RD) appears to show it up high and to the left of the cabinet opening. Yours appears to be down low on the right. (Note that you can zoom way in on the pdf and see details a lot better, in case that helps.)

[KMackk]

Chris,
I am attaching a link to the diagram for my coach. It shows the outlet on the floor inside the cabinet, on page 3, and it looks like it is connected to the bathroom outlet, the engine heater switch and an outlet next to the sink. I have all of the others, just not the dishwasher unless it is back under the slide out cabinet. Can you take a look and tell me if you see the same? If so, I don't think it is there. It doesn't show the route back to the panel, should it? I am not the best at reading these diagrams but doing what I can and appreciate yours and everyones help with this.

Link: https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ire_149350.pdf

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by KMackk

Chris,
I am attaching a link to the diagram for my coach. It shows the outlet on the floor inside the cabinet, on page 3, and it looks like it is connected to the bathroom outlet, the engine heater switch and an outlet next to the sink. I have all of the others, just not the dishwasher unless it is back under the slide out cabinet. Can you take a look and tell me if you see the same? If so, I don't think it is there. It doesn't show the route back to the panel, should it? I am not the best at reading these diagrams but doing what I can and appreciate yours and everyones help with this....f

Page 2 of the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Diagram for your coach shows how the dishwasher outlet is wired (electrically). It's on its own dedicated circuit that isn't shared with anything else. It does look like the EMS uses that circuit to detect whether you are on 30A or 50A power, so I would expect it to be present, even without the dishwasher.

You may want to take a look inside the 110V breaker box (carefully, with the shore power unplugged & generator off!) and see if you see any sign of the wiring at that end. The 110 Volt Load Center/Auto Transfer Switch diagram shows the wires involved with the DishDrawer with a '214' tag in a small oval. Looks like they (at least some of them) might be SILVER colored, according to the diagram.

Page 3 (and detail DB on page 5) of the Body, 110 Volt Wiring Installation diagram shows how the wiring is physically run. You should be able to find those connections shown in the detail in the 'BASE OF THE STATIONARY PART OF THE GALLEY CABINET' and on the 'REAR SIDE OF DISHWASHER CABINET', as shown (if they exist).

[imnprsd]

By definition all your Inverter Power Panel (aka Sub-main) appliances like your dishwasher and wall outlets are on CIRCUIT #1.

I chose not to use CIRCUIT #1, because I wanted the portable AC to run on CIRCUIT #2; and that would either require me to run a new power cord (Romex-3-14G) to the main power panel or...

...instead I decided to run a 50' high quality 14-gauge extension cord to the ATS and tap into CIRCUIT #2 there.

This configuration gives me the best of both worlds:

A) When I am on generator power just plug the portable AC power cord into the outlet I mounted on the face of the Parallax ATS-5070 and as I said this outlet is wired to CIRCUIT #2.

B) When I have shore power, I unplug the portable AC power cord from the AST 15A Outlet; and then I connect it to another 25' extension cord... which is then connected to the 20A shore power outlet.

WHY DO I DO THIS?

Answer: I want to run the portable AC on CIRCUIT #2 so I have better load balancing when my generator is running; and I wanted the option to bypass my RV 50A service all together when I have shore power.

I decided this was the best thing to do after a 3 hour test with all my ACs running (which would include the basement AC running and the portable AC running) caused my circuit breaker to trip.

WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

Answer: Your Parallax-5070 is the best ever made, but it still can't handle high inductive loads for long periods of time when everything is running on CIRCUIT #1 at 28-29A. So when you put the portable AC (8-10A) on CIRCUIT #2 the generator is happier and you should should not blow a CB after 3 hours of time.

My recommendation is that you wire your portable AC to CIRCUIT #2 anyway you desire.

Note: All your wall sockets are on CIRCUIT #1.

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by imnprsd

By definition all your Inverter Power Panel (aka Sub-main) Circuit Breakers are on CIRCUIT #1.

Your dishwasher CB is therefore on Circuit #1... should you want to use this outlet.
....

The OP's dishwasher (circuit) isn't on the inverter (see the linked wiring diagram above).

[imnprsd]

OK... In my coach my Dishwasher is on Circuit #1.

...And it would not be the first time Winne mislabeled the CBs.

OP: Can you confirm your diswasher CB in in the inverter panel or the Main Panel? And which circuit is it on from the factory?

IMO, if the OP can get their portable AC to run to Circuit #2 outlet then they will be okay. If not, they will have troubles running everything on Circuit #1. ...Not to mention the high current through the ATS on Circuit #1. That is all I am pointing out.

[imnprsd]

OP: Where do you plan on putting this portable AC and how do you intend to exhaust the hot air?

Also, is your basement AC working properly?

Do you have a working dishwasher in your RV? ...Mine crapped out and now I use it to store pans. ...I'm not a fan of that FP Dishwasher anyway and it is way too expensive to replace. So I get more use out of it as a storage drawer. How about you?

[cbeierl]

In the 2004 Vectra 40AD the dishwasher IS on the inverter, in the 2005 models it ISN'T.

[KMackk]

imprsd & Chris,
thank you both for running this down. Looks like I have a lot to figure out here.
I am trying to get some photos loaded but having trouble, maybe because of the internet connection here at the park, I don't know but will keep trying.

Chris, I think my coach was made in 2004 but sold as a 2005, and the label for the dishwasher breaker is on the inverter panel. Again I need to put up the photos. I will take a look in the box and get back to you as soon as I can. I see how the wiring is run on the diagram but in the cabinet I only see the two flexible cords , not a separate one for the dishwasher. I think to get any further along with this I will need to get to that outlet or junction box to see what is actually there.

imprsd, I believe my dishwasher CB is in the inverter panel, not confirmed yet. (I am still learning to read these diagrams, and need to visually check)
The location of the portable AC is to the right of the couch on the kitchen slideout , the exhaust is out the side window.
The basement air is working properly.
I do not have a dishwasher and it appears there never was one installed.
I have 3 drawers below the stove top.

[cbeierl]

In case your coach is wired like a 2004, here are the relevant wiring diagrams for that year:

110 Volt Load Center/Auto Transfer Switch
Body, 110 Volt Wiring Diagram
Body, 110 Volt Wiring Installation

[KMackk]

Three photos should be attached here,
the first one is looking that the cables as they come into the cabinet, the second and third are two pics of the panel at the foot of the bed.

[KMackk]

Today I was able to take a look at the wires in the breaker panel and under the bed, no luck. The dishwasher was is not prewired for this coach.
Now on to plane B. (I don't have a plan B) So I will figure something out.
Thanks for the input!