Anyone ever wired a food truck?

[Bob_Sacamano]

I've never done one before.. Customer want's one 220V circuit, a couple 20 A outlets, some overhead LED lights (shop light style), and a generator plug in outlet on the outside of the vehicle. I'm thinking conduit or BX throughout, but he would need some type of panel box wouldn't he? All I can find is 30 A and 50 A pwer inlet kits to plug in a generator but the smallest panel they have around me is 70 Amps. The truck is only 80 square feet and it's going to be a coffee "food truck". Any guidance? I'm considering passing but I would rather not.

 

[suemarkp]

Never done a food truck, but we have some trailers that use long umbilical cords instead of power inlets. Ours are 208V 3 phase 100A or 200A pin and sleeve plugs. But for what you list, I would think a 50A plug that fits his generator would be enough power unless that 240V load is a big one. Nothing wrong with putting a 70A or 100A panel on a 50A feeder. You just may need a 50A main.

Also look to see if this install needs to be approved by a NRTL or Field Evaluation Body. If under OSHA, it may. A permit and inspection may also suffice, but I'm not sure how many areas have electrical permits and inspections for trailers or trucks.

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

Never done a food truck, but we have some trailers that use long umbilical cords instead of power inlets. Ours are 208V 3 phase 100A or 200A pin and sleeve plugs. But for what you list, I would think a 50A plug that fits his generator would be enough power unless that 240V load is a big one. Nothing wrong with putting a 70A or 100A panel on a 50A feeder. You just may need a 50A main.

Also look to see if this install needs to be approved by a NRTL or Field Evaluation Body. If under OSHA, it may. A permit and inspection may also suffice, but I'm not sure how many areas have electrical permits and inspections for trailers or trucks.

Thanks for the tip! I was thinking about the S/O cord option but customer specifically asked for the inlet. Now that you mention changing out the main, it seems like a stupid question. lol! It's odd how sometimes one can get tunnel vision, staying up putting together estimates!

 

[al hildenbrand]

The truck is only 80 square feet and it's going to be a coffee "food truck". Any guidance?

Try to get the client to specify the equipment they are going to run so you can do a load calculation. Any thing else is going to give real headaches. I'd expect a freezer, refrigerator and a microwave in addition to coffee maker and an espresso, but I'm just guessing.

I had one client that couldn't understand why she couldn't use a 120 V 30 A RV-type cheater cord to run in a convention center when she had a 240 / 120 V set of loads in her food truck totalling almost 8 kW.

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

Try to get the client to specify the equipment they are going to run so you can do a load calculation. Any thing else is going to give real headaches. I'd expect a freezer, refrigerator and a microwave in addition to coffee maker and an espresso, but I'm just guessing.

I had one client that couldn't understand why she couldn't use a 120 V 30 A RV-type cheater cord to run in a convention center when she had a 240 / 120 V set of loads in her food truck totalling almost 8 kW.

So is it safe to say that I should figure this food truck for a continuous load, to rate the Breaker needed? e.g. they're using 35A, so I put in a 50A figuring on a 80% continuous load? Is it still safe to use Square D Homeline products or should I jump up to QO?

 

[zbang]

You're on the right track and there's some excellent advise above.

My take is 12- or 16-space QO panel w/ main & a 50 amp inlet. You might need a separate feed for a single large device (a friend's coffee trailer has an L14-30 for and an L5-30 just for the large Bunn brewer) depending on what will supply the truck besides the generator.

Do not Do not Do not put a bonding jumper in the truck panel. I can't count how many of those I've seen, and then removed.

For the 50 amp inlet- use a CS-style inlet but get the type with the center pin; they're more common in temporary power setups (CS6365 plug, CS6364 connector, CS6375 inlet). The ones w/o the center pin are commonly sold for RVs (and boats?).

 

[qcroanoke]

I think Dennis Alwon has wired one or two.
He may chime in.

 

[Eddie702]

Don't see why you couldn't put in a MLO panel with say a back fed main whatever size you need.

 

[zbang]

Don't see why you couldn't put in a MLO panel with say a back fed main whatever size you need.

You can, many do.

 

[DBoone]

Bob, love the name! Talked to Kramer lately?

 

[infinity]

Food trucks are not under the purview of the NEC and typically fall under the requirements of a health department. I would wire one like a small store following the NEC.

 

[Dennis Alwon]

I think Dennis Alwon has wired one or two.
He may chime in.

I have wired 3, I believe.... Each one was different but we used emt in most areas and some mc in other spots. Just use a 100 amp or 125 amp panel. I would probably go with a 30 amp inlet if they use land power however if a generator is involved then a 30 or 50 would work fine.

The lights don't draw much and you will probably have most of the equipment using propane so 30 amps is usually ample.

I installed a few circuits for the counter for a mixer or coffee machine or some type of appliance. Don't worry about grounding to an electrode as it isn't necessary esp. if they are moving around alot.

 

[SceneryDriver]

I've designed several projects for cruise ships, and they have a "no solid conductor" stipulation in their specs. Ships move and vibrate when underway, and they're worried about fatigue cracking in solid conductors. I think the same stipulation with a food truck is a good idea - no solid wire. If you use MC cable, buy MC made with stranded conductors. If you use conduit, pull stranded conductors.

Also, consider not using wire nuts - use Wago LeverLocks; they're much more secure in high vibration environments. The shipyards specifically prohibited wirenuts, and you'd be thrown off the job if you tried to use them. Wagos, or spring-cage terminal blocks were also part of the spec.


SceneryDriver

 

[zbang]

and you will probably have most of the equipment using propane so 30 amps is usually ample.

One can hope- I've seen a couple of trucks with 15-20 KW worth of generators(s). For a coffee truck, you'll have the espresso machine, a large brewer, maybe a 240v grinder, reefer and maybe freezer, water heater, lights & recep's; sure, a lot of that is non-continuous, but it mounts up.

 

[Mystic Pools]

Have not wired one but have "dined" on their "delicasies"

 

[Dennis Alwon]

One can hope- I've seen a couple of trucks with 15-20 KW worth of generators(s). For a coffee truck, you'll have the espresso machine, a large brewer, maybe a 240v grinder, reefer and maybe freezer, water heater, lights & recep's; sure, a lot of that is non-continuous, but it mounts up.

From the op's post it surely didn't seem like that

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

I've designed several projects for cruise ships, and they have a "no solid conductor" stipulation in their specs. Ships move and vibrate when underway, and they're worried about fatigue cracking in solid conductors. I think the same stipulation with a food truck is a good idea - no solid wire. If you use MC cable, buy MC made with stranded conductors. If you use conduit, pull stranded conductors.

Also, consider not using wire nuts - use Wago LeverLocks; they're much more secure in high vibration environments. The shipyards specifically prohibited wirenuts, and you'd be thrown off the job if you tried to use them. Wagos, or spring-cage terminal blocks were also part of the spec.


SceneryDriver

I spent 20 years as a #134 electrician in Chicago, so I prefer using stranded whenever possible. When this customer asked for exposed conduit so he didn't accidently drill through something when adding singage to the exterior, I couln't praise him fast enough! Speaking of Wagos, anyone have a cheap place to buy them in "one-man operation bulk"? They come out to like 40 cents a piece for the 5-wire ones, locally.

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

I have wired 3, I believe.... Each one was different but we used emt in most areas and some mc in other spots. Just use a 100 amp or 125 amp panel. I would probably go with a 30 amp inlet if they use land power however if a generator is involved then a 30 or 50 would work fine.

The lights don't draw much and you will probably have most of the equipment using propane so 30 amps is usually ample.

I installed a few circuits for the counter for a mixer or coffee machine or some type of appliance. Don't worry about grounding to an electrode as it isn't necessary esp. if they are moving around a lot.

Thanks for this! I can't find a QO with a main breaker, I guess I could go with MLO and no main. Homeline with a main? Espresso machine is 20 Amps on the 220V and everything else is small time. next-biggest draw is college size fridge, he mentioned maybe a small ice machine placed outside. In the location he's thinking he also has access to a 120 20A duplex mounted to the street signage for the mini-mall parking lot he's in. So that will help him with a little load like the ice machine

 

[SceneryDriver]

I spent 20 years as a #134 electrician in Chicago, so I prefer using stranded whenever possible. When this customer asked for exposed conduit so he didn't accidently drill through something when adding singage to the exterior, I couln't praise him fast enough! Speaking of Wagos, anyone have a cheap place to buy them in "one-man operation bulk"? They come out to like 40 cents a piece for the 5-wire ones, locally.

Amazon sells them in all sorts of different sized quantities. Cheaper than anyone local to us will sell them for.


SceneryDriver

 

[Bob_Sacamano]

Customer balked at price of conduit, so I ran BX throughout.