Tiny House connection

[JoeNorm]

I have a client that needs a tiny house hooked up to power. It is already wired and has a female 120V 30A twist lock marine receptacle underneath to plug a cord into.

That means I'd need a receptacle on the other end with live exposed prongs. Is this OK? Any suggestions on a better way to do this? Is it ever permitted to hardwire a cord straight into a panel?

 

[Little Bill]

You would need an inlet like used when connecting a generator to a panel. The exposed prongs would be on the inlet, they are not allowed on the feed end. Is this going to be a permanent connection?

 

[tom baker]

I would be suspicious of the internal wiring Using a receptacle in place of an inlet is a DIY or non electrician clue

 

[JoeNorm]

You would need an inlet like used when connecting a generator to a panel. The exposed prongs would be on the inlet, they are not allowed on the feed end. Is this going to be a permanent connection?

It will not be permanent in that this thing is on wheels. But as these things often go it will likely stay in one place a loooong time.

 

[tom baker]

Double ended male cords are obviously unsafe, and a violation of the NEC.
Be cautious about being involved.
Was the wiring in the tiny house inspected?

 

[Little Bill]

It will not be permanent in that this thing is on wheels. But as these things often go it will likely stay in one place a loooong time.

I would just get a 30A inlet and a 30A cord with a 30A female cord cap on one end and a 30A male on the other. Place either a meter-main or outdoor panel and meter, drop a 30A receptacle from the panel to plug the cord into.
If there is already another panel and meter there, just add the receptacle. Of course, all devices will need weatherproof covers.
You can't use a cord straight into a panel, it has to be hardwired from the panel/meter to a receptacle or disconnect.

Just re-read your OP, you said the receptacle was 120V. If that's the case and there is no 240V loads, you could just change the receptacle to an inlet and set the rest up like an RV.

 

[kwired]

I have a client that needs a tiny house hooked up to power. It is already wired and has a female 120V 30A twist lock marine receptacle underneath to plug a cord into.

That means I'd need a receptacle on the other end with live exposed prongs. Is this OK? Any suggestions on a better way to do this? Is it ever permitted to hardwire a cord straight into a panel?

Problem even before consideration of whether or not you can cord and plug connect this thing is this that this should be a male end, whether you use an "inlet" or a basic cord cap. Otherwise like you said it would require male end on the supply connection and potentially expose the live blades of that end if not plugged in.

At very least purchase the male end, but swap it with existing female end and put the female end on your supply side cord.

 

[winnie]

I would not take the responsibility of powering this tiny home unless I investigated and corrected any wiring errors inside the unit. And if I didn't want the responsibility of confirming that the internal wiring was safe, I wouldn't touch the job.

As others have already mentioned, a 'receptacle' for bringing power to the unit should be a proper 'power inlet'. This is a fixed to the wall box just like an outlet, but it has the male pins. See, for example:

Locking Devices, Twist-Lock®, Industrial, Flanged Inlet, 30A 3-Phase Wye 120/208V AC, 4-Pole 5-Wire Grounding, L21-30P, Screw Terminal, White | HBL2815 | Hubbell

Locking Devices, Twist-Lock®, Industrial, Flanged Inlet, 30A 3-Phase Wye 120/208V AC, 4-Pole 5-Wire Grounding, L21-30P, Screw Terminal, White

www.hubbell.com

Note, I linked to a 208/120V three phase inlet just by way of example; this is not the correct one for this job. You would want something suitable for being out of doors, of the proper voltage rating, etc.

Next, internal to the unit, is the wiring done properly.

If the internal wiring is with 14ga wire, is there 15A OCPD protecting it.

Are there GFCIs were appropriate?

Is the grounding correct?

Is there are requirement for a grounding electrode system, and if so, how will you provide it?

I'd be very careful with this one.

-Jon

 

[JoeNorm]

OK thanks. Understood about proceeding with caution. I will make the changes and provide a proper inlet and receptacle next to the panel.

As far as a grounding electrode goes....it's parked 5 feet from a supply panel with a proper GEC. I figured that GEC would be sufficient but I could always come out of whatever panel is in the tiny home with a #6 bare and attach directly to the system.

 

[JoeNorm]

What if the owner tells me the location is permanent? Would it be OK to hardwire?

 

[zbang]

AFAICT, tiny houses almost escape the code- too small to be manufactured homes, too permanent to be a "park trailer", more like a dwelling unit than a shed, might be built to be reasonably-compliant, etc.

Does it have it's own panel inside (making this a feeder, not a branch circuit)?
My inclination is to inspect for as much a code compliance as possible (2 SABC's? not likely), remove the supplied inlet, and hard-wire to the supply panel. If it really need to be supplied by a cord, wire it up as an RV.

 

[retirede]

If it’s permanent, treat like a mobile home, if not permanent, like an RV.

 

[Todd0x1]

Are you sure its really a receptacle? Have you had eyes on it? Asking because I keep having people around here call an inlet 'receptacle'

 

[kwired]

Never mind

 

[kwired]

AFAICT, tiny houses almost escape the code- too small to be manufactured homes, too permanent to be a "park trailer", more like a dwelling unit than a shed, might be built to be reasonably-compliant, etc.

Does it have it's own panel inside (making this a feeder, not a branch circuit)?
My inclination is to inspect for as much a code compliance as possible (2 SABC's? not likely), remove the supplied inlet, and hard-wire to the supply panel. If it really need to be supplied by a cord, wire it up as an RV.

Probably varies from place to place. Some might restrict them in their zoning regs or if they have local building and/or local electrical inspections they may want to inspect it as it is built if built on site, if brought in, they may give you hard time, especially if there is concealed items they can't easily inspect.

City council in nearby small town USA somewhat recently decided not to allow "Shouses" in their town. Apparently think those will look bad. Yet most I have seen are much nicer looking than any of the run down houses that exist in that town