Water and electric to 5th wheel

   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #1  

RobertN

Super Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2000
Messages
8,655
Location
Shingle Springs California
Tractor
New Holland TC40D
Looking to run water and power out to the pad where I park a 5th wheel. The water supply and panel are at the well-house, about 75' from the 5th wheel pad. I plan to rent a backhoe to trench, not a walk behind trencher.

Can the water line and direct bury wire go in the same ditch? What is requirement for separation?

I've run water line before at 18"+, but never 115V.
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #2  
Typical code is 1’ apart. The other separator is the water line depth. So the water line may need to be at 1’ (no frost) or 3’ (frost) which can also buy you a bit of separation.

I’d get a 1’ wide bh bucket and put one utility on one edge and the other on the other edge. That will get you the distance needed for most codes.
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #3  
Check local codes. Local codes are really all that matters.

Are you sure you have a 110V and not 220v? maybe worth future proofing by runnig a 50 amp service out to the pad?
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel
  • Thread Starter
#4  
My 5th wheel is 115V/30A. 30A is needed to run the AC unit.

I don't plan to have anyone stay in it; in 10 years we had guest use it once, when we had a lot of family in town for a funeral. So the need for 30A will be minimal. But, as long as I'm trenching etc might as well run it for 30A.

I want the water for filling the fresh water tank, washing the 5th wheel etc. No plans staying in the 5th wheel. Septic tank is too far away on other side of drive and other side of house.

If I need to dump, would do that before leaving campground or there are a couple dump station just a few miles away.

The electric will be for charging batteries, chilling fridge before trip, running vacuum while cleaning etc.

Check local codes. Local codes are really all that matters.

Are you sure you have a 110V and not 220v? maybe worth future proofing by runnig a 50 amp service out to the pad?
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #5  
The power to our well is run in the same trench as the water pipe to the house. I THINK the water pipe is lower than the power lines. We had three wires run from the house to the well in case we wanted to run power to a barn someday.

There is a separation of fill dirt between the power and water pipe. I also put flagging in the trench, a foot or so below grade, so that if anyone was digging, they would hopefully see the flagging and say WTF is that doing there.

Later,
Dan
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #6  
We don't get frost (like you do) but are required to bury at 600mm (2'), water and power can go together but has to have gravel over the top and a hazard tape before back fill, the tape is just a red and white striped strip like the police use at crime scenes, power has to be in a sealed PVC conduit.
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #7  
The question is can the service run the water pump and the camper on the same breaker.

No I'd never put them in the same hole and certainly not stacked. If you get a leak? You got to work around wire.

Might make sure nothing is already present in the area you are running the new utilities.

Most certainly use warning tape and tracer wire.
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel
  • Thread Starter
#8  
The Well house is on a separate meter and panel.

Hooking up and using power at the well house is not an issue. Running the power and water in a ditch is the issue(or question).

The question is can the service run the water pump and the camper on the same breaker.

No I'd never put them in the same hole and certainly not stacked. If you get a leak? You got to work around wire.

Might make sure nothing is already present in the area you are running the new utilities.

Most certainly use warning tape and tracer wire.
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #9  
I'm saying I wouldn't put them in the same ditch, trench or hole. If you get a leak you will have to work around that wire. If you get a fault you will have to work around that pipe.
Bottom line is water and electric don't belong near each other for the obvious reasons. JMO.

Since the well is on it's one meter you should be ok installing a dedicated breaker for the camper.
I was wondering if the well got power from your house.
 
   / Water and electric to 5th wheel #10  
If you run the electrical inside conduit, you could just pull a new wire through instead of redoing the ground work.
 
 
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