Electric maintenance or any kind of electrical aspect is generally understood only by people who are professional electricians. This is also the reason why electric maintenance is one of the most common types of DIY that lands people in the hospital. Here are some of the important things you need to understand so you don’t end up hurt and have a better grasp of your RV cables and electrical work in general.

The Basics

Every electrical cable is classified by two numbers separated by a hyphen, for example, 16-2. The first number is used to describe the conductor’s gauge, and the second denotes the number of conductors that are inside the cable. For example, a 12-2 cable has two 12 gauge conductors, and it also contains bare copper wire as the ground. A gauge is used to denote wire size and each wire comes in different gauges to work with the amperage of the circuit where they are used. The larger the number, the smaller the wire. Some of the most common sizes in residential work are 14- and 12-gauge wires. Furthermore, individual conductors in cables are also color-coded which will tell you their purpose in the circuit.

– Black is used for 6- or 8-gauge wires, 45- or 60-amp circuits.
– Orange is used for 10-gauge wires, 30-amp circuits
– Yellow is used for 12-gauge wires, 20-amp circuits
– White is used for 14-gauge wires, 15-amp circuits
– Grey is used to marking an underground cable. Since all UF cables are gray, you should check the sheath labeling for circuit and gauge specifics.

NM-B, UF, and MC Cables

The most common type of electrical cable is the NM-B cable which stands for “nonmetallic”. This simply means that the outer jacket of the cable is not metal. It’s most often referred to as Romex, after the brand name. These types of cables have either two or three conductors and a ground. Ground wires are either insulated in green or are bare copper. Underground Feeder or UF cables are primarily used to bring power to detached parts of the house such as a garage, outbuildings, or outdoor lights. They are either direct-buried or run in conduit and need to be protected from physical damage by conduit where they exit the ground. MC cables or Metal-Clad cables are common in unfinished areas where the cable would otherwise be exposed to physical damage. They are usually made out of aluminum wire, metal boxes, and sheathing which grounds the circuit.

RV Amperage How-Tos

More often than not many articles on electricity basics in your homes don’t realize that not all people live in traditional houses or apartments. Nowadays, there are alternatives, and the most common one being the RV style of living. Nevertheless, RVs have their electrical system which should not be omitted since many people live this way. Some of the basic things you should learn are the types of power sources, figuring out the white RV amperage you have, adapters, and connecting to generators. The standard RV amperage is either 30 Amps or 50 Amps and the very first step is to identify which type your RV is. One of the insider tips is to check if you have more than two ACs in your RV unit, and if this is the case, you have a 50 Amps RV. The most likely power source for your RV will be into the campground, and if you don’t have a campground you should invest in a generator to power it.

Safety

One of the most important things that you should understand when it comes down to any kind of work relating to electricity, especially if you’re planning on doing it yourself is to be extra careful. If you have no experience whatsoever, it is best advised to hire an experienced electrician to take care of electrical problems for you so you don’t end up electrocuting yourself. As much as 50% of men have admitted that they feel obliged to try and tackle all household maintenance and repair jobs by themselves, or even ask a friend before calling in a professional to do their job. To make things even shocking (pun intended) nearly half of all severe electric shocks come from DIY attempts by the very same people who didn’t want to invite the professional in. This is why it’s extremely important not to tinker with cables or to pursue any kind of electricity project on your own, but to call in a person who has trained for it.

These were some of the most important things you should understand about your RV cables, with some of the basics of electrical work.