Parts Needed for Generator and Shore Power Options for Shop Trailer

Updated 02/01/2022 | Published 01/31/2022

Question:

I have a enclosed car trailer that i would like to wire up for shore power. Generator or 110v from my shop. Would need to hook up a couple LED work lights, small air compressor, and smart TV. Tell me what i need? One 110v outlet at the front of the trailer, one at the rear 24 and two LED lights down the middle. Thank you

asked by: Jon M

Expert Reply:

Thank you for all of the information! Trailers usually use 12V DC power but since it sounds like everything you have will operate using 110/120 AC power I recommend just going with AC power.

The first thing you need is a transfer switch so your electrical system knows where to pull power from (your generator or your shore power) and for this I recommend the Progressive Dynamics Transfer Switch # PD5110010Q.

Since you have a variety of electrical components I also recommend using the Progressive Dynamics RV Power Control Center # PD4135K as it gives you a whole line of fuses and breakers to install so all of your wiring is protected. The night thing about this control center is that it can use both AC and DC so if you end up placing some batteries in the trailer you'll be able to integrate them into the power system as well.

Aside from that we have wiring and different wire connectors which I'm linking for you to filter through. You'll need to choose the correct size gauge based off what each circuit requires. I recommend using the heat shrink butt connectors as they provide the most protection.

Any AC outlets will need to be purchased at your local hardware or home improvement store but I do recommend using one of our linked TV mounts as they have more places for the hardware to install so the TV will be more secure when you're moving your trailer.

expert reply by: Jon G