Electrical wiring FAQs for manufactured & mobile home, set #5:

More frequently-asked questions about diagnosing electrical problems in manufactured home and mobile home electrical systems, wiring, receptacles, lights, electrical panels.

This article series contains questions & answers that assist in electrical diagnosis & repair for mobile homes, manufactured homes, doublewides, trailers and RVs.

Electrical System FAQs Camper, Mobile Home, Doublewide, Manufactured Home #5

These questions & answers about mobile home electrical systems were posted originally at MOBILE HOME ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS or otherwise possibly at the bottom of this very article.

On 2019-01-01 by (mod) - which receptacle gets power first?

Thanks for an excellent question.

There's more than one way to do this and the best answer depends partly on the layout of switches and receptacles and a distances involved.

However standard procedure would be to run power to the first electrical box in which you're going to install the first electrical receptacle in the chain.

In that box you would interrupt the black or hot wire coming into the box and instead of connecting it to the receptacle you would connected to the first of a pair of wires that run from that box up to the wall switch and back. So the hot wire returning from the wall switch then becomes the feed for the first receptacle and for the rest of them in the string.

Watch out: because of the extra wires involved to connect to the switch, your first electrical junction box in which you're doing this work may need to be larger than the rest of them in the string.

On 2019-01-01 by Anonymous

I have a 1973 single wide mobi home,When hooking up light recepticles what one do you run power to first, the receptilce or toggle switch? when ran in series of more light recepticles and switches

On 2017-12-08 by (mod) - how do I know which wires to use at my ceiling fan?

Typically all of the black wires are hooked together and all of the white wires are hooked to one another.

keep in mind that there are dangers of electric shock or a fire.

On 2017-12-07 by Angie

I took my ceiling fan down but didn't pay attention to what wires were connected where . I want to put a ceiling fixture in but there are 4 sets of wires one black and 1 white each. How do I know which set of wires to use ?

On 2018-10-23 by (mod) - Can you install a fluorescent or led light in a 2.5ft by 4 ft closet in a doublewide

Yes - look at the light clearance distances to any shelf or combustibles.

See CLOSET LIGHTING FIRE SAFETY - clearance distances from closet lighting to shelving, clothes,etc

Fluorescents are cooler than incandescents and should be able to reduce the clearance distance

On 2018-10-23 by HUBERT

Can you install a fluorescent or led light in a 2.5ft by 4 ft closet in a doublewide

On 2018-07-22 by (mod) -

Eleanor

I cannot be as smart as your on-site electricians. However you could ask two things. One is to ask them to check under your unit to see if there is a connector joining the side that loses power with the side that has power and probably your main electrical panel.

if that connector becomes loose or corroded you could be losing power.

if they don't find the problem that way the electrician's need to identify one of the circuits that has no power and trace it forward from the electrical panel to find the opening.

On 2019-03-11 by (mod) - 1985 Commodore mobile home power lost downstream from light fixture

SC

Usually the problem that you described is caused by an open electrical wire splice. If they open splice is in the box where you were working and if the other lights are electrically Downstream from that would explain why you've lost those lights.

Keep in mind that if you're not familiar with proper and safe electrical wiring practices you could be shocked or killed or set the building or home on fire.

On 2019-03-10 by SC

Own a 1985 Commodore. couple days ago went tp change the pull swoitch light in my utility room.

No problems as I have done this before. Flipped the breaker took down the old fixture, unhooked wires, hooked wires to new fixture and put the new fixure up.

When I flipped the breaker the light did not come on and now I have only one light on that breaker working.

The light that is working and on that breaker is just a couple feet from the breaker box and not the one I replaced.

All other lights that run on this line are non responsive.

Have done a check and there is no power going to the others,... the wires are dead. How could this happen?

On 2019-02-27 by (mod) - mobile home breaker keeps popping

What you describe sounds to me to be very unsafe. Someone could be shocked or killed. You need a licensed electrician on site right away. Meanwhile misbehaving circuits are systems should probably be safely turned off

On 2019-02-26 by Laurie

rented lot in mobile home community, electrical post with meter having problems. Outlets on post, lamp post. Seems when it rains, snow melts it they act up. Throwing breakers at post brings no change.

Breaker "pops" throwing self off when reset. Have requested maintenance repair in writing several times to management. What are my options to find out why electrical post has problems.

On 2019-02-18 by (mod) - unsafe wiring at mobile home electric meter pedestal

I agree with you that there's a dangerous electrical wiring situation here. We need to get a few more details to understand exactly what would be correct.

However I'm quite confident that you never want the neutral and the ground to be the same wire or current. The concern is that the ground wire is not intended to normally conduct power where is the neutral wire is expected to conduct power.

When they ground wire is conducting power there's a risk that someone touching ground anywhere in the system could be shocked.

The only place where we see those two wires connected in common is in the main electrical panel.

On 2019-02-18 by Chad Davis

I've had to wire in a 50Amp receptacle for an RV cord and plug in the past. 30Amp ones as well.

The 50A receptacle is 4 wire (plus the RV plug has to match to physically plug in). Well, I wire the Receptacle in at the main mobile home pedestal .

At the Pedestal is the meter and main panel with two hots (240V) and that's it I think. The ground wire is just a chassis ground bar that also has a bare copper # 8 or so going to a ground bar beside the pedestal.

So I get worried about wiring in a 4 wire Receptacle and using the ground bar for "neutral and ground". Can you shed any light on this dilemma ? Do I need to be looking into updated Power pedestals?

Also, I want to say that the 30Amp Receptacles are125V/250V rated, this also worries me because at 125V I want a Neutral. I have to install both a 50A and 30A soon to convert a mobile home pedestal into an RV ready pedestal. thanks

On 2019-02-13 by (mod) - There is a ground rod with nothing hooked to it

Donald

You did some clever detective work for which I offer congratulations.

However the question and comments leave me very worried that your building still does not have proper electrical grounding which makes the entire electrical system dangerous risking fire or shock.

I don't know where you live but generally the Electrical Company ends their responsibility at the service entrance or that is where the electrical wires come to your building.

Even though they may provide the meter it's the owner and their electrician who are responsible for connecting it and properly grounding the building.

At this point it sounds like it would be smart to get a licensed electrician to go over the electrical wiring and grounding to make it correct and safe for you.

On 2019-02-13 by Donald McClintock

When checking ,for an appliance repair man after 2 new control boards were installed in the small oven in a trailer ,I told the appliance repair man to give me the #6 wire (stranded) and ran it through the floor to an outside ground rod ,it worked perfect .

It should be the responsibility of the power company to ensure these mobile homes are properly grounded at the meter can or am I stupid .?

There is a ground rod with nothing hooked to it and ,digging down below a loose clamp with nothing on it but ,there is a ground wire running up the pole that has bee cut . Answer me this one.?

On 2019-01-23 by Anonymous - A wire was off on the smoke detector which caused everything on that circuit not to work.

@Sue,
Well, I'm happy to report that my issue has been resolved!

A wire was off on the smoke detector which caused everything on that circuit not to work.

On 2019-01-22 by Anonymous

where exactly is the electrical crossover in a 1999 Royal Manor D304CT manufactured home located?

On 2018-12-28 by Joseph

I live in a1987 or 88 Fleetwood Northriver mobile home.

The problem I have is that the light, fan and electrical outlet in the small bathroom has stopped working as well as the outside electrical outlet.

The outside electrical outlet is on the southeast side of the mobile home. The bathroom is on the far side of the mobile home from the outside outlet.

On 2018-12-17 by (mod) - check for aluminum wiring

Have your electrician see if the wiring is aluminum - while that material is still permitted for high-amp circuits like a stove and dryer, the connections are prone to corrosion and overheating.

On 2018-12-17 by Cherief223@msn.com

All my power seems to work except the stove and dryer. Which are both the 220 lines, any suggestions?

On 2018-12-03 by Bodink - Locate the junction box for electrical outlets

Locating junction box for electrical outlets

On 2018-11-03 by (mod) - I can not get heat in my master bedroom

Lorene

Ask someone to help you follow the heating ducts, typically under your trailer: perhaps the duct to your master bedroom has been disconnected or is crushed.

On 2018-11-03 by Lorene

What is my problem

I have a. Double ride trailer. I can get heat in my master bedroom

On 2018-10-27 by (mod) - A 1975 mobile home how is it wired through the from the floor up or ceiling down

Anon there is no single "right" answer to your perfectly-reasonable question.

Typically I find wiring both below the mobile home, viewed from the crawl area, and also in the roof cavity or attic space, as well as finding circuits routed through its walls.

On 2018-10-27 by Anonymous

A 1975 mobile home how is it wired through the from the floor up or ceiling down

On 2018-10-01 by (mod) - lights that are not turned off by any circuit breake

Layne

I may have misunderstood, but if your home has lights that are not turned off by any circuit breaker in your home then something is improper and very dangerous, risking fire or shock injury or worse.

1. Find your main electrical panel

2. Turn off the main circuit breaker. There should be one or as many as 6 breakers labelled "MAIN" or "MAINS" - turn them all off.

Some electrical panels may use an external or separate main switch located in another small box nearby or on occasion at a separate location outside the home, even on a light pole. Let me know what you have.

3. Watch what happens:

If the lights go off then that circuit is wired through your electrical panel.

Then it's a matter of turning power back on and switching each breaker off to see which controls the lights.

Leave that circuit OFF until you can have an electrician trace the circuit to find the loose wire or bad connection - that way we avoid the risk of a fire or shock.

Watch out If lights do NOT go off then your home is unsafe and you need to call an electrician for emergency repair.
There are several possible explanations including

- a brand of breaker or panel that is unsafe or unreliable. Some breakers in some problem panels may remain "ON" internally even when the breaker is switched off. Example: Bulldog Pushmatic, FPE, Federal Pacific Stablok.

- improper and unsafe electrical wiring that feeds a circuit in your home from a panel, box, or power source that is not controlled by the home's electrical panel and breakers.

Watch out: these conditions are very dangerous and need an onsite licensed electrician right away.

On 2018-10-01 by Layne

Lights not controlled by breaker & keeps shutting off & on? Whats the problem?

On 2018-09-08 by (mod) - Can an electrical short in a 1968 double wide be repaired with a pigtai

If you're adding wires and connectors for example to make a splice to remove a section of burned or damaged wire, that needs to be made inside of an electrical box or junction box. I'm not quite sure what you're repairing.

On 2018-09-07 by Rena Huey

Can an electrical short in a 1968 double wide be repaired with a pigtail?

On 2018-09-04 by (mod) - what does OPEn mean in the display of my electric meter?

Kia,

The photo of your meter shows that power is off to the electric meter.

If the electric company says that power is being delivered to the site then I agree that somewhere between the electric company's service drop and your meter someone has opened the supply.

You should tell the electric company that the smartmeter reads "OPEN" and that it's possible that the service delivery is unsafe as someone may have modified it.

If the company finds that the electrical service has been improperly modified they will probably shut down the whole site - provoking action.

On 2018-08-11 by Kia

I life in a single mobile home and the landlord has done something to cut power to the house.. the light company said everything is good on there end but my outside meter is reading open

On 2018-07-16 by Inez Anderson

The whole electrical in our mobile has a mind of its own. Can't find an electrician who knows what they are doing or wants to deal with it. We basically paid one to tell us to find a box that is usually located in a closet. It's supposed to be 110. Well there is no box in any of our closets. Any suggestions as to where it might be? We are living with extention cords every where and I'm gonna break my neck one of these trips. haha

On 2018-07-01 by (mod) - crawling under my doublewide I was hitting the Steele beams and got shocked

Sue

Watch out: we're lucky you were not killed. Crawling on soil, especially damp or wet soil, and touching anything that's electrically "live" can send current through you to earth.

If it's for certain that you touched nothing but a steel beam, then wiring in your home is very unsafe - somewhere there is an electrical connection between a live wire or circuit or electrical outlet or switch or device and the steel frame or beams of the trailer.

I would stay out of the area and call a licensed electrician who can, starting at your electric service wiring and entry or at the electrical panel, trace circuits wiring and grounding to find the problem.

Let me know what she or he found - as that will help other readers.

On 2018-07-01 by Sue

I was under the double wide trailer an while crawling under it I was hitting the Steele beams an get shocked.can you tell me why I was getting shocked by the Steele beams,,, suzynana3@gmail.com,,, thank you

On 2018-06-30 by Billy

2 ceiling lights and a few outlets went out

...

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