Replacing built-in cord with extension cord...?

[skater]

Have you seen that newer campers usually don't have a power cord hard wired into the system? Instead they have a male plug on the side of the camper, where you just plug in a 30-amp (or 50-amp, if your camper is big enough) extension cord. This makes a lot of sense to me, and I've seriously considered doing it several times, but haven't gotten around to it. Has anyone tried it?

Advantages (for my '91):
--No more headaches with it getting jammed in the compartment while pulling it out,
--no more headaches pulling it back in,
--if it's damaged, you can just buy another cord to replace it, no wiring required
--no direct hole to the outside letting in cool or warm air
--no risk of pulling the electrical box off the wall under the shower (mine was laying on the floor with the ground disconnected last summer, so I remounted it on the wall)

Disadvantages:
--Takes a bit of work.
--Still have to store the cord, but you should be able to cram it in the spot where it currently goes

Also, for me, having the door open for a long time is a problem because my cat sometimes tries to make a break for it... so I like to open the door, get what I need, then close it immediately.

Has anyone done this? I'd like to try it. If the new male plug box covers the hole that's in the side of the camper now, it's probably not a problem at all...

[Alaskan]

RJ...my 1999 has that power cord arrangement....they started that in 1997.

The plugs, used by Airstream, are common to the Marine Industry and are a wee bit costly. Any marine store, like West Marine, will have them and also pre-made cords (referred to as Shore Power Cords) in several lengths.

It would be easy to cut your existing cord and install the plugs or something similar just inside that compartment...

Marinco... this piece mounts into the body

[skater]

RJ...my 1999 has that power cord arrangement....they started that in 1997.

The plugs, used by Airstream, are common to the Marine Industry and are a wee bit costly. Any marine store, like West Marine, will have them and also pre-made cords (referred to as Shore Power Cords) in several lengths.

It would be easy to cut your existing cord and install the plugs or something similar just inside that compartment...

I'm glad they made that change. Camping stores have the plugs, and I don't think they're that expensive (I want to say $30 or so). Then, me being cheap, I'd like to take the cord I cut off and put a new (female) end on it.

The big issue for me would be making sure it's going to fit over the hole that's already there.

[Alaskan]

This is the cord end that plugs into the item shown above in that first picture... note that there is a threaded ring that keep them together....

[skater]

Conveniently, my Camping World catalog just came today:

30 amp conversion kit - $89.99/$99.99 (#20300). Looks like it has everything to convert from a hardwired cord to a detachable one.

[Alaskan]

That sounds about right as that piece that mounts in the rig is from Marinco and shows $59 & the cord end is $29...

There might be some less costly pieces that will do the same...

RJ.... look on Ebay for those items at less that list.

[Alaskan]

What you're looking at here is a Camping World Surge Protector. Between the boxes...

I lopped the plug ends off and installed it between 2 electrical boxes so its mounted inside the rig rather than clear out on the other end of the power cord as an accessory...

Its also passes through a little marine shut-off switch there on the left...

[Alaskan]

AND......because I never use the roof air on this rig while plugged in, I got rid of the heavy black plastic cord and replaced it with a smaller 12/3 cord.....yellow in picture above

Plugs on both ends...

[weekender]

I had this modification/upgrade done last year. Pressed for time before our 2 week trip thru the Canadian maritimes, I had the dealer do it. Parts and labor were about $100. They used the existing cord, attaching a new female end to it. The port thru the camper body is also round, though the mounting holes did not match up exactly. To keep the water out, they filled the old mounting holes with a pop rivet-- looks factory. Not having to feed the cord thru the body of the van is such a huge improvement, you almost wonder how the old system was ever considered "the right way". I store the cord in the same place, under the tub, just accessed by opening the back door. I find it also much easier to keep dirt off the cord, and therefore not dragged back into the van.

[Wakeslayer]

to the folks who have done this conversion.

Does this item fit our existing cord port? Marinco-Park Power

I bought a replacement plug from a dealer as mine was loose and had been heated up a couple times. They only had the $35 version and it is a piece of crap. I looked online after installing it and discovered it states that it doesn't fit all adapters. Worse yet, it maintains the heavy cord at about a one o'clock position. Lastly, it was an absolute bear to get installed properly the way they assemble it...
I want to convert to the port and shore power cord. Total cost is like $85 off Amazon.

Mike

[Alaskan]

Not a direct replacement for your 1994 rig.....sorry

(1997 and later only...)

If you are wanting to install a plug assembly like this and therefore have a removable power cord (which your 1994 rig did not have originally)...I'll have to take a look and do a couple measurements to see what it would take to accomplish that....

The problem is, when you remove the existing plastic piece where you power cord goes in now, the hole is round and slightly larger than the square section on the item in picture #1 below...that would then require an adapter piece be made...

BTW...having a removable power cord vs. pushing all that stiff black-plastic cord in under the shower is a huge improvement...!
But....that two plug pieces required are a bit costly....and btw, these are marine items common to the boating industry.

Requires these two items...(pictures #1 and #3...)


Not this one...


This is actually the correct cord end you'd wanna purchase vs the one in picture #2....it has the black retainer ring to keep the plug from being pulled out....look at the receptacle in picture #1 and you'll see it has matching thread for this ring....

[Alaskan]

It would require an aluminum adapter piece being made to properly cover the area when the old piece was removed from the body.... 4 1/4 inches in diameter and with the correct diameter hole in that adapter for the new receptacle...

[weekender]

I did this with my 93. Cost from the dealer, parts and labor 240.85-- 1 hours labor, $85.89 for the outlet, $37.03 for the female connector added to the existing cord. Much better system! You can do this yourself fairly easily. The outlet did not match up to the old outlet hole exactly (there were 2 exposed screw holes-- which got filled with pop-rivets and a dab of silicone). Again this is a much better solution, still store the cord under the tub, but now much neater, which allows storage of an extension cord, and 2 water hose's, adapters. One of the best modifications made.

[Wakeslayer]

Ordered. Cannot wait to get this done. I figure it was already half paid for as I am going to jam the local shop with the plug they sold me for $35...

[Alaskan]

And...there are many times when plugged in you don't need 30 amp for either the roof-top air or microwave so this is what I do.

There is an adapter that allows you to simply use a regular 110 extension cord..