Very Basic Question

Jim Carter

Jim Carter

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O.K. if there is any question that I could ask that shows me to be a true novice, I can't think of one. So here it goes.

What kind of electric cord do you need to hook to shore power?
 
A heavy duty outdoor cord with a ground. I have found they don't need to be super long. Do test it to make sure it will plug into the trailer before leaving. And have it plugged in while parked at home.
 
15 amp to 30 amp adaptor plug is also good to carry, they sell them on the CampInn accessory site.

On that subject, anyone else have trouble with their extension cord not plugging in tightly enough to the adaptor plug?
 
Plugging in at home will not be an option since I have to put it in an unheated storage unit without electricity. I'm thinking it may make sense to bring the battery into the house and get a trickle charger for it.

So what gauge is appropriate 12-2 w/ ground or 14-2 w/ground? 25' long?

I suppose if I looked at the specs. I get a better idea of the current draw.
 
Jim Carter said:
Plugging in at home will not be an option since I have to put it in an unheated storage unit without electricity. I'm thinking it may make sense to bring the battery into the house and get a trickle charger for it.

So what gauge is appropriate 12-2 w/ ground or 14-2 w/ground? 25' long?

I suppose if I looked at the specs. I get a better idea of the current draw.
Click to expand...
I would go with the 12 -2 w / ground but only in a 12 to 15 foot length. Jenn wrote about taking two and that is a good idea. I would take a twelve footer and a six footer. I carry a 30 amp to 15 amp adapter but have never used it.

Yes take the battery out and keep it charged.
 
No need to take the battery out for a trickle charge. If you plug in the shore power in your garage, the built in charger will revert to trickle charge mode and make your battery happy. Much easier.
 
rotus8 said:
No need to take the battery out for a trickle charge. If you plug in the shore power in your garage, the built in charger will revert to trickle charge mode and make your battery happy. Much easier.
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That is what I do but the OP said it will be stored in a place without electricity.
 
Which brings us to the next subject: leaving the trailer plugged in. Does the trailer have a wet cell battery? If it does even a trickle charger can burn it out after a couple of years if not checked.
 
We have a pretty long cord - 50' maybe 100'? I don't know why it's so long but I think it might have something to do with the "hydro" boxes in Canada are sometimes quite a stretch from where you would actually park the camper. Anyway, we have it on a old-fashioned plastic cord wrapper - just un-spool what we need and it fits in the "rabbit hole" no problem. Like this one: 150 ft. 16/3 Extension Cord Wrap-HD-150PDQ - The Home Depot.

One time, we actually stayed in a campsite that had a broken 15 amp socket. Luckily, we were able to borrow a 30A-15A adapter from another camper. I bought one for our kit as soon as we got home! This is the one we have (with light): https://www.walmart.com/ip/Road-Power-30-15-Amp-RV-Power-Adapter/16817350

Tim keeps a little voltage tester in the galley drawer, just in case the electricity isn't working - usually because I didn't turn on the post switch (did not know that was a thing) or maybe the GFI got tripped. Looks like this: Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester-NCVT-1SEN - The Home Depot

He also has one that he can plug into the socket to make sure everything's OK - looks like this: Klein Tools Receptacle Outlet Tester-RT110 - The Home Depot I think it's more for wiring sockets, but it's got a place in the galley drawer and I know he's used it on occasion.
 
adrianneross said:
We have a pretty long cord - 50' maybe 100'? I don't know why it's so long but I think it might have something to do with the "hydro" boxes in Canada are sometimes quite a stretch from where you would actually park the camper. Anyway, we have it on a old-fashioned plastic cord wrapper - just un-spool what we need and it fits in the "rabbit hole" no problem. Like this one: 150 ft. 16/3 Extension Cord Wrap-HD-150PDQ - The Home Depot.

One time, we actually stayed in a campsite that had a broken 15 amp socket. Luckily, we were able to borrow a 30A-15A adapter from another camper. I bought one for our kit as soon as we got home! This is the one we have (with light): https://www.walmart.com/ip/Road-Power-30-15-Amp-RV-Power-Adapter/16817350

Tim keeps a little voltage tester in the galley drawer, just in case the electricity isn't working - usually because I didn't turn on the post switch (did not know that was a thing) or maybe the GFI got tripped. Looks like this: Klein Tools Non-Contact Voltage Tester-NCVT-1SEN - The Home Depot

He also has one that he can plug into the socket to make sure everything's OK - looks like this: Klein Tools Receptacle Outlet Tester-RT110 - The Home Depot I think it's more for wiring sockets, but it's got a place in the galley drawer and I know he's used it on occasion.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the links. I had not been able to find a lighted adapter and was wanting to find one.
 
I want to second Tim and Adrianne's suggestion of carrying an electrical outlet tester. We all too often find owners having problems with their camper's power only to find the issue was the outlet that the cord is plugged into is miswired. Pretty common with campground and garage outlets actually. What is frustrating to the owner is there will be power at the cord but no power in the camper. This is because the GFI circuitry of the camper insists on proper wiring to work. An outlet with reversed polarity will still have usable power at the extension cord and will power a great many things since most AC appliances do not care about polarity but the camper will not power up on a backwards outlet. Having one of these simple outlet testers with you gives you a quick answer to things like reverse polarity and any other issue with the outlet you might run into in your travels.

Cary
 
OK, makes sense to have a tester. But how do you fix the polarity issue? Do they sell a "wire reverser"?
 
Short of taking the plug in out and correcting the wires you can't do much about it other than knowing what the problem is.
 
Cary Winch said:
Having one of these simple outlet testers with you gives you a quick answer to things like reverse polarity and any other issue with the outlet you might run into in your travels.
Click to expand...

So that's why we give it prime real estate in the cutlery drawer! Actually, I think the time we used the 30-amp adapter was becasue the 15-amp socket at the post was wired incorrectly. Anyway, the 30-amp plug worked fine so problem solved.
 
Usually the solution is to simply plug into another socket. Sometimes there will be two sockets next to each other and one will be reversed and the other is fine. Or use the 30-15 amp adapter as Tim and Adrianne suggested.

I suppose a handy person could make a "reverser" with a short piece of wire, a plug and a socket for an extension cord.

Cary
 
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We have a Progressive Industries device for electrical protection. Highly rated and made in NC. Stay away from Camping World Surge Protrctors.
 
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