50 amp electric plug location

[OntMont]

I'm almost sure that it was moved to the back as a result of comments made on this Forum. I think you will find that earlier models had them midships. It all depends on the park you are at. It is ideal at Elkhart County Fairgroud, and works well at the Provincial Park where we are now, but some other places it is not so handy. Actually, two would be ideal!

[Rondo]

bear-- Nope there's no such thing as a "light 50 cord"!

[emorris548]

I have a 06 Mountanieer, the plug is dead center in the back, below the back window. Since I do not use a lot of power, I put the 50 amp cord in the garage and use an 50 amp to 30 adapter pig tail, and a 30 amp cable. I travel mainly on the west coast and have driven to Alaska. To be able to acess any hook up I find, I carry two 25 foot cables and a 12 ga. 50 foot extention cord. I use the 50 foot extention cord when I have my honda in the bed of the truck and need to power up when still attached (boondocking etc.). The model Mountanieer I have has a pull out rack on the back, the plug placement makes it very difficult to plug in when I have anything strapped to the rack. Future upgrade plans is to install another plug near the water heater.

[Jdrobone]

Rondo,
Actually it depends on what you want to use the cable for. If all I needed was an occasional 50A extension cord I would make one up out of 6-4 type SO rubber cord. It is considerable lighter(in weight, not ampacity) than the "rough-duty" cable that comes with the coach and will not hold up to continuous use exposed to the elements, but for, say a week or so here and there it would work fine. Last 6-4 I bought was about $2.75 a foot. Plug and receptacle, probably about $150.00 - $175.00 for the pair. I haven't even checked on what a new RV style 50A cable would cost - all in how much length you want and how much money you want to spend.
Jerry

[Jdrobone]

Hello, my name is Jerry and I’m a re-wirerer-coholic.

My 4-step plan for recovery:

Step 1. (already done) . . . de-termed feed from rear of coach at panel. Enough slack existed(I swear they waste so much cable with their huge loops they could afford to switch over to SO rubber cord. This would be much more resistant to chafing, dragging on sharp edges, etc than the Romex they use, and the cost would probable be a wash) but I digress. I then routed this cable across the ceiling of the luggage compartment through a piece of ¾ EMT, came into the back of a surface-mount 50A receptacle mounted high on the fire-wall of the compartment with the battery and hydraulic pump. I’m not concerned about hydrogen gas from the battery since it is in a vented battery box on the other side of the compartment. Then I ran another ¾ conduit back to void under stairwell (where I picked up feed cable) then fished the return piece of 6-3 with ground back up to the panel. Compartment end of this 2nd cable comes into a 8x8x10 sheet medal junction box – why so big? Well . . . for now I just make joints to a piece of 6-4 rubber cord and put a plug on the end of it and plug it into the afore-mentioned receptacle.

Step 2. Purchase an autoformer, Hughes or competitor and unplug my existing cable, plug in the autoformer and plug the attachment plug going to the panel into the autoformer. This step is awaiting funding from the RV good fairy.

Step 3. Remember that junction box? I intend to put an identical male plug like on the rear of the coach here. It has a flip-up cover on it. I need the cover ‘cause I’m going to parallel this feed with the one from the rear of the coach (break those joints I have now- they’re compression lugs) and bolt on the additional 6-4 and run to this plug. The cover is necessary since if I plug into the rear of the coach this plug will be hot and vice-versa, thus the need to keep the stabs covered. Anyone raising the cover (while the other end is plugged in) will get tingled, but that’s sorta like sticking your finger into a wall socket, only easier.

Step 4. Hole-saw a 3 inch hole in corner of the compartment, install a 3" chase nipple here with bushing and debris plate. This plate is removable, just unscrew bushing, run feed cable in here and set plate aside until leaving campsite.
That’s it! I’m not a writer so re-reading it looks a little scary, but actually takes less than a day.

I’ll take a few pics when I finish!

Jerry

[ole dude]

I added an additional shore power plug mid way of the rig, can plug in the side or the back. One plug inactive when using other plug and visa versa.

[McIver]

My theory is that they put it at the back so that when one drives away with it still connected one does not notice it until you are far enough away that you can not avoid feeling like an idiot. I have tested this theory and speak, therefor, with authority.
Dave

[maximo]

I like it in the back. It keeps it out of the (yard space) of the RV parked next to me. I also keep my cord rolled up in a small crate and only pull out as much cord as needed to reach the park service that is in the back most of the time. Another reason I like the back hook up is I installed a power hookup on the rear of the cement pad I park the RV on and only need 10 ft of cord.

Frank

[Sinterior]

Not to steal the thread but, does anyone make a 30 or 50 amp cord with a 90 degree angle on the fiver end? Seems strange that a lot come with it on the pedestal side, and not on the trailer side, seems a lot of stress there unless you support it with something.