Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Montana Owners Club - Keystone Montana 5th Wheel Forum > GENERAL DISCUSSIONS > General Discussions about our Montanas
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 12-02-2005, 07:34 PM   #1
JH Sechelt
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Campbell River
Posts: 970
M.O.C. #4976
POWER CORD

Hello,

We picked up our new 2980 RL last weekend ( We love it ).
the only little draw back was the 50 amp power cord.
it's great if you are going south for six months in one spot, but awfully big and clumsy for weekend Rving. especially if the campsite only has 30 amp power. Has any one been able to purchase a short, 50 to 30 amp cord that will twist lock into the trailer and plug into a 30 amp cord?
If so Where? Please let us know.

Thanks J&D
 
JH Sechelt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-2005, 07:49 PM   #2
thook
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Brewster
Posts: 102
M.O.C. #3100
We bought a 30 amp power cord from Camping World. Spendy but sure is handier than trying to manage the 50 amp cord. I don't think you would need 50 amp service unless you had a washer and dryer and/or a second air conditioner.
thook is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-2005, 07:59 PM   #3
Sweetfire
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 540
M.O.C. #4483
Did you find your 50 amp to 30 amp pig tail? It took me a while, but I finally found it in a kitchen drawer.
Sweetfire is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-02-2005, 09:02 PM   #4
Montana Sky
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Down the Road
Posts: 5,627
M.O.C. #889
I have a 50amp to 30amp cord that is 3 feet long. It is yellow and has the twist lock on it. Another option is to leave the 50amp cord in the laundry basket it came in and just unwind enough to plug into the coach. Then just plug your 30amp cord into the 50amp cord that is all wound up in the laundry basket sitting under the coach. Best of all I can get my 50amp and 30amp cord in that basket, sure makes things easy when it comes time to pull out.
Montana Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 12:27 AM   #5
foggyb
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: farmingdale
Posts: 298
M.O.C. #1351
Hi We bought the adapter at the dealer and for the last two years on the road have left that monster 50 amp cord home in the garage. It is miserable to deal with every night on the road. We have NEVER needed it or even remotely wished we had it with us. Dan
foggyb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 01:21 AM   #6
kdeiss
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Englewood
Posts: 3,095
M.O.C. #164
Search Marinco on the web they mfg cords and adapters for RV's and marine.I purchase cord and adapter price way better than CW.Just be carefull to pick the RV and not the marine.
kdeiss is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 01:33 AM   #7
Montana_4221
Montana Fan
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 170
M.O.C. #4221
Like Montana Sky stated our power cords came in a laundry basket and I pull out enough to hook up and slide the rest of it under the back of the camper. I've never had to use the length of the whole cord. Also many times I use the 50 to 30 amp adapter that came with the unit. It might be nice to have a 30 amp cord for the trailer as it is always hooked up to 30amp at home.
Montana_4221 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 02:24 AM   #8
Charlie
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cooper
Posts: 1,230
M.O.C. #3029
We had a 30 amp cord that I carried in the previous trailer and like everyone else hate having to deal with the bulk and weight of the 50 amp cord. I bought a 30-50 amp yellow marine adapter with the 50 amp twist-lok connection for about $80, a little pricey but makes hooking up a lot easier than having to deal with the monster. I carry the 50 amp cord in the trailer in the basket, not sure why as I will probably never use it as I don't have a second A/C or a W/D.

Charlie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 02:27 AM   #9
OntMont
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Haldimand County
Posts: 2,413
M.O.C. #122
If you don't actually need 50 amps of power, (as stated before, if you don't use a dryer, or second A/C you probably don't - and many campgrounds don't have it availabele anyway), you should invest in a Marinco 30 amps cord. These are expensive, but they are so easy to handle that they are well worth while over the long run. You can get a short adapter, and use a regular 30 amp cord, but I have never regretted spending the extra $ for the Marinco. (They are yellow, and available at Camping World, and probably many other places as well (maybe marinas).

We do the Snowbird thing, and do have a washer/dryer, so for the winter we take the 50 amp monster, but for regular summer camping, we can manage with the 30 amp cord.
OntMont is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 03:18 AM   #10
Wrenchtraveller
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
I just got my 30 amp extension cord in the mail from CW and the pigtail adapter is on backorder.
That adapter is 69 bucks on sale and 50 amp stuff is about 4 times the price of 30 amp stuff.

Thanks for letting me know what that white basket was for in the front compartment of my new 2955 Montana. I love this site, so much great info. My big ugly 50 amp cable was hooked up for my PDI tour and when I left, the guy who gave me my tour pushed this awful thing into the basement area. In cold weather this thing is a brute to handle.
It ( cord from hell ) is the only thing negative I can think to say about this new unit and that is why I ordered all the 30 amp parts from CW. I even got a little 15 amp to 30 amp pigtail for my generator. There are more flexible types of electrical cord out there and our new Fivers should come with something a little more user friendly.

I do have a washer/dryer but all I have to do is turn off the air while we do laundry so I doubt I will haul that thing around. Take care.
Wrenchtraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 04:32 AM   #11
ols1932
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
I don't have a problem with getting my 50 amp cable out when I have 50 amp service to connect to (and I'm 73). I installed an extra 20 amp receptacle inside the coach near where the power comes into the coach and connected one leg of the power (the one opposite the one that goes to the coach's 30 amp breaker) to a 20 amp breaker (it was wired in and not being used). I then connected the 20 amp receptacle to the breaker. I now have a 20 amp circuit that is completely separate from the other circuits in the coach.
Additionally, I removed the A/C power from the coach's breaker panel and connected it to newly installed wires (connected into a junction box that I laid behind the converter/breaker panel). The new wires I ran through a pvc conduit underneath the coach (strapped to the cross members in 5 spots) and connected it to a 20 amp breaker that was installed for washer/dryer which we didn't have installed. This keeps my A/C circuit separate from the coach's 30 amp circuits.
Works for me.
ols1932 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 04:56 AM   #12
Wordsmith
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Statham
Posts: 1,410
M.O.C. #3215
Marsha and I use the same technique as Montana Sky except we just use the 50 amp and the pig tail adaptor. We have a round laundry basket and just “wind” the 50 amp cord into it.
Wordsmith is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 05:44 AM   #13
Parrothead
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Fallon
Posts: 6,064
M.O.C. #1989
Send a message via MSN to Parrothead
We do the same. We leave the cord in the basket, set it in back and only unwind what we need. That way you are not dealing with the whole cord.
Happy trails...............
Parrothead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 06:23 AM   #14
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
It is not an entirely good thing to leave that long 50amp cord coiled up and hot.A electro magnetic field can build up inducing heat and thereby fire...in can happen...
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-03-2005, 08:46 AM   #15
Parrothead
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Fallon
Posts: 6,064
M.O.C. #1989
Send a message via MSN to Parrothead
I know several who are doing it. Haven't ever seen anything that warns not to.
Happy trails..............
Parrothead is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2005, 05:26 AM   #16
ols1932
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Parrothead

I know several who are doing it. Haven't ever seen anything that warns not to.
Happy trails..............
If you talk to bonafide electricians, they'll tell you that you should never leave any electrical cord coiled up while using it. It does generate heat as was previously mentioned, and can cause a fire.
ols1932 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2005, 07:33 AM   #17
dsprik
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 5,933
M.O.C. #4282
I just subscribed to this forum, after reading through it to this point. I think this is just getting ready to get good.

I agree with Rich and Orv. But.. many do it... so, what's up with that??? Generating that much heat with that kind of a cord coiled up, especially on a hot summer day, running the A/C, can't be good, can it???

Boy... that would really throw a compass off! Anyone's hair falling out?
dsprik is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2005, 08:07 AM   #18
Wrenchtraveller
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
Well it can't be that big an issue because they sell reel type extension cords and many Rvs have a small storage compartment and they are hard wired in and most people just pull out what they need and leave the rest coiled in there.
Wrenchtraveller is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2005, 09:13 AM   #19
Montana Sky
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Down the Road
Posts: 5,627
M.O.C. #889
I was unaware of the heat problems caused by leaving the cord rolled up in the laundry basket. Thank you for bringing that to my attention, will just use the 30amp cord from now on unless I really need the 50amp power. I learn something new on this forum every day. Thanks again, =)
Montana Sky is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-04-2005, 09:14 AM   #20
richfaa
Montana Master
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
a power cord when TIGHTLY coiled or even sort of tightly coiled will act as a inductor will generate heat and CAN cause a fire. LOOK IT UP. We have always by habit laid ours out on the ground no matter how much we used...Again..it can happen...It has happened...it will happen again.
richfaa is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
power cord Trailer Trash 2 Repairs & Service 5 03-21-2014 04:57 PM
What to do with the outside power cord. steelpony5555 General Discussions about our Montanas 14 06-25-2012 08:53 AM
Power cord swanny Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 18 05-14-2012 06:26 PM
50 Amp Power Cord Land Bertram General Discussions about our Montanas 3 05-02-2005 03:46 AM
Power Cord Trailer Trash 2 Montana Problems, Problem Solving & Technical Help 3 12-06-2004 03:53 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Montana RV, Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:43 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.