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Old 01-30-2013, 02:44 PM   #1
steelpony5555
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Electrical gremlin found

I have always worried about how the 50A anaconda bends at the connection on the Montana. I have taped it up and also used plastic from a milk jug to wrap it in effort to hold it stiff. Well when we pulled in tonite I connected up everything and was trying to get the TV's channels programmed, but I noticed the lights dimming a little. Then the electric fireplace shuts off????? Then the bedroom TV shuts off and comes back on, and the 110v lights start dimming way down????? Nice for the ambiance, but no I don't got dimmer switchs. Seemed to be just the outlets on the right side of the trailer so I figure it must be the park power on the one side. But at the box, my surge protector is showing both sides fine with no problems. I finally go back to the trailer connection, since I worry bout it, and grab it and yooaawwwzaa, dang that was hot???...So I unplug and drag it inside and proceed to operate on it. I know I shoulda took pics but I can not believe they only skinned back maybe a 1/4 inch of insulation on the wires. I have no idea how it even made a connection, or how it even made it this long without pulling out. But yep the white wire, which would be the one on top and took most of the strain, was not even under the screw down. The holes have room for at least an inch of conductor and still not show outside the holes. So I skinned them all back and reset everything and screwed them all down tight. Wa La no more blinking lights and the connector is cool. If you have a problem with blinking, dimming lights you might want to check this out. Electrical connects have got to be tight... I guess I am gonna have to spring for that right angle adapter, even if I do thing they are overpriced, to take the strain off the black anaconda.
 
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Old 01-30-2013, 04:17 PM   #2
fauch
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Here is an expensive fix for that acute bend at the coach 50 amp connection: I have been looking for a sale on one of these:
http://www.rvupgradestore.com/Right-...35352d33373539
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Old 01-30-2013, 04:41 PM   #3
steelpony5555
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Yeah, that's the one I am gonna order, and you're right that thing is way expensive for all the more it is.
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Old 01-30-2013, 04:52 PM   #4
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I made a support for mine so it supports it about 6 inches back from the plug so it doesn't sag until after the support contact point. The bracket is attached to the I beam and is hinged so it is stored under the I beam (frame) for transport swings up to support the cord when needed. You can also lock the cord to the support to slow down thieves from taking your expensive power cord. Would post pictures but don't know how. Works for me.
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Old 01-30-2013, 04:59 PM   #5
DQDick
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I have had the right angle adapter since last summer and wouldn't go back.
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Old 01-31-2013, 01:41 AM   #6
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Good repair Steelpony!
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Old 01-31-2013, 03:16 AM   #7
steelpony5555
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Thanks...just have a hard time understanding why someone thought that little nub of conductor was was gonna stay up in there and was enough to power this rig???? Just lucky it did not start a fire. Don't know how it even powered the AC in the summer.
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Old 01-31-2013, 04:20 AM   #8
Exnavydiver
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John Kohl gave me the idea for my bend relief for my anaconda. I now use a 12 inch piece of 4 inch PVC pipe. I slide it over the end of the cable before I plug it into the rig. Then after it is plugged in to the rig I slide it up over the plug and it keeps the first foot of the cable straight. No problems with that part of the electrical system..
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Old 01-31-2013, 04:55 AM   #9
wingerphil
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mine did the same thing last summer and I also had to rewire the plug. Bad part is if the wrong 2 wires get together it could cause huge problems.
I like Dave's (or is it John's) mod., quick, easy and cheap. What more could you ask for!

Phil
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Old 01-31-2013, 05:14 AM   #10
mhs4771
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If they can make that right angle adapter, there must be some place to buy just the right angle plug. Then we could modify our OEM cable with it and eliminate the need for an adapter cable. Google search here I come.
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Old 01-31-2013, 06:14 AM   #11
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If you build an RV and the connector is a right angle drop I wish they would just provide a right angle anaconda from the factory or the dealer. But I guess this is just too logical, eh?

There are so many other stupidities like this in the RV world. I can't imagine the list for these items should be all that expensive if done by ALL RV manufacturers on every rig. I'm sure us customers would appreciate it and their costs would become transparent over time.
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Old 01-31-2013, 06:28 AM   #12
snfexpress
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Steel pony,

You were lucky that the neutral didn't come completely off the terminal. Had it, you would have had 220 volts through your 5er. It happened to us and we lost the converter, microwave, ice maker, both televisions and a few other appliances.
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Old 01-31-2013, 07:58 AM   #13
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I have a motorhome that is 16 years old. It has a 50A cord that attaches to the OUTSIDE of the motorhome. Been this way for 16 years. About every 2-3 years, I take it apart just to check it.

It is a maintenance item. Check it once in a while.

As for the 220 being applied, if you loose neutral you will have no return path so things quit working, not burn up.

Now if you plugged into a 30A plug, wired to run a A/C unit on a park model, yes you would have 220vac between hot and neutral and yes you would destroy everything.

Jim
'96 Sahara 3540
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Old 01-31-2013, 10:39 AM   #14
steelpony5555
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I thought the same thing bout the right angle plug to just put on the end of the anaconda instead of the 18 in adapter. Havn't found one yet. But even the twist lock plugs are expensive??? Never thought of the PVC pipe trick, I think I may give that a try. A foot of Pvc is definitly a whole lot cheaper then the $90 adapter and will probably work just as well. I tried cutting a strip of 6-8 wide by maybe a foot of plastic from a milk carton and wrapping around the cord and taping up with electrical tape, but it was still heavy enough to bend it. I thought the same thing bout 220 if both sides got together... All I know is it sure got hot and it played havoc with my lights and TV's etc.
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Old 01-31-2013, 01:43 PM   #15
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I would wonder if I was effectively making a lever effect if not supported some way other than just the connector??
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Old 01-31-2013, 02:22 PM   #16
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I soldered the the bare ends of the anaconda before making the connection to the plug end for a tighter fit the the plug, some call that tinning the wire. Then I'll run it through the ladder and support the wire with and rubber bunge zip tied to the 50amp cord. The four inch PVC sounds like a good idea but there is still stress on the male plug.
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Old 01-31-2013, 02:27 PM   #17
steelpony5555
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Wish my ladder was on that side lol nothing to hang my anaconda on but a sky hook lol lol
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Old 01-31-2013, 02:51 PM   #18
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I must have been blessed by the dealer or else the anaconda connections have changed. Ours is the marine type connector that actually screws onto the receptacle like the one on our boat does. This outer connector is in addition to the usual half a turn lock tabs. Neither one (boat or Montana) has presented any problems to date, but even with that, I still regularly give them both visual checks for any signs of sagging. I would think that if they don't sag, they cannot have connections work loose. I do know that the current anaconda we have is of a vastly superior quality than our previous one. Hopefully time will confirm that.
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Old 01-31-2013, 03:12 PM   #19
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jlb27537



As for the 220 being applied, if you loose neutral you will have no return path so things quit working, not burn up.

Now if you plugged into a 30A plug, wired to run a A/C unit on a park model, yes you would have 220vac between hot and neutral and yes you would destroy everything.

Jim
'96 Sahara 3540
Jim, We were in Branson at a rally when one of our MOC memebers unit lost its neutral. Fans sped up, microwaves and other electronics fried. Much like the scenerio Michael, SNFEXPRESS, experienced. I had a hard time understanding how that happened until I found the following explanation: http://diy.stackexchange.com/questio...-and-brownouts Best explanation I have found. I'm having trouble understanding you 30amp scenerio except as it would relate to the loss of a neutral. Could you eloborate? Jim
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Old 01-31-2013, 09:28 PM   #20
jlb27537
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jimcol

Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jlb27537



As for the 220 being applied, if you loose neutral you will have no return path so things quit working, not burn up.

Now if you plugged into a 30A plug, wired to run a A/C unit on a park model, yes you would have 220vac between hot and neutral and yes you would destroy everything.

Jim
'96 Sahara 3540
Jim, We were in Branson at a rally when one of our MOC memebers unit lost its neutral. Fans sped up, microwaves and other electronics fried. Much like the scenerio Michael, SNFEXPRESS, experienced. I had a hard time understanding how that happened until I found the following explanation: http://diy.stackexchange.com/questio...-and-brownouts Best explanation I have found. I'm having trouble understanding you 30amp scenerio except as it would relate to the loss of a neutral. Could you eloborate? Jim
Jim, I think I see the issue with loss of neutral and I stand corrected. Did not consider the feeding back thru the other leg.

The 30A plug 240 thing. In some RV parks with park trailers and mobile, they will wire a 30A RV plug with 240 so the A/C unit can be plugged in. The park in Tuscon we worked at one winter had moved some trailers out but did not disconnect the A/C plugs and then they rented the site to a RV'er. He plugged into what he thought was a 30A/120vac plug and fried his rig. Park paid for it. Next day all the plugs were checked where trailers had been moved out. They were wired with 2 hots and a ground. No neutral.

Reminds me, I need to check my cord, been a few years since I had it apart.

Jim
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