50 amp power cord

[andrew selkregg]

Went to plug in the camper the other day to fire up the refer for a short trip and immediately tripped the breaker. After trying 3 different outlets, I unplugged from the camper and still tripped the breaker. A quick check with a multi-meter showed shorted across the neutral, one of the hots and the ground. With a bad cord and leaving in the morning, it was off to find a new cord. Found one at a local RV dealer and everything was fine.
Now I'm home and decided to make an extension cord out of the old one. Ordered a new female plug, and cut off the twist lock end of the cord as I was sure that was the bad end due to the stress on that end and the fact that the outer cover had worked its way out of the plug. Nope, still shows a short. The 30' wire looks great with no defects I can find, and the molded end with the male plug looks good also. Before I cut it off also, I thought I'd ask if anyone has had a cord failure anywhere besides the plugs? Power cord is 4 years old.

[BB_TX]

It would certainly be unusual for the wires inside the insulation to short to each other unless there was obvious damage you could see externally. But, hey, nothing can be discounted for sure. And no way to know without cutting off the other end and then checking the wires for electrical isolation to each other.

[MARK A]

Look the cord over carefully where you may have caught it with a leveling pad, either under or on top of, I pinched mine going up because it was on top of the foot.


Mark

[waynemoore]

I have had both ends go bad. Have replaced them several times.

[mhs4771]

Check the cord over very carefully and make sure some Joker didn't push a pin through your cable shorting it.

[beeje]

I got tired of lugging the anaconda around, and since most of the time 30 amp will suffice, I bought a 50 to 30 cord 35 foot long. Works great and WAY easier to handle.

[WaltBennett]

A caution on replacement male OR female plugs. Had to replace our anaconda's male one with a Camco (they're all pretty much made the same) around five years back, did it right and tightened the screws and strain relief down. I didn't notice it until too late, but the outer jacket worked out of the strain relief and next thing I knew I was having all kinds of electrical issues. (We've a portable anaconda surge protector for the trailer, but it's at the end.) Even smoked a couple of inside surge protectors and a 110v light. The neutral wire pulled out and shorted to hot and then hot managed to short to ground. Lost a Dish receiver, the microwave, two surge protectors, but nothing else. Now I check the replacement plug every time I put power to it.