Win-win situation - Montana Owners Club

Ozz · 10-12-2006, 05:52 AM

In my many stops at camp grounds, I have come to the conclusion that a mid-trailer 50 amp hook up would be best, you would spend less on wire per unit, and we would get something that a person could hook up easier.
Factor in an older man or woman trying to uncoil the heavy 50 amp cord, and arthritic person, or just a weak person, turns the hooking up, and unhooking into a nightmare.
A mid point attachment could utilize a short, less cumbersome cord.
I would imagine many forgo the 50 amp capability in Lew of the 30 amp cord and adapter, just because of the ease of switching.
ALL of the many, many hook-ups we have done, stretched the heavy 50 amp cord to it's length.
Doesn't make any sense at all.
It doesn't take much sometimes, for a buyer to choose a competitor's more 'user friendly' unit.
Thanks for reading and considering this idea.
Ozz

CampingCrazyShirley · 10-12-2006, 08:28 AM

I agree Ozz..what they need to come up with is some way to "store" the cord inside the unit, have an opening and you can just pull out the cord and then have it re-coil(is that the right word) back into the unit when finished. Kind of like a tape measure you pull out, lock in place and then hit the button and it coils back up inside itself. I'm sure they couldn't get it quite that easy, but you would think you could have something like that. Maybe I'm just dreaming...is there a reason the cords are not attached from the beginning? Just curious.

Ozz · 10-12-2006, 08:43 AM

My guess is the bulk of the cord. Storage space for the reel would be very big. The basket is the best way I have found of curling it back up. I clean it with a rag when un-hooking. A short, mid mount would solve the problem in most cases. We would only have a 8' or so cord that would work well.

Cat320 · 10-12-2006, 02:18 PM

I'd like to see it hard wired inside the coach. When I first saw the turn and lock feature on the back of the rig, I immediately thought of how easy it would be to steal...assuming somebody is big enough to haul it off!

Mrs. CountryGuy · 10-12-2006, 02:58 PM

In many campsites this makes all the sense in the world. For others, however, and quite a few of them we have visited, we would still need to have some kind of extension cord past the short cord you are talking about.

We would still be draggin that herina maker around. When you know you are really in a mess is when the monster they give us is not long enough. GROANNNNNN

I think it all depends on the area of the country you are from, and what the "standard" is in that area, AND, what kind of campgrounds you frequent. We frequent a lot of campgrounds that we need a LONG power cord. And, yes, many times we opt out for the 30 AMP, for that reason and the fact that many of the places only offer 30 (again, region and type of campgrounds really play into this situation).

And, for those of us who have had to wind that monster up when it is COLLLDDDDDDD (hear the clicking teeth, from the coollldddd), well, not sure we could wind it back into the coach, even if it were shorter.

BillyRay · 10-13-2006, 11:07 AM

Makes sence to me. At some sites, the hook ups are in the front or middle of where we park, so I need and extension cord anyway.

Parrothead · 10-13-2006, 01:15 PM

Our previous 5ers had the cord hard wired and you had to stuff it in a compartment. A real pain and it often got tangled. We use to look at the Class A's with the detactable cord and envy them. Perhaps no way is perfect. We just carry the one cord and a 30 amp adapter. We stayed at an old park in Flagstaff that only had 20 and 50, no 30. First time we had seen that.
Happy trails......................

fulltimedreamer · 10-13-2006, 06:12 PM

My Mountaineer travel trailer came with the power cable hardwired to the unit and you had to stuff it back into the coach through a small cubby hole. I changed mine to a a Marinco twist-on fastener like the one used on the Montana fivers. The power cable is much easier to roll up and stow in the back of the truck.

Here's a link to the upgrade: Upgrade

As to Ozz's comment, a more central location probably makes more sense for the connection, but I just reused the hole that was already on the back of the coach.

MAMalody · 10-13-2006, 08:52 PM

>

Mine isn't a twist on fastner. It is simply a straight insert. It is tight and works great.

ols1932 · 10-14-2006, 03:28 AM

I've never found handling the cables to be a problem except if we are going to depart on a cold morning. We carry the standard 50-amp cable as well as a 15 ft, 50-amp extension, and a standard 30-amp cable with two, 30 ft, 30-amp extensions. I store it in the front with the batteries. I don't have any problem with handling any of the cables (and I'm 75). I coil them up and use bungee cords to keep them coiled. In addition to the cables in the front end I also carry a spare 30-lb propane tank as well as my 2000-watt inverter and two, D8 Lifeline AGM batteries.

Orv

Ozz · 10-14-2006, 04:03 AM

I know they have a 'softer' more pliable cable available, mine is as stiff as a board, maybe some of you have different cables, I don't know.
I looked at a 50 amp. cable on a class 'A', it was real manageable, not hard as a rock, like mine, but the point is, why run the internal 50 amp service cable all the way to the back, when ALL of the service power poles in the C.G.'s I have encountered have been central to the trailer???
Don't make no sense to me, Bucky.

Mrs. CountryGuy · 10-14-2006, 04:23 AM

Ozz,

Come to Michigan, and we will take ya to a state park or two. We would have fun, Al wants to look at all your electrical additions, and we will show you a TON of campsites with the power poles in the back of the campsite, and even better some are 40 foot away!

Even with all the extension cords we carry, we have to put Tana as far back in the site as we can go, every little bit helps! Moral of the story, be prepared, carry extra hoses and cords.

Emmel · 10-14-2006, 05:02 AM

Ozz, the fairgrounds we just had our rally at had all the connections at the very REAR of the coach! This also included stretching the sewer hose real long and even forcing some of us (me) to purchase new hoses. I have camped at a lot of cgs and I would say most have the connections at the rear. I believe they were set up for the older campers, remember when the sewer was in the rear of the trailer! As for storing the 50amp cord in a compartment that means you have to give up some space somewhere inside the coach and I'm not prepared to lose anymore, I'm always looking for more.

MuddyPaws · 10-31-2006, 12:21 PM

Here's an idea! Offer an ADDITIONAL twist-loc connection in the middle (as an option). For safty reasons you would need also hgave some kind of switching arrangement so that only the one in use is live.

Imagine little fingers getting into a live 50 Amp service!

ols1932 · 10-31-2006, 01:31 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Ozz

Factor in an older man or woman trying to uncoil the heavy 50 amp cord, and arthritic person, or just a weak person, turns the hooking up, and unhooking into a nightmare.

Ozz

Ozz, how hold is old. I'm almost 75 and don't consider myself old. I don't have any trouble handling that 50 amp cable or it's extension (when needed).

You're right when you suggest less cable would be better. However, having the cable entry somewhere in the middle of the coach would break it up for furnishings inside. You would almost have to have the entry ahead of the front end of the slideout on the driver's side. In our case, that's where the furnace and refrigerator are located. I think that it is probably better entering in the rear of the coach.

Just my opinion and of course everyone has one!

Orv

noneck · 10-31-2006, 02:18 PM

Hi Ozz, Agreed...connection smack dab in the middle rear of my 3255RL was a fix that I did right after my purchase! I moved it to the first forward point next to my sofa/dinette slide...still rearward end of coach but I have found it is less likely to need an extension to make the park power post. Regarding having it hard wired, I have found detaching, coiling, and storing much easier verses having to stuff it into a cavity which sometimes did not work and had to pull it back out and roll it one way or the other to make it all fit. That was working with a 30 amp cord... My Brother-in-law has a Newmar, Montain Aire and lucky for him he has an access door to work the hard wired cable down through the AC access hole and it is a bear to get in/out of rig.
Chuck
Here's his rig....and yes he is Heating, Refrig, and Electrical Service-Contractor owner.

padredw · 10-31-2006, 02:48 PM

Orv,

Your first post had me worried! Glad you corrected it to say you are almost 75. I think I've mentioned to you before why I would notice this matter of age.

Padredw32

Mudchief · 10-31-2006, 03:37 PM

Ozz, you are right about some cables being softer than others. The cord on the new unit I purchased last year is soft and easy to handle. The one on the new 3400 I just purchased is stiff as a board. It is a bear to uncoil. I can only imagine what it would be like in cold weather. However the dealer allowed me to keep the cord from the other unit so i could make a extension out of it. Guess which one I am using.

ols1932 · 10-31-2006, 04:00 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by padredw

Orv,

Your first post had me worried! Glad you corrected it to say you are almost 75. I think I've mentioned to you before why I would notice this matter of age.

Padredw32

No, why would you notice this matter of age?

Orv

padredw · 11-01-2006, 01:29 AM

Orv,

Note my "amended" signature:

padre-dw-32

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