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12-02-2005, 07:34 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Campbell River
Posts: 970
M.O.C. #4976
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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
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12-02-2005, 07:49 PM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Brewster
Posts: 102
M.O.C. #3100
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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.
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12-02-2005, 07:59 PM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 540
M.O.C. #4483
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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.
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12-02-2005, 09:02 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Down the Road
Posts: 5,627
M.O.C. #889
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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.
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12-03-2005, 12:27 AM
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#5
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: farmingdale
Posts: 298
M.O.C. #1351
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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
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12-03-2005, 01:21 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Englewood
Posts: 3,095
M.O.C. #164
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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.
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12-03-2005, 01:33 AM
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#7
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Chattanooga
Posts: 170
M.O.C. #4221
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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.
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12-03-2005, 02:24 AM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Cooper
Posts: 1,230
M.O.C. #3029
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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.
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12-03-2005, 02:27 AM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Haldimand County
Posts: 2,413
M.O.C. #122
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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.
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12-03-2005, 03:18 AM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
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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.
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12-03-2005, 04:32 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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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.
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12-03-2005, 04:56 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Statham
Posts: 1,410
M.O.C. #3215
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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.
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12-03-2005, 05:44 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Fallon
Posts: 6,064
M.O.C. #1989
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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...............
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12-03-2005, 06:23 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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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...
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12-03-2005, 08:46 AM
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#15
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Fallon
Posts: 6,064
M.O.C. #1989
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I know several who are doing it. Haven't ever seen anything that warns not to.
Happy trails..............
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12-04-2005, 05:26 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cedar Rapids
Posts: 4,876
M.O.C. #1944
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by Parrothead
I know several who are doing it. Haven't ever seen anything that warns not to.
Happy trails..............
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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.
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12-04-2005, 07:33 AM
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#17
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 5,933
M.O.C. #4282
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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?
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12-04-2005, 08:07 AM
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#18
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Montana Master
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 1,568
M.O.C. #4890
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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.
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12-04-2005, 09:13 AM
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#19
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Down the Road
Posts: 5,627
M.O.C. #889
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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, =)
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12-04-2005, 09:14 AM
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#20
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: North Ridgeville
Posts: 20,229
M.O.C. #2839
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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.
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