Electric pass throughs

[GWMattson]

I just bought an 83 burro. I'm replacing the floor right now, and I also want to eliminate all leaks so my new floor doesn't rot away. I've been looking for good sealed electrical connectors, pass throughs, outlets, etc. Does anybody know of a good source of these for fiberglass RVs? Or can you recommend specific products?

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by GWMattson

I just bought an 83 burro. I'm replacing the floor right now, and I also want to eliminate all leaks so my new floor doesn't rot away. I've been looking for good sealed electrical connectors, pass throughs, outlets, etc. Does anybody know of a good source of these for fiberglass RVs? Or can you recommend specific products?

I used marine products for all of my outlets and inlets. Partly because we have a great marine store nearby and I get a substantial discount there. Also because the nearest RV store to me is around a hours drive round trip and the quality of those fittings for the same functions is no where near as good as the marine ones. Marinco and Furrion are good for the electrical, Sea-Dog is both affordable and also good quality for other types of fittings. Easy to get both of those brands on Amazon.

[thrifty bill]

Amazon. Figure out the shape you need, then buy the one you like the best. No idea what the "mouse door" looks like on a Burro. There are prior threads on this here. Do a search for detachable power cord.

Important to note what amperage you need. On my Trillium, the system is just 15 amps. That limits choices. Our Escape is 30 amp. To maintain the original style on the Trillium, I am customizing a 15 amp connector to fit inside the original Trillium hatch, copying the design of another forum member.

On Amazon, I searched for RV power inlet.

[GWMattson]

Thanks for the information.

[GWMattson]

Thanks for the reply. I've got a neighbor who said the same thing about using Marine parts. I'll definitely look into Marinco and Furrion.

[BruceW]

Marinco makes an inexpensive 15A male receptacle
MPP-150BBIW.RV for the outside of the “hull” that you can just plug the female end of an extension cord into. Comes in white, is sealed (no mice) and you can get it for $20-25.

[Francesca Knowles]

Per any outside hatches etc:
Those parts have changed little if at all over the years and still go on many trailers of all types of construction. I replaced the electric cord hatch on my '78 with an off the rack exact match I found at Camping World. It was even good old "colonial white" to match my trailer, big surprise to me since the color's little used any more. The only defect in the original was that the hinge on the "door" was broken; the replacement was so exact that I didn't even remove the base, instead just attaching the new on top of the old.

Just an FYI since you're unlikely to find such components at a marine store. And even if you could, my experience with boats has been that anything labeled as for marine use is typically more expensive than the same parts "designed" for RVs.

[BruceW]

The part that I suggested is not just a cord hatch like that which comes on trailers where you pull out a 30A cord from inside the trailer. This part 150BBIW actually contains an AC receptacle (with male contacts) into which you plug a std outdoor extension cord. More than just a plastic door and is only $21 from Amazon including shipping.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by BruceW

The part that I suggested is not just a cord hatch like that which comes on trailers where you pull out a 30A cord from inside the trailer. This part 150BBIW actually contains an AC receptacle (with male contacts) into which you plug a std outdoor extension cord. More than just a plastic door and is only $21 from Amazon including shipping.

Just offering my own experience- yours is a good alternative if the OP wants to go that route. I didn't since I like the use of that space for cord storage as well.
And of course the cheapskate in me didn't like the extra expense of putting a female end on the old cord or-heaven forbid- replacing it altogether

[Dan-NS27]

I just got a Burro myself. I'm working on a sailboat and been thinking to use a 30A SmartPlug for the camper too.

But like mentioned, marine products is a good way to go.

https://smartplug.com

[GWMattson]

I've always been a tent camper (non-electric). But I heard that most campgrounds have 30A or 50A service. Would a 15A power inlet work at campgrounds? I don't have AC now. But it might be an option in the future. I'd want 30A for that.

[BruceW]

Typically a campsite with 30A or 50A service also has a separate 15A outlet as well.

[thrifty bill]

Originally Posted by GWMattson

I've always been a tent camper (non-electric). But I heard that most campgrounds have 30A or 50A service. Would a 15A power inlet work at campgrounds? I don't have AC now. But it might be an option in the future. I'd want 30A for that.

The connection needs to match the capacity of your electrical system, in particular your converter. So if your converter is 30 AMP, go with a 30 amp connection. Mine's 15 amp, so I am going with a 15 AMP connection.

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by GWMattson

I've always been a tent camper (non-electric). But I heard that most campgrounds have 30A or 50A service. Would a 15A power inlet work at campgrounds? I don't have AC now. But it might be an option in the future. I'd want 30A for that.

You will want to invest in an adapter plug. One end of the adapter will fit into the RV park supply box, the other fits into your 15amp plug that comes out from your trailer.



I traveled with one of those adapters when I was car camping so I could hook up an extension cord for powering up 120 stuff I took with me.



They are a very common item in RV stores and marine stores too.

I think I got mine at a local hardware store.

[John in Michigan]

For the past 5 years we have been travelling with our Boler 13, then Trillium 4500 both of which have a 110vac 15 amp plug. So far we've stayed in campgrounds with power hookups in MI, OH, IN, CO, NB, IA, LA, FL, MS, NC, SC, GA, TN, KY, TX, AR, IL, and MN. ALL of these campgrounds had one or two 15 amp connections in addition to 30 amp and sometimes 50 amp. Just in case we encounter a campground with no 15 amp service, we also carry a 30-to-15 amp adapter.

We stay mostly in state parks, but also in municipal parks, national parks, COE parks, Walmarts, etc. We've also camped quite a few nights without power both in campgrounds and in other types of facilities.

[Francesca Knowles]

I agree that a 30 to 15 adapter's a good thing to have in the kit, even for folks like us who boondock almost exclusively. A few years ago I was on a fall trip and the temp did one of those overnight drop-like-a-rock things that fall in the PNW high desert is famous for. I hadn't used my heater all summer and the first time I tried to fire it up I discovered it had developed a hole in the blanket rendering it inoperable. THAT was a cold night lol but the next day I decided that rather than freeze or just go home I'd bite the bullet and pay for hookups. First place I put in was a tiny funky "RV Park" in and owned by the City of Mitchell Oregon. It was really just a gravel parking lot across the street from their public restrooms but the point is...the electric hookups were 30 and 50 amp only- and I had the right adapter! I was actually almost pleased lol, I could go home and tell my hubs that I actually used one of the many things I bring along "just in case".
That's the only time I've ever used it over the many years/miles I've used the trailer but you never know what the future might hold

[Thomcat316]

Originally Posted by BruceW

Marinco makes an inexpensive 15A male receptacle
MPP-150BBIW.RV for the outside of the “hull” that you can just plug the female end of an extension cord into. Comes in white, is sealed (no mice) and you can get it for $20-25.

I have one of those. In my spares box, because it wasn't all that great in practice. I exchanged it for the NOCO version and am happier.

[Joe MacDonald]

remember one thing, the Amp rating on a converter is the DC output rating, not the AC input rating.
for example a 30 amp converter puts out 30 amps DC, but draws approximately 3 amps AC from your 110v plug in system
Joe

[John Linck]

I chose a removable shore power system for my Scamp. See it here.