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Old 04-07-2011, 08:35 PM   #1
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power cord

I don't like the idea of my power cord not being secured to the trailer.
would it be advisable to back feed through an outside receptacle? that way if a cord is stolden it would not be the expensive 30 amp cord.
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Old 04-07-2011, 08:43 PM   #2
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To back feed you then have a cord with 2 male plugs

it is ok if you plug into the trailer first

but if you plug into the service first and then touch the other end

you or someone else could end up dead

it has been made safe for this reason

besides if your cable gets stolen / your in the wrong camp ground
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Old 04-07-2011, 08:48 PM   #3
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Not saying it would never happen but I think your worrying about nothing. I have never heard of anyone getting their power cord stolen. A 15a receptacle will not handle the load of your Rv.
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Old 04-07-2011, 09:08 PM   #4
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i woud only do this at my house to cool the refridgerator and charge up the battery, i use the power cord at the campsite
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Old 04-07-2011, 09:16 PM   #5
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Well let's see what else we can can come up with. While it is at your house I can get your sewer hose, and your battery, but the most expensive and easiest to get rid of, besides the battery, would be the wheels and tires. In case you have one of those expensive electric tongue jacks, that could be mine also.

Now, let me be clear, I am not a thief, and hope never to be. Just wanting to point out there are a lot of things bolted on your camper that can be had in less than 30 minutes. Most, sewer hose excluded, worth much more than your power cord. Please don't read this and get crazy trying to protect everything, you can't, prisoners got out of Alcatraz didn't they?


Oh yea, the power cord is pretty much limited to an RV market. Battery, wheels, Jack, could be sold to much wider range of individuals.
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Old 04-07-2011, 09:19 PM   #6
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it was a simple question windrider, your really negative. thanks to the others for a mature response
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Old 04-07-2011, 09:38 PM   #7
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Sorry that you thought I was negative. I was just trying to point out that one often sweats the little things in life that really don't matter. I was not trying to be negative towards you or any others that may read this. I apologize to you and hope you will accept.
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Old 04-07-2011, 09:45 PM   #8
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At first I was concerned that my stuff could disappear and was a bit surprised how trusting RVers were to leave camp without worring. But the biggest surprise I encountered is the key systems on trailers. Just thinking about the door locks and storage bays locks gets me dizzy.

My experience has taught me that most RVers are top notch and friendly. RVers are family and family takes care of each other.

For whats it worth - I saw the intended humor in windrider post. I also could see how you took it as well.
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Old 04-07-2011, 10:07 PM   #9
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Isn't one end of your power cord permanantly attached to the trailer? if so how can it then be stolen?
If you are concerned about an extension cord being stolen then just order a cord locking tube such as shown in this link Amazon.com: Master Lock 488 Rotating Electrical Plug Lockout: Industrial & Scientific. these can be used to prevent plugging in a power cord and also to prevent disconnecting a cord plugged together.
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Old 04-07-2011, 10:16 PM   #10
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Actually, with the price of scrap copper being well over $3 a pound, to the thief, a power cord is probably rather appealing. If they will climb poles and clip live lines, they will surely grab a power cord. A lot of recyclers also buy wiring with the insulation at a lower price, so for scrap, your power cord has value.
Not trying to make anyone paranoid, but if you have ever been to a scrap yard, you can see the kinds of things they bring in. Locally, there has actually been a rash of outside condenser units being stolen for their scrap value.
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Old 04-07-2011, 10:45 PM   #11
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And I know of several people who have left their vehicles for a day in a parking lot only to return and fine that the exhaust is now very loud, and somebody stole their catalytic converter, and in the last 6 months. (by the way, they go for over $75 each as scrap around here now). I was only pointing out you can't protect everything. Go to bed, and if you wake in the morning, have a great day. There are things one should worry about, and I apologize again, but having two children buried before you are dead, surviving cancer twice, and living through 15 mini-strokes, and their consequences, I have a little different outlook on life, and what is important. I don't take a lot of things too serious anymore. You have a legitimate concern, and I failed to overlook the price of copper. Still, the last time I priced a cord was around $50.00, or about a 1/2 tank of gas....lol
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Old 04-08-2011, 06:26 AM   #12
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I think of it this way. I take precautions by locking my compartments, locking doors, gas cap lock and motion sensor lights from both my garage and house. Unfortunately if someone wants to get in they most likely will. A thief is like a Stink Bug, they manage to find some small place to get in. Fortunately I've never lost anything from someone stealing it. I will say though that I have a good collection of water pressure reducers, a nice 15 foot garden hose and a set of keys I found and turned in to the campground office, that someone has forgot and left behind. If I was venturing a guess I'd say more is forgotten and left behind than being stolen. Just take the steps to do your best to make it difficult for those thieves out there.

Now, Where the heck are those keys again?
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Old 04-08-2011, 06:32 AM   #13
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Remember the old days when you could even leave your house without locking it up. It even was that way at the camp grounds. I still believe that the case at most places, but you have to be aware of your surroundings. I had a friend who had his sewer hose stolen at his storage site, if it's not bolted down, and even then, it can be taken. I try to not worry, and enjoy my time camping...
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Old 04-08-2011, 06:54 AM   #14
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OK, I have to chime in here (no groans please).

I have never been to a campground (even ones where I looked around and said to self - "Self, last time here!), that I felt in any way that the CAMPERS were going to steal something from me. I have had sites along a road, along the beach where folks blasted by during the day on wave runners, and parked in my driveway where I was concerned with "casual theft." I ALWAYS say hello to my neighbors so they see my, and my wife's, face and know who is camping there.

No matter what you do, you can not secure your valuables at a campground. We all know that and hopefully "town watch" our campsites, not matter how short our stay.

Valuables very difficult to secure without modifications include:

Every storage compartment. Check your keys. CH-751 right?

Your lawn chairs, tables, outside lights, etc

30 pound bottles of propane - full they are worth almost 100 bucks each and BY LAW can not be in a locked compartment.

Power Cord, yes - but most of us have 30 amp extension cords. How do you plan on securing those?

If you have an autoformer on your power line (400-500 bucks) a bike lock can be removed in seconds.

Bikes (300 - 1000 a pop)

Your grill - 100 to 500 bucks

Your spare tire(s)

My point, and I think Windrider was trying to make it too, is that since security in a campground is impossible, the only way RVing works is to have few (no) thieves and lots of caring folks that watch out for others stuff as if it was their own. You can not stay at the campsite all the time.

We had set up at a campground and blasted off for a local museum before it closed. We had never seen our neighbors. Grill, chairs and bikes were outside like normal. When we got back about 3 hours later the roads were wet and I said, wow our stuff is going to be soaked! I was wrong.

As we approached our site I saw our stuff was MISSING!

Panicked a bit, till I got closer. Everything was either under the camper or covered with large garbage bags. The neighbors we never saw protected our gear when a sudden shower came up. We met them later with a wine bottle in hand.

We go camping to enjoy the outdoors. You are not camping in South Philadelphia. Take appropriate security measures (knowing where the thunderstorm shelter is comes immediately to mind as a security measure) like changing your storage door locks, but don't let worry about losing your gear make you paranoid. RVing will be "No Fun" if you do that.
Remember we do this to:
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Old 04-08-2011, 06:57 AM   #15
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were good windrider. I dont ahve any problems at the campgrounds and once again TALKING ABOUT AT MY HOUSE. live in a good hood, but copper wire, condening units do come up missing from time to time and while its not the cost of the cord its the inconvience of having to get it replaced, its the twist lock type. i dont worry about much, maybe gas prices, it is what it is.

LETS GET BACK ON THE SUBJECT:with all that said does anyone see a problem with back feeding, would the back feeding of power cause any problems to the converter?
off to work
i think the caps are needed
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Old 04-08-2011, 07:14 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by campfan View Post
were good windrider. I don't have any problems at the campgrounds and once again talking about my house. live in a good hood, but copper wire, condensing units do come up missing from time to time and while its not the cost of the cord its the inconvenience of having to get it replaced, its the twist lock type. i don't worry about much, maybe gas prices, it is what it is.

LETS GET BACK ON THE SUBJECT:with all that said does anyone see a problem with back feeding, would the back feeding of power cause any problems to the converter?
off to work
OK, I have to admit my first response was "NO, and why would you" and leave it at that. BUT suppose you forgot your cord at home (or it was stolen) and it would be a day or so before you could replace it.

You would could jury rig a work around with two HEAVY extension cords. They would have to be able to carry 15 amps of AC power for, say 15 feet.
This will not be a lamp cord or even a lawn extension cord we are talking about. While not as heavy as a 30 amp, it would be at least 14 gauge wires in that puppy. (two puppies in this case).

You will then get these two very expensive extension cords and cut them in half then wire two male ends together. I suppose you could make a female to male adapter (male plugs on both ends) for emergencies.

As to the converter itself issue, more complicated than at first glance. Every outlet in your RV is piggybacked to others on at least one long circuit protected by a GFCI. My outside water resistant outlet is just one on a string that includes the sink outlets and the entertainment center. You are asking a LOT of that 15 amp breaker in the converter panel. It will become your MAIN for the whole camper and is downstream from notoriously fluky GFCI trips. If the GFCI lets go your camper "goes dark" as far as AC goes, so leave your gas open to power your fridge.
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Old 04-08-2011, 12:11 PM   #17
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The best way would be to buy the adaptor that park power makes that has the screw on connector and a male end.It is about 18 inches long.Then hook your extension cord onto that.I bought one at an RV dealer and is what I use at home.
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Old 04-08-2011, 03:32 PM   #18
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I suppose you could buy the female twist lock end and splice a standard extension cord to it.
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Old 04-08-2011, 04:17 PM   #19
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I still don't get it. By the time you buy a connector, 15 feet or so of wire heavy enough to carry 15 amps that far, and a plug, your could buy another 30 amp house cord as a spare, IF it ever got stolen.

The outdoor RV socket I installed at the house fully encloses the plug end of the 30 amp cable and you can lock it so the cable can't be removed. I have never locked it, but I suppose I could...
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