30A power inlet replacement?

[dbledan]

Originally Posted by chriscowles

All? Don't make assumptions. This is how mine was delivered from the factory. Note the lack of a locking mechanism on the plug. The only lock is the outer ring, and it doesn't work well.Attachment 225404

Well we all learn something new every day now don't we. Thanks for sharing.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by Qwkynuf

This is exactly what came on my trailer - a 2020 Flagstaff 21DS. The power cable presses straight on, and there is a threaded plastic ring surrounding the cable end that threads onto the housing on the side of the trailer.

it is fine threaded, and it is very difficult to screw it on without cross threading. I have taken to rotating the ring backwards while pressing in on it, until I feel the threads align, and then carefully turning clockwise to tighten up.

It's not impossible, and not the end of the world, but the last 3 times I have parked my trailer at a campground it was in a heavy rainstorm (once in the rain *and* dark) and I spent the whole process wishing they had used another method.

My "never leave home without them" accessories are a large golf umbrella and a visor mount LED light on my hat.

I live in Washington State and have been well schooled in both rain and dark

As for the lock ring, turning it backwards until it drops into the start of the threads is also necessary on my old twist lock type. Even they require a lot of patience, especially when there's a river running down the back of your neck.

[Qwkynuf]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

My "never leave home without them" accessories are a large golf umbrella and a visor mount LED light on my hat.

I live in Washington State and have been well schooled in both rain and dark

As for the lock ring, turning it backwards until it drops into the start of the threads is also necessary on my old twist lock type. Even they require a lot of patience, especially when there's a river running down the back of your neck.

I also live in Washington (Self Quarantining east of Chehalis as we speak!), so rain is a way of life. The problem I have with the umbrella is that I run out of hands. And asking the wife to stand out in the rain and hold it for me would be the start to a less-fun camping trip!

[chriscowles]

It was not my intent to trick anyone. I described it as well as I could in my initial post.

The main problem is the difficulty in getting the fine threads engaged properly. The twist-lock slot cut into the trailer side (that I only recently saw) make that even harder. If they had made the ring on the cord with corresponding twist lock tabs, it would work fine.

All around, a bad design by the manufacturer and a bad decision by Rockwood to use it. I was told it was nothing more than the supplier suggesting "try this", and they did.

Originally Posted by youroo

This was a "Trick Post"! If you would have posted this Pic First it would have made a Big difference! Not very many Members have even seen one like this! Youroo!!

[chriscowles]

It does work when you finally get the threads engaged correctly. They cross-thread constantly and the slots carved into the threads on the trailer side make the "rotate counter-clockwise" approach not helpful. (I tried.) The plastic being soft, cross-threading will ultimately result in damage.

Originally Posted by formerFR

I'm not sure, but it seems this 'new' 90degree RV connection should work just fine, and it does have an other 'ring' that gives it a second degree of protection from the fear of 'pulling out', even though I don't see the reason that it would - just like the other end of your shore cord, the connection does not 'twist lock' or anything to the pedestal - so, why the need?

[chriscowles]

Reviving this old thread to report the resolution. I installed a SmartPlug 30A combination kit. It's a replacement for both the trailer inlet and the connector on the cord. It does not include the cord. The kit is an expensive solution that I wouldn't have considered if Forest River had used the standard locking ring in the first place

The end result is excellent but the process was not without problems. I can recommend the kit but with the caveat described below. The inlet was easy, the screws fit perfectly in the original position, and the silicone gasket makes a tight seal. The issue was wiring the female connector on the cable.

The product is well-engineered but the Allen screw clamps that hold the wires in place inside the connector are hard to secure and easy to break. A little piece of metal wraps around and overlaps itself a little. The Allen screw goes through the overlapped part to push against a fixed post, which tightens the clamp. The overlapped hole is threaded.

The problem is that it's easy to back out the Allen wrench while fiddling with the assembly process. Nothing in the instructions tells you not to. The result can be that the Allen screw remains engaged in the threads on the outer layer, but not on the inner layer. Subsequent attempts to screw it back in results in the outer and inner layers being pushed apart, destroying the clamp, and you can't see it happening. It just won't tighten completely.

I surmise that I'm not alone in this happening. I bought the first kit used from Amazon. It seemed to be in perfect condition. I discovered that it was broken internally only after replacing the inlet and cutting the connector off my cable. At that point I had no way to get AC power into the trailer.

I don't think I caused the failure in the first kit. I surmise that the original buyer had the problem, then returned it to Amazon. Whether the buyer reported it to Amazon, I cannot say. It would be easy for Amazon to mistakenly pass it for resale as being in perfect condition.

Installation tips:

1. Do NOT back the Allen screws out. You may be tempted to because some Loctite on the thread (good idea, considering heat/cool cycles) makes it very hard to start.
   .
2. Put a little Scotch tape on the outside of the Allen screws to hold them in position while inserting the wires. If they slip out, the clamp itself blocks the wire, which is really frustrating. The tape makes it much easier.
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3. Put the strain relief screws in before inserting the wires. Tighten them on the cable with the wires in place before you tighten the Allen screws. Holding it by the cable, press the connector face down onto a flat surface (table or work bench) while securing the strain relief. The result will be that the conductors are pressed firmly into their slots and held there while you tighten the wire clamps.

The picture above is totally disassembled and viewed from the inside. The clamp is not easily seen when assembled.

SmartPlug B30ASSYPB: https://smartplug.com/portfolio-item...c-inlet-black/