| Author |
Message |
Jerry W Campbell
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 12:06 pm: | |
Hello Friends,
It's time to put some electrical plugins in the side of my bus. I'm looking for a place to buy a 30 amp male receptacle for 110 volt to be used with a three-prong, 30 amp female end of an extension cord. I had a link to a place but can't find it.
Thanks
Jerry
'75 Crown |
Sean Welsh (Sean)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 2:59 pm: | |
Jerry,
The type of connector you seek, with male prongs mounted to the coach, is called a "bulkhead connector."
I think you will find it difficult, if not impossible, to find a male bulkhead connector matching the 30-amp "RV standard" connector. One simple reason for this is that it is very difficult to physically restrain a heavy cord (30-amp cords have to be at least 10/3) with this type of connector.
If you want to use bulkhead connectors and separate, detachable cords, your best bet is probably to use the marine-style connectors on the coach end, and then the standard RV type of plug on the shore end. This is what most of the major manufacturers do.
The marine connectors utilize a twist-to-lock design and, additionally, have a retaining ring that is either threaded (older style) or twist-to-lock (newer style). The combination of the twisting connector and the retaining ring secures the shore cord to the coach.
You will need the 30a/125v/3-wire male bulkhead connector, and the mating female cord end. The cord end has screw compression terminals to affix to the end of the shore cord. You can buy the shore cord with a pre-molded 3-wire male "travel trailer" connector on one end and bare wires on the other end, or you can cut the female end off a 30-amp "RV" extension cord.
The marine connectors are available at West Marine and other marine suppliers, or you might find better deals over on eBay.
HTH,
-Sean |
Tim Strommen (Tim_strommen)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 3:11 pm: | |
Best resources I could find for anything electrical/electro-mechanical are:
1) Grainger www.grainger.com (fans, fixtures, motors, etc...)
*** 2) Westmarine www.westmarine.com (anything marine incl. power refridgeration, etc... best bet for this question) ***
3) Carlton-Bates www.carlton-bates.com (sensors, relays, valves, switches, enclosures, wire/cable management, etc..)
4) Digi-Key www.digikey.com (small components, hard-to-find parts, ICs, etc...)
If you're doing anything with voltage (60 Volts +) look for oil/water tight stuff (usually IP64 or NEMA 4 or better rated gear...) |
LABryan
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 9:57 pm: | |
Camping World also sells the Marinco brand of marine connectors and a plethora of adaptors and cords. |
Chuck Newman (Chuck_newman)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 10:31 pm: | |
Jerry,
I've used the Marinco marine connectors described. They are a little pricey, but will last decades. Don't buy the plastic covered marine receptacle. It will fade and become brittle from constant UV radiation. I recommend the stainless screw on covered receptacle. It will last as long as the bus. And looks classy.
Chuck Newman
Oroville, CA |
Bill Glenn
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 10:38 pm: | |
Hey Jerry,
I found that same connector you seek at the local electric supply house. Hubble makes it, recessed 3 hole screw mount. I believe $28.00 is what I paid. Works great for me.
Bill |
Sean Welsh (Sean)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 11:19 pm: | |
Bill,
Can you post the Hubbel part #?
-Sean |
Jerry W Campbell
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 11:58 am: | |
Thank you all for your help. I think I should go with the twist lock. I just didn't want to pay that much money. I'll just have to save money somewhere else.
Thanks
Jerry
'75 Crown |
Michael Lewis (Puffbus)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 2:47 pm: | |
Jerry,
We located the twist-loc plug used at at marine parts recycler here locally (Seattle). It was considerably less that the West Marine or other dealer price, all stainless and came with the gasket. We chose a 50 Amp connector, but 30 Amp is available even cheaper.
Michael |
FAST FRED
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 25, 2005 - 5:53 am: | |
For the 50A inlets ect , the Hubble brand works better than the Marinco.
The Hubble used Monel inside , which conducts current better (copper alloy) than the SS used in the Marinco.
WE have installed copper bolts to hold the batt ground cables to the coach body , and have far quicker (spins faster) starts as a result.
Since I visit marinas , but don't dunk the coach in seawater the copper/aluminum touching is not yet a problem.
Pure copper nuts bolts and washers can be had from the local lineman or worker for the Electric co. Don't overtighten.
FAST FRED |
Jerry W Campbell
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 11:40 am: | |
I have the Electrical stuff on the way. Now I would like to add a combination coax and phone jack that has a little flip up door. Any one know where I might find one. I've searched and found many plates with these connectors but none for outdoor use.
Thanks
Jerry
'75 Crown |
Sean Welsh (Sean)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 12:54 pm: | |
Jerry,
Marinco makes weatherproof cable and phone inlets for the boat market. Available at West Marine and others. I find them to be rather bulky and somewhat expensive, however, and the phone inlet requires a special connector.
Try this instead: Leviton (and others) makes a modular snap-in kit that fits behind a duplex outlet cover plate. You can put a cable F-connector in one of the two "outlets" and an RJ-11 phone jack in the other.
Then you can mount this assembly in a weathertight single-gang box, and use one of those gasketed flip-door type switch/outlet covers to seal them when not in use. You can even get the plastic dome style cover to keep the water out when the jacks are in use.
Most of the parts are available at Home Depot, but some of the Leviton parts are specialty items for the office telecom industry. You can find those (or order them) at Graybar. There is a Graybar in almost every city. They typically only sell to the trade, but anyone can walk up to the counter and purchase on a cash basis. You'll need to know exactly what you want, though, so look it up on-line beforehand. I used to have part numbers for this stuff, but no longer, so you may need to spend some time on Leviton's excellent web site.
Another manufacturer is Allen-Tel Products.
-Sean |
Jerry W Campbell
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 29, 2005 - 9:55 pm: | |
Thanks Sean,
I ordered one from Leviton. Thanks for the help. Hope to see you in Rickreal.
Jerry |