Even The Simple Repairs - New Shore Power AC Cord End

It's Been A Long Hard Life

    Like almost every RV'er out there, I had a 25 foot shore power cord. You know, the one you plug in at campgrounds or at home to supply 120V AC power to you rig. It gets used a lot! So much so that the plug end detaches itself from the heavy rubber around the wires. I could SEE the color coded wires inside. It seems that the cables are made as one piece designs. That's a great idea to keep the water out, but not so great when you have to replace it! Since it's one piece,  the idea is....you have to replace the entire cord. OK...I thought, I wanted a longer one anyway. Yikes, with the price of copper up so high, a 50 foot cable was prohibitively expensive. Now what. Well, for less than $20.00 and a bit of labor you can replace JUST the end while maintaining it's water resistant nature AND adding a trick new feature. How?

First, you have to pick a style of plug end. Make sure you buy the right one. My coach has 30 AMP service, yours may as well, but if you have 50 AMP service it WILL NOT FIT! In fact putting the wrong one on will cause disaster.

Once you figure that out, you will have several options. I liked the one where the wire comes out at a 90 degree angle to the cord. It would let me hang the cord straight down from my outlet so it wouldn't be under undue stress and perhaps last longer. It will also allow water to flow around the weakest point in its water tight "armor." The handle to pull it out was a nice addition.

You Can See The Green, White and Black Wires

Next, the scariest part! You have to unplug your shore power cord from the outlet and CUT off the end. Once this is done, there is no going back! I tried to keep as much cord as I could, so I cut VERY close to the molded end. Since it had already detached itself from the outer cable, it was easy to snip each wire individually. Once that was over the next bit was much easier. You have to strip away about 3 inches of the outside insulation to expose the three internal wires. They will be White, Black and Green. There will likely be some insulation inside that can be snipped away once you've uncovered the interior.

Once you have 3 inches exposed of the three internal wires you will have to strip the insulation on each of these wires back about 2 inches. Once the copper is exposed, twist the ends to make a tight wrap, Next, take apart the new plug end. This is very easily done as it's just three small Phillips screws holding it together. Now loosen the 2 screws on the wire clamp at the base of your new plug end. Slide the cable into the new housing clamp until the wires can easily reach the terminals. The Green one is the toughest! Bend the, now bare, wire into a "U" shape so it will fit around the screws on each terminal. Make sure you place the wire so the  "U" goes from left to right. This way, when you tighten the screw clockwise, it will pull on the wire not push it out from under the terminal! Make sure each wire goes to its appropriately labeled terminal. Tighten all the screws!

Now tighten the wire clamp at the base so the cable cannot pull out of the new plug end. Reassemble the 2 halves and tighten the three screws.  Now is the moment of truth. Shut down the main breaker and all the other 120V AC breakers in your coach. Plug the new end into the outlet. No sparks? GOOD! Flip on the main breaker. All still OK? Now turn on the least important 120V breaker. Which one? I used the one connected to my left side outlets. Had a lamp plugged in there. Turn it on. In my case, the lamp turned on and there was NO smoke! Done! Turn on the rest of the breakers one at a time and make sure everything works.

Now go back and unplug your new shore power cord end from the outlet. Take the 2 halves apart and apply small amounts of silicone sealant to the screw holes, terminals and around the edges of the housing itself. Put it all back together (don't forget the handle!). After you tighten the screws, wipe away the excess from the edges and put silicone in each screw hole. Wipe clean with a paper towel until the silicone is level with the case. This should minimize long-term water intrusion and make the installation more vibration resistant.


I know this SOUNDS complicated; it isn't. It will save you some big dollars (likely around $250) I am all for saving money and getting the most out of what I already have!

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com

Weird Spaces, Odd Places - Finding A Use For Every Storage Nook And Cranny

Looking Toward The Back

    I'll say it again, "My RV is small, real small." I have no problem adapting to the living space. It serves my needs admirably. After all the research into what RV to buy, it should be exactly what I wanted! My only complaint after  5 years of ownership? Not enough storage space. This is a lament any RV'er, no matter the size of their rig, can identify with. It really doesn't help that I am a bit of a pack-rat. So far, I've done pretty well downsizing items and paring down what I carry with me. At this point I have run out of actual, bona-fide storage places and have been getting more and more creative when stashing stuff. In every RV there are many unused spaces that can become storage. Finding them is the trick.

The Tiny Cubby

Let's look at a simple example of unused, usually wasted space. Under my Lavatory sink is a cabinet, inside that is the hot water heater. Above the heater is a shelf that spans the full width of the cabinet itself. The problem? There is a water pipe that goes THROUGH the shelf, right in the middle. I could remove the pipe, replace it with a flexible one and re-route it...but it's not leaking! Why mess with something that isn't broke? Knowing me, it would leak the minute I finished the replacement. So what to do? Get creative! I found a small plastic mesh bin (3 for $1) at a dollar store and cut out a notch! It's not big storage, but now I can store a few bars of soap where they are needed. Not only that, since it spanned most of the pipe, and they stack nicely, I have a whole plastic basket to fill as well!. Bonus Result!

What other spaces lurk in seemingly impossible spaces within your RV. In my Wardrobe converted to Pantry closet is a drawer, under that, lying within the dark recesses of that space, is a 45 degree angled piece of wood that supports the structure. A great place to stash valuables when you aren't in the RV. Of course, cover it with a scrap piece of wood or paneling on a hinge and you have a hidey-hole. Not likely a burglar would take the time to look there!

When I converted my old style 13" CRT TV to an LCD Monitor there was a HUGE amount of wasted and unused space behind the new TV. I am still working on some kind of hinge-and-latch affair that will allow easy access, but it is essentially the same size as 2 of my overhead cabinets combined!

Look around, closely. I'll wager you can find any number of spaces that can be converted to some additional storage. RV'ing is always a trade-off. Face it, most of us have a lot of "stuff." If you've ever heard the late comedian George Carlin's riff on STUFF, you know it is highly likely he traveled in an RV (or at the very least a VW van!). As your available space decreases, you have to winnow down your stuff. It's tough (believe me, I know!) but a necessary trade-off for traveling in style and comfort.

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com

Use Light To Create Ambiance AND Illuminate!

Add Some Wine...

    I am always on the lookout for "Way Cool" things. Whether they are tools, electronics, or simply neat looking I am always a taker. Especially if the price is right (low!). I ran across these little beauties on a recent trip to Massachusetts. I'd never seen anything like them before and they were a bargain! Tiny lights soldered directly to coated copper wire with a control and battery box at the end, 8 FEET of them. Everyone knows I like LEDs, but these were special.

I had never seen such delicate strings of LEDs. They were available in many colors, however the white ones were the most beautiful. When lit, they give off the same color temperature of light that a candle does. There are so many things you could use them for. Of course, they could be used as a light source, but that's not what this is all about. They make the PERFECT light for creating ambiance. I'm going to wrap them around a glass table decoration and use them just like I would candles. Maybe put them IN a glass sphere, wound around to create a pattern.

Based upon my experiences and observations of LEDs for the last few years, these lamps, powered by three AAA batteries should last upwards of 70hours. Perhaps longer. The battery pack also allows you to have them switch off after a pre-determined amount of time. Very useful if you forget to turn them off after dinner. These are ideal when attempting to set a romantic mood. Add some wine...with a stow-able corkscrew and you have the makings of a romantic evening. Even better, add a one skillet "gourmet" meal and see what develops.

I have seen them in various colors with various power sources. I.e., 120V transformer, bare wires and the like, but the small (3"x1"x2") battery back seems the most versatile. I believe there may be a multi-color remote controlled version as well...but certainly NOT for only $1.99 each! These are small and easy to store. Perhaps hang some in the bedroom as well? They appear fragile, but are really quite robust. Even the wires and solder joints are coated with some kind of acrylic. They are likely very water resistant as well, though I haven't tested that yet.

Yes, they have some utilitarian value as lights, but sometimes just having a pleasing appearance is enough. I'll wager I could get them to twinkle...or at least fade in and out randomly. With the addition of a few bits and pieces of electronics that could be arranged. Now all you need is a fireplace to make that special evening...perfect.

Be Seeing You...Down The Road,

Rich "The Wanderman"
www.thewanderman.com