30 amp Upgrade

[Logan X]

They call the open hole with a pull out cord a “mouse hole” for a reason. I personally don’t want any openings to the trailer where mice or anything else unwanted could get in.

[chunker]

Originally Posted by flybouy

The link that John had in his post is $74.20 so don't know where $300 came from. In John's last post about getting it out of the mouse hole I've had the experience in the rain, cord lying in the mud where you have to "turn" or "spin" the cable to get it to go back in. That's not fun when it's raining and you're trying to get the water and mud off the cable to get it back in.

To me it was well worth the money. To each his own.

Frankly I'm going to miss the power cord reel in the motorhome. Powers out and in and of course and directly into the progressive surge protector/EMS. Gonna miss the extra room but I'll make up for it with having the garage and bike clean and protected.

[oldnjrver]

In my setup my cord feeds in thru the "mouse hole" with a cap that snaps down to prevent the varmints from climbing up the cable into our TT. when we leave I just have a rag in one hand that wipes the mud and bits of grass etc off of the cable as I feed it into the storage cavity. It has yet to tangle up on me. when we set up I like being able to just pop the cap open and pull out the cable. I did install my ems in the storage cavity.. Guess it depends on what suits your purpose..

happy and safe travels...

[rjniles]

Originally Posted by flybouy

The link that John had in his post is $74.20 so don't know where $300 came from. In John's last post about getting it out of the mouse hole I've had the experience in the rain, cord lying in the mud where you have to "turn" or "spin" the cable to get it to go back in. That's not fun when it's raining and you're trying to get the water and mud off the cable to get it back in.

To me it was well worth the money. To each his own.

The items in post #5 are well over $300

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by rjniles

The items in post #5 are well over $300

The comments in post #6 go along with your assessment of the "value vs price" You can "complete the "mouse hole mod" for around $75 with Marinco "top of the line" parts or for less than $40 with "cheap knockoff parts".

I would add that my Marinco parts are 6 years old, still look new and still "going strong".....

[skids]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

The comments in post #6 go along with your assessment of the "value vs price" You can "complete the "mouse hole mod" for around $75 with Marinco "top of the line" parts or for less than $40 with "cheap knockoff parts".

I would add that my Marinco parts are 6 years old, still look new and still "going strong".....

You can’t argue with success. I had a Jayco with the mouse-hole cable and never an issue with mice or tangles but I did worry about the latter. My Bullet has the 30 amp screw-lock type.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Until a cold windy day, with rain pounding down on you and as you pull that cord out of the little hole, it won't come out more than 5 feet and it stops... There's a knot in the cord, inside the "cubbyhole" and it just won't pull through the hole.

Been there. Blessed to have my cubbyhole under the bath sink—just two screws out of a panel and Bob's your uncle.

[jmatteis]

Our cable is under the lower back bunk... fortunately, although it hasn't happened yet, if I get a tangle, its literally just lifting up the mattress and plywood. But there is a lot of room under there, so it feeds back in easily as well. And the little tab slides down to cover the mousehole although I did stuff that part with some steel wool for extra protection.

[JRTJH]

We had a "mouse hole" on our 1993 Holiday Rambler. It opened into a "false bottom in the closet in the bedroom. I thought that if I had problems, it would be "real easy to lift that panel and fix the kink in the cable"...

Well, we were in Alexandria, Louisiana at the time, and wasps, being what they are, decided to take up residence overnight. They chose that "warm, well protected cubbyhole"... The "tiny space around the cable" was the perfect entry for them..... Long story short, lifting that false panel to see what they'd done in there was a "significant event"... If you've never been in a 8'x8' room with thousands of angry wasps, you're in for a "thrilling ride" if it ever happens to you. They "set up housekeeping" in a matter of only a week. We'd used the trailer the week before, parked it to clean and repack, and when I got ready to hitch up the following Friday, that's when I was pushing the cable back into that cubbyhole and got stung the first time.

If you live anywhere wasps or yellowjackets also live...…..

[CedarCreekWoody]

Good point about the wasps, they do love cubby holes. For those concerned about mice I can assure you if they want in they can easily make an entry hole. Lack of a "mousehole" will not prevent their entry.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by CedarCreekWoody

Good point about the wasps, they do love cubby holes. For those concerned about mice I can assure you if they want in they can easily make an entry hole. Lack of a "mousehole" will not prevent their entry.

While this is true but also what is true is that mice, ants, roaches, wasps, whatever will take the path of least resistance.

[crk112]

I got the Marinco kit from Gander Outdoors to convert my mousehole to a 30-amp connector.. except without thinking about it or realizing it, I wound up with the "square" kit, which doesn't completely cover the mousehole and leaves gaps.


Is it reasonable to try to obtain some of those metal rings to use with this one? Or perhaps another method? Or in the long run am I just better off with the round Marinco kit to begin with?

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by crk112

I got the Marinco kit from Gander Outdoors to convert my mousehole to a 30-amp connector.. except without thinking about it or realizing it, I wound up with the "square" kit, which doesn't completely cover the mousehole and leaves gaps.


Is it reasonable to try to obtain some of those metal rings to use with this one? Or perhaps another method? Or in the long run am I just better off with the round Marinco kit to begin with?

There are several "solutions" to the square hole/round peg dilemma.

First, you can send it back and get the round kit. Doing that may (or may not) get you a connector mount that's large enough to cover the hole in your FILON skin left by the removal of the "mousehole". Usually they are large enough, but not always....

Second, you can go to Lowe's, HD or even WalMart and buy a white/beige plastic cutting board and fabricate a plate large enough to cover the hole in your FILON and then cut the proper size hole for your current 30 amp adapter.

Third, Lowe's, HD and other big box stores usually sell smaller sheets of HDPE, a waterproof, plastic sheeting material in various thicknesses. You can almost always find something that "will work" to fabricate the plate for your trailer "hole that's too large".

Fourth, West Marine and many other marine parts centers sell a product called Starboard, Seaboard or TACO board, all are "brand names for HDPE sheeting. Any of them would serve as a plate to mount your 30 amp trailer connector.

[Snoking]

The 3 blade Y cable plug as you called it is a better connection then the 30amp Hubble twist lock. That plug goes back to the 1930's and use in hospitals. Many boats have burnt to the water line because of that plug.

[Brentw]

I might add, if you chose to change over to a twist lock ( and I would never go back to a connected cord and mouse hole) consider adding a decent plywood backer board on the inside for the mounting screws to bite. The weight of the cord and adapters can slightly pry the trailer side connector away from the trailer wall and break the seal.

[Dave W]

Just drill another hole in the RV body, leaving the mouse hole hatch in place. I used that mouse hole to install a second but 20 amp circuit and outlet on the back wall (on the last 5er). You need a box and a reverse receptacle plus wiring for inside, a box and a standard receptacle. The drawback on many newer RVs is that there may not be sufficient wall thickness.