Shoreline Plug in prison

Eric MP · 03-08-2020, 12:06 PM

Can't believe I did this one........... Starting our 3rd season of RV's on our Sprinter Campfire TT. A 3 year old rookie mistake!! I was doing seasonal prep work and opened the access cover to our shoreline power cord. Not sure what happened next but simply was not thinking...........that led me to push the very end.....yeah plug end....through the access tube into the inside of the unit. The storage area is the interior cabinet, square, roughly 20" tall that is attached to the rear exterior wall between our two recliners. A power panel is attached to the side and holds the converter and fuses. On the outside front of the "cabinet" is the carbon monoxide detector. No power/battery is available, or connected to the unit. I have been thinking that the panel may come off for access, but then I could accidentally disconnect wires from the power box/panel. Any experience or ideas for a solve? The exterior plastic housing for cord storage is solidly in position through the exterior wall. I am concerned about further damage being done with my attempts to pull out this plastic housing because the wall was flexing with each pull. It would not budge. thanks, Eric

ctbruce · 03-08-2020, 12:23 PM

Does the cabinet have an access panel held in ace with screws that can be removed? The wiring inside will have enough give to gain access, as long *** you don't try to move it outside! LOL

NH_Bulldog · 03-08-2020, 12:26 PM

You should be able to remove the screws on the outside of the housing and then using a putty knife, slowly work around the lip and carefully pry the housing free. The hole is big enough to reach in and pull the cord back out, thread it back through the opening and then reinstall with new putty tape and sealant. Of course now would be the perfect time to get a twist-lock adapter kit and make it a detachable cord and never have to worry about it again!

Northofu1 · 03-08-2020, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

You should be able to remove the screws on the outside of the housing and then using a putty knife, slowly work around the lip and carefully pry the housing free. The hole is big enough to reach in and pull the cord back out, thread it back through the opening and then reinstall with new putty tape and sealant. Of course now would be the perfect time to get a twist-lock adapter kit and make it a detachable cord and never have to worry about it again!

^^^ x2 I would do that as well.

LHaven · 03-08-2020, 02:10 PM

I'd go in by removing the fusebox, mainly because i suck at sealing exterior stuff so that it both seals and looks good, and because I've done it before (when I installed my power monitor) and it was nowhere as scary as I had feared. There is LOTS of slack in the fusebox wiring (they wired it outside the cutout before they screwed it in) and lots of room to get your arms in. Also, my guess is that popping and replacing the fusebox is WAY faster than doing the same to a sealed exterior port.

**JRTJH** · 03-08-2020, 04:41 PM

And a "PLUS" by unscrewing the power center and going in that way, with the shore power cable "well hidden in the box" you don't have to worry about any "live wires" as you grope around back there, trying to find the male end of an elusive cable"......

LHaven · 03-08-2020, 05:14 PM

Of course, no matter how you go in, there aren't going to be any (AC) live wires, given that you can't plug the shore cable in. I'd probably disconnect a battery terminal in any case, just to keep from sparking and damaging any 12V equipment.

**hankpage** · 03-08-2020, 07:50 PM

I would remove the outside "Mouse hole" cover and enlarge the hole to install a larger cord hatch. Twist-lock cords are great until you have to find a new place to store the cord.

The one below made storing the cord easier and also gave me space to store my adapters and dog-bones. Once you remove the old cover you can see and feel inside and determine how large a hatch you can install. As mentioned, be sure ALL power is removed before probing around inside.

dadnjesse · 03-14-2020, 11:22 AM

I had this happen to me. I removed the access point and installed a bigger one that I could put my hand through.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RV-Camper-P...W/183405816230

Nuckledragger · 03-14-2020, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NH_Bulldog

You should be able to remove the screws on the outside of the housing and then using a putty knife, slowly work around the lip and carefully pry the housing free. The hole is big enough to reach in and pull the cord back out, thread it back through the opening and then reinstall with new putty tape and sealant. Of course now would be the perfect time to get a twist-lock adapter kit and make it a detachable cord and never have to worry about it again!

My daughter accidentally pushed ours through when she was helping me. This rescue method worked for us.

Eric MP · 03-15-2020, 08:07 AM

To all that have shared knowledge and/or stories about my 3 yr rookie mistake.

I opted to remove the fuse panel and box to access the storage area. There was a paneling type piece of board at about a 35 degree angle between the cord storage and fuse box area, to keep the cord from getting too far into the fuse panel area. This apparently serves to keep the heavy power cord from contacting any wires, or connections, that could possibly (?) come undone due to contact like this if the panel board were not there. The board had a larger oval cut out of it. My finding the plug itself was completed with blind groping the storage area, fortunately close to the back wall. Once found, putting it back through went relatively smoothly...as well as putting everything back together. Tnx Again,

LHaven · 03-15-2020, 05:38 PM

You haven't made the big rookie mistake yet. I saw a posting from a guy who removed that baffle because he thought it was leftover construction debris. It's there to keep loops of the cable from flopping over anything you don't really want to be yanking on later.

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