Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Modifications and Upgrades
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 04-02-2012, 09:07 PM   #1
Johnnyfry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Herndon, VA
Posts: 394
Power plug location

OK, I am finally tired of the location Keystone chose for the AC shore power socket --- right in the center of the rear wall.

I am going to move the socket to the port (road) side just aft of the basement door, near the sewer drain location.

My question is: 1) Has anyone ever seen an electrical pedestal location where this would not be more convenient? 2) Does anyone offer a good reason not to do this?

I have often been the situation where the ideal sewer location is not ideal for the electrical hook up. The sewer location is almost always close to the electrical pedestal. Having the electrical hook up on the side of the RV near the sewer location, seems to me, is almost always closer than the rear.

Any input appreciated.

John
__________________
2006 Dodge Cummins 3500 Mega cab, dually
2011Cougar 318SAB
Sidewinder hitch
Johnnyfry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-02-2012, 09:11 PM   #2
CampDestinations.com
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
It will depend on where you camp, but in my short time camping with my trailer I've been to parks with the pedestal near the middle, back and front of the camper. Why go through the hassle when you can get a 30 Amp extension cord? That's what I ended up doing and I've used it twice. Done the same with my drinking water hose, cable tv, and sewer hose too. You just never know where the hookups will be located in relation to your rig.
  Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 03:52 AM   #3
mikell
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SW Michigan
Posts: 806
Our park everythings to the middle rear of the rig
mikell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 05:33 AM   #4
rjsurfer
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 452
I have always hated that "mouse hole" and trying to stuff the electrical cord back into it, and have even had a few occasions where the cord got knotted up in there forcing me to take the white access plate off and sticking my arm in there to release it. Not fun.

After putting a bike rack on the bumper it's even harder know.

I could go with a Marinco female twist lock assembly, eliminating the mouse hole, and change the male AC plug to match it on the existing cord but why go through the cost and bother. What I plan on doing is just buy a 30'-40' 30 Amp RV extension cord and use that. Granted I would still have to plug it in to the existing cord within the "hole" but I don't have to play with stuffing back in.

And on those rare occasions where I need more reach than the 30'-40' can give me I could then pull out the 25' of the original cord from the compartment.

Ron W.
rjsurfer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 06:19 AM   #5
allentx1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 122
I also do not like where Keystone put the AC plug location. Where we camp it is almost always in the middle to slightly rear, never in the back. Seems like they would have put it near the rest of the connections. Maybe they didn't due to the water/electricity. I have thought about moving mine but haven't felt brave enough to tackle it. Seems straight forward enough. My cord is long enough to not really matter where the pedestal is but I hate that it is in back.
__________________
allentx1

2011 Avalanche 340TG
2010 Ford F-250 6.4l Power Stroke 2wd
Pullrite auto-slider hitch
Austin Texas area
allentx1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 06:37 AM   #6
Johnnyfry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Herndon, VA
Posts: 394
Plug location

Thanks for the replies. In my case I have a 50 amp cable which is heavy and, as presently set up, barely reaches anything forward of the center of the trailer. Plugging in with a bike rack is also a PITA.

The cord is already detachable and does not use the "mouse hole" approach.
I'll post pics if/when I do the job.

John
__________________
2006 Dodge Cummins 3500 Mega cab, dually
2011Cougar 318SAB
Sidewinder hitch
Johnnyfry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-03-2012, 06:40 AM   #7
hankpage
Site Team
 
hankpage's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Venice
Posts: 5,346
At my present location the power,water, cable and phone pedestals are at the rear corner and shared by four sites. My trailer is not that long so when centered with the pad it takes every inch of shore power cord to reach. I carry an extension but have never used it. Twenty feet of sewer hose just makes it to the sanitary connection. I'm guessing these sites were designed for much larger rigs. JM2˘, Hank
__________________
Hank & Lynn
2007 Cougar 290RKS, E-Z Flex, 16" XPS RIBs ( SOLD .. Gonna miss her ... looking for new 5r)
2004.5 Dodge 2500 QC, LB, 5.9HO, WestTach gauges, Ride-Rite
hankpage is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 09:11 AM   #8
allentx1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 122
Ok, so now that I have looked closer at this modification, it seems pretty simple to do. my problem is what would we do with the hole in the rear filon?Leave the cover there as a pretend power entry? OR do we tap into the main to place an additional outlet so we are covered no matter where the location is. I'd like to move it, going closer to converter vs away from it is much easier.... cut wire, reconnect. just not sure what to do with that hole in the rear wall.
__________________
allentx1

2011 Avalanche 340TG
2010 Ford F-250 6.4l Power Stroke 2wd
Pullrite auto-slider hitch
Austin Texas area
allentx1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 10:02 AM   #9
SAD
Permanent User Ban
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Bartlesville, Oklahoma
Posts: 1,124
Quote:
Originally Posted by allentx1 View Post
Ok, so now that I have looked closer at this modification, it seems pretty simple to do. my problem is what would we do with the hole in the rear filon? Leave the cover there as a pretend power entry? OR do we tap into the main to place an additional outlet so we are covered no matter where the location is. I'd like to move it, going closer to converter vs away from it is much easier.... cut wire, reconnect. just not sure what to do with that hole in the rear wall.
^ this is what I would do.
SAD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 10:13 AM   #10
Jorme
Senior Member
 
Jorme's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Simi Valley, CA
Posts: 122
Quote:
Originally Posted by rjsurfer View Post
I have always hated that "mouse hole" and trying to stuff the electrical cord back into it, and have even had a few occasions where the cord got knotted up in there forcing me to take the white access plate off and sticking my arm in there to release it. Not fun.

After putting a bike rack on the bumper it's even harder know.

I could go with a Marinco female twist lock assembly, eliminating the mouse hole, and change the male AC plug to match it on the existing cord but why go through the cost and bother. What I plan on doing is just buy a 30'-40' 30 Amp RV extension cord and use that. Granted I would still have to plug it in to the existing cord within the "hole" but I don't have to play with stuffing back in.

And on those rare occasions where I need more reach than the 30'-40' can give me I could then pull out the 25' of the original cord from the compartment.

Ron W.
Thats what I started doing a couple years ago....I hate dealing with that mouse hose. Extension cord is the way to go.
__________________
2006 Ford F-350 6.0 diesel
2005 Keystone Copper Canyon 297fwbhs

https://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l..._1572720_n.jpg
Jorme is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 11:19 AM   #11
Johnnyfry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Herndon, VA
Posts: 394
Covering hole

My plan is to covert the hole with a circular white piece of plastic or, preferably, a piece of the same material used for the outside skin, if I can find a source.

John
__________________
2006 Dodge Cummins 3500 Mega cab, dually
2011Cougar 318SAB
Sidewinder hitch
Johnnyfry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 03:38 PM   #12
Jim & Kay
Senior Member
 
Jim & Kay's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tazewell, Virginia
Posts: 286
My solution to the mouse hole is to change the connection to a Marine Shore inlet connection. But my reason was 2 fold, I too, dislike the mouse hole and stuffing the electric cord back in after use ,but also, needed a way to hook up my generator that is carried in the bed of my Tundra. I have 1 separate cable that I have run thru the underbelly to the front cargo area of my 5er, where I installed another Marine Shore 30 amp inlet, to enable ease of connecting from the generator with a short cable. And 1 separate cable for hooking up to the electrical pedestal at campgrounds, this cable will be stored in a cubby hole. This mod could be a bit pricey but I have a friend that works at a Marine Parts Dealer, that gave me a 30 amp 50' marine shore cable. Click image for larger version

Name:	Marine Shore Electric Connector.jpg
Views:	677
Size:	79.0 KB
ID:	1167

Click image for larger version

Name:	Marine Shore Electric Connector2.jpg
Views:	691
Size:	82.4 KB
ID:	1168
__________________

HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU
Jim, Kay, & Our Furry Kids
2012 Cougar HC 5er 291RLS aka "Rt 66 B&B"
2008 Toyota Tundra aka "The Hoss" 4X4 Limited DC 5.7 L
6 S Tranny w/TowHaul 4.30 RG 20" tires
Firestone Airbags w/compressor
16K Superglide hitch

Lovers of Route 66
Jim & Kay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-04-2012, 04:41 PM   #13
Bob Landry
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Austin, Tx
Posts: 1,910
I converted mine to a twist on type and mounted it using a piece of Starboard. I carry two power cords, a Marinco, and a longer one that I made using the original power cord, which is actually a little longer. I have never been in a place where one of them would not reach the pedestal. I also carry an extension for the sewer hose just in case, and an extra white water hose... Just in case..
That seemed like a much better solution than having to figure out how to patch a big hole in the rear without it looking like a "rig".

Bob Landry is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2019, 09:54 AM   #14
littlemidget
Junior Member
 
Join Date: May 2019
Location: Smethport
Posts: 21
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim & Kay View Post
My solution to the mouse hole is to change the connection to a Marine Shore inlet connection. But my reason was 2 fold, I too, dislike the mouse hole and stuffing the electric cord back in after use ,but also, needed a way to hook up my generator that is carried in the bed of my Tundra. I have 1 separate cable that I have run thru the underbelly to the front cargo area of my 5er, where I installed another Marine Shore 30 amp inlet, to enable ease of connecting from the generator with a short cable. And 1 separate cable for hooking up to the electrical pedestal at campgrounds, this cable will be stored in a cubby hole. This mod could be a bit pricey but I have a friend that works at a Marine Parts Dealer, that gave me a 30 amp 50' marine shore cable. Attachment 1167

Attachment 1168
I know this is a really old board, but what is the black thing you used to cover you hole? I am trying to convert mine, but need something to cover the old 5 1/8" mouse hole.
littlemidget is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-27-2019, 11:26 AM   #15
LHaven
Senior Member
 
LHaven's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,270
Quote:
Originally Posted by allentx1 View Post
OR do we tap into the main to place an additional outlet so we are covered no matter where the location is.
I wouldn't do that. The inlet is a male plug, right? When you have either one of the inlets plugged into shore power, the other inlet will have a hot bare connector. Sneaky neighbor kid investigates that hole and you have problems.
__________________
2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
LHaven is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-29-2019, 08:21 AM   #16
keyholeelf
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Brooks
Posts: 23
We have a storage rack on the back of our camper. the 50 amp power cord was also in the back. I hated the location and the difficulties it caused. I moved ours. I unhooked the wires from the existing plug and reinstalled it to close up the hole. I bought a new 50 amp plug for 19 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and installed in on the side of the camper in it's new location. Didn't even have to buy any wire. Works great.
__________________
Donald Pilkey
2016 Keystone Cougar 341 RKI
2007 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab 2500HD 6.6 Dmax
keyholeelf is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 05:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.