Usb/Electrical outlet

[larrygiordano]

Hey all. I looked for this particular topic but couldn't find anything so here goes: I have a 2017 Springdale 270LE. Can I trade out a USB only outlet with a regular RV double outlet? It is on the long slide wall and there are no other outlets in the slide at all. I thought if I install either a combo usb/elec. outlet or just a regular outlet and add a small plug in power strip, I can get some much needed power to the dinette table (for lap tops and such). Any thoughts?

[chuckster57]

Your USB outlets will be part of the 12VDC wiring. Unless you have 110VAC romex in the slide somewhere, then you cant. Getting 110VAC into a slide requires a couple of things:

running romex to a junction box in the bottom corner of the slide, drilling a hole and running stranded wire from the junction box to the underbelly. then using a molex plug change to romex and hook it up to the breaker panel. Not a simple mod but it is doable.

[LHaven]

In my rig we have no factory power in the slide at all. I had to install a long extension cord to go from under the dinette, around the back of the recliners, and hang loose near the slide lip so we can plug it in when the slide is deployed. We plug the other end into a power tower (one example), so we can make it handy on the table when we need 120 and USB there, and tuck it underneath when we need the space for a meal. (In my last rig, I mounted a power strip on the wall underneath the table. Never again... it was like playing Blind Man's Buff to get anything plugged in.)

Extension cords come in a marvelous variety of lengths, so if you measure properly can you probably find a "perfect" premade one for your rig.

And yeah, we do plug and unplug it when we retract the slide. We got a low-profile sideways plug so we wouldn't have to, but we'd rather be chicken than strain something. In our last rig, we went through the effort to get a "curly cord" so we could leave it plugged in, but the loops in the cord caught on the slide edge and threatened to rip the vinyl padding, so we gave up on the idea.

[larrygiordano]

Thanks for the replies. I figured it was 12vdc but was hoping otherwise. Between DW working from "home" and the kids with school, my camper is a rats nest with extension cords and chargers. And my big behind is going to trip and wipe them all out. What I don't get is why the lack of outlets in the slide out? I like LHaven's idea. I would need to stretch the cord to the bathroom and under the door but its safer than what I got now. Thanks again

[NH_Bulldog]

The USB outlets use 12v DC with wires typically 18 or 20 ga. You will need 110v AC with 14 ga. wire to install a duplex power outlet. You can add a combination 110v duplex/USB outlet if you have 110v but not the other way around.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by larrygiordano

What I don't get is why the lack of outlets in the slide out?

It requires running high-current cabling to a structure that moves in and out, over and over. It's one thing to run a 12v cable, it doesn't have nearly as much smoke in it, but a 120v cable is dangerous. They engineer it for high-end rigs, but I assume it's a considerable cost savings not to include it.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by larrygiordano

Thanks for the replies. I figured it was 12vdc but was hoping otherwise. Between DW working from "home" and the kids with school, my camper is a rats nest with extension cords and chargers. And my big behind is going to trip and wipe them all out. What I don't get is why the lack of outlets in the slide out? I like LHaven's idea. I would need to stretch the cord to the bathroom and under the door but its safer than what I got now. Thanks again

It’s harder to wire outlets to the slide because the wire has to be flexible to allow for running the slide in and out. Normally it would be regular romex wire if it wasn’t in a slide and I think John in a previous post explained what is involved for running it from the factory. That’s a lot to ask for a 120 volt wire to be able to survive countless slide cycles. The usb wire is much more forgiving as it’s smaller