Dragging my cord around....

The friendliest place on the web for anyone with an RV or an interest in RVing!
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
See posts with no answers
Alpena Jeff

Alpena Jeff

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 7, 2014
Posts
965
Location
Up North - Michigan
One of my learning experiences that will cost me money from our first trip.....
We were within 200 miles of home, every stop I do a walkabout just checking everything. Our last night before home in our hotel parking lot I noticed I've been dragging my power cord across concrete. Somewhere since our last stop it came "unwrapped" between coach and truck but did not disconnect from either. Outside casing ground away exposing wires.
Why did I wrap it to begin with you ask? The folks that installed my tow bar, bracket and RVi brake provided me with a 10ft power cord where 5ft would have just fine.
Question is, are these cables universal? Can I select my length?
Thanks again.
Jeff
 
Universial: Almost. there are basically 4 different onerx Flat 4, Round 4  6 and 7 pin.

Can you select your length.. in theory yes. but in practice you might need to special order one "Made to length" easier to either wrap it (As I do but differently than you) or cut it down yourself.

mine is a springy coil cord. I also varry a bicycle on the bsck of the RV (Dual hitch system) the cord wraps around the bike carrier upright.
 
Jeff, are the ends still good to use? If they are, just remove them, cut your cord to length then reinstall the ends. Or if the cable is unusable, you can go to  auto parts store and buy a length of cable whatever length you need and add the ends. This is possible providing the ends aren't molded on your old cable.
 
Remove damaged length then splice the cord to existing and reconnect using heat shrink butt connectors then slip a heat shrink tubing over the connectors.

https://www.delcity.net/images/photos/225px/940000_primary_225px.jpg?v=20170424183119

https://www.delcity.net/images/photos/225px/98065505_primary_225px.jpg?v=20170424183127

 
Seon said:
Remove damaged length then splice the cord to existing and reconnect using heat shrink butt connectors then slip a heat shrink tubing over the connectors.
Click to expand...

I don't have many "always" and "never" rules, but one is NEVER use butt connectors. If you must splice, do it properly: solder and tape (or heat shrink) on the individual wires. Wrap the entire splice with Scotch 33, apply ScotchKote, then another layer of tape.

This splice will remain tight and weatherproof forever.
 
HappyWanderer said:
I don't have many "always" and "never" rules, but one is NEVER use butt connectors. If you must splice, do it properly: solder and tape (or heat shrink) on the individual wires. Wrap the entire splice with Scotch 33, apply ScotchKote, then another layer of tape.

This splice will remain tight and weatherproof forever.
Click to expand...

I feel the same way about butt connectors. Those and Scotchlock squeeze on connectors are just a band-aid until something can get fixed correctly.
 
Whatever you decide to do, make sure you make note of which wires are connected where on the plug and receptacle ends. BEFORE you start disassembling them. ETrailer.com is an excellent source for your wiring needs and they have a lot helpful diagrams, pics and videos.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Members online

Total: 858 (members: 22, guests: 836)

Forum statistics

Threads
131,960
Posts
1,388,230
Members
137,712
Latest member
number1RVuser
Back
Top Bottom