We have an older coach without an electric cord storage reel, and really don't want to pay for a retrofit. Do any of you still wrestle that 25 foot python by hand? What technique do you use to wind it compactly and restrain it when it is not in use?
I have had no reel, electric reel and spring reel. Have spring now. My order of favor, electric, spring, and none. Life is too short, find a used one from RV salvage like cowlaws
We don't have any sort of wind-up mechanism either, and yes, that cord can be quite still when the temperature is in the low 20's and the wind is in the upper 20's. I just bend it into the bay as best I can, then hold it with one hand while I lower the bay door with the other. Then quickly remove hand and slam door. MUCH easier to do when the temperature is over 70, though.
Before the U320 with a power reel, in our SOB I used a plastic milk crate to keep the cord in. David
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I have 50, 30, and cable works good
When I bought my 96 U320, it did not have reels. I rolled up cord and hose and stored them for a couple of years. I bought reels and installed them myself with no problem. The reels have made life so much easier. Connecting and disconnecting the coach takes so much less time and has removed the strain of lifting a 50' cord or rolling up a stiff water hose. While the water hose reel is a convenience, the cord reel is a necessity. The older you get, the more you will appreciate it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts, guys. I'll have to confess that I was envious watching most folks push a button and having the reels wind up the chord. We recently attended the Ladies Driving School at NAC, and I was the only one there (I think) that still wound that cord by hand. Anyways, we had a great time, and also got to know James - which is ALL GOOD!
The original cord that came with the coach went missing when we had our FBP done at FOT. Somehow my 30' black cable became a 25' yellow cable. I complained and they searched everywhere for my cable. They said they were going to make me a new cable since every cable they had was only 25'. After I used the yellow cable a few times decided I loved how flexible it was. Decided to keep the 25'. It coils easily even at low temps. It must have a large number of very fine strands in it. My python is very well trained. :)
The cord started to fray on the coach end and I had a shop replace the end. The tech said I can sell you a new cord for just a little more. No I want to keep that cord. After he replaced it he said now I know why you wanted to keep that cord!
I have a "general purpose" water hose that I've had for almost 30 years. It's a Craftsman black rubber hose that's the same way. That thing won't die and is alway pliable. Would love to get a white (or at least not black) one made of the same material! I have one of the blue top of the line Camco hoses for drinking water that I hate. It's always a battle to get it coiled and uncoiled. Suggestions for replacement appreciated.
see ya
ken
I cheat and got this 25 foot 30amp cord that has the 50amp twist lock on the end (super light to coil up). Most places I end up only have a 30amp plug. Makes life a lot easier not having to wrastle the 4wire 50amp one.
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As was mentioned, the hose reel is a convenience but I don't want another coach without a cord reel. If you need just a few feet you just pull out a few feet.
We had a reel installed on our 97 U295 and it was such an improvement.
I even put a 50' 14ga extension cord reel in the bay so if I need to power something outside the coach I just pull it out and reel it back up.
The good reels aren't inexpensive but I enjoy it every time I plug in or disconnect.
If it's not too cold, a great way to store 50 and 30 amp cables is in a plastic five gallon bucket. You just coil it into the bucket and end up with a nice tight, compact and easy to handle package. I had a photo of one I've used but can't find it.
jor
"If it's not too cold" is the key.
The original poster's signature did not mention their coach year. We know many coaches have reels, but we like having the space that reels take up. In the space of the water and power reels, we have 4 water hoses, water filter, several spare water pumps and our stored 50-amp shore cable. A 50-amp shore cable will also fit into a Rubbermaid container.
Electric reels also can have a weak link where the brushes contact the four revolving rings, especially if one rotates the reel when power is connected.
Those of us with Hubbell twist plugs also will benefit with a conversion to SmartPlug with its larger contacts and three latches, something that Hubbell lacks.
Several vendors make a variant of the above 30amp cord with just a 1 ft long cord.
In addition to the 'big yellow anaconda' I have a much more flexible 50' cord with 30 amp connectors at each end.
There are times when I want to connect the 30 and the 50 together for a long run. I have a couple of different adapters for that.
When I only want the 30 amp cable, using the 1 ft long cord with the 50 amp twistlock puts the connection
out of the rain inside the bay.
I added a cord reel and hose reel to our U270 and actually gained usable storage space...
Don
My coach has an "L" shaped hook mounted in the ceiling of the electrical compartment which hangs down upon which the power cord is coiled and stored. You simply roll it up and over the hook...pretty easy and simple...
Attached is a photo I found on the net of another coach that has a similar ceiling mounted hook.
I have to chime in. The two most important additions to my 1993, U300 are the electric cord reel and hose reel I had installed at MOT in 2010. The other "Gotta Have" is the third valve on the sewer dump. If you do no other upgrades, do these.
Tryin' to get my mind around "several spare water pumps!"
Our spare water pumps are one to pump water into tank for extended dry camping, like at Quartzsite & a new one to replace our working pump that gave us a few problems, but seems to be now working ok after a few adjustments.
Reels are desirable, but since space is more important to us, mentioning the spare water pumps with the hoses, cables, filters and Hughes Autoformer was an attempt to give us bragging rights on how much we can store in the space of two reels.
I suspect that your complaint about the wrestling with the cord may be due to the fact that it has become stiff with age. Mine was like that when I bought the coach 6 years ago, but it took a few years before I realized what the problem was. The new cord is much easier to handle. You can probably sell the old one for $20 to a scrap metal dealer.