Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Old phart phred on August 10, 2017, 09:53:21 pm

Title: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Old phart phred on August 10, 2017, 09:53:21 pm
Did a search, but could not find the answer. Just want to be able to plug the coach into a 15 amp 115 vac outlet for temporary maintainence, and to maintain batteries, without dragging out the 50 amp cord and all of the adapters. Male to male short cord, and rely on my residence circuit breaker or did foretravel hide something for this in a bay.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Mark Duckworth on August 10, 2017, 10:06:02 pm
A male-to-male cord would be dangerous.  Have you considered attaching the adapters to your 50 amp cord and then just run a standard extension cord to the coach?  You can attach the adapter to the extension cord inside the bay without actually dragging out the 50 amp cord.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: FourTravelers on August 10, 2017, 10:12:08 pm
In the electrical business,,,, we call the male to male cords- "suicide adapters".
Not sure why....... ::)

kinda like giving someone a new toaster for their bathtub!

Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: stump on August 10, 2017, 10:16:03 pm
You need one of these and use a good 12 gauge or heavier extension cord.
Connecticut Electric 50/20 Amp Outlet Adapter-CESMAD5020 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Connecticut-Electric-50-20-Amp-Outlet-Adapter-CESMAD5020/202714804?&cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|B|0|B-BASE-D27E+Electrical|&mid=U68EcXGN|dc_mtid_8903vry57826_pcrid_73392414173109_pkw__pmt__)
GE 50 Amp to 20 Amp Adapter Plug-AD5020 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-50-Amp-to-20-Amp-Adapter-Plug-AD5020/202307109)
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Old phart phred on August 10, 2017, 10:31:46 pm
A male-to-male cord would be dangerous.  Have you considered attaching the adapters to your 50 amp cord and then just run a standard extension cord to the coach?  You can attach the adapter to the extension cord inside the bay without actually dragging our the 50 amp cord.
Male to male is something I knew I wanted to avoid. Have an ored so no big bays, and 50 amp inlet is on side of coach. Looking for old timer answer. Inverter has been disconnected so when the power goes out tonight. I don't want to back feed the grid and send 7000 volts thru a lineman.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: AncloteJoe on August 10, 2017, 10:33:32 pm
When I store the coach, I use a 50/30 adapter in conjunction with a 30/15 adapter and a standard extension cord. Also, in the back of the Heart interface control panel set dip switches 7 and 8 to the ON position. This prevents the inverter/charger from sending any more than 5 amps to charge the batteries.  This is also going through my Progressive EMS so if there is too much draw on the 15 amp line, the voltage will drop and the EMS will cut the power.
There is very little that can be run in this configuration but it does keep the batteries up. you can also run the refrigerator and icemaker but thats about it. I run a separate exttension cord if I want to vacuum or run power tools.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Old phart phred on August 10, 2017, 10:54:04 pm
You need one of these and use a good 12 gauge or heavier extension cord.
Connecticut Electric 50/20 Amp Outlet Adapter-CESMAD5020 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/Connecticut-Electric-50-20-Amp-Outlet-Adapter-CESMAD5020/202714804?&cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|B|0|B-BASE-D27E+Electrical|&mid=U68EcXGN|dc_mtid_8903vry57826_pcrid_73392414173109_pkw__pmt__)
GE 50 Amp to 20 Amp Adapter Plug-AD5020 - The Home Depot (http://www.homedepot.com/p/GE-50-Amp-to-20-Amp-Adapter-Plug-AD5020/202307109)

Stump, thanks but appears not to work with my 50 amp marineco style coach recessed male twist lock inlet. Surely somebody has been down this road before.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: jcus on August 10, 2017, 11:06:45 pm
15A To 50A 125/250V Pigtail Adapter | Marinco (http://www.marinco.com/en/150spp)
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: John44 on August 11, 2017, 06:24:43 am
Half the RV parks in upper Canada and Alaska are only 15 amp.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: stump on August 11, 2017, 07:04:18 am
Stump, thanks but appears not to work with my 50 amp marineco style coach recessed male twist lock inlet. Surely somebody has been down this road before.
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Stump, thanks but appears not to work with my 50 amp marineco style coach recessed male twist lock inlet. Surely somebody has been down this road before.
Huh? You plug in your 50 amp cord as usual.This plugs onto the other end of your 50 amp cord. The extension cord plugs into this.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Mark Duckworth on August 11, 2017, 07:50:19 am
I think what he wants is a very short adapter cable to plug into the outside of the coach. 

Existing coach bulkhead male connector --> female 50a female connector --> 18" 10ga or 12ga cable --> 15a or 20a male plug --> extension cord to house

Shouldn't be hard to build.  Just need to source the 50a female connector.  That way he doesn't have to drag the big 50a cord out of storage.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: John44 on August 11, 2017, 08:02:22 am
Check the Marinco website,they have every adaptor you can think of!!
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: stump on August 11, 2017, 08:02:50 am
Gotcha, Thanks Mark I didn't realize he had his connector on the outside.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: FourTravelers on August 11, 2017, 08:27:10 am
Jcus referenced the adapter that he needs in his previous post
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Twig on August 11, 2017, 08:29:01 am
I connect a regular smart battery charger to the house batteries and leave it on all the time plugged in to my home. Then I use the inverter any time I want to use electricity in the coach and turn it off when done.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Old phart phred on August 11, 2017, 12:14:44 pm
115 vac seperate shore power inlet to run charger and refrig and whatever low power items I might use while working on it until I get the big garage/shop built this winter. Am I creating a dangerous situation with the AC wiring system.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Mark Duckworth on August 11, 2017, 12:28:48 pm
Jcus referenced the adapter that he needs in his previous post
Cool.  I missed that.
Title: Re: 115 vac maintainence cord
Post by: Old phart phred on August 11, 2017, 09:25:57 pm
My 50 amp shore power inlet has 3 radial blades twist type, with the ground I think being an anualler contacts on the sides of the plug. Looked at the marinco website and found the one with the pigtail. Was hoping to mount a 15A one in somewhere out of the weather, that I could use a standard heavy duty cord on. At that point, it becomes a question of where is the best place to tie in the Romex (or better grade) wiring.