After installing the surge protector, the next thing I did was replace the hard-wired electrical connector with a boat-style attach-to-the-side of the trailer one. I’d read Greg Zimmerman’s excellent post while waiting for delivery and hand the parts in hand.
I reused a longer shore power cable I had from boating days and ordered the connection online. I wasn’t keen on drilling another opening in the shell, so I decided to use the existing hole by attaching the connection to the door.
It was clear the stock door, which is just meant to keep bugs and stuff out, wasn’t strong enough to support the connection, so I set about reinforcing it.
After masking the door to limit the patch application and the hole to keep the bugs out, I mixed up the West Systems epoxy. The funky color is due to the age of the hardener; it doesn’t affect the final strength.
After the patch cured, I drilled out the opening for the plug and the patch promptly fell off. Oops. Insufficient preparation, I had not roughed up the door surface enough. After some heavy sanding with coarse sandpaper, and another layer of resin, I was good to go.
So how’s it work? Okay.
I’d opted to save a few $$ by getting the plastic-covered SmartPlug receptacle instead of the stainless steel one I had had on the boat. If I were doing it over again, I’d have sprung for the metal version, as it latches down onto the cord more firmly.
I’d read a lot about how RV cords were like boat shore power cords. When the trailer arrived, I found out: not quite. Turns out I didn’t know my 30A NEMA L5-30 from my NEMA Tt-30R! When I pulled out the shoreline cable I discovered RV receptacles have a different prong pattern than marina ones:
The boat style “NEMA L5-30” twists to lock in, rather than relying strictly on friction like the RV “Tt-30R.” Boats don’t stand still when they’re parked like trailers do.
Well, nothing a few more dollars sent Jeff Bezos’ way couldn’t fix.
I ordered a dogbone connector off Amazon and extended my existing cord. I’ve taped the connection with fusing (“self repair”) tape I had picked up at a boat show years ago. At least I got a nice handle and indicator light on the plug receptacle end.
This has worked out well for us. We keep the cord in the van.