30 amp shore power inlet -what brand to buy or avoid?

[Robin Bobula]

What brands of power inlets have people had good or bad experiences with? Are the ones with the LED light (like Furrion) helpful, or is that unnecessary? Square or round?

I need to order one this weekend. We're probably going with 30 amp, but might be open to a 50 amp, depending on price/quality.

Thanks in advance,
Robin

[OverTheTopCargoTrailer]

I really fail to understand why people need 30 amp on such a small set up ?

Those outlets, power cords and etc cost up the WAZOO !!! and they are heavy to lug around, god forbid one gets stolen

I have everything on a single 15 amp circuit, however one could just as well wire up 2 - 20 amp circuits with # 12 wire
and save a ton of money. But who am I to talk.....Mr OverTheTop
with the 810 watt solar panel

You can see my crazy wiring job at the link below...
here is a quick pic of when I got started, its 3 x more filled up now





http://overthetopcargotrailer.blogspot.com/

[pete42]

I just used a 25 foot 30 amp cord hardwired into a junction box that went to the convertor panel.
when I did my old trailer years ago
If you want one that can be unpluged from the trailer then any brand name will work
some from marine supply shops cost more than some from trailer supply stores.
If you are planning on having a big AC unit then maybe a 50 amp is the way to go I have never needed
one that big in any of my trailers but 30 amp would be the lowest I would go with.

pete

[CliffinGA]

OTT Sometimes when you decide to use the power distribution boxes they call for 30 amp!

Robin on my next build I will purchase a inlet from an RV place and not a secure lock ring one from a marine dealer. Difference is in the cost of the cord, RV one, cord from walmart $49, secure lock ine with marine female at the trailer and rv male at the camp outlet $99. Or you can get the inlet that will let you hard wire the cord to your distribution panel and open inlet pull your cord out and hook up and when your leaving un hook and push it back in, those cords run around $25.

Cliff

[Shadow Catcher]

Why a 30A, the inrush current for our Progressive Dynamics power center is 32A, normal 6.25, water heater 13.3A, AC 7+A inrush 15to 20A... You can use a great deal more power than you anticipate.
There are work arounds but...

[aggie79]

My vote is with Shadow Catcher.

A microwave and an air conditioner or heater will usually push current draw beyond 15 amps. Yes - I use a microwave when camping. And yes - I'm lazy and don't want to power manage my fixtures/appliances. Yes - I'm also lazy and don't charge my battery prior to camping. So...the 30 amp service works best for me and I'm glad I spent the money installing it. Others' mileage may vary.

[8ball_99]

Its not really the brand but the style.. Like others said just get a standard 3 Prong RV cord and hard wire it into either your converter if breaker box which ever your using.. But a hatch on the side of the trailer for the cord to pass through. Those marine twist lock cables look cool.. But they are very expensive and pointless. Every campground is going to have a standard outlet on either a 15 or 20 amp breaker a standard 30 amp RV and or a 50 plug.. If you use a twist lock you will also need an adapter. So you will still be plugging your trailer into the outlet with the standard plug.. Just matters if you want your cord to cost 50 bucks or 200 bucks. You want your adapters to be 8 bucks or 30?. A smaller trailer shouldn't need 50 amps, I wouldn't do less then 30 amps though. Like us our trailer has a microwave and Roof AC, I can run both on 30 but I would not be able to on a 20amp.. Even if you don't plan on having big stuff.. What if you end up with a coffe pot and a boot drying.. I Also carry both of those with us camping. They are very small but still use a fair amount of power..

[d30gaijin]

Its not really the brand but the style.. Like others said just get a standard 3 Prong RV cord and hard wire it into either your converter if breaker box which ever your using.. But a hatch on the side of the trailer for the cord to pass through. Those marine twist lock cables look cool.. But they are very expensive and pointless. Every campground is going to have a standard outlet on either a 15 or 20 amp breaker a standard 30 amp RV and or a 50 plug.. If you use a twist lock you will also need an adapter. So you will still be plugging your trailer into the outlet with the standard plug.. Just matters if you want your cord to cost 50 bucks or 200 bucks. You want your adapters to be 8 bucks or 30?. A smaller trailer shouldn't need 50 amps, I wouldn't do less then 30 amps though. Like us our trailer has a microwave and Roof AC, I can run both on 30 but I would not be able to on a 20amp.. Even if you don't plan on having big stuff.. What if you end up with a coffe pot and a boot drying.. I Also carry both of those with us camping. They are very small but still use a fair amount of power..

Gotta go with 8ball on this one. When doing our CT conversion I went with a Marinco 30 amp inlet, the twist lock marine type. It was expensive, and the shore power pigtail adapter required to convert to a standard three prong plug even more so. All in all it was pointless and expensive, but then again, at that time I didn't know better and there weren't many (or any) such conversations in this forum. There is a lot more shared knowledge here than there was when I started my build just two years ago. Take advantage of it.

Also, I agree with the consensus, go with a 30 amp inlet. Better to have 30 amp access when you don't need it than to not have it when you do need it... i.e., if some is good and more is better, then too much is just enough.

Also, 8ball's recommendation of putting a simple hatch in the side of your CT has a lot of merit. I have done both (see photos below) and were I to do it all over again I think I might just go with the simple hatch and keep all connections inside the CT by running a cord through the hatch. That hatch cost me $5 at Camping World. The Marinco plug-in penetration/hook-up and the required Marinco pig tail to convert cost just about $100. $5 vs. $100, and both work equally well? Not to difficult to figure out.

Don

Marinco 30 amp marine twist-lock inlet penetration.

Marinco 30 amp inlet with required pigtail adapter.

$5 inlet hatch outside view.

$5 inlet hatch inside view.

[Robin Bobula]

It's so cool to read everyone's opinions and experiences, and to see the photos -- this forum is great! So many things I would never have thought of.

We sat down and calculated our anticipated energy needs -- window AC, small fridge, laptops, lights, TV, and a few other things that will use a fair amount of power but only intermittently (coffee maker, hair dryer). Not planning a water heater, furnace, or rooftop AC. Hope to use a propane heater or small cube heater. So according to the calculations, a 30 amp should be sufficient. Being that the 50 amp inlet is $50 more, and that 50 amp sites are less numerous and cost a little more at campgrounds, we decided to just go with 30 amp.

I looked into the option of having an inlet where you pull the power cord out through the mouse hole, but read that copper thieves have been known to steal these cords. Guess you could get a lock on your outside hatch door, though. Also, some folks say the cords can be challenging to deploy, sometimes even a two-person job, so we decided against that. Great idea, though -- so good to know about all the options! We plan on having a detachable cord that will store in the shallow "closet" space between a false rear wall and the back cargo doors. That's also where we'll mount our window AC.

Thanks so much to everyone for sharing your thoughts on this!

Robin

[8ball_99]

You can get a hatch with a lock on it. Also this style hatch you can even have the cord away from the hole so you have to start feeding it from the inside if you want.. Mine isn't like that. I just built a box on the inside large enough for the cord. I wouldn't be that worried about someone taking your cord for copper. If they want it they will get it. But really there isn't all that much copper in a 30 amp cord. It might be 5 dollars or so worth of scrap.
Here is a picture of my electrical hatch with the cord sticking through. The one on the right is my water hook up. Ignore the dirty trailer we just got back sunday from a trip. It was also taken at sunrise so everything is orange..

[d30gaijin]

You can get a hatch with a lock on it. Also this style hatch you can even have the cord away from the hole so you have to start feeding it from the inside if you want.. Mine isn't like that. I just built a box on the inside large enough for the cord. I wouldn't be that worried about someone taking your cord for copper. If they want it they will get it. But really there isn't all that much copper in a 30 amp cord. It might be 5 dollars or so worth of scrap.
Here is a picture of my electrical hatch with the cord sticking through. The one on the right is my water hook up. Ignore the dirty trailer we just got back sunday from a trip. It was also taken at sunrise so everything is orange..

Again, I agree with 8ball. Copper thieves are the least of your worries. Thieves in general should be your worry... specifically complete trailer thieves i.e, people that will steal your whole trailer. Make sure to have a way to lock your CT, lock and secure the hitch (see pic below) and maybe even a wheel lock or two (I don't have any pics of that but I have seen them on this site). Be that as it may, I plan to get some form of wheel locks.

Don

[roadinspector]

I too agree. That looks like the hitch lock I have. I thinks its called a bulldog lock. I like mine. I also have a pressure wheel chock system that goes between the tandem axle. When in place it puts pressure on both tires. It has a place for a pad lock to secure it. Granted it can be removed without the key with some great effort but it will slow them down and thieves are looking for a quick and easy pick. They don't like anything that will slow them down. Nothing is full proof, if they want it they'll get it. Just make it enough of a pain in the ars where they'll go steal someone elses.

Earnest

[norcal2]

I just used a 25 foot 30 amp cord hardwired into a junction box that went to the convertor panel.
when I did my old trailer years ago
If you want one that can be unpluged from the trailer then any brand name will work
some from marine supply shops cost more than some from trailer supply stores.
If you are planning on having a big AC unit then maybe a 50 amp is the way to go I have never needed
one that big in any of my trailers but 30 amp would be the lowest I would go with.

pete

I sized mine based on generator size...4kw will give you about a 30 amps max 2kw 15 amp max etc ...oversizing for the sake of oversizing is a waste of money i do most of my camping off the grid though I did oversize my ac/dc distribution panel though as it was cheaper!...

[CliffinGA]

Rbin the 30 amp hardwired cord that you pull out is standard on every pop up I've had over the last15yrs and even the one we have now, and never had a problem pull it out or pitting it back in. Most I have ever had out of the trailer at one time was 20ft of cord.

Cliff

[etcret]

I would like to give a few suggestions or mention things I have experienced owning two actual manufactured travel trailers in my life. Yes, I fell for the hype more than once. I’m a slow learner but I did learn a few things.

1. Why 30amp? Mostly because that is what a normal campground hookup for a smaller trailer is. Mostly because if yo simply run 15/20amp service you will one day regret it. An air conditioner, microwave, etc.. will push that 15/20amp limit.

2. Many people use those power hatches due to cost and simplicity. DO NOT DO IT! Yes, they work great for what they are designed for. So why am I recommending you not use them. Anyone living in Texas or some other ant infested area will one day find that ants will wall from the power pedestal you are plugged into down the power cord and inside your trailer if you have a hatch such that it isn’t 100% sealed to outside entry. 30 amp receptacles are hugely better.

3. Don’t be cheap on the wiring. Follow nationally recognized wiring guidelines especially if you are plugging your 30 amp service cord to an extension cord. If you youse a cheap extension cord you will burn it up and possibly you with it.

4. If you are camping in hot weather and using an AC a lot, pay particular attention to even your 30amp power cord, connectors, and receptacle. They will heat up with continuous AC use and tend to wear out quicker. Be prepared to replace the cord or at least cut off the melted part and replace the connector once a year.

Just my two cents. YMMV.