Power Cord Entry

[Pfredd]

I am using a 10 gauge extension cord for 110V AC power for my Sprinter Camper. It doesn't have an air conditioner, so 20 amps is pleanty.

I currently just pass it outside through the back door, on top of the lower hinge. However, this will eventually cause the door gasket to leak in that area, so I am looking for alternate ways to do this.

I know I can get a standard RV electric connector, mounted on the side wall of the van.

However, I once saw a conversion web page where they drilled a hole in the van floor and installed a round plastic "port" that had a screw down cap. They just unscrewed the cap and passed the electric cord through the hole.

Does anyone have any sort of leads as to where I might something like this in the US?

Or, do you have other alternatives?

Thanks in advance!

 

[pfflyer]

Welcome to the forum. You may not need to drill any holes. You don't say what year your sprinter is but in a 2013 and other latter years there is a plug on underneath behind the rear wheel that will allow you to fish a 10 gauge cord up to the rear pillar. I don't have step by step instructions listed on my build thread but you can see what I am talking about here starting around post 5.

https://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=39367

Edit: post 28 is what I finally ended up with. 10 gauge is tight fit but doable. 12 gauge is all you need for 20amp service but if you ever want to hook up to 30amp shore connections at a campground and have 2 15 amp circuits inside I would stick with the 10 gauge. I originally had about 15-20' of 12 gauge extension cord coiled up in the cavity underneath and the extension cord plug stored in the rear pillar hidden behind one of the square plugs. When I needed shore power I would pop the plug under the van and pull out the amount of cord I needed and plugged a surge strip into the extension cord receptacle hidden in the rear pillar inside.

 

[GSWatson]

I’m currently doing the extension cord thing, but it’s passing out through the bottom of the rear door, so no problems with a leak there.

I bought one of these, but have yet to get around to installing it, as I’m trying to find the best place. I like having the outlet in the back, as when I start up the van it’s clearly visible on the rear-view camera, so I don’t drive off with it attached. And if I did, it would easily pull out...

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GCP1-125V-Integrated-Extension/dp/B009ANV81S


Cheers,
Greg

 

[Kevsuda]

I have that NOCO plug on mine and it's a nice plug. Though it is not rated to 20 amps, only 13, which is plenty for my use. On my 2011, I popped out the rear most plastic cap/plug thing on the rocker panel underneath(there are several running the length of the vehicle on each side). There you can fish up a cord into the rear most pillar. You will have to cut the plug off of the side you fish in and re-splice. I just ran 14guage rated to 15 amps in. I also rapped about 4 layers of electrical tape around the cord as a protective layer (about 18 inches) since there will be a section passing through painted metal holes that will be hard to inspect.

 

[autostaretx]

Whenever i'm looking for something to penetrate a surface (or 'hull') in a waterproof fashion, i wander off to a marine supplies store and poke around.

Here in Seattle (a port city), that's easy: West Marine and Fisheries Supply (https://fisheriessupply.com) are both within easy distance.

Fisheries' web site is also pretty good for browsing and searching with a reasonable 'hit' rate.

After that, it's the plastic sewer pipe section of Home Depot ... a 2 or 3 inch "cleanout" access would provide the threaded cap, after which it's "how to seal this chunk of plastic to the floor?"
RV suppliers (Camping World?) are another ... i use Evergreen RV Supply's on-line catalog: http://www.rvretailcatalog.com/

--dick

 

[sprint2freedom]

However, I once saw a conversion web page where they drilled a hole in the van floor and installed a round plastic "port" that had a screw down cap. They just unscrewed the cap and passed the electric cord through the hole.

Does anyone have any sort of leads as to where I might something like this in the US?

Do you mean something like this?

I installed 4" deck plates as floor vents and part of the challenge was the corrugated steel floor. I ended up making a crescent shaped plastic space to get the vent to sit flat (by padding the lower corrugated surface up to the height of the upper corrugated surface).

 

[himesjd]

You can also go through the wiring access boot under the driver seat. I have a cord secured under the driver running board that gets pulled out and the extension cord plugged into. Peanut butter jar keeps it secured and the plug clean and dry. Only issue is hiding the wire inside the van while it snakes to your electrical center.

 

[borabora]

I was planning on installing a RV inlet about 3' behind the driver's side pillar but when I cut a 2" hole through the paneling (in a cabinet -- all installed by the previous owner) there was so much insulation and the distance to metal was much farther than expected. I would have needed to cut a 6" access panel to be able work the area properly and get my tools in -- so I gave up on that.

Right above that cabinet I have a Laurence window installed that opens wing-like. So I cut a small hole for the wire into the bug screen and now a 15 amp plug is sitting securely between the screen and the window while not used. When used I can crank open the window and plug in my extension cord. The connection is covered by the window wing when used. It's a bit redneck but works pretty well and securely. Looks much less terrible than it sounds.

 

[Kajtek1]

I build stealth RV, so here is how my utilities go out.

 

[OldWest]

Shore power in wheel well

Hi All... i know this isn't popular to do, but I really want/need to mount my shore power inlet inside the drivers side rear wheel well. I need to keep the van stealthy, and i don't really want to put it under the van. i was thinking of using the item below? i would think if i sealed it up, it...

sprinter-source.com

Also, there were these underfloor or under chassis hookups which tilted or flipped down for connections. I can't find the info.

 

[Boathik]

This is where I installed my shore power plug. Invisible on the outside yet I can reach under and connect/disconnect with ease.

 

[Dann]

I have a whole bunch of cables going through the van floor. I used a rubber boot similar to the one under the driver seat , For my shore power, I use a 30A power cord that I hang under the van. I use the other end as a cap to protect it when not in use. It also makes it easier to reach.

YMMV

 

[yetiuk]

Mine is a similar setup to Daniel there;

Shore Power/Hookup hidey-hole

Just somat a little different. Not for everyone I'd imagine but I will rarely use it so didn't think it warranted a hole in the side of the van or abandoned underneath to gather road muck. Just tucked it away with stainless for an occasion I might want it. The side light wire will be going...

sprinter-source.com

I have my shore power/hook up for campsites and the likes and wired straight into the back of an RCD protected double socket with what is essentially an extension cable to the inside of the van. Its probably not everyones cup o' T but serves my purpose. If at a site hook up (rare) I am protected with my RCD socket. and if at home or a friends I can just drop the plug into a normal extension lead from a house etc which (generally speaking ) would be reliably protected with the domestic RCD. Just keeps it simple. Both units IP66 and mounted under the van so should be happy with the odd road shower and I don't intend getting sat that deep in any water tbh.

I know UK plugs differ from US but idea should be transferable. There is a neat cable run in the sil of the van from the inside from the corner of the C pillar that comes out into that void I have mounted my socket in. If you feed a bit of conduit in from inside the natural curve of the conduit (2 man job) brings it out roughly at the hole that would house, on the opposite side, one of the sliding door locators. I have added a pic looking into that void. Sorry its a sh!t picture and not sure if its any help at all. I actually brought all my wiring through from the rear to the cab through that route and out the other side to connect under the seat and took my fuses and diagnostic plug for my D5 to the side of my door step so they are accessible., and up into the B pillar for stuff above the headliner. Its a pig of a space to work in with both hands but a tidy route to get around the van without coming 'out' the van

Hope that makes sense

 

[Motormad]

Neat job

 

[yetiuk]

Found a pic of the B pillar where my cables look like they have been puked out, and one of where I came out into the drivers footwell. This is actually handy for routes to or from the engine bay too as its a short hop up and over and down the A pillar, through the side of the dash and out the rubber boot into the engine. I ran one of my InkBird temp probes out to the engine there and also an SAE connector in my engine bay to connect my folding solar panel if its ever nice enough weather in this place to sling it on the windscreen That's what you can see me messing with in the footwell there.

..............oh and that's talc! not marching powder! It makes 'sticky' pvc cable sheaths run in conduit a lot easier.