10 replies to this topic

[BillO]

My 1995 coach came with a Marinco brand 50 amp power cord -- the yellow style with push-in and twist connector to the coach. I'm not sure if it is the brand of the cord (although some have said that the yellow cords are inherently stiffer) or its age, but any time the temp drops below ~60 degrees F getting the cord back in a storage bay is like alligator wrestling. Others in the same situation don't seem to have nearly the issue that I do.

Would anyone offer a recommendation for a replacement cord that is more flexible and with which they have had actual experience? It would be great if a brand name was available -- maybe even a new Marinco cord if someone has also replaced an old one of that brand with good results.

I would even get the appropriate size cable from an electric supply house if I could get a decent specification/brand for a truly flexible cable. It doesn't need to be arctic level caliber, but something that is manageable down to ~50 deg F.

Thanks in advance for any help offered.

Bill

[hermanmullins]

Bill,
You are on the right track. I would go to my local Electrical Supply house and ask about what cable they have that would meet your specifications. While your are at it you might consider making the cable a little longer and getting a male plug that has the handle built in. I would also put a female plug on the old yellow cable for an extra extention cord.

Hope this helps.

Herman

[desertdeals69]

I used the cable from Home Depot and 3 weeks ago in Las Vegas it was 24 degrees and I rolled it up without a problem. It is #10 3 conductor wire. I used Camco 30 amp plug end with a handle.

[kingofmonaco]

I was always told a 50 amp power cord should be min. #6 conductor for the average length of 50 ft for power supply cords. I have seen some with # 8 conductors ?? If your adding an extension to the supply cord to extend over 50 ft. I personally would want a min. #6 conductor. Someone please correct me if this is not what it should be to be able to operate all electric appliances safely in a coach should they be all turned on. ( eg: 2 A/C units , microwave , residential fridge , cook top ,coffee pot, hot water tank ,hair dryer, curling iron etc.) Typical summer morning in some coaches especially with teens on board.

[desertdeals69]

Youre correct. mine is #6 4 conductor however I was using the 30 cord in Las Vegas. Sorry for the confusion, it must be old age creeping up on me!

[ronlee777]

A normal 220/120 volt 50 amp service cord is #6/3 #8/1 STW unless you get welding cable the cord will get hard to manage the colder it gets.

[Me2Bus]

I had the same issue too. I went to a commercial supply with a picture of my plug and shore cord. They sold me outdoor stranded welding cord and a heavy duty plug. Even in zero degrees it worked great. It's really heavy and a little pricey, but it was worth it.

[BillO]

I appreciate the responses.

 

Unfortunately, in the area of Florida where I've been this winter I couldn't find an electrical supply house that would sell anything other than full rolls (250 or 1000 feet) of cable so I continued an extensive internet search for a good solution.

 

The result was a new cable product from the maker of Surge Guard products called the RV FLEX50A .  The outer skin and inner wire insulation are made of a newer plastic (TPE) branded seoprene which is flexible at colder temperatures, as well as water and solvent resistant.  In addition, while the internal conductors are standard 50 amp 6/3; 8/1 gauge wires, each wire is made up of a dense array of extremely fine copper strands (something like 32 gauge) that are more flexible than normal construction.  The 30' version is also considerably lighter than the same length old Marinco power cable (however, to be fair that 20-year-old cable was carrying a lot of extra grime and probably water).

 

The FLEX50A is new enough that it's not yet available from many RV dealers.  My normal RV supplier -- Makarios -- didn't have it cataloged in their line either, but since they buy other things from the maker (TRC) they were able to get it drop-shipped to me. 

 

After installing a new Marinco coach-end connector I started using it this week.  When I left the park early this morning it was in the mid-50's and the new power cord coiled up easier than the water hose.  I am pleased with the initial performance, but obviously can't comment on durability.

 

This wraps up my search and hopefully, will help others with the same issue.

[desertdeals69]

I was made aware of the cable

 

I appreciate the responses.

 

Unfortunately, in the area of Florida where I've been this winter I couldn't find an electrical supply house that would sell anything other than full rolls (250 or 1000 feet) of cable so I continued an extensive internet search for a good solution.

 

The result was a new cable product from the maker of Surge Guard products called the RV FLEX50A .  The outer skin and inner wire insulation are made of a newer plastic (TPE) branded seoprene which is flexible at colder temperatures, as well as water and solvent resistant.  In addition, while the internal conductors are standard 50 amp 6/3; 8/1 gauge wires, each wire is made up of a dense array of extremely fine copper strands (something like 32 gauge) that are more flexible than normal construction.  The 30' version is also considerably lighter than the same length old Marinco power cable (however, to be fair that 20-year-old cable was carrying a lot of extra grime and probably water).

 

The FLEX50A is new enough that it's not yet available from many RV dealers.  My normal RV supplier -- Makarios -- didn't have it cataloged in their line either, but since they buy other things from the maker (TRC) they were able to get it drop-shipped to me. 

 

After installing a new Marinco coach-end connector I started using it this week.  When I left the park early this morning it was in the mid-50's and the new power cord coiled up easier than the water hose.  I am pleased with the initial performance, but obviously can't comment on durability.

 

This wraps up my search and hopefully, will help others with the same issue.

I was just made aware of the cable you are talking about as I talked to the sales manager of TRC the other day at a RV trade show in San Diego.  They also use that cable in their cord reels.

[DiscoveryRoad]

If dealing with an electrical supply place, and you want something good for really cold weather ask for 6/4 SJOOW cable. It is slightly heavier due to 4 conductors being 6 guage, but the jacketing is good into the deep freeze temperatures.

[BillO]

If dealing with an electrical supply place, and you want something good for really cold weather ask for 6/4 SJOOW cable. It is slightly heavier due to 4 conductors being 6 guage, but the jacketing is good into the deep freeze temperatures.

The cord that I referenced above is 6/3; 8/1 SEOOW.  Except for the slightly lighter gauge ground wire the difference is in the sheathing.  I believe that the "J" stands for some variant of PVC, while the "E" is for this newer TPE plastic which is also billed to be flexible into freezing temps.  While I have no real intention of discovering the depth of cold under which the cable will remain flexible , we did have a freeze here a couple nights ago and when I reconnected the water in the morning the cord was plenty flexible.