Rewinding Power Cables

[johntelling]

Often times, when I am able to find an electrical outlet, it can be as much as 100 feet from our parking spot. I carry a 100 ft 30 amp extension cable, so getting power to the RV is not an issue.

The problem I have is in winding that heavy cable back up when we are ready to leave.

Any suggestions (other than getting my wife to do it) would be greatly appreciated!

JT

[kaypsmith]

I have used an open side airhose reel that worked for me in the past, I only used a fifty foot 30 amp cable for that. Harborfreight has one listed for 100 ft of air hose that is pretty cheap. Might be worth a try.

Good luck with finding something, or possibly a son since the wife doesn't seem to be available "LOL".

Kay

[hermanmullins]

JT, There are a number of auto reels on the market. You might look in your local Welding Supply Store. They have both hand and powers reels for large welding cable and may have something to fit your bill. With long lengths of hose or cable I will lay it on the ground and wind it into a circle then pick it up and store it in a bay.

Good luck,

Herman

[BillAdams]

You might be able to find something that works for your needs from these folks.

http://www.cordpro.com/

[markstella]

Try www.morryde.com they make a few reels called Easy Reel spooler.

[wayne77590]

JT,

I leave the Progressive Industries Surge Protector on the end of mine, so, when I'm ready I unplug it and carry that end to the bay. I did this before the PI and it reduces the drag accross the grass/dirt, etc and in my case "feels" easier. To even reduce drag more, once the plug end is carried to the MH, one could go back to where it loops and pull it to the MH. It just seems that when it is all close to the MH there is no drag and it is easier to handle.

The Reels are nice ideas also

Happy trails.

[rsbilledwards]

I am with JT, he and I want a reel that has a button not a handle. He also stated he had a hundred feet of 30 amp chord, heavy and the mechanical reels suggested have a big foot print and a capacity of "50" feet and a handle, no button. Our fearless, strong back, big guy Herman, just coils it close by the coach and "picks it up" and puts it in the coach storage unit. It is gonna take a pretty good size reel to take this load and a button. We are in this for the fun not the added work setting up and tearing down. I know the tree spraying and fertilizing industry has spray rigs that have electric reels for recoiling the hoses used. I will report back later on this.

Thanks for taking the good natured ribbing with a smile Herman Hope to meet you in Redmond this summer. B

[Bluebirds]

We are pretty new to RVg, have a 50amp MH power cord. Luckily, so far we have not been in a situation needing the full length (50'?) deployed when we set up, or at home when connected to shore power.

That said, DH has our power cable "coiled" on the floor of bay and only pulls out length needed at the campsite. When it is time to leave, he only has to pull back the amount of cable used that site back inside bay and recoil - sort of one coil at a time. DH says he never had to pick up the entire length/weight of cable. DH says longest length at one site we deployed was about 40', but he used the same 'coil length at a time' method to store it when we were ready to leave.

Our first Rv was a Class C with shore power cord 'opening' circular shape in floor of bay (2001 Winnebago- C, 27' "new to us" in 2012; fyi - WBG Cs that year had basement w/ metal bay doors similar to Class A DP we have now.) Our 2013 Class A DP has a sort of 'trap door' that opens to the edge of bay floor (& latch to keep closed and slot opening used when cable deployed) giving a larger opening to use and easier to pull power cord length in / out. Both C and current DP power compartment bay door opens upward. DH says with both RVs he pretty much remains in standing position to remove / recoil and store power cord.

Not sure if "one coil at a time" method DH uses would work for others. But when I suggested buying some type of auto-reel DH says he feels having the coil on floor of bay takes less space than if we added a reel of some type (portable or attached to bay). We do carry dog bone to convert plug-in 50 to 30 amp. But we have not invested in (not needed yet) longer extension power cable so far, which might mean we would need to alter our power cord store/deploy method in future, too.

[tbutler]

Not the answer to your problem but might help others. I prefer to have several short cords instead of one huge long one. If you have one long cord and you need three feet more, you are using the huge long extension cord. I have a 15 foot 50A cord, a 30 foot 50A cord and a 30 foot 30A cord. That way I can go an additional 45 feet and still have 50A service. Beyond that, I can go 30 feet further but with 30A service. Choices are good and packing up a 30 foot cord, even 2 of them is easier than a 100 foot cord.

Another reason for this method is that the length of a cord introduces resistance that drops the voltage delivered by the cord. Using the least amount of cord necessary delivers the greatest power to your coach.

[desertdeals69]

I have two heavy duty water hose hangers mounted to the wall of the compartment and I coil the wire one loop at a time. One holds 75 ft of 20 amp cable and 30 ft of 30 amp cable and the other holds 27 ft 50 amp and a 25 ft 50 amp extension cable.

[rsbilledwards]

http://www.hannay.com/index.asp builds numerous electric reels for chords and hoses.

B