Introduction
Recently I removed the small end table at the rear of our Keystone Cougar trailer to replace it with a custom built computer desk. The new desk is awesome and I love it but it’s created a problem with storing the RVs long power cord. In the previous arrangement, it would be fed through an outside cord input hole and spool up inside the small cabinet area.
The new desks cabinet area is much smaller and won’t accommodate the large spool of cord. To solve this issue, I’m installing a fixed 30 amp female power receptacle. I will cut the original hard-wired power cable and add on a new male twist locking plug.
ParkPower by Marinco 30ARVKIT Conversion Kit
I researched the internet looking for a decent solution and decided on an easy to install conversion kit by Marinco. The kit has pretty decent reviews and Marinco is a brand with lots of products built for boating environments. I figured if it is good enough for boats it should easily stand up to an RVing environment.
Another nice feature of the kit is it comes with an assortment of proper mounting hardware and gaskets to make for a smooth install. I didn’t really want to spend my time trying to source all the individual pieces myself. In the long run, I would probably end up spending more money anyway. So I bit the bullet and bought myself the ParkPower model 30ARVKIT 30 amp kit.
Once I got and opened my ParkPower kit I was very pleased. All the hardware is quality stuff and well-constructed. It looked like it was going to be a perfect fit for my rig.
The only thing I didn’t like about the kit contents was the instruction sheet. The writing is super small and the B&W photos are almost unrecognizable! I quickly download a decent PDF copy to view on my computer.
Installing the RV Power Plug Conversion Kit
First thing I did was UNPLUG THE POWER! Next I removed 3 screws holding the original feed through hole in place and carefully with a utility knife cut through its silicone seal. It came off pretty easily.
After cleaning off a little dirt and old silicone, I added some fresh silicone to the new receptacles mounting plate and screwed it in place. This provides a precisely sized hole to for the new 30 amp receptacle.
Wiring up the male and female sockets is super easy. They come with easy to follow color coding making it a breeze to hook up the wiring (Black, White and Green for Hot, Neutral, and Ground). I found the screw in connector terminals to be of excellent quality and they held the wires firmly.
Hooking up the new receptacle to my existing Progressive Industries EMS-HW30C surge protector was very also very easy. (See original blog post on surge protector install) I added a small length of high-quality electrical wire.
Trying out a New Tool
For cutting and splicing the heavy power cables, I used a set of electrical shears made by VamPLIERS. You may remember, a while back I did a review of their screw extraction pliers and was very impressed. They were nice enough to offer me a few of their scissors to sample and try out in my RV mods and Renos. I’m a tool geek so how can I refuse?
I give these shears thumbs up; the sharp-edged Japanese steel made short work of the thick power cord wires and covering. I look forward to trying out the other scissors they sent soon as I install a new woven vinyl flooring in the Cougars slideout area. They should come in handy for precision cuts.
RV Power Plug Conversion Kit Install Video
Conclusion
I’m very pleased with the ParkPower conversion kit. The install was fast and simple, especially compared to trying to cobble something together on my own. I initially installed it because I “had to do it” after modifying its original containment area, but now I see many benefits to a detachable power cable.
- There is no longer a hole in the back of the RV for rodents and bugs to get access from.
- In cold weather, the cord becomes stiff. Returning it to the storage area was difficult.
- When the cord was wet and dirty it was messy trying to feed it back through the hole.
- The fixed cord used to sometimes get stuck and I had to disassemble the cabinet to free it.
I’m planning in the near future to add a second converter charger for my battery bank located in the upfront storage compartment. This will be for charging the batteries when off grid using the generator. I find the OEM converter does a terrible job of battery charging. Now that the power cable is detachable I can add another power input jack right near the batteries. Stay tuned…
Check out my many other Mods and Upgrades
