Extra electrical extension cord

How often do you find camp sites requiring an extra extension cord, the big black ones at Wal-Mart?

[Joe]

Almost never in a modern commercial campground. We have one and I've used it a few times but I can't remember where or when. I do remember a provience campground in Canada where we used an extension but that was when we still had a popup. If we had had a TM we would have needed the extension.
We haven't camped in a Corps of Engineers or State Park recently so there might be a occasion that you would need one there.

[Bill]

Never (though I suppose it could happen). However, I do carry a "normal" 25-foot extension cord, a bright yellow one made from #12 wire. It is a little cheaper and a little smaller than the big black one, but the primary advantage is that it can be used two ways.
1. Using the 30-15 amp adapter that you already have, you can use it as an extension for the big black cord. Of course it is limited to only 20 amps, but that is plenty under most circumstances.
2. You can use it as an additional power feed from the 15-amp outlet on the power pole - for powering an electric heater, for example - when the 30-amp cord won't provide enough power.

HTH

Bill

We have one of the black extension cords and we use it all the time. I had a 30 amp recepticle placed on the side of my house last year where we parked our pop up. Seems DW always was stuck with the before camp out and after camp out / prep and restock chores and not being able to run the A/c made it an upleasant job.

The TM is much bigger than our pop up and will not fit into the enclosure/addtion to our yard that I had done to park the Pop up and keep on the good side of the PUD Police

We live on a corner lot so now I park the TM on the side street the day before a trip and we use the extra 25 feet to connect it to the house and charge up the batteries, cool the fridge, etc.

We have used the cord once camping when we were at Northwest River Landing park. We had a bueatiful pull through sight, got in, got leveled and set up and the power pole was dead. We were able to use the cord to reach another power pole not in use and not only keep the site we liked but didn't have to break down, move and set up again.

Bill

We experienced both of the above last weekend...parked and set-up...only to discover the black cord wasn't long enough...but luckily we had a 25 foot yellow extension that we were able to use. We decided to get a black heavy extension "just in case" there's ever another time!

I use the extra black cord a lot. Esp. in rainy weather. When I get ready to leave I can put the wet and sometimes muddy ext. cord in a trash bag and clean it when I get home and not make a mess in the storage area of the TM.

I took the reccomendation of another posting and had a short flat appliance cord made which allows me to push the factory attached black power cord completely into the TM and leave only the 3-4ft flat cord hanging out even when the TM is closed. then I use an additional 25ft black cord when camping or just a regular cord at home for the purpose of keeping the battery charged and the fridge cool before leaving. So when I am ready, I just unplug and put the extra cord in the TV. This way I can pull into the Campsite and plug in to shore power right away and things start charging and cooling while I set up. Then I have no wet/muddy cord to wipe off before pushing back into the TM. I also tape a small baggie over the end that dangles out of TM while in tow just incase it gets all dirty but haven't had that happen yet.

In the newer (mine is a 2005) TMs, they have fixed the cord problem. The black cord stores in the rear bumper and is accessable even with the TM closed. Like Bill, I to need a 25 foot black extension. I removed a 50 amp outlet and breaker the previous owner used for an arc welder and replaced it with a 30 amp for the TM. The TM cord is about 10 feet to short of reaching the outlet. Cheaper to buy the cord that replace the conduit and box and a lot less work.

Yes the new models have the cord in the rear bumper. It is very handy, however there is one word of caution. The cord is 10G,very heavy compared to the store 16G. Being heavy when it is cool or cold the cord is NOT very pliable and may be a BEAR to get back in the bumper. When camping in cooler weather where you may use electric it is probably handy to have that extra extension cord. Watch the gauage of wire you are using and make sure it is for outside use.

Midwest Dave
2002 Dodge Gran Caravan,2006-2720

ok forgive the curiosity, but where does your sewer hose live if the cord is in the bumper....