Mouse hole for power cord

**Deb Mac** · 11-19-2022, 06:14 PM

I’ve got a mouse hole, but a short cord inside with the long separate power cord. Not sure if some PO cut a 30A power cord short and wired it into the panel. But I can’t fit either plug through that hole, so I have to feed the cord through the opening in the bumper to plug in. Thinking of installing one of those 30A receptacles where the mouse hole is. https://www.amazon.ca/Power-Receptac...%2C223&sr=8-11. But that’s another project farther down the list. After the shower hose, and poor man’s Sealand and checking and adjusting the struts and shells.

**Bill** · 11-20-2022, 08:55 AM

Deb -

Let me tell you a quick story, and you take it for what it is worth to you.

My 2002 TM and my 2006 TM both had power cords whose inner end was hard wired from inside the bumper compartment up to the TM’s panel. When not deployed, the cord and plug were coiled up inside the bumper compartment - NOT pulled through the mousehole. I liked this arrangement - it was easy to use, and very quick. For example, I could pull out only the amount of cord that I needed, plug the end into the power post, and I'm done. Why pull out 25 or 30 feet of cord when I only need 5 or 10 feet to reach the power post? And re-stowing the cord was quick and easy, even when the cord was cold and stiff.

My 2020 TM has a hard-mounted Marinco-style plug where the mouse hole used to be. The power cord is fully detachable, with a mating Marinco twist-lock socket on one end. Sounds elegant, right?

When I was at the factory a couple years ago, I told Paul that I really disliked the arrangement, and he asked why. I handed him the Marinco end of the cord, and said “You just arrived in a campground - hook this up.” He flipped open the outlet cap, grabbed the Marinco plug with both hands - it is kind of big and clumsy. He started to insert it into the socket, but I said “No no. It is after dark, so one hand is holding a flashlight.” So he held the Marinco in one hand, and started to insert it. The operation was considerably slower, but it was working, until I said “No no. It is raining, so one hand is holding an umbrella.” Hmm. So he pretended to juggle a flashlight and an umbrella in one hand, while he aligned the plug to the correct orientation with the other. It won’t insert until you align it, of course. He got it done, but even on that dry sunny day, it took a while, and he was annoyed that it did. And he still hadn't even pulled out the other end of the cord to run to the power post - it was tangled in the Marinco end.

He said “I see your point”, and I finished up by saying “Good, because your power connection is burning up. You forgot to rotate the twist-lock, and it partially unseated while you were screwing on the retainer ring.”

Paul is a really good guy, and said he would rethink the idea of going back to a hard-wired cord. I don’t know if that happened. But I know that reverting to a hard-wired cord is (still!) on my TM To Do list, and I would certainly not pay the rather high price to add a Marinco arrangement if I didn't have one now.

Bill

**Bill** · 11-20-2022, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deb Mac

I’ve got a mouse hole, but a short cord inside with the long separate power cord. Not sure if some PO cut a 30A power cord short and wired it into the panel. But I can’t fit either plug through that hole, so I have to feed the cord through the opening in the bumper to plug in.

Deb - I'm curious about which opening in the bumper you are referring to. With the cord coiled up in the left bumper compartment, I simply pull out as much as I need over the top of the compartment, lay it over the bumper, and drop the plastic bumper cover back into place. The cover won't latch on the left end, of course, but when latched only on the right end, it seems secure, even in the wind.

Perhaps this is what you meant, and I misunderstood.

Bill

**Deb Mac** · 11-20-2022, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill

Deb - I'm curious about which opening in the bumper you are referring to. With the cord coiled up in the left bumper compartment, I simply pull out as much as I need over the top of the compartment, lay it over the bumper, and drop the plastic bumper cover back into place. The cover won't latch on the left end, of course, but when latched only on the right end, it seems secure, even in the wind.

Perhaps this is what you meant, and I misunderstood.

Bill

Thanks for that story Bill! You make an extremely good point!!! I had 30' of cord through a mouse hole on my old Bigfoot trailer, and 30' of 50A cord (the Anaconda!!) in a compartment in my old GMC motorhome, and never had a problem coiling the cord out of or back into it's little hidey hole. I'm heading over to the storage yard this afternoon to deal with that shower hose issue and close her up (finally!!) for the winter. I'll take a closer look at the power cord set-up and see exactly what is there. But Yes - I have the cover of the bumper compartment open at the left end in order to access the power cord.

I'll take a picture of exactly what is there before I fold her all up. Perhaps the power cord is pushed back into a space behind the divider between the bumper and the power panel and I am just not aware of it. I have been plugging in a separate 30A 25' cord to that power plug, thinking I only have about 3' of cord available. Wasn't interested in trying to pull out a cord that wasn't going to move. Figured the last thing I needed to do was bugger up the incoming power at the panel! I'll have a good look in there today.

Only had it and used it for 4 days on the drive home from Manitoba before I parked her and went back to major house repairs. It wasn't the greatest summer!

Shane826 · 11-20-2022, 12:56 PM

I do the same thing as Bill with my power cord. The mouse hole is a bit of a PITA. Does anyone make a retractable reel that would fit in that left side compartment? That would be the hot setup.

**Deb Mac** · 11-20-2022, 02:00 PM

Looks like a PO cut the original cord and put a replacement plug on it. There is nothing coiled up anywhere. But that compartment is a nice size for the 25' 30A cord. I could just leave them connected and drape it out over the bumper like everyone else

**Bill** · 11-20-2022, 03:05 PM

Good solution, Deb. No need to deal with that Marinco thing.

Bill