Making a 30A extension cord.

50A shown. 3 #6 with 1 #8 ground. SO cord for flexibility even in cold weather!

Trackrig wrote:
Sounds like I should go down to the local electrical hdwr store and look at their connectors for fit and not just order some sight unseen. I can cut a 2" - 3" piece off of the cable to take with me.

Yes, I could order a premade cable, but it's about $25 more and then what do I do with this nice piece of cable I've been saving for five years.

Bill

Or go to an electrical wholesaler. I bought 3/10 SOOW for $1.93/ft (Can.) at a wholesaler. They can also set you up with the right plug and connector - these can be cheaper on ebay but can possibly have problems with them. You must have lots of wholesalers around *your* Vancouver...

What is the rating of the jacket of your cable? Will it be able to withstand being outside in the sun & rain?

Sounds like I should go down to the local electrical hdwr store and look at their connectors for fit and not just order some sight unseen. I can cut a 2" - 3" piece off of the cable to take with me.

Yes, I could order a premade cable, but it's about $25 more and then what do I do with this nice piece of cable I've been saving for five years.

Bill

50 amp should really be #6 wire. I'd stick with the 30 amp, myself.

x2 on Golden HVACs idea.

However, if you would still prefer the 30a version, you can always work a bit of the very outer layer of the #8 wire (basically grab a few strands at a time, fold away from the end) until it is small enough to get into ends. You will still have plenty of wire to carry 30a current.

But, I used the camco connectors and it was a miserable time even with 30a cable stuffing everything in there. Heaven forbid they make everything just a touch bigger.

Hi,

Because it is #8 wire, why not make a 50 amp power cord and buy the 50 amp plugs? They offer less resistance. And you probably should be carrying a 50 to 30 amp adapter (in the event you are at a RV park with only 50 amp services, or the 30 amp plug is falling apart - I have been in many parks where the 30 amp receptacle is 1/2 melted, but the 50 amp plug is fine).

The 50 amp plug ends will accept 4 #8 wires easy.

Good luck,

Fred.

I would not use the cameco female plugs. I've had several fail even when only 15 amps was being drawn through them.

Trackrig wrote:
I have a nice chunk of 4C #8 cable left over from a generator removal at a house I believe. 30A RV extension cords only require a 3C cable. Is there any problem with using the cable and just ignoring the unneeded 4th conductor? I'd use these Camco RV 30A plugs

Bill

As mentioned, you may have a major problem trying to stuff 4-conductor #8 into a plug or connector designed for a 3-conductor cable and not sure it will work at all. I recently made up a 5' 30 amp cord and bought a lo-cost plug off ebay. I must have spent at least an hour trying to stuff a 3-conductor #10 SOW cable into the plug that is designed and CSA listed for it. Pffft.

Before buying a TT-30P plug & TT-30R connector, I would suggest looking up tech. specs first. If Camco doesn't give specs, look at Hubbell, Arrow Hart, Leviton, etc. 3-wire #10 cable actually isn't all the expensive and it might be easier to just buy new cable.

No problem electrically wise. But you may have a problem physically fitting the ends of the bulkier 4C wire cable into the Camco pug ends.