Tapeing RV Power Cord Extension Connections

I use a flattened plastic grocery bag, with the handles tied to keep everything tight.

At home, I have outdoor Christmas light extension cord connections that trip the breaker when they get rained on.

At one rainy long term stay location I have to use my 50amp extension. Tape is messy, so I wrap the joint with one of those shrink wrap on a stick products like this:



I also find this product very useful when storing household items like ceiling fans, shades or just about anything that has a bunch of small associated parts that you are never going to find when you try to use the item years later. Small parts can be captured in a ball of this stuff and then the ball is wrapped around the item.

Some time I do and some times I don't
My background is electrical and to put it bluntly yes it should be taped with a good grade electrical tape with a lot of 3/4 wraps.
I am surprised that that by now they don't sell a waterproof rubber boot that can be used

At Long Key state park in the Florida Keys, at every other site the hook up is on the wrong side, and I do it there

Jack L

You are more likely to trap mositure in than keep it out unless you know how to do a waterproof splice,, Yes, I have had it explained to me,, NO I am not comfortable passing it on,, look it up. (Or use very expensive self-sealing Silicon "Rescue Tape" and use the Waterproof method to covr it, That should work.

More important to make sure the blades on the plugs are kept clean. If they get pitted and dirty you can end up with a meltdown. Always make sure the power source is turned off before plugging in because if you don't that's what causes pitting on the contacts and the pitting attracts dirt. That's the zap you can hear when you plug in live and in the dark you'll see a flash.

I've had two 15 amp extension cords (plugged into our 30A cord) that have gone up in smoke in the driveway. I was too lazy with our 15 amp cords to turn the power off and paid the price. We how have a 30A TT recept. in the carport with a disconnect switch beside it.

My buddy dropped a 15 amp extension cord end into salt water (Huntington Harbor) while using a buffer on a boat. It did not trip the 20 amp circuit breaker.

So chances are that someone years ago figured out how close you can place the two electrical lines, and it will not conduct power between them at 120 volts AC. Well it might conduct a small amount of power, but not to much.

So don't worry about the tape on the lines, it is not required. Just don't reach into water and plug in the cord, that would be stupid.. . . Lift them out of the water, and then shut off the 20 or 30 amp feed before plugging in or unplugging your RV.

Many plug in their RV with the circuit breaker on. That will always cause a ark in the plug end that makes the final connection. This is because 'something' will always be plugged in inside the RV, such as the TV set remote control receiver, microwave clock, or anything else, usually the RV charger too.

Fred.

Never had an issue with extension cords being plugged in.

Used multiple cords buried under snow to reach trucks engine block heater,
cords plugged into gang boxes on construction sites while raining, cords plugged in laying out in wet grass etc. etc.

Non-issue.

I just use one of those sandwich snap lid plastic boxes with slots cut in the side of the box for the cable to lay inside of it.. Works fine for my 30A shore power to RV Adapter long cable. The 15A side of the RV Long adapter just plugs into the end of the 10-gauge extension cord.

I have two trailers in my CAMP BACK YARD that uses the extension cords going to separate 120VAC Circuit receptacles in the garage. PIANOTUNAs snap-on orange cover would work just fine as well if I had one of those...

Roy Ken

Hi,

You may find this better than tape which would leave the plugs with a gummy residue. power cord connector

Water-Bug wrote:
When I use an extension cord on my RV power cord, I tape the gap between the socket and plug with electrical tape, to keep moisture out. Am I wasting time and tape? Is there a better way to protect the connection?

You might want to replace the whole cord to keep it "code", otherwise just replace the plug...it's easy to do.

Replace the cord