Make my own 30 amp extension cord

Well with 30 years of powerpole experience under my belt, I can undeniably tell you that a wet 50amp extention cord will fry you quicker than a 30 amp one, the smoke will just be thicker.....Do ya'll still think, in this day and age,that just because you've never been shocked, it must be fine? No high amperage cord anywhere on this planet, is designed to be wet...inside or out. And that dry-box is a genius idea. You start laughing off playing with High voltage, and you're gonna leave a nasty mess for your wives to clean up. Nuff said, Flame away...

A quality RV 30-amp female connector netted me an extension, just in case I ever need one.

Way to go, Pop, you're a man after my own heart. I love to salvage things!:B

I helped a buddy scrap out his old travel trailer after non-use for twelve years and animals had taken up permanent residence.

I got two still-shiney 30-pound tanks (re-certification was $25 each, including new OPD valves) and a 30-foot power cord with the male connector molded on. A small wire brush brightened up the brass like new.

A quality RV 30-amp female connector netted me an extension, just in case I ever need one.

Pop

I'm not denying that a water resistant box won't have merits in a severely wet environment, I'm saying making an extension cord is silly when they are under $40 bucks-- and they are designed for what they are made for.

If a person is silly enough to put a junction in an area that floods, then Darwin win give you a reward. That's just simple common sense. Ever heard of common sense?




"Baby Boomer and proud of it. "

Ever heard of --- CIRCUIT BREAKERS!!!

SoundGuy wrote:

Cummins12V98 wrote:
You guys are worrying WAY too much about moisture!

Your opinion :R - fact is water & electricity are a dangerous combination so the more you can keep the two apart the better. ;)

SoundGuy wrote:
There are reasons beyond cost for building one's own cable. Here in Ontario runs to the campsite power post are typically quite long, with 100' not being all that uncommon. Years ago I bought 30 metres of 10 gauge cable and built 2 extensions with it, one 10 metres (~ 33') long, the other 20 metres (~ 65') long. Pre-built extensions are most commonly 25' and 50', with a few being 30', so building my own was the better solution ... and FWIW I still use those cables to this day. :)

:h
SoundGuy, you seem to be taking both sides of the moisture discussion.

Yes, water and electricity don't mix well, that said I have yet to get shocked handling a wet power cable, or have my 40' cable give me issues.
When hooking up and disconnecting I always turn off the electricity at the pedestal first. Moisture is only an issue if you don't understand and respect electricity.

Cummins12V98 wrote:
You guys are worrying WAY too much about moisture!

tmartin000 wrote:
Ah yes, the fiddle-puckers that have nothing but time to come up with things that need re-engineered.

Without a gizmo, plastic boxes or hand-made widgets, what else would they do with their retirement years. :B

I have 12 years to go and find life's complicated enough that buying an appropriate extension cord is safer and easier than saving $35 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/NU-CORD-94579-25-Feet-30-Amp-Extension/dp/B000IPAK9S/ref=pd_lpo_263_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QMBPSM5ET063ZYW3M49Z

Oh man, the baby-boomers!

And oh man, those of any age who are dumb enough to think they're "special" and the normal rules in life don't apply to them - in this case, the fact that water and electricity are a dangerous combination and to be avoided if one values their life. Duh. :R

Baby Boomer and proud of it. :B

Cummins12V98 wrote:
You guys are worrying WAY too much about moisture!

Ah yes, the fiddle-puckers that have nothing but time to come up with things that need re-engineered.

Without a gizmo, plastic boxes or hand-made widgets, what else would they do with their retirement years. :B

I have 12 years to go and find life's complicated enough that buying an appropriate extension cord is safer and easier than saving $35 bucks.

https://www.amazon.com/NU-CORD-94579-25-Feet-30-Amp-Extension/dp/B000IPAK9S/ref=pd_lpo_263_lp_t_3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=QMBPSM5ET063ZYW3M49Z

Oh man, the baby-boomers!

I have a 6500 watt diesel generator for use at the house, semi portable as I can hoist it up on my 5x10 trailer and move it that way (intend to put it on its own little trailer with a roof, but never have) Anyhow, I bought two sections of 8/4 SOOW cord from a guy on Ebay. Said it was in a used former HVAC van when he bought it. A 45 ft piece and a 38 ft piece and I paid $75, not too bad but way too cumbersome to carry in a motorhome as any kind of extension. I installed L14-30 plugs and connectors on the sections to use at the house with my genny inlet and interlock.

Then I found a 25 ft generator cord (10 gauge) at Home Depot on clearance, also with L14-30 ends molded on (the clear ones), so I bought it.

I already had a molded adapter that was L14-30 male to TT30 female, which utilized the ground, neutral and the Y hot of a L14-30 circuit. Could not find an adapter for the other end, so I took a Harbor Freight dogbone, TT30 male with 10/3 cord and cut off the regular household type female end on it. Then I installed a L14-30 female connector, also hooking the hot to the Y terminal in the connector. Now I have a 26 ft TT30 amp extension for the motorhome, and also can adapt it other ways, or use it on the generator.

It may never get used, but its there if I need it, cost was fairly minimal. I order ends from FruitRidgeTools.com and usually end up with P&S male ends and Bryant female connectors when I build this stuff. Sometimes I find deals on Ebay, with a lot of searching.

Charles

StiltzM109R wrote:
Anyone made their own 30 amp extension cord? I'm thinking it would be cheaper than buying one.

time2roll wrote:
Keep searching but I think you will find the pre made cords are less than the parts at any hardware store. Might be less if you find some surplus wire on ebay.

theoldwizard1 wrote:
I wanted to buy my daughter a 30' extension for her family's new camper last year. Pre-made, molded ends was more than $10 cheaper.

There are reasons beyond cost for building one's own cable. Here in Ontario runs to the campsite power post are typically quite long, with 100' not being all that uncommon. Years ago I bought 30 metres of 10 gauge cable and built 2 extensions with it, one 10 metres (~ 33') long, the other 20 metres (~ 65') long. Pre-built extensions are most commonly 25' and 50', with a few being 30', so building my own was the better solution ... and FWIW I still use those cables to this day. :)

time2roll wrote:

StiltzM109R wrote:
Anyone made their own 30 amp extension cord? I'm thinking it would be cheaper than buying one.

Keep searching but I think you will find the pre made cords are less than the parts at any hardware store. Might be less if you find some surplus wire on ebay.

CONCUR !

I am a big online shopper, including eBay. I wanted to buy my daughter a 30' extension for her family's new camper last year. Pre-made, molded ends was more than $10 cheaper.