Repairing outside power inlets and outlets

Agree we need a photo- try this page by 1492 for your pix.

AmericaOverland wrote:
How do I post photos? The forum software doesn't allow me to post photos here, and I'm not setting up an account to house photos there. Expedition Portal allows me to post photos there without having to use an external photo source....

Simple, post there and provide a link.

Steph, if you need small pieces of metal, either HD or Lowe's has a bin with alumn/steel and sometimes plastic.

Jim

I'm doubting that anyone here even has a clue what the OP is trying to describe. I'm stumped.

Any large town will have a steel supply shop that can cut any size aluminum you want. They will likely have a scrap piece to work with.

To post a photo you need a photo hosting service like photobucket, which is what I use and is free. There are others. Once you have uploaded a photo, you copy the url (right click with mouse) and then past it into the yellow envelope thingy when you go to post a message here. You can make photos in a message smaller by adjusting the size down to say 200 x 200. You can also copy a photo url from the internet. For example, if you see a photo on an RV vendors site, you can right click on it and paste the url into an RV.net message.

On exterior mounted receptacles, the cover plates that are normally used on RVs aren't weatherproof when the cover is opened to plug something in. If the open receptacle is left open and exposed to the elements for long periods, deterioration and damage can occur. If you go to Home Depot or Lowes, you can get a cover that can close but still let the cords out as in the example above.

On the power inlet, I think it's best to wait and see a photo.

How do I post photos? The forum software doesn't allow me to post photos here, and I'm not setting up an account to house photos there. Expedition Portal allows me to post photos there without having to use an external photo source.

Regarding the outlet, the only thing that needs replacing is the outer housing that covers both outlets (horizontal). The doors got ripped off the cover. The cover needs to be unscrewed and the new cover to replace it. I already have it. The question I have is the best way to ensure water-tightness and durability of the attachment.

Regarding the power inlet for the round socket power cable that comes with the trailer. Several problems. I don't know how to ID the type of material the side wall is made of. If you look at a brochure of the surveyor products lineup of trailers, you'll see the skin on there. I know it's not metal, and it's not that fragile fiberglass that cracks and breaks apart in pieces and fiberglass threads. As for getting inside behind the inlet, good luck with taking the outside side of the wall of the shower stall out to get to the back side. No go there. Plus, the external walls appears to be constructed of maybe a two-inch thick foam core and fronted and backed each with a thin skin that would crack like semi-soft plastic that doesn't run like cheap hard plastic if you accidentally tear it. It's bonded and sealed at the factory for a leak-free structure, if anyone knows what I mean by that. So, the factory screws are too short to make it all the way through that wall material.

I've been told by the man who won't help me that, "Oh, so you want to go into town to get this and that? How are you going to get the aluminum?! It comes in 4 foot by 8 foot sheets!! Are you going to buy that much just to use a little piece?!? That stuff cost $400-500 a sheet!"

Anyway, it's turning into an unworkable deal for me to help him, and him helping me. I simply shut down and stopped helping him after I saw the pattern of his offer to look at it and then his "I've got a LOT of things to do, now what is it?"

I don't know how to do ANY of this, but I'm willing to learn. The last time I had a travel trailer was over 15 years ago, and I had bought brand-new with a service contract, so I didn't learn to fix anything, given that I only lived in it for the first 3-plus years of its service life.

Meanwhile, I have to go back outside to finish scraping the seal off the bathroom skylight and reseal it before it cools down too much.

Stephanie

Yes, some pics would sure help and then the experts here will come up with fixs in no time. Can't visualize the problem clearly enough to give a good opinion.

With the screws not holding, you may need to get to the interior side and add a little wood of some sort for a screw to bite into. Then some correct type of caulk. This is if I have interpreted the problem right.

Is the exterior metal or fiberglass?

If there is room, I think I'd be looking to install some "old work" plastic outlet boxes in the trailer skin (you know, the ones with ears that pull against the inside surface when you tighten the screws).
Then you could install outlets/GFCIs/waterproof covers or whatever the situation needs.
Horizontal or vertical does not matter.

Can you fill the holes with wood plus and epoxy? Or make a plate (aluminum etc) for the outlet and secure the plate to the wall with new screws and calk or maybe just adhesive calk.