Shore power inlets

[Anhedonic]

I've been shopping for shore power inlets to put into my van. I've found a few discussions on the forum but nothing that has anything like what I'm seeking. It may even be possible that what I want isn't made. 

I'm having a tough time finding the right hardware and I'm hoping someone knows of something appropriate. I'm seeking a standard 15a shore power inlet with a male on the outside leading to connect to a cable and a female three-prong outlet on the inside. Basically I'm looking for a pass-through connector. I'm also looking for a similar standard 30a inlet. 

All of the ones I've seen have a male connector of whatever sort on the outside and holes for wiring on the inside. like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/ParkPower-15...rd_wg=jMlrK&psc=1&refRID=15F16JS3PGWFSCGD3YKJ

I'd like to skip that step and just pass the connection through so I can plug and unplug it easily. 

Does anyone know of a good, modestly-priced option for this?

 

[Moxadox]

Is this what you're looking for?

https://www.amazon.com/Journeyman-Pro-120-125-Commercial-Straight-Receptacle/dp/B0789C1C4J

The Dire Wolfess

 

[Anhedonic]

No, it's not. This one has a female on the outside and no outlet on the inside. What I'm looking for is a male outside like the one I posted with a female similar connection on the inside so I can essentially just plug a power strip or a single AC appliance to it.

 

[B and C]

Use what you posted and with the cutoff end of an extension cord will do as you describe. Make sure the extension cord is 12 Gauge (15 amps). Smaller gauge wire will not hold 15 amps.

Do the same for the 30 amp one.

 

[Anhedonic]

I know I could do that, but I would really like to be able to buy a simple pass-through socket if one exists. I'm hoping someone can point me to one.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Two years ago I did a thorough search of Amazon, McMaster-Carr, Granger, and Newark without finding anything.  
I ended up running the outside male connector into a single gang box with a circuit breaker on the other side.  Then wiring to standard household receptacles where I wanted them.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Would this work for your situation?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Noco-Gcp1-...747?_trksid=p2349526.m4383.l4275.c10#viTabs_0

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NOCO-GCP1-...m=253142255955&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

 

[Anhedonic]

Those are pretty close to what I'm looking for except they'll only take 13 amps. With the AC, I might need that extra 2a. :

In an ideal world, there would be just a socket instead of a cord coming off of the back and there would be a similar 30 amp one. 

Thanks. This is the first one I've seen that is almost right.

 

[Almost There]

Keep  in mind that if you wire the inlet directly to something inside the vehicle you are placing yourself at the mercy of the circuit breaker or fuse that is outside the vehicle for the safety of that whole line.

I used a Marinco Inlet 'Charger' port on the outside and wired it in to a small circuit breaker box on the inside and from there to the circuits I wanted in place. My wiring is safe inside the vehicle.

I always test the outlet BEFORE I plug in, especially in a campground where who knows who did the wiring. I've had to move sites a couple of times over the years to get a good circuit!

 

[Anhedonic]

Keep  in mind that if you wire the inlet directly to something inside the vehicle you are placing yourself at the mercy of the circuit breaker or fuse that is outside the vehicle for the safety of that whole line.

I can appreciate that, but I don't expect to be using it for campgrounds all that often. For the most part, I want shore power for when I'm parked at a house, either mine or a friend's. I don't expect to be spending much time at campgrounds; when I'm out I expect to be boondocking almost always. That said, eventually this will all be going into the breaker box, but I want the freedom to be able to unplug from the breaker box and power things directly. Also, I really, really want the ability to have an intermediate step between putting in the shore power and doing the full electrical system.

 

[John61CT]

Check Marinco's line, not pricey.

Also consider a simple passthrough "hatch" use whatever extension cord you like.

 

[Anhedonic]

Marinco was the primary brand I've been looking at. 

I thought about using a basic hatch to pass cables through, but in my dreams, I'm hoping to find something solid that will hold in place if I accidentally drive away with the van plugged in (which happens embarrassingly often right now) and have the cord just come out rather than pulling the extension cord out the back door so it drags while I drive.

 

[Almost There]

I've only driven away once with the power cord plugged in. Fortunately it was aimed straight back from the rear of the van where the inlet is so the cord just pulled out of the outlet at the house and I dragged it a couple of hundred feet down the road.

Wore the sheathing off the extension cord in a couple of places... ..nothing a bit of electrical tape didn't fix!  

 

[Anhedonic]

I plug in my power chair in the van every night. I have destroyed more charging cables...

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 . . . I'm hoping to find something solid that will hold in place if I accidentally drive away with the van plugged in (which happens embarrassingly often right now) and have the cord just come out rather than pulling the extension cord out the back door so it drags while I drive.

I use flags on the steering wheel to remind me:  Red ribbon for when I am plugged in, yellow for leveling chocks, green for refrigerator latched.  Others I know use a card in front of the speedometer to remind.

 

[Moxadox]

That is brilliant! I'm going to steal your idea, or some variation thereon.

The Dire Wolfess

 

[DLTooley]

It sounds like you’ll need to do a bit of wiring. An alternative to cutting an extension cord would be just to use a short, 3 prong, cord yourself mounted/routed appropriately.

Otherwise I’d just wire to an internal receptacle. The exterior type boxes with the water proof covers are a bit stronger. You might be able to use the mounting holes on the Marinco receptacle to through bolt into the interior receptacle box with locking nuts creating something even more durable than you are envisioning.

 

[John61CT]

Use the basic hatch idea KISS.

but with the inside male to outside female connection right there,

just outside the hatch.

Make that "the weakest link".

Any big expensive adapters (30A, 50A) secured inside.

 

[MikeRuth]

Those are pretty close to what I'm looking for except they'll only take 13 amps. With the AC, I might need that extra 2a. :

In an ideal world, there would be just a socket instead of a cord coming off of the back and there would be a similar 30 amp one. 

Thanks. This is the first one I've seen that is almost right.

I might have missed something here, do you have enough appliances to really pull a full 15 amps? The plug and and outlet above seems as though it would be just the ticket for you. 

Mike R

 

[Anhedonic]

I use flags on the steering wheel to remind me:  Red ribbon for when I am plugged in, yellow for leveling chocks, green for refrigerator latched.  Others I know use a card in front of the speedometer to remind.

That is a really good idea. I think I'm going to start doing that today. Thank you for the suggestion.