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build pages/electrical/shore power 

The shore power connection is 15 amps.  Shore power is a 3 prong male end of a Harbor Freight 12/3 extension cord that hangs down below the driver door.  I have no need for a normal 30 amp RV park shore power connection.  Certainly did not want a shore power connection visible.  I do have an occasional need to plug into someone's house so the regular 3 prong cord is a better solution for my application.  Do not have air conditioning that could require the 30 amp connection.  Found a cord path inside the Transit door frame "B" pillar post just aft of the driver door.  At the bottom there was an existing hole that was large enough for the cord and a rubber grommet.  At the top just above the floor on the post there was a hole but it was not large enough for the cord and a grommet.  Drilled out the upper hole so it was large enough.


                    

 

 

 

 

 

The cord hangs down about 6" below the side of the van when the cord is removed from its angle retainer.  The angle retainer has a slot to hook the cord up out of sight.  The aluminum angle retainer was fabricated and a 1/4-20NC prebulbed insert was installed in an existing hole.  The cord can be unhooked without kneeling on the ground.  When connected to shore power the cord is put back on the retainer so connection is out of the weather.  Wanted the connection at the driver door so I could see it before driving off with cord connected.

During the first part of the build I just connected a duplex receptical to the cord so I had 120 volt power inside the van for construction.  Once the selector switch panel was installed the cord was wired to the Blue Sea # 9009 3 position selector switch as was the output from the vehicle powered inverter.  The switch selects real shore power or "shore power" from the vehicle powered inverter.  After the selector switch there is a two pole 15 amp circuit breaker.

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