Stainless Steel Power Cord Access - Plug It

[DCKiefer]

If you have the newer style stainless steel power cord access you may have noticed that when plugging in your land line you can not close the cover to prevent critters or the weather from getting into the three inch opening. Here is a simple and inexpensive solution.

 

Purchase a foam beverage holder if you don't already have an ample supply. Trim about 25% off of it's hieght. Next, cut a slit from the hole in the bottom and up the side. The slit will all you to put the beverage holder around your power cord and insert the foam holder into the cord access opening. Does a pretty good job of sealing this up.

[mountainborn]

Very good ! Thanks for the post. Your photos show it all.

[SeaDawg]

Thanks for sharing these great ideas.

Sherry

PS It was really great to see both of you Monday!

[dougi]

I'll be implementing this innovative solution when we get home among all the field mice. I will not be surprised to see them chew through the foam, but it's got to be better than nothing.

 

I guessing that when the wind gets up the loose cover will bang against the side of the trailer, keeping us awake, so if anyone has a solution for this, please share.

[herm]

I agree this exposed opening is not ideal, so thanks for sharing your solution. Other than that, I really like the way the cover seals when closed. You can feel the o-ring fitting snuggly inside the cover.

 

Herm

[JuniorBirdMan]

Being a sometime woodworker I thought I'd try this. I had some scrap purpleheart hanging around looking for a purpose, so I made a plug with a cutout for the power cord. Why purpleheart? Because:

(1) I'm cheap.

(2) Purpleheart is cheap.

(3) Purpleheart has many of the same properties as teak, but at about the same cost as walnut. See item 1 above.

 

The green cord is there to assist removal in case the wood swells and the other end of it is attached to a block of foam stuffed into the cap to keep it from rattling around in the breeze. The whole works fits in the battery compartment while underway.

[mountainborn]

Clever, very clever ! Buddy, you do good work ! What if the plug was made of plastic and had a "o"ring to seal and hold it in place, and a magnet in the cap to keep it silent and from wearing the gel coat ? Maybe another magnet in the battery box to hold it in the storage position ?

[JuniorBirdMan]

Plastic would've been my first choice but I don't know where to get my hands on a block of it 2 inches thick. The ideal stuff would be what they make the plastic cutting boards out of. Hmmmmm, maybe cut up a cutting board and glue the layers together and then spin it on the lathe?

 

I just went out and tried the magnet, but the cap is stainless steel.

[tumbleweed]

The beverage holder shud work well on the ole' plastic doors also!

Oscars chauffer showed me neat litlle anti ant trick to put the cord over the tire then plug in!

There are so many great ideas here!!!!

Chuck

[JuniorBirdMan]

Found plastic! A 4x4 made of recycled plastic used to build decks. A lot easier to machine than wood and no swelling when wet!

[mountainborn]

Way to go ! Now, that's the way to stay focused ! I wonder if a couple of those "rare earth" magnets would hold the cap when the plug is in place ?

[JuniorBirdMan]

I've got some rare earth magnets - I'll see what I can figure out. Maybe epoxy will hold 'em on