New USB / Power Receptacle Install

[Don and Dale]

Posted this on another forum and I thought I'd add it here.

Last summer, I became frustrated with the electrical outlet that was under the dinette table, centered in the seat base. The problem was that whenever we needed to use it, which was often due to so few outlets, I had to get down on all fours to plug anything in. For immediate corrective action, I bought a surge protector with a 3' cord and plugged it in and ran it out onto the floor next to the dinette step so it was out of the way.

I figured I would add a new power and USB outlet at the end of the dinette base for ease of access, as well as needing a USB charge outlet too. I used the existing outlet as my power source for the new USB outlet.

Decided where I wanted it, taped it off, cut the opening and inserted the new box.



Spliced in the new romex wire to the existing outlet and ran the wire to the USB box.





Once I had wired the new USB outlet, I tested for correct wiring hookup. I then plugged in a my iPad to the USB port and everything worked great, This mod will make it so much nicer to use USB hookups as well as having a convenient outlet without having to get on my knees to plug stuff in.






__________________
"In the game of life, I have no need for tickets on the 50-yard line, I brought my shoes, I came to play." Unknown
Don and Dale (2013 Thor ACE 29.2 with 5ST, CHF, Safe-T-Plus) RVM106

[Larry]

Nice job and much more convenient I'm sure.

[FW28z]

I love seeing these projects...

It's ironic that I did the exact same thing last year, even down to using blue tape to protect the cheap paneling in the dinette and using a blue electrical boxes. We must be thinking alike when it comes to RV projects:






Mine is brown though - to match the rest of the outlets in the coach. I had a really hard time finding a brown one, and ended up ordering one at a high cost.

This was also the point in my "relationship" with the RV that I began to doubt the fine workmanship of the construction crew. The cheap Wirecon outlets were bad enough, but they busted the rear cover plate on the one under the dinette; one of the tabs on the grey back part was busted off. Since I needed to add an extension to the box, and since the existing one was dangerous, I replaced it.

Also they just let the wiring to the LP leak detector just lay on the carpet, rather than spending a dollar on securing it.



So I ended up securing it, as one of my projects for this year is to add a storage bin to the under seat area. This is a huge waste of storage space not to have anything stored in there.



Since I found this wiring upsetting, you can imagine how much I freaked out when I looked at the wiring around the water pump. It is literally a rat's nest and I am afraid to even touch it since I might cause something to quit working.

Anyway, I love seeing others doing RV projects... as it gives me ideas for my coach. Thanks for sharing.

[Don and Dale]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the feedback. I have also changed out the shower head (oxygenics) and changed out some of the lights to LED's. Doing the lights a few at a time due to $$. Other small mods, too. I really enjoy tinkering, as most do. Keeps me occupied and out of the DW's hair!

BTW, sorry pics were so large. I did resized them smaller, but they still look huge here.

[FW28z]

I bought a box of these LEDs when I did my conversion:

http://www.amazon.com/Gold-Stars-115...+Natural+White

About $80 for a box of 24. They replace the 1141 bulbs you probably have in your coach. At just over $3 each, I replaced all of mine at one time.

[Don and Dale]

Thanks FW. My bulbs are the flat end, not the rounded end. I know they have those bulbs, too.
So far, I have replaced the whole assembly fixture, using the KAPER II 5500 Kelvin Daylight White.

Not entirely sure, yet, if I am going to like the daylight white. It may be too harsh...we'll try them out on a few outings before I invest in any others.

[FW28z]

Before I decided on replacing mine, I bought single quantities from a couple of different sources, both on Amazon and eBay. The primary difference was the color temperature. The ones on eBay were really on the blue side, but the Amazon ones were pretty much daylight, which I prefer over the yellowish incandescent bulbs.

I used the eBay ones - the ones that were too blue to my liking, in the storage compartments on the underside of the coach. The bluish tint is not as noticeable there.

[JamieGeek]

I had converted our 5th wheel over to LEDs all inside shortly before trading it in on the Axis. I just bit the bullet and purchased all I needed from Camping World. We didn't mind the blue hue too much as they were brighter and thus we could see better in the camper.

[Don and Dale]

That's a good point. I may try different types (bulbs only) in the bays to help discern what we may want. A bit cheaper with bulbs than fixtures.

[Don and Dale]

What did you end up with, Jamie? That's where we bought the Kaper II. Is that the brand you got?

[Nursx2]

Don,


Where did you purchase the combo USB plug!?

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Nursx2

Don,


Where did you purchase the combo USB plug!?

I'm not Don, but you can buy those plugs at most home improvement stores such as Lowes or Home depot. I am getting ready to change out the dual 110 receptacle at the passenger seat in my Challenger so the other half has her own USB jacks to charge her phone or other items while we are rolling down the road.

I would like to find one that has dual 2.1 Amp USB ports but most of what I see are 1 2.1 amp and 1 1 amp port. Plugging an iPhone into a 1 amp USB port requires next to forever for the battery to charge and knowing the other half, that is the port she will use most often.

[Don and Dale]

I bought mine at the Home Depot, Nursx2.

I believe this is the one I purchased for around $20

Leviton 15 Amp Tamper-Resistant Combo Outlet/USB Charger - White-R02-T5630-00W - The Home Depot

Don

[Nursx2]

Thanks - will get a couple. I already have an outlet in that position so my mod is much easier!

[Don and Dale]

Originally Posted by Nursx2

Thanks - will get a couple. I already have an outlet in that position so my mod is much easier!

I will be adding at least one more, too. Possibly two more. If I go with one more, it will be at the work station (passenger seat) for Dale. (like what Dave mentioned above)

If I go with two more, the other will be an "addition" and will be in the bed room.

Don

[FW28z]

Originally Posted by dstankov

I would like to find one that has dual 2.1 Amp USB ports but most of what I see are 1 2.1 amp and 1 1 amp port.

How about two 3Amp USB ports? Here is the USB combo port I bought:

http://www.amazon.com/Bryant-Electri...5-15R%2C+Brown

It has two 3Amp USB ports and two NEMA 5-15R outlets. Like I said, it is the only one I could find in Brown. But you can also get the other traditional colors.

Or if you need NMEA 5-20R outlets, you can get that one as well:

http://www.amazon.com/Bryant-Electri...9H8BYB2BH5D630

They cost a little more, but they do have 3Amp USB.

I could not find any at Home Depot, Lowes, Menard's etc. available in Brown, and they were also low power as you indicated. But that was a year ago, so things may have changed.

I am thinking of also replacing the exterior outlet on the curb side of the coach with one so I can USB charge under the awning. That might include needing to replace the cheap plastic "waterproof" enclosure with a real one.



Here is another one that has 3.6A USB, but it was not available in Brown last year when I bought mine:

http://www.amazon.com/Leviton-T5632-...04RJNEPHJVFAG8

You can get one that even does 4A USB, but I could not find one in Brown:

http://www.amazon.com/ENERLITES-Char...lex+receptacle

[Nursx2]

Thanks FW, Just purchased two on Amazon!

Order Received - March 11, 2015 2:44 AM
We've received your order, but we haven't started preparing it for shipment yet. The amount of time your order spends in this status can vary based on the availability of the item(s) and the selected delivery.






Leviton T5632-W 15-Amp USB Charger/Tamper Resistant Duplex Receptacle, White
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC
Buy it Again





Leviton T5632-B 15-Amp USB Charger/Tamper Resistant Duplex Receptacle, Brown
Sold by: Amazon.com LLC

[FW28z]

Are you adding outlets or replacing them?

If you are replacing existing outlets, you wil need a couple of those blue boxes as the Wirecon/SCD type outlets used in the RV/Mobile Home industry have an integrated wiring box, rather than a housing typical in residential wiring.

Pass & Seymour calls them SCD (Self Contained Devices) while Hubbell calls their's Wirecon. Simply remove the old outlet and add a blue box, then the USB outlet. You will have to enlarge the hole though as the Wirecon/SDC openings are smaller.

If adding outlets, one thing you may want to consider, with permission from Don And Dale, who started this thread, is replacing the outlet you tap into with a standard outlet (and blue box). Otherwise, you will have to tap into the outlet, which can be done, but it is not easy.

To tap into the Wirecon/SCD outlet, you have to remove the back plate - hopefully not breaking it, orient the new wire on top of the old wire (but oriented 180 deg), then snap the back on. The outlets are technically insulation displacement, so squeezing the back on will force the contacts onto the wiring.



Not easy to do. Replacing the outlet with one having screw terminals is a lot easier.

The Wirecon/SCD outlets you have on your coach are probably made by Pass & Seymour, which is the one that was busted. I replaced it with a Hubbell-Wirecon brand as it was easier to find.

Here is a .pdf showing the instructions on how to install the Hubbell-Wirecon outlets:

http://www.hubbell-wirecon.com/liter...ationGuide.pdf

I could not find installation instructions for the Pass & Seymour version, but you should be able to glean how they work from the Hubbell version.

[petefoss]

Originally Posted by FW28z

Are you adding outlets or replacing them?

If you are replacing existing outlets, you wil need a couple of those blue boxes as the Wirecon/SCD type outlets used in the RV/Mobile Home industry have an integrated wiring box, rather than a housing typical in residential wiring.

So that's what those are! I had a WTF moment when I pulled an outlet to exchange with a Leviton 3.6A USB outlet and there was no electrical box!

Now to decide where I REALLY want USB outlets vs. just plugging in a typical 120V to 5V USB charger. Maybe just the one in the cabinet where the bluray player etc. are since they are on the inverter already. Make that the "USB charging station" besides the one on the kitchen pop up that's only active on genny or shore power.

Decisions, decisions...

[jpmihalk]

Genius idea! Why didn't I think of this? On my to do list for our next stop...