Tiggs, yes I am am member on the Dodge Forums too. Glad you found my post informative.
I took extra precautions to insure the extension cord from my power strip to the van body could not chafe on anything. A fuse would not be a bad idea at all. I think my power strip has a 15 or 20 amp circuit breaker in the switch. A 1500 watt heater and some other loads did not trip it. The plug from the grid I have been using is GFI too.
The quality of the extension cord from vehicle to grid is important. Get a 12 awg one. I used to run a 14 and a 16 inline and later a 12awg and 16awg to reach and the voltage drop caused my charger to run funny. A single 100 foot 12 awg cord has been an excellent investment. Though I use it more for work than to plug my Van in.
Thanks, I had already on the same track with the 12 AWG extention cable, apparently UL wants it (type SJ or better) when you exceed three plug in devices. Couldn't find a 12 AWG 6-plug power strip with surge suppression but here UL says 14 AWG is fine because the strips are mfg'd with 15 amp fuses to protect the 14 AWG rating. I was able to locate a power inlet on Amazon similar to the one you pictured that boasts the ability to use the provided prongs or push them out and use my own plug. Also ordered a simple GFI pass through plug that will between the inlet cable and the power strip.
Not sure where to put the inlet though. Like the idea of having it mounted directly on the body but worry, worry, worry about rain blowing into the plug. This would be a problem with any 110v application going on inside the van... Thought about those water proof cable to cable protectors (I use on my pond pump) but that app won't work on a fix mounted plug like the one you pictured.
Will be installing a DC exhaust fan and some awning channel this weekend onto the fiberglass topper. Going to try using Sikaflex 252 to adhere/seal the channel followed by pop rivets to hold it together. Says it has a tensile strengh of something like 600 psi. My awning is just a tarp that attaches to the van with some cleverly bent bolts with wingnuts that I picked up on ebay. Fingers crossed that the bonding agent and rivets will be enough to do the job, don't want to mess with trying to get under the headliner to secure the length of the channel with bolts.
Not a whole lot going on in the interior as far as 12V wiring. I had gone through it looking for the motor controller for the sofa/bed when I couldn't get power to it but that was removed and replaced with a memory foam mattress on a platform with under bed storage. Have some pretty fancy interior lighting above with a fuse panel near the floor on the driver's side but that is powered by the van's battery and I don't tend to use them when camping, except when I'm setting up in the dark.
If I were planning on installing AC, I'd go to the expense of wiring in 30A service. Not sure, for my needs, that I even need a hardwired inverter w/batteries. At least I can't see that happening any time in the near (or distant) future. As it is, if I can get the microwave installed where the TV was previously and a plug or two for miscellaneous items like a small AC fan, my laptop and a few other things as needed, I'll be chuffed. Grew up camping in a pop-up trailer, having a microwave in the van will be step up ;-)
One idea that came to my head -- have a SWD rated circuit breaker near the connector. That not protects the incoming end, but allows you to flip it off, then plug/unplug the connection. This keeps it from arcing when plugged in the wall. Most shore power receptacles have a circuit breaker, but not all, so it doesn't hurt to be able to cut power cleanly before a connect/disconnect.
mlts22 wrote: One idea that came to my head -- have a SWD rated circuit breaker near the connector. That not protects the incoming end, but allows you to flip it off, then plug/unplug the connection. This keeps it from arcing when plugged in the wall. Most shore power receptacles have a circuit breaker, but not all, so it doesn't hurt to be able to cut power cleanly before a connect/disconnect.
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