BurbMan
Indianapolis, IN
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Joined: 09/20/2001
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Since OP says it's a gravel driveway with tire ruts, it's not a flat surface to put any kind of cord guard or covering on. To do this right (ie according to code), conduit should be at least 12" down...but if you're renting a trencher, you may as well go 24" and then you can just lay in 10/2 UF cable that's rated for direct burial.
Install the proper outlet with in-use cover on the side of the driveway where the RV is parked and you're done.
Don't attempt to run extension cord in conduit or lay conduit across the driveway, the plastic will shatter when you drive over it in cold weather.
If you want something less temporary than buried cable, I would get a tough extension cord like this YellowJacket and just lay it across the drive. It will hold up to being driven over on a gravel drive, for how long depends on how busy your drive is. If you;re like us and go in/out 2 or 3 times/day, this cord will last a long time.
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Fisherman
Angus, Ontario, Canada
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Joined: 09/28/2002
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Gdetrailer wrote:No such thing exists and if it did would be more expensive than your RV.
The closest thing to armored cable that I can think of is this
![[image]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41oxZ0efcML._AC_SL1000_.jpg)
"BX" cable, but, it is not designed for and cannot be used for outdoor use, it is not designed to be run over..
Find a different route such as overhead or take it the long way around or bury conduit under the driveway and run some wire through the conduit and terminate to a RV outlet.
You could also try cord protectors that look like this..
![[image]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/612E%2BbXKSjL.__AC_SX300_SY300_QL70_ML2_.jpg)
![[image]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/91cb3U5Oq1L._AC_SL1500_.jpg)
That one is rated for 22,000 lbs but it is expensive for a 40" length..
Found HERE for $52.00
Well sorry for you but it does exist, we used it in the Military, 10/3 + ground, rubber covered and capable of being laid across roads and fields. Check Mil grade cable.
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Gdetrailer
PA
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Joined: 01/05/2007
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Fisherman wrote:Gdetrailer wrote:No such thing exists and if it did would be more expensive than your RV.
Well sorry for you but it does exist, we used it in the Military, 10/3 + ground, rubber covered and capable of being laid across roads and fields. Check Mil grade cable.
AND costs more than what a RV costs.
For the average person, Mil spec stuff is often way out of budget and simply not worth dealing with.. After all, we are talking the same military that buys $2.98 hammers for $100, pays $600 for a toilet seat or how about $3,000 for a coffee maker???
Per HERE
By the way, just because the "military" specs or uses something, does not mean it truly is "the best", perhaps on some items a bit more rugged but not always the best..
I will stand by the idea that finding an alternate route for the average home and RV owner for things like electrical is by far the best way to go about this.. If you have ever had the pleasure of falling on gravel, you will find that it shreds you and all objects.. Pretty sharp stuff.
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MEXICOWANDERER
las peñas, michoacan, mexico
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Joined: 06/01/2007
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Been there done that dept.
Temporary fix...
Extension cord
BLACK PLASTIC SPIRAL WRAP purchased on Amazon
½" diameter black spiral wrap should be plenty big enough.
Dig a shallow trough.
Clean sharp rocks out beneath the spiral wrapped cord.
EZ does when crossing.
My Mickey Mouse setup lasted two years. Without the spiral wrap it lasted a week. A car passed over it 4 times a day.
Amazon search ½" black spiral wrap.
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Cummins12V98
on the road
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Two 2x4's with a pc of plywood capping them leaving a space between the 2x4's for the cord. Did this many times on construction sites. Works for water lines also.
2015 RAM LongHorn 3500 Dually CrewCab 4X4 CUMMINS/AISIN RearAir 385HP/865TQ 4:10's
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2016 MobileSuites 39TKSB3 highly "Elited" In the stable
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swimmer_spe
Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
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OP here. I have a junction box on that side of the driveway. I'm going to call an electrician and have them wire up an outside plug there. After hearing the options, I feel it is the best solution, and it won't cost much.
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Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
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I’m confused…but good luck in your solution.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
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Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
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wopachop
Who run bartertown
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Oh perfect!! You already have wire run in conduit over there. You should be able to get a standard 15a receptacle on that.
Depending on conduit size he might be able to pull thicker wire and give you a 30a setup. If you ever wanted to run heaters and stuff come winter 30a would be awesome.
If you post a picture of your service panel people here might be able to give advice on what to do. It could be really easy to put that outside junction box on its own 15 or 20a breaker. So its not sharing power with the house. I had to do that back home. We plug the trailer into the garage outlets. But it kept tripping the breaker. So i gave 1 outlet its own dedicated 20a breaker. The breaker was already there. Just had to swap wires around.
Ideally that outside junction box is already on its own circuit. Like you said it will be cheap to add an outlet right there.
Have you pulled the cover and taken a peek? Hopefully its not low voltage wire for outdoor lighting. If it looks like speaker wire then he will have to pull new wire.
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Dusty R
Charlotte Michigan 48813
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wopachop wrote:Oh perfect!! You already have wire run in conduit over there. You should be able to get a standard 15a receptacle on that.
Depending on conduit size he might be able to pull thicker wire and give you a 30a setup. If you ever wanted to run heaters and stuff come winter 30a would be awesome.
If you post a picture of your service panel people here might be able to give advice on what to do. It could be really easy to put that outside junction box on its own 15 or 20a breaker. So its not sharing power with the house. I had to do that back home. We plug the trailer into the garage outlets. But it kept tripping the breaker. So i gave 1 outlet its own dedicated 20a breaker. The breaker was already there. Just had to swap wires around.
Ideally that outside junction box is already on its own circuit. Like you said it will be cheap to add an outlet right there.
Have you pulled the cover and taken a peek? Hopefully its not low voltage wire for outdoor lighting. If it looks like speaker wire then he will have to pull new wire.
When you switched wires around. I hope that you didn't put #14 wires on a 20 amp breaker.
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wopachop
Who run bartertown
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I didnt. But good looking out.
Not saying i wouldnt though.
Never at a customers house.
But my own house, when the outlet is 24 inches away from the panel, eh...maybe.
Actually come to think of it. I just realized they have the trailer plugged into a diff outlet!!! Theyre not even using my dedicated 20a. I better warm them to go check the fridge!!! Gonna be a bummer if the breaker tripped and nobody noticed. Im not home to check.
Just to clarify for anyone following along i used to have my own trailer plugged into the garage. Using the microwave would sometimes trip it if my water heater or other stuff happened to be on at the same time.
Now currently its a different trailer with just the fridge on. I dont think they even know and remember i made one of the garage outlets our "trailer outlet".
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