By Mike Sokol
Welcome to my J.A.M. (Just Ask Mike) Session, a weekly column where I answer your basic electrical questions. If you’re a newbie who’s never plugged in a shore power cord (or ask – what’s a shore power cord?), or wonder why your daughter’s hair dryer keeps tripping the circuit breaker, this column is for you. Send your questions to Mike Sokol at mike (at) noshockzone.org with the subject line – JAM.
Dear Mike (aka J.A.M.),
I know when you plug extension cords together it can affect their integrity. So, I’m just curious if the 50-amp 90-degree adapter will affect the integrity of my full-length cord. I purchased this adapter mainly to reduce cord strain. Appreciate your comments.
Thanks. —Jeff
Dear Jeff,
I’m attaching the picture you sent for everyone to see. While it is true that every connector you put in a power line creates a little extra voltage drop, in this case you’re actually helping the shore power inlet on your RV maintain a better connection because you’ve reduced the torquing effect on the plug.
I see a lot of these shore power cords fail from the strain of the 90-degree angle they’re forced to endure. Your adapter transfers that torque/stress into a straight downward force, which is much easier on the connector with less chance of warping or deforming the contacts. And we don’t want to warp our contacts, do we? So I think this is a great idea.
Camco makes a nice 90-degree adapter that should fit your RV, but confirm the connection inlet type on your RV before ordering it. Find it on Amazon.
OK, everyone. Remember that electricity is a useful and powerful force, so we all need to pay attention to safety precautions while using it.
Let’s play safe out there….
Mike Sokol is an electrical and professional sound expert with 40+ years in the industry. His excellent book RV Electrical Safety is available at Amazon.com. For more info on Mike’s qualifications as an electrical expert, click here.
