Prairie Schooner modifications

[Kent]

Found Jim's post interesting and wanted to learn more and did a quick search and found these two links I found interesting.

Appears ETI is installing the Pass & Symour SCD receptacle and requires a tool to attach the wires and the one manufactured by Wirecon, the wires can be installed with the tool or rear cover of the receptacle.

Since Jim has already removed one of these maybe he can comment if this is true.

What I'm liking about these at face value is with a regular box I would always have to shove a bunch of wires into the box and try to fit the cover back on, the SCD solves this problem IMHO.

Not endorsing anything just sharing info.

RV Project Link
Adding a combination USB and 120VAC duplex outlet to my RV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tuo2EFKfJ58

[rbryan4]

With me it's probably just a case of "It's new and I'm used to the old way". Not saying it isn't suitable. Provided you have the proper SCD tool, I can see this being much quicker, especially when wiring a large number of boxes.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by freespirit

thanks for the pics..those outlets obviously work but IMHO junk as there are better outlets ...disappointed in ETI choice of insulation displacement connection to save a few cents in labor and parts cost compared to a very good AC outlet for less than $1 each on a 30k trailer ...... similar to GM trying to save a few pennies on the ignition switch on a 30K+ vehicle..

....given a choice would not plug a portable heater or a toaster oven into those outlets and just another thing to add to the list of things to fix on a new Escape trailer...

Receptacle / Switch

It doesn't appear that these plugs are cheaper than the standard duplex type plugs used in residential construction. The above link shows them as being about $5.00 USD. Much more expensive than the standard duplex in your home.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

With me it's probably just a case of "It's new and I'm used to the old way". Not saying it isn't suitable. Provided you have the proper SCD tool, I can see this being much quicker, especially when wiring a large number of boxes.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

In our 19 found the 120 outlet down under the refrigerator and the 120 outlet on the wall next to the bed Escape had put in weren't really being used . I changed both those outlet' s to 120 and USB . They have the little green led' s when we plug USB in and still have a 120 if needed . We now are using those outlet' s more . Being they are powered by 120 need to be hooked up to power if using . Each side has a table so phone's or tablet 's can sit there when using those outlet 's . Before especially the outlet next to bed , the 120 cord stuck out too far , in fact bedding covered it most of the time , probably reason why it didn't get used much . Pat

[freespirit]

Originally Posted by JohnB

Receptacle / Switch

It doesn't appear that these plugs are cheaper than the standard duplex type plugs used in residential construction. The above link shows them as being about $5.00 USD. Much more expensive than the standard duplex in your home.

if ETI is paying anywhere near that price then they certainly would not be saving money on the cost of that device versus the cost of the device with the traditional wiring connection.
While opinions may differ for various reasons with regard to this type device, this camper prefers a duplex outlet for AC wiring in which the copper to copper connection area is maximized with a properly terminated wire and screw clamp connection. Out of caution, this camper also would not plug a portable heater or toaster oven into the insulation displacement connection devices.
Since there are only a few of these devices in the trailer, this camper would prefer to replace them.

[cpaharley2008]

Jeff,
You may be painting yourself into a corner since it appears most rv manufacturers are now installing these. I know Reace and Tammy attend RV trade shows where new products are demonstrated so they are following the industry standard.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

In our 19 found the 120 outlet down under the refrigerator and the 120 outlet on the wall next to the bed Escape had put in weren't really being used . I changed both those outlet' s to 120 and USB . They have the little green led' s when we plug USB in and still have a 120 if needed . We now are using those outlet' s more . Being they are powered by 120 need to be hooked up to power if using . Each side has a table so phone's or tablet 's can sit there when using those outlet 's . Before especially the outlet next to bed , the 120 cord stuck out too far , in fact bedding covered it most of the time , probably reason why it didn't get used much . Pat

A couple of pictures of outlet"s we changed . Also one of mod to solve problem of surge being shut off remote . Last picture borrowed from Myron a cover after reading many broke the shut off switches . Pat

[cpaharley2008]

I decided to add extra USB outlets as they are functional hooked up to electric or not. You can easily add adapters to the older round 12v style for USB also. I'm working on my own fail safe switch protectors.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I decided to add extra USB outlets as they are functional hooked up to electric or not. You can easily add adapters to the older round 12v style for USB also. I'm working on my own fail safe switch protectors.

i am fully aware of 12 volt outlet's . I wanted to make the 120 outlet one's useful because we never were using them especially in the bed area because the adapter stick out too far and is covered by bedding most of the time . A little cord does not and 20,00 for both with a nice green Led to boot . Pat

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

i am fully aware of 12 volt outlet's . I wanted to make the 120 outlet one's useful because we never were using them especially in the bed area because the adapter stick out too far and is covered by bedding most of the time . A little cord does not and 20,00 for both with a nice green Led to boot . Pat

I should also add only have one 12 volt, very inconvenient under dinette . maybe later add more . This was the simplest solution for our solution . Pat

[Brian B-P]

While the SC devices may not be inexpensive, it is the cost of the whole system which matters. A conventional device requires a box, to be installed in a simple panel cut-out it would need to be at least an old-work box, and the biggest factor would likely be installation time.

On the other hand, for many locations in RVs the ability to install the SCDs with no access to the back of the device and in a shallow space is certainly valuable.

While not a fan of the insulation-displacing contacts, my biggest issues with these outlets (the version in my motorhome) are:

• the clamping mechanism is not very effective, so they can work loose from the panel (I have that issue with a couple of them, but to be fair the rest have been fine), and
• the faceplates are specific to the device (you can't use industry-standard faceplates), and the snap-on design won't stay in place if the device has mounting issues (I have one installed through a carpeted panel - don't do that, and Escape doesn't)

I despise twist-on wire nuts. Traditional set-screw type connectors (such as those from Marr) make a more solid connection.

You can eliminate wire nuts in feed-through installations of conventional receptacles by connecting incoming wires to one pair of screw terminals on the receptacle, and outgoing wires to the other pair, passing the current through the bridges between terminals. Although not compliant with the wiring codes that I've seen, this doesn't seem fundamentally any different from the feed-through method approved and described by the manufacturer for the SCDs.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

You can easily add adapters to the older round 12v style for USB also.

Using one of those cheap 12V to USB adapters might be why the battery in my iPhone 5 swelled up, cracking the case open. But, what could one expect at two for five dollars?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Using one of those cheap 12V to USB adapters might be why the battery in my iPhone 5 swelled up, cracking the case open. But, what could one expect at two for five dollars?

The charging control in this case is done by the iPhone. Is the theory that the cheap adapter put out such high voltage that the iPhone couldn't handle it, or that the iPhone was so offended by association with a cheap non-Apple device that it blew up in a huff?

Failing lithium ion batteries and failing electronic equipment (including Apple's Chinese-made hardware, just like every other brand) are not uncommon.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Patandlinda

I should also add only have one 12 volt, very inconvenient under dinette . maybe later add more . This was the simplest solution for our solution . Pat

I have maybe 4-6 of those USB/120V outlets, some with night lights but found that when trying to replace the stock 120v outlet the boxes were too small, both in the trailer and at home. So they sit in the basement, unused.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Is the theory that the cheap adapter put out such high voltage that the iPhone couldn't handle it, or that the iPhone was so offended by association with a cheap non-Apple device that it blew up in a huff?

Could be either, but I think from what I read, it's getting overcharged.

From a support site: "It is most probably the battery. Since the battery pack is enclosed in a sealed bag, the gas inside expands due to overheating either by overcharging (esp. if you use replacement charging cables or other charging accessories) or the battery and overcharge cutoff system is not functioning properly."

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I have maybe 4-6 of those USB/120V outlets, some with night lights but found that when trying to replace the stock 120v outlet the boxes were too small, both in the trailer and at home. So they sit in the basement, unused.

I guess for once I lucked out with this trailer . The boxes Escape installed worked very nice with this outlet ' s . Plenty of room . Bought on Amazon . Believe they were Cooper . Pat

[Brian B-P]

To be fair, if the multi-hundred-dollar phone depends on the power supply for current limiting, any charger that puts out more than the one amp provided by Apple's charger for the iPhone 5 - including possibly Apple's other chargers - could charge the phone's battery too quickly. I suppose the phone could be that stupid...

It cannot be the charger's fault if charging is continued for too long, because cutting off the charge is the phone's job.

[thoer]

I better tell my computer engineer nephew and my former student who now works for an Israeli computer security firm that all that Apple hardware they keep buying is total junk, I'm sure they are both probably just horribly misinformed.....

[gbaglo]

Son-in-law replaced the battery for $11 and then sold the phone on Craig's list. Bought me a 5s on Ebay. Works for me.
But, I'm going to charge the phone with the Apple charger and a small inverter. I've used other non-Apple chargers and the phone knows and alerts you. ( PS. somebody needs to explain why this software flags "inverter" as a spelling mistake ).

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

or that the iPhone was so offended by association with a cheap non-Apple device that it blew up in a huff?

Good one. I've used those outlets for several years with multiple devices without incident. Of course I'm not in the elite class of being an Apple user.

Ron