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110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location
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Where should the 110 electrical hook-up box be located if it could be anywhere?
Original location
54%
 54%  [ 6 ]
Under the van
0%
 0%  [ 0 ]
Near the rear of the van, close to engine bay
18%
 18%  [ 2 ]
Somewhere else (please let us know where)
27%
 27%  [ 3 ]
Total Votes : 11

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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 9:39 am    Post subject: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

Hello everyone,

I've searched the forums quite a bit and most posts about this topic mention the difference between the USA (inline hook-up boxes) and Canada versions (down low for the electrical hook-up box).

We have a passenger van (syncro) that we are slowly making into a camper and I'm trying to figure out where to put the electrical inlet hook-up box. Instead of a direct replacement (needing the 4" square hole), I purchased this one which only requires a 2" diameter hole. It has a nice tight flap (probably quite watertight) for when nothing is plugged in and is pretty deep. While people seem happy with the original Westy style hook-up, it is a 30 year old design. I'm not too sure what the advantage of buying a $50 hook-up box would be, except maybe that it has a flap in top to shed off rain?

Anyhow, there are no hook-ups at all on our van so we get to pick where to install this. Here are my thoughts so far:
- in the original location: especially since I'd be drilling a 2" diameter hole. I can always make the hole larger for a genuine hook-up box later.
- under the van: discreet and protected from the elements when plugged in, but maybe not so much when fording water (it is a syncro after all).
- near the rear: maybe around the engine bay though not sure where exactly.
- anywhere else?

It's nice to have a blank slate and we're open to suggestions. If you had the opportunity to relocate your electrical hook-up box (and not have to patch a hole), where would you put it?


Last edited by T3TRIS on Wed Jan 30, 2019 9:53 am; edited 1 time in total
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shagginwagon83
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 9:42 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

Maybe rear vents like the Vanagon Life solar hookup. I don't know how you would route the wires.

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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 10:07 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

shagginwagon83 wrote:
Maybe rear vents like the Vanagon Life solar hookup. I don't know how you would route the wires.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


That's not a bad idea. The only worry I'd have is that the panel is kind of tilted upward which would make water pool inside a plug/box. It'd need some mods for it to point downward but I do like the idea!
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kourt
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 10:32 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

Oftentimes when I am charging my van at home, the weather is bad and it rains.

That NOCO power outlet you refer to is not very weatherproof in terms of when you have it open and have an extension cord connected.

That makes me think you may be tempted to put it under the van. Don't do that--the undercarriage always has unusual wind patterns and when it rains, everything gets soaked. Also, it's ergonomically harder to connect the cord under the van. Lastly, you're more likely to not notice the charge cord being connected and possibly drive away with it still connected, thus damaging the connector, or more.

In my experience most appliances that benefit from this hookup will be in or near the galley, so working with the galley wall, as the original design does, and not adding holes to the floor, is a sensible approach.

The original hookup box concept is, in my experience, a well conceived solution. The holes are easy to make (dress the cut edges to prevent rust) and are easy to access behind a Westy galley by simply removing the refrigerator. I have five hookup boxes on the side of my van: pressurized water, compressed air, shore power hookup, water tank fill, and a radio antenna pass-thru hole (for temporary antenna installations).

The hookup box door can be flipped down low to deflect most rain intrusion while you are charging in bad weather.

The hookup box location, near the driver door, and in the field of vision of the driver mirror, lends itself to safe operation. You are more likely to see it when you are getting in the van or sitting in the driver seat.

Hookup boxes, especially the improved ones from GoWesty, are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. They have good gaskets and conform with the original aesthetics of the van.

kourt
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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 10:59 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

kourt wrote:
Oftentimes when I am charging my van at home, the weather is bad and it rains.

That NOCO power outlet you refer to is not very weatherproof in terms of when you have it open and have an extension cord connected.

That makes me think you may be tempted to put it under the van. Don't do that--the undercarriage always has unusual wind patterns and when it rains, everything gets soaked. Also, it's ergonomically harder to connect the cord under the van. Lastly, you're more likely to not notice the charge cord being connected and possibly drive away with it still connected, thus damaging the connector, or more.

In my experience most appliances that benefit from this hookup will be in or near the galley, so working with the galley wall, as the original design does, and not adding holes to the floor, is a sensible approach.

The original hookup box concept is, in my experience, a well conceived solution. The holes are easy to make (dress the cut edges to prevent rust) and are easy to access behind a Westy galley by simply removing the refrigerator. I have five hookup boxes on the side of my van: pressurized water, compressed air, shore power hookup, water tank fill, and a radio antenna pass-thru hole (for temporary antenna installations).

The hookup box door can be flipped down low to deflect most rain intrusion while you are charging in bad weather.

The hookup box location, near the driver door, and in the field of vision of the driver mirror, lends itself to safe operation. You are more likely to see it when you are getting in the van or sitting in the driver seat.

Hookup boxes, especially the improved ones from GoWesty, are plentiful and relatively inexpensive. They have good gaskets and conform with the original aesthetics of the van.

kourt


All good points, thanks for your input!
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:15 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

I've been thinking about doing it like this...(idea & pics from newfisher):

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

...from here...(scroll to bottom):

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=624902&postorder=desc

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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:18 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

dhaavers wrote:
I've been thinking about doing it like this...(idea & pics from newfisher):

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

...from here...(scroll to bottom):

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=624902&postorder=desc

- Dave


Yeah, that's an outlet though. But even if it was an inlet, the license plate frame opens upward and would just be a water catch if we were plugged in and it was raining.

Thanks for the idea!
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dhaavers
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:25 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

^^^ Yeah - I was kinda just showing the location...

Wire it for input if you like, close the license plate with the cord running to the side & it's at least
as weatherproof as the OG hookups with the added bonus of no new holes in the van...

<shrug>

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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:28 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

dhaavers wrote:
^^^ Yeah - I was kinda just showing the location...

Wire it for input if you like, close the license plate with the cord running to the side & it's at least
as weatherproof as the OG hookups with the added bonus of no new holes in the van...

<shrug>

- Dave


Makes sense! It's right above the exhaust, maybe if it's off to the side. The left side battery box is looking more and more attractive.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 11:49 am    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

No box and no holes.
Current plan is to use my electrical box for a remote solar panel input.
The solar wire being on the 'backside" of the van is OK because at that point I'm fully "camping".

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I just mocked this up with an extension cord (for the pic).
The plug just hangs on a SS wire hook in this pic.
I'll do something better than hang it on a propane line when the time comes.

The slider door is where everything happens (at home too).

I'm going to use a sealed outdoor type pigtail near the slider door.
They are easy to get from discarded appliances etc.
If you enter the van at the slider (often) to drive away you can unplug.
If you get in the driver door and drive away (forgetting to unplug) they self-disconnect without (much) concern.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


This lighted plug end would confirm to you that the van is getting 120v.
Will it light if you have an inverter running?
Which could alert you to turn off the inverter before plugging in.
Leviton LIGHTED PLUG END REPLACEMENT, 515PV-LIT
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:24 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

we put them in the door pillar right beside the drivers door.
reason being is that one does NOT want to forget to unplug before driving off.

this comes from our old diesel rabbit (new car) days.. and mom would drive off with the extension cord once a year.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 12:39 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

I would do what your mom did.
Currently I drape the extension cord over the driver door mirror so it's visible.
Because with a stationary "box" there is only one direction that it can self-disconnect, but it never moves in that direction.

But when I "make a change" it will be hanging on a pigtail so it can self-align to disconnect in any direction ---- with no worries.

When mom's happy everybody's happy.
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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 1:10 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

danfromsyr wrote:
we put them in the door pillar right beside the drivers door.
reason being is that one does NOT want to forget to unplug before driving off.

this comes from our old diesel rabbit (new car) days.. and mom would drive off with the extension cord once a year.


Do you have a photo of the setup?
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 2:31 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

I don't think I do and it's going to be neg a bunch *f the next couple of days so i'll try to snap one by the weekend.
but essentially in the 4in body portion of the door pillar. the cod gets snaked out in behind the middle 'interior' panel


and yes, I then drape it over the side mirror.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 3:41 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

What I did...

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 3:45 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

I have the same one as you bought, I put it on my Tin Top behind the drivers door. My thoughts were be as close to the batteries
in case I want to put in a maintainer down the road. Also I am thinking that I may put in a SAE 2 pin plug for solar close to it.

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T3TRIS
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:05 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

Timwhy wrote:
I have the same one as you bought, I put it on my Tin Top behind the drivers door. My thoughts were be as close to the batteries
in case I want to put in a maintainer down the road. Also I am thinking that I may put in a SAE 2 pin plug for solar close to it.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Simple! How do you like that specific inlet by the way? And now that you’ve had it there, are you happy with the location?

Thanks for sharing.
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:07 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

oldskewlsk8ter wrote:
What I did...

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


I like this. I’m gonna look into doing the same.
Are you happy with it?
Wished you had done something different?
How do you like that specific inlet?
What’s the other plug you have?
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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:28 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

My house battery and iota are under the driver seat. I ran the same plug looking cover thing shown by oldskewlsk8ter right thru the drivers wheel well into the under seat compartment where my gear is located.

I have an external picture somewhere.

You can just see it in the upper right corner of the photo. Yellow sticker on black plastic collar.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Lower left corner 8n this picture.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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PostPosted: Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:31 pm    Post subject: Re: 110V 15 Amp Electrical Hook-Up Inlet Location Reply with quote

rmcd wrote:
My house battery and iota are under the driver seat. I ran the same plug looking cover thing shown by oldskewlsk8ter right thru the drivers wheel well into the under seat compartment where my gear is located.

I have an external picture somewhere.

You can just see it in the upper right corner of the photo. Yellow sticker on black plastic collar.


Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Lower left corner 8n this picture.

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.


Really nice setup! No issues with water in the wheel well? I assume that’s probably one of the wettest area when driving in rain.
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