Chinook RV

Hi everyone,

Today I officially started the process of upgrading the shore power inlet on my RV. Earlier this year, while visiting a marina, I noticed that many boats were using a dedicated 30-amp locking power inlet while docked. That setup really caught my attention — not only for its durability, but also for how convenient and secure it looked compared to the traditional RV “mouse hole” cord system.

After doing some research, I realized a similar setup could offer several advantages for my RV, especially if I build a few custom adapters to give the system dual-purpose capability. My goal is to be able to connect to standard RV shore power when needed, but also adapt the inlet for alternate uses depending on the situation.

So today I removed the old mouse-hole inlet and began laying out and assembling the cable adapters. As the project progresses, I’ll be sharing updates, photos, and some of the ideas I have planned for that whole compartment. A few of the upcoming changes include removing the unused telephone jack and repurposing the existing cable-TV port for something more useful.

More to come soon — looking forward to sharing the next steps with the community.

Hi everyone,

Today I wrapped up the exterior portion of my shore power inlet upgrade. I also finished building a custom cable setup that will support the different configurations I plan to use moving forward. Tracking down the right components took some research, but I’m finally getting close to the system I envisioned.

Rather than buying pre-made adapters—which can be surprisingly expensive—I opted to build my own using the existing cable from the original mouse-hole setup. I cut the cables to the lengths I needed and installed 30-amp, 10-gauge plug connectors on each end. Before installing anything, I tested each cable for continuity and proper polarity to ensure everything was wired safely and correctly.

Once the prep work was done, the installation itself went fairly quickly. Since I have a 30-amp receptacle at my home, I was able to plug in and test the new shore power inlet right away. Using an analog receptacle tester, I confirmed that everything was reading correctly with no wiring faults.

As I mentioned previously, part of my plan is also to upgrade or modify the “service center” — the City Water Inlet, Gravity Fill Inlet, and other related connections. Earlier this year, I swapped out the interior and exterior shower heads, but I’m now considering upgrading the outside faucet as well. With everything currently removed from underneath the sink, it’s the perfect time to inspect all components, make any needed changes, and afterward apply a fresh coat of sealant around all the outside inlets for added protection.

That completes the exterior portion of the shore power inlet installation — next, I’ll be moving on to the interior work. Slow and stop is my motto — one day at a time. Hopefully this helps anyone considering a similar modification.

I did that years ago, and I've never regretted it.

In my case it was because before I purchased it my Concourse had been used in the winter, when it was very cold and the cord became stiff and hard to coil, and when someone pushed hard to recoil it inside, it must have resisted... so they just kept pushing harder. Shortly after I bought it, I opened up behind the kitchen sink to add an internal surge protector, and found the cord had been tangled up with the water pipes, and pushed and stretched those pipes to the point it was a miracle there weren't multiple water leaks. It was so bad, and so lucky no leaks, that right then I unconnected the 30 amp cord, added a plug on the end with open wires, and put in a receptacle just like the one you have now.

One note. I have found the hinges on the compartment rusting up and eventually realized it is because the compartment cover is no longer closed while I'm sitting at a campsite, because the plug doesn't allow it.

If you want to save your hinges, I suggest you put something on the top of the lid, so water during rain can't flow down into the compartment over the hinges. I took a foam wrap for water pipes (Home Depot/Lowes), cut it up lengthwise like a hot dog bun, and slip it over the top end of the lid. It is fat enough around that it presses up against the fiberglass wall of the RV, completely covering the gap into the compartment.

By the way, if you do end up needing new hinges, I found these to be a perfect fit. I bought from Amazon, but see now they are no longer available.

Concealed Hinge Surface Mount 150 Degree Swing, Use for Inset or Overlay Doors
Selby is the manufacturer, UPC 784785399381

Bob

Hi BobW9,

Thanks for the reply. I agree—the Easy Lock system was definitely the right choice. It completely eliminates the hassle of feeding the cord in and out of the rig, and as you mentioned, it prevents potential interference with the plumbing if the cord isn’t routed correctly.

It’s funny you brought up the hinges. As I noted earlier, I’m in the middle of upgrading all the components in the “Service Center,” and the hinges have honestly been the hardest parts to track down. From what I gathered on the forum, BLUM was the original manufacturer, but I couldn’t find any current models that matched what I needed.

I appreciate the link you shared, but as you mentioned, Amazon no longer carries those hinges. After some digging, I found a set that appears to be a very close match:
https://a.co/d/a5kXU4q

I’m hoping they’ll work out—once they arrive, I’ll report back with an update.

If the one you ordered doesn't fit the screw holes, you might try the one below. It looks the same as the ones I got. Note that in this case I think the page is for one ("EACH"), so you'd have to purchase 2.

https://hardwarehut.com/products/selby- ... y0gIDjDm41

Hardwarehut: Selby 150° Opening Surface Mount Concealed Hinge - EACH (Nickel)

Hi BobW9,

Thanks again. I think I’ll go ahead and order these as well, just to have a backup option in case the ones I purchased don’t work out. I really dislike getting halfway through a project only to realize I’m missing the parts or tools I need to keep things moving. It’s also a lot easier to return items to Amazon compared to most other suppliers, so it’s worth having the extras on hand.

Thanks again for the recommendation.

Regards

Hi everyone,

As promised, I’m uploading some photos to document the progress on this project. I’ve begun the prep work for the “Service Center” overhaul, which includes removing and replacing several components in that compartment—such as the hinges, gravity-fill hatch, cable plates, San-T-Flush inlet, city water inlet, faucet, and shower hose.

Today I received a set of hinges I ordered from Amazon. I temporarily mounted them with a couple of screws to check alignment without committing to new holes. If new holes were required, it wouldn’t be a major issue, but fortunately the alignment looked promising. What I didn’t like, however, was the opening range. The description claimed a 130° to 170° opening, but as you can see, these hinges definitely don’t open to a full 170°. I’m not sure if that’s due to the brand or an inaccurate listing, but after seeing them in place, I’d much rather have hinges that open 175° to 180°. I don’t want to rely on a second hand to hold the compartment door fully open while working inside the Service Center.

In a previous post, BobW9 was kind enough to share the type of hinges he used:

Selby 150° Opening Surface Mount Concealed Hinge – SEL-HC2000-150

I also saw that they also offered a:

Selby 175° Opening Surface Mount Concealed Hinge – SEL-HC2000-170

After comparing what I currently have, I’m leaning toward the Selby 175° unit. There aren’t clear specifications available on the exact hole spacing, so I’m hoping alignment won’t be an issue.
BobW9—what are your thoughts on these?

I’ll continue posting updates as additional components arrive.

Sorry, I've been busy and didn't check things. Your 130-170 degree hinges are not going up as much as my 150 degree hinges. Yours look more like 120 degree, maybe. Are you sure there isn't some adjustment screw on the hinges to change through the 130-170 range?

Here's my door open as high as it goes. I believe it's the same as my original hinges went.

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the follow-up. I’ve made all the necessary adjustments on my end. I’ll post an update once the Selby hinges arrive and I have them installed.

Thanks again!

Hi Everyone,

I’m back with another update on my “Service Center” upgrade project. In my previous post, I mentioned that I was waiting on a few additional components before continuing. Those parts finally arrived, including both the Selby 150° Opening Surface-Mount Concealed Hinges and the 175° version. After comparing them side by side and testing their range of motion, the 150° hinges ended up being the best match for the layout and clearances I needed. Big thanks to Bob for the recommendation—it saved me a lot of trial and error.

With the hinge issue sorted out, I shifted my focus to improving the overall aesthetics and functionality of the Service Center. I decided to completely rethink the original white-and-chrome theme, moving to a cleaner black-and-white look that better complements the upgrades I have planned. This wasn’t a simple cosmetic swap; several of the new components required significant modifications to integrate properly with the updated layout.

One of the bigger changes involved repurposing the old cable-TV and telephone ports. Since I never used those connections in their original form, I converted them into multi-purpose power inlets that better support the way I travel today. I typically bring a portable power station on my trips, and until now, I’ve always placed it outside the rig so I could connect my portable solar panels directly to it. With the new adapters I built for these ports, I can keep the power station safely inside the rig—protected from weather and theft—while my solar panels remain outside pulling in power. These same inlets can also connect to my DC-to-DC portable charger during periods of low sunlight or overcast conditions. I’ll go into more detail on the charger setup in a future post.

To make sure the upgraded ports can handle the DC electrical load, I wired everything using 10-gauge wire paired with 10-gauge Powerpole connectors, giving me a solid 20–30 amp capacity—more than enough for the equipment I plan to run through them. I also addressed the two original plastic grommet inlets for the shower hose. They were a bit too loose for my liking, so I replaced them with smaller inner-diameter rubber grommets that give the hose a snug, cleaner, and more finished fit.

That covers the latest round of upgrades. There are still a couple of exterior items I need to finalize before I move on to the interior section under the sink. I’m not exactly excited about squeezing into that area to finish the plumbing and wiring work—but it has to be done (lol).

More updates to come as the project progresses. Hope this helps anyone considering a similar retrofit or looking for ideas to modernize their own Service Center setup.