A really ''Smart'' idea from Seajay....

[Seajay]

If you are like me you you probably have a bunch of ''thingies'' that have to be plugged in to be re charged. We have a portable flash light, a battery powered drill, a battery charger for double 'A' batteries, a video camera and several more ''thingies'' that have a charger of some sort. My first problem was finding a place to plug all the chargers into without cluttering up the counter. At best this worked very bad because the stuff was in Willa's way when she cooked. I finally resolved the problem by getting one of those 'strip plugins' like you have on your computer but this didnt work so good because I had to leave the cabinet door open to plug the thing into the socket. I got me out a cold one and did some thinking............ Huuummmmm...... ''Poof'' bright idea.........
Here is what I did....
I got me a lamp and plugged it into the outlet under the cabinet over my recliner. I turned the lamp 'ON' and went to my 120 volt fuse panel and started flippin' switches. On the third ''flip'' the lamp went out. ''AAAAAAAAAHHHHHAAAAAAA''. I double checked it by flipping the switch several times making the lamp blink. I put the switch in the 'OFF' POSITION.... and went back to the plug in box.
I took out my screwdriver and took the top off the plug in and removed the double plug 'thingie' letting it 'hang' on the wires.

Now I had an empty hole except for the wires. Very carefully I took my trusty portable drill and a 7/16 inch bit and bored a bole thru the back of the empty box and up into the inside of the cabinet. I was very careful to avoid the wires in the ''box'' and all the junk in the cabinet. I took a swig of beer.

I took my 6 plug in strip with the reset button and the off on switch and I cut off the plug. I went inside the cabinet and poked the wire thru the hole that I had drilled running the wire out about a foot. I took some tape and put about three or four ''raps'' of tape around the wire about three inches from the end. This was to keep the wire from pulling back thru the hole in the bottom of the cabinet.

I took another long swig of beer.

I took my trusty dull pocket knife and removed about two and a half inches of insulation from the wire on the 6 plug in box. I found three wires inside. One was BLACK, one was WHITE, and one was GREEN. I took the ''outer plug in socket'' and turned it over so I could see what went where. I put the Black wire with the Black wire on the plug in socket, the White wire with the white wire and the green wire with the green wire on the plug in socket. This was fairly easy to do because there was extra screws for hooking up extra wires. Now was the ''hard part''..

I had to cram the plug in back into the box under the cabinet and it was kinda like putting four pounds of ''stuff'' in a three pound sack..........

I took a swig of beer........ I finally got the plug in back in the box and the cover back on it. I took my lamp and plugged it into my ''strip'' and went back and flipped the switch.... POOF.... the lamp came on.....I tested the outside plug in again and it worked fine. I checked the complete mess several times and got myself a ''VICTORY'' beer.....

My 6 plug strip had a ''key hole'' thingie on the back for hanging it on a wall and I screwed a screw in the wall of the cabinet and hung the 6 plug strip so I could find it easily. I labeled each transformer thingie as to what it 'charged up' and I labeled the cords coming out them. Now I can leave everything plugged in on its charger and when we are on a full hookup spot everything is charged up. This gives me one location for all the ''stuff'' that needs charging for use and it gives me a ''place'' to look for the stuff I need when I need it. It really works good and the only problem I have found is that sometimes Willa forgets to put an item back on the charger when I get thru with it.

Anyhow, since this is such valuable information I will have to charge you ten cents if you use it (or a cold beer) and you can pay me the next time you see me...................... on the other hand........ If you manage to electrocute your self while trying to do this, or you burn your coach down................... I NEVER KNEW YOU....

God bless our troops and keep them safe.....
God bless our Vets for their service to this nation....

[crumgj]

Seajay, I know exactly what you mean with the charging issue. Cords everywhere and no place to put them! You've hit on an interesting solution. I'm going to put some thought into it (after I finish the beer that you've recommended) and see if there is a way for me to do it. Thanks!

[GaryKD]

Hi Seajay,
Excellent idea. Like crumgj I need to think about where I can do this. The wife is not pleased with the "rats nest" we now have.

[rf4]

Seajay, I like what I think you have done. I am a visual person, could you possibly post a couple of pic of what the finished project looks like.

[poorfarmer]

hey sea jay want to compliment you on 3 things: #1. cool idea and keeps everything in place, #2. funny way of telling your story, you sound like the type of guy i would love to be camped next to, #3. thank you for paying tribute to our soldiers, although i never served i for one thank God for all our heroes in uniform for all their sacrifices. if not for them we would not have all the things we are afforded in this great country! FREEDOM IS NOT FREE!!!!

[ccc]

Seajay,
I totally concur with poorfarmer.
Thanks for a first class post Cap.
CCC

[Seajay]

Ok guys,,,,,,,,,,, put your beer down and listen up........

A really good friend of mine just wrote me an e mail and said that I was smarter than a box of door knobs with my idea.
He is an electrician by trade and he made the following suggestions so I would not look like a ''knot head'' with a burned out cabinet or worser yet I could make a complete ''ASH'' OF MYSELF....

One. He said that we should use 'romex'' as a shield for the wire going thru the bottom of the cabinet. This should prevent chafing due to the wiggle and woggle of the motor home going down the road. ''Good idea for my nickle. Im gonna change mine using 'romex' over the entire wire going up to the ''plug in strip'' as he suggested.

Two. He said that the strip must be mounted high in the cabinet away from any flammable substance in the cabinet. He said the transformers could get hot and cause a real problem. He suggested that a limit of three transformers plugged into the ''strip'' should not be exceeded and if I had need for more than three things plugged in that I should charge up three items and then change out the transformers as necessary for other things that need charging. He also suggested that a ''screen vent'' would also help with the ''heat'' that may build up in the cabinet. ''He a pretty smart dude''

Three. He said that I should ''inspect'' the wiring in the cabinet often because it could be in a situation where chafing might occur due to the ''thingies'' that will be in the cabinet being charged up.

Four. His last suggestion is that I should forget about electrical stuff and stick to writing my stuff that you guys seem to enjoy reading. He said I was smart enough to get in out of the rain but I would probably leave the umbrella open in the house. He is a good buddy of mine and I make it a point to listen to his suggestions cause he is ''snart'' and he has done wiring in two colleges and one trade school and he graduated from the fifth grade by marring the school teacher. He said that he didnt want me to make an ''ASH'' out of myself cause I was the only person that would loan him a shot gun for bird hunting.

Anyhow, READ AND HEED and inspect the set up often and dont make an ''ASH'' out of yourself....

Veterans day is coming soon. Dont forget to thank a Vet for their service.