Anderson Pug Alternative

Hi Mepvic

You will probably have the same problem with anything that is designed to brake away. You could look for a screw type connector but that will have its own problems. What may be a way to go is to carry a can of contact cleaner and give the connectors a shot if they look dirty and attach a bit if light elastic cord from the fixed plug and loop it around the free plug cables so that if it still comes loose it wont hit the ground. Good luck

There are industrial and military spec connectors which will endure severe environments and lock together, but you would probably not like the size or price of them.

There are covers and closures to fit to Anderson plugs which enhance their seal. Alternatively, apply conforming electrical tape around the gaps of the plugs to effect a seal. Sure, you will need to reapply the tape following each connection but is that too much trouble? Reposition the plugs to avoid damage from stones.

Hi Mepvic,

Have you considered the weatherproof covers that are available, to limit the amount of dirt etc., getting into the connectors?

I recently did a 10,500k trip from Adelaide to the Kimberley and back, including some very rough tracks and river crossings.
No problem at all from the Anderson connections which by the way are the best available for higher current circuits.

If dirt or other crap does get in, they are pretty easy to clean.
The pins can be released from the housing, the pins and housings flushed and cleaned if necessary and the pins reinserted with nothing more than a small screwdriver to move the spring retainers.

I went to the 175A andersons. There is no way they will slip out. They are about the size of a small cigarette packet.

What about getting a spare one and plug it when no cable connected. That should keep the crap out when not in use and gives you a spare if one breaks.

Just a couple of things to think about.

Thousands of people are using anderson connectors for this sort of purpose without incident....they are very robust and cope well with dirt dust and water within reason.

Perhaps part of the problem is where the anderson plug is mounted on the tow vehicle and the attitude that it is mountred ...any plug no matter will have issues if it is mounted in harms way, or in a manner that places undue strain on it.

Perhaps part of the problem is how the plug and cable have been installed on the trailer.....maybe there is excess cable hanging unsupported ....or some other reason why the cable is not managed well placing excess stress on the connection....if the cable is long enough and free to drag on the road....that is an indication to me that it is either too long or needs support

These plugs are not designed to be positivly restrained in the socket...and on a trailer neither do you want them to be.
So the connection needs to be managed so that undue stress does not pull the plug out.

as others have mentioned there are shrouds, housings and handles available to fit anderson plugs...the shrouds and housings may help with the plugs getting full of rubbish.....which can be a problem with the bare connector........in many of the clean application these shrouds and housing are not required...perhaps these should be used more on vehicles..........the handles are an indicator that some people seem to thing they are hard to pull out and need an handle attached.

As far as clicking togther...um from my knoweledge and experience andersons don't "click togeter", they push together and are held together pretty well by friction alone.

cheers

Hmm
Some of mine definitely has a click
CJ

I had the same problem as you when I first got my camper and the fix I applied was using cable ties to attach an Ockey strap to the cable so that there is no tension on the Anderson plug when attached and should something grab it while offroad it wont fall to the ground and destroy itself. I have seen other similar ideas using a piece of old tyre tube to support the cable.

PS. I still carry a spare plug with me just in case. Found them cheapest to buy from Jaycar for $10 - $12 not the $25 - $30 charged by some auto shops.

Hope this helps.
Mal

If you continually have the problem, why not think a bit laterally and use a 7 pin flat trailer plug and split the heavy duty wire over 3 contacts each for positive and negative. Cheap as chips, you can get em anywhere and 3 contacts would equal 50 amps easy. Just don't mix up the indicator trailer plug with that one!LOL Maybe paint it red or you could use one round one flat.

The flat trailer plugs have a positive lock and I have never had or seen one come apart.
Funny re the Anderson. I was camped at Mornington Wildlife sanctuary on the GRR and I saw the bloke camped next to me fiddling with his trailer. He almost kissed me when I told him I had a spare Anderson he could have, and gave me a bottle of wine as his had dropped out and self destructed on the way in..

So that spare Anderson plug earned its keep.
Regards Philip A

Mepvic
You can buy a cover which enclose's the plug on the car which has a flip down lead like a 7 pin flat plug. The cover comes with a cleat that you fit to the van or trailor side plug which locks into the flip down cover. Most auto elecs have them.

Murray

Some years ago I had an Anderson fall out, leaving me with two stumps of copper wire. I did an on-road repair with a spare and used a cable tie to hold the two parts together to be sure, to be sure. But inconvenient to disconnect!

At the next town I got some tension springs at a hardware store and made my own retainer:


Simple, not pretty, but it has never let me down in four years.

Cheers

If you mount the anderson plug on a flat plate and mount the anderson plug so the plate ends at it's front edge, you will find that when you push the other anderson plug receptical into it, there is enough friction between it and the plate so it will never fall out. In fact you will have to install a tee handle on the plug to get it out. I have to force mine in and pull like hell to get it out.

I leave mine open to the elements and hose it out when it gets full of crud, as ocoolone said, I always solder mine to reduce corrosion.

My van plug is extra long and runs into the tray, I also have the car plug on a long lead so they're always in the ute under cover. Never a problem with dirt or falling out.
Also use it to run my inverter in the tray.