12v wall plugs

Submitted: Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 21:51
ThreadID: 19928 Views:3103 Replies:7 FollowUps:18
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Just trying to find out which is the earth. I would assume that it would be the vertical (bottom) pin, but looking at the lead for the fridge the black line is on the top pin.

Reckon it's the bottom but it pays to ask sometimes

Cheers

Tony Harding
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Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:04

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:04
Tony,

More info please.....what sort of plug and fridge are you talking about?
AnswerID: 95724

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:13

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:13
Wall plugs, as in 12V Clipsal wall plugs. 2 blade style pins in a "T" fashion. The junior version of the 240v wall plug :-)

Fridge is a Coolmen
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FollowupID: 354509

Reply By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:09

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:09
Hey Tony,

Not sure what fridge you are referring to but if the - (negative) is on the top pin of your fridge lead and the + (positive) is on the bottom of your fridge lead then match your 12volt wall plug to match. Its a bit hard to figure out what you are actually asking....is it that you are wondering if there is a standard for wiring certain 12volt plugs...or is it that you are wondering if there a standard for wiring a certain fridge lead.

Regards,

Stuart
AnswerID: 95726

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:22

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:22
I would assume they have a standard polarity per pin the same as every house plug has the earth as the vertical pin.The earth is the vertical pin is my gut feeling.

The same as the walls of a cigarette plug is always the earth.

As to which pins are what on the fridge, not marked orreffered to in manual so it'll be a ring the manufacturer tomorrow, just in case they have them arse about.
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FollowupID: 354512

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:28

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:28
Hey Tony,

I assume you are using a Clipsal Product which is made for DC or ELV AC volatge and is shaped as you descibe, that is a vertical bottom pin and horizontal top pin. Please confirm.

Also please confirm that your fridge plug does physically match and plug into this outlet and also fridge brand?

Thanks

Stuart M
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FollowupID: 354516

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:33

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:33
Me Again Tony,

Also to be clear....

in a 240volt AC circuit there are three conductors
1. Active 2. Nuetral 3. Earth

and in a 12volt DC automotive circuit there are two conductors
1. Postive 2. Negative

Regards,

Stuart
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FollowupID: 354521

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:36

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:36
Yep we have a winner

Wiring a female socket into the ute to fit the male 2 pin clipsal 12v off the fridge.

No indication of polarity on the fridge, which is a Coolmen 70lt, so DB35 compressor.

Tony Harding
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FollowupID: 354523

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:39

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:39
Tony,

Is the type of socket you are wiring up:

http://alfred.clipsal.com/scripts/apeweb.dll?GetImage&CatNo=56SO215/32&Large=1

Stuart
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FollowupID: 354529

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:50

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:50
Yep that's the one Stuart.

Starting to look like the only way I'm going to be certain is to find out from the manufacturer which way they may have wired the plug up. If the positive is on the horizontal I think I'll move it.

Tony Harding
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FollowupID: 354534

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:06

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:06
Hey Tony,

Whip the plug top off on the fridge lead and see if cables are red (positive) and black (negative) and assuming they have wired using correct coloured wire then workout the pins matching from there. As long as you match - to - and + to + pins all will be fine. I can't remember if there is a standard on the Clipsal pinouts but will check in the morning. I don't see to many of these plugs used in DC circuits as they are big and bulky.

Stuart.
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FollowupID: 354541

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:40

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:40
I wish it was that easy.

Clear sheath on both wires, like heavy speaker wires used to power big amps. and subs. about 6mm core.

Black stripe on the top pin wire. But there is nothing to say they followed procedure and ran negative on black.

Better to ask manufacturer than test the cut-out circuit ;-)

Tony Harding
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FollowupID: 354550

Reply By: japmel - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:14

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:14
TonyH
The easiest way to find out is to use a multi meter.
Put the red probe in the pin you think is positive and the black one in the other,
If the resulting number is a negative eg -12.66
Then the pin you put the red probe in is negative and the other one is positive.
If it is not a negative then the red probe is positive and the black is negative.
I hope you can understand this I know it's about as clear as mud.

Regards
japmel
AnswerID: 95727

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:24

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:24
Hey Japmel,

I think it would be a bit hard to figure it out using your method as he is trying to match the supply connection to the appliance connection and not the other way around. In other words the lead that doesn't have voltage present until it is plugged in.

Regards,

Stuart
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FollowupID: 354514

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:30

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:30
Sorry I should have been a lot clearer with my original post.

Wiring a clipsal wall type 2 blade socket into the back of the ute. Not a style of plug I've used before, so I am trying to find out which would be wired as the earth, I think the bottom pin but just wanted to check. As I have said above about the wall oof a cigarette socket always being the earth.

Sorry
Blonde Thing:-$

Tony Harding
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FollowupID: 354517

Follow Up By: japmel - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:58

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 22:58
AT4WD ADVENTURES
Stuart,
Going by the original post it is a bit hard to know that.
Sorry for being blunt but gees mate don't chastise a bloke for tring to help.

Regards
japmel
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FollowupID: 354539

Follow Up By: AT4WD ADVENTURES - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:02

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:02
Hey Japmel,

Sorry mate wasn't trying to chastise but more had one eye on the tennis and not paying attention to the delivery of the message....please accept my apologies if I offended....not my intention.

Regards,

Stuart.
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FollowupID: 354540

Follow Up By: japmel - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:09

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:09
Stuart
Thanks mate apology excepted
One eye on the Cricket here.

Have a good night
japmel
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FollowupID: 354542

Follow Up By: TonyH - Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:42

Sunday, Jan 30, 2005 at 23:42
My fault

Was I lot briefer than I thought, missing a paragraph of introduction.

Tony Harding
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FollowupID: 354551

Reply By: Mark (Geelong) - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 01:17

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 01:17
I have used these fittings on all my 12 v plugs on camper trailer and rear of 4wd
I purchase a trailbaza fridge and they are wired with these 2 pin plugs and the earth is to the bottom of the T
So as a result i have used that as my criteria and wired all the plugs alike

My thoughts
Mark (Geelong)

Lifetime Member
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AnswerID: 95747

Follow Up By: V8troopie - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 02:20

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 02:20
The problem with the advise given here is that these low voltage sockets can be mounted any way up. I installed mine so they look like an upside down 'T'. And I'm using the horizontal connector as the negative.

So, its perhaps up to the individual how the polarity question is solved. I had looked closely but no polarity markings were visible on these sockes nor on the matching plugs. This indicates to me that there is no official standard.

As an aside, these plugs work well for the purpose of connecting the fridge in the back of the troopie but one has to be sure no loose gear snags the cable and pulls the plug out - resulting in a warm fridge.
klaus
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FollowupID: 354564

Reply By: vanaway - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 08:29

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 08:29
Tony I assume that you are asking about the 12v wiring in a caravan.

If so, there is an Australian standard for this. I have been told that in caravans the balck wire is POSITIVE and the white wire is NEGATIVE.

Jaycos and an old Franklin van I have just been working on are wired this way.

Easiest way to check is use a multimeter.

AnswerID: 95759

Follow Up By: vanaway - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 11:40

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 11:40
Just checked the van

Top of the T is negative.

If this is for a car - no idea - sorry.
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FollowupID: 354623

Reply By: porl - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 11:45

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 11:45
I've bought and installed a few myself and the low down in my opinion is this. There is no standard, you just have to wire it up the same polarity as the other end.
That means taking apart the original to see which cable goes which end. The recommended polarity, and this is in the instruction box to the both male and female 2 pin T plug ends, is that the positive (red) goes in the top of the T section when the T is upright. But really, it depends on who wired up the other end.
AnswerID: 95809

Follow Up By: Mad Dog (Victoria) - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 11:57

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 11:57
I agree, there is no real standard. Use a mulitmeter and wire your equipment up to suit.
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FollowupID: 354629

Reply By: joc45 - Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 14:46

Monday, Jan 31, 2005 at 14:46
Hi Tony,
These "low voltage" plugs have been around for an eternity. I recall them being used for 12v two-way radios way back in the 1960's. Good reliable connector, but a bit clumsy today.
The standard used is:
horizontal: negative
vertical: positive
The easy way to remember is that the horizontal pin looks like a negative - symbol, the vertical pin can only exist in a positive + symbol.
Cheers, gerry
AnswerID: 95847

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