12 volt conundrum
Submitted: Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:29
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oz doc
Ok - so here's the deal. Going away this weekend and need to run the 60l Engel fridge off the battery supply in the ct(when we are camped, will run off the car when travelling). However the extension cord that I normally use has a damaged (as in totally stuffed, in the bin job) female socket. A replacement part is not available for this weekend. Would it be too dodgy to plug the cigarette (male) end of the Engel plug into a female in-line socket which has crocodile clips on the other end, and attach the crocodile clips to the bare ends of the extension cord wires? I can't think of any other way I'm going to run this Engel from the battery. The female/croc clip harness is a prefab one that you get from most car accessory
places and is rated 12amp load max. I don't want to start cutting up the Engel cord. Any ideas? Sigh - probably just have to take the esky and manage with that. I hate warm beer! Thanks for your input. Oz Doc.
Reply By: Member - John and Val W (ACT) - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:34
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:34
Do it, no problems. Tape the plug and socket together so they cant separate.
John | J and V
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AnswerID:
302754
Follow Up By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:44
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:44
Also tape the clips so they can't short out.
FollowupID:
568875
Follow Up By: Bonz (Vic) - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:52
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:52
Hey Derek, do you have the connection for an engel lead to a merrett (hella) plug? If I unscrew the end of the lead (that goes in the cig lighter outlet,) there are two parallel pins do you have a adapter? that these pins would plug into the makes it fit a Hella plug?
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:58
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:58
oh the envy of every Engel/Camper Trailer owner :-)
I mentioned this some time ago to the Engel Rep, and his thoughts was that there wasn't enough demand yet...would have to do 10,000 plugs to make it worthwhile. all BS. :-)
Someone make one and i'll line up to buy it. ;-)
Andrew
FollowupID:
568897
Follow Up By: Shaker - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 22:54
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 22:54
Why not just use the Engel socket, much better than the 'Merit' plugs, that still vibrate out.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Andrew (QLD) - Friday, May 09, 2008 at 00:04
Friday, May 09, 2008 at 00:04
It would be far easier and cheaper to have a Merrit adapter for 1 item (the engel fridge) than to change all plugs on
mine (and others) camper trailer AND all the 12V accessories used with it.......sometimes the fridge is stored in the front, othertimes it is on the ground for quick access, and the odd time it is in the tent itself.
Andrew
FollowupID:
568933
Follow Up By: Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Friday, May 09, 2008 at 06:51
Friday, May 09, 2008 at 06:51
I have not seen an adapter in that configuration. It would be better to just fit a Hella-type plug to a ASPAN or similar short lead.
FollowupID:
568942
Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Friday, May 09, 2008 at 09:30
Friday, May 09, 2008 at 09:30
Hi there Bonz,
I have done exactly what you are asking.
You can buy an Engel lead from any good camping store and cut the plug off the end, then replace with a Hella plug. Actually, you may even be able to use the lead you currently have.
The Hella plug has a removable collar that converts the plug from a cigarette style plug to a "Merit" plug. This gives you the flexibility of using either style socket.
The Hella plug does not require a soldered joint, just a screw driver, so providing you get your polarity right, it is easy as.
I have converted all my 12 volt equipment to the Hella plug which enables me to plug into the Hella sockets in the back of the Jack, or to a standard cigarette socket in any other vehicle.
The easiest place to buy the Hella plug is from any Battery World outlet. About $15.
Bill.
FollowupID:
568975
Follow Up By: geocacher (djcache) - Friday, May 09, 2008 at 14:46
Friday, May 09, 2008 at 14:46
And the cheapest place for the near identical copy is Jaycar <$10
Dave
FollowupID:
569035
Reply By: Member - Roachie (SA) - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:52
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 19:52
So, if I understand you properly, you have a 12 volt extension cord/cable, the female end of which is stuffed. You plan to use the bared ends of this cord and the aligator clamps of the short adaptor cable.
The issue I see is that the aligator clamps aren't going to be able to get a good solid hold of the p!issy little cable ends of the extension cord. Also, even if you could get a good solid join, there is the issue of the 2 aligator clamps shorting out on each other.
You will suffer a certain amount of voltage drop over the length of the extension cable, even if it was in tact.
The other option is to cut off the aligator clamps and attach the longer extension cable to the short adaptor cable using either solder or a small terminal block (with screw connectors).
Is it not possible to take the battery to the camper or vice versa and then use the short cable adaptor with the aligator clamps directly on the battery with the Engel plugged in?
Good luck.....
Roachie
AnswerID:
302757
Follow Up By: Hairy (NT) - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:01
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:01
Yep...Im with you Roachie.
Also bad connections cause heat! Ive had a fire in the back of the car once due to a bad earth!...small, but not pretty!
Cheers
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: oz doc - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:02
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 20:02
Thanks Roachie, the extension cord is made of very heavy (thick - possibly 15 amp) wire. The Trojan is already in the front of the ct. I could drag the Engel to the front of the ct and use the alligator adaptor straight off the battery. The alligator clamps would probably make a better connection onto battery terminal than onto bare wires. However if I use the alligator clips straight onto the Trojan I bypass the fuse. Do you think this will be a problem?The wire on the alligator harness if very thin. Stamped on the female socket is "12 amp max load"-one would presume this also applied to the wire?
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Top End Explorer Tours - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 21:42
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 21:42
Lets look at the cost involved here.
2 cartons of beer : $80/90
1 extra esky and ice to keep it cold : $50/60
The cost to fix it $150/200
The cost of you're boggy repair job if it catches fire and KILLS some one in you're family,
well that's you're call.
Cheers Steve.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: oz doc - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 21:56
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 21:56
Now hang on a minute - I'm led to believe that if I let the pressure down on my "boggy" repair to 15 psi, that I won't get "bogged"! But you have hit the nail on the head. For the sake of a simple piece of 12 Volt equipment all the expensive gear (Engel/Trojan)goes to waste- right when I need it. When I do get the appropriate part - I will buy two of them! Ps - you overstated the cost to fix it - Arrid type two pin socket from 12 Volt
shop is only 19.95 plus p/h. Just no way in hell I can get one or anything similar here in
Karratha!
FollowupID:
568915
Reply By: bob&loz - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 21:56
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 21:56
Oz Doc
forget the clips and socket
unscrew the male plug on the engel lead to expose the pins, than bare a good amount of the end of your extention lead and wrap them around the pins and tape up with insulation tape. It will get you through the week end
Bob
ps make sure you get the polarity right
AnswerID:
302792
Follow Up By: bob&loz - Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 22:02
Thursday, May 08, 2008 at 22:02
Or why can't you take the wires out of the female socket and reattach it to the extention lead
FollowupID:
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