waeco fridge plug problem, auto elec. question

Eric,

It is an ongoing problem you will have forever. I got sick of replacing them (all melted) and cut the bastard of a thing off in the end and hard wired the leads to the battery.

BTW, remember that green 80 series 4.5 Turbo you had? The bloke you sold it to got a set of drawers from me a couple of months ago on your recommendation. Thanks.

Cheers,

Jim.

Yep ... I'm with Eric on this one. It will be ongoing. Only difference with me was I went the Anderson plug route. Problem solved.

Cheers

How long does it take before the plug starts to melt? I've had mine connected for over a month at a time with no problems.

What size fridge?

Eric, We have a Waeco 80 ltr and changed the plug to a low voltage type similar to a normal 240 volt style and size. It has one flat pin at the top that is horizontal and one flat pin vertical. Impossible to plug into 240 volt stuff. Never had a problem. Obviously you need a female socket on the car. Not the only answer but it works. Ian

Have you got a hella type socket in the rear of the 4x4 ?? If so, check that the little spring loaded positive clip will clamp onto the positive pin of the hella type plug ??

I used a Jaycar Hella type plug.....far better than the others...has an earth ring right round the circumference of the plug...

I have also done what others on here have reccomended.....cut off the lead as close to the fridge as possible and use bigger cable ( soldered together ) with a normal spade type fuse holder at the plug end....

You have a hot joint somewhere at the plug....but shouldn't be too hard to trace ...

I've had hella plugs for 7 yrs in both Prados for my 50 lt Waeco.
I had the sparky use heavier cable and have had no problems in 7 yrs.

Cheers

Kev

Agreed re the above - Anderson plugs are great - sized from quite mini up to big mothers. Re Hella plugs - best supplier I've seen is the Autopro chain - many others have nothing at all Hella.

Don't think it's anything to do with the Hella plug. It's the pathetic wiring in the vehicle socket that causes the problem. Get your socket rewired with some heavy cable.

I can tell you as an auto elec that your melted plug is caused by poor connection.

Everytime!

If you are buring out the male plug from the fridge, then it sounds like the female socket is not holding the plug firmly enough.. causes all sorts of burnt connections. Replace the female socket.

If you are going to run heavier wiring to the rear, then an anderson plug is a good idea. I personally don't use them, I choose the Hella Plug and socket myself.. have been using them since the 70s in all sorts of vehicles and have had no problems.

In my last Series Land Rover (back in 1974) I actually had 3 of them in the back.. 2 running of a separate battery and wired independantly to run an Engel fridge and also lights. The other was wired to the start battery.
I have 2 of them in my new Disco 3 and they run the Waeco just fine.

Good Luck

Cheers

Mark T

I have an 80L Waeco which I have had for around 5 years now. It runs 24/7 either from a power supply under the house (hella outlet), back of the car (hella outlet) or camper trailer (cig outlet). Mine gets warm but never melted. I have also broken one due to a sideways yank on the cable but just bought a new plug and fitted.

Check your voltages at the hella connector when fridge is connected and running as normal to see what voltage it is. If it is low (11-12V) then more current will be consumed to compensate (not much more though). This could be the cause of the melted plug.

I would say that the problem is a voltage drop in your cabling to the fridge (hella) plug.

Regards
David

"Where it plugs into the cars 12 v outlet ( hella special plug ) it seams to get hot and melt the hella 12 volt connector near the fuse ."

If the plug is warm or hot, then the problem is in the plug, not the wiring.

All plugs depend on pressure between two bits of metal to keep contact resistance low enough. Both Cigarette Lighter and Hella plugs depend on the centre contact maintaining pressure through the plug being firmly in the socket. Unless there is some sort of lock to hold the plug in, it will come loose and get hot.

An actual Cigarette Lighter has a metal collar which holds the plug and maintain centre-spring pressure. The ONLY Cigarette-Lighter plugs worth using are those that have this collar near the front. The convertible plugs that can work as a Hella plug when a red sleeve is removed have this collar.

If you are adding a Cigarette-Lighter-style socket, make sure it has the same retaining spring that original sockets have. Otherwise you will nothing to grip the collar on the plug. Dick Smith sell an illuminated socket that has this collar.

Gday,
Ive always used these....
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But I had trouble with the wires snapping off or pulling out of the back of the socket.
The auto elec recomended these which Ive been using for a year or so and have had no trouble with them. They are also heaps easier to line up than the little pins too.
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Image Could Not Be Found
The socket picture is pretty small heres the link if your interested
Hella socket

Cheers
Hairy