need a auto elec. Waeco plug problems again

Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:28
ThreadID: 64897 Views:3370 Replies:9 FollowUps:24
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weaco 90 L fridge plug melting issue .


replaced both male and female socket on the cruiser today , got one from Jaeco in soldiers point. Checked the wiring on the rear. Positive wire is a large wire that my auto elec fitted in melbourne , the negative he has earthed to the body , through a bolt near the fuel filler. now He hasnt sanded the panel at all and it is earthing throught the treads of the bolt , can this be causing my issue ? also the negative is not as thick as I would like , about half the thickness of the positive wire.

plugged in the fridge and removed the male plug within 3 min and it was hot again , came back 2 hrs later and it had melted the plastic again.


any ideas now guys and gals ???

I know anderson plugs will work , but I keep thinking there is a fault and stronger plugs is not the answer.
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Reply By: Mark Taylor - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:36

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:36
OK... as an auto electrician....

If your auto electrcian has replaced both items.. go back with the Fridge and ask him to check the current draw by placing his AVR in line. (Just ask him to check how much the fridge is drawing)

If the earth was a problem, you wouldn't have enough grunt to run the fridge.

If you were in brisbane I could have a look at it for you, but from what you say I suspect the fridge is drawing too much current. Is the plug overheated where it plugs into the fridge?

I'll check later to see if you have a reply.

Cheers

MArk T

P.S. Where are you?



AnswerID: 343116

Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:42

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:42
not at the fridge end , the hella type plug that plugs into the vehicle . I fitted a new female socket today , but no cigar , same issue .
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Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:43

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:43
If I can also add , using the 240 v transformer , and having the fridge plugged in at home , I had no issues
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Follow Up By: Mark Taylor - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:48

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:48
OK.. if the fridge runs off the transformer at home with the same lead.. then the problem is in the car!

The socket in the car (the one you replaced..) is it the conventional cigarette light type or the Hella single pole and you have to remove the adaptor on the Waeco lead to fit to it?

Cheers

MT



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Follow Up By: Mark Taylor - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:52

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:52
I missed one of your comments re the thinner earth wire... electriciy needs to "complete the circuit" so the earth wire will be carrying the same current as the power wire.. so both should be of a size that is capable of doing so. I realise you have stated that one is lighter than the other, but do you know what size they are?

If the plug is melting at the end... then that is the source of the problem.

A quick check by an auto electrician with the fridge in the circuit will soon find the problem.
Cheers

MT

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Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:53

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:53
the type that you need the red bit removed. I also made sure the clip was a tight fit at the center point and also the earth pins were pulled out to ensure a good fit . I was thinking a earth issue might do it , what do you think ?
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Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:06

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:06
I am running a 8 amp fuse, could this be causing the issue , to small a fuse to pass the current ??? but dosnt eplain the working with the transformer properly
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Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 00:41

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 00:41
Fridge would not be drawing in excess of 8 Amps or the fuse would have blown, usual 12v compressor fridge _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx ~6 Amps.

Is the fuse 'hot' ? if not forget it as a part of problem, if it's even 'warm' replace it as part of your cabling upgrade and use a 15 Amp ceramic fuse.

Mainey . . .
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Reply By: Crackles - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:55

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 19:55
Suggest installing a 10 amp inline fuse to the cable feeding the fridge. If it doesn't blow & the plug is still overheating then I'd guess the plug is of poor quality or the cables are fitted to it incorrectly. All plugs used for a heavy load like a fridge should be rated to 15 amps or greater to avoid voltage drop & possible failure. 2 pole Clipsal or Anderson plugs are good examples that give few problems.
While not ideal, the negative wire connected to a bolt fixed to the body should work OK but many have problems long term with corrosion. Ideally an earth wire of the same size should go back to the battery.
Cheers Craig....................
AnswerID: 343122

Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:04

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:04
I am running a 8 amp fuse, could this be causing the issue , to small a fuse to pass the current ???
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Follow Up By: Crackles - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:30

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:30
No an 8amp fuse is fine, if it wasn't it would simply blow. As the fuse hasn't blown it suggests there is no major fault with the fridge but is with the wiring or plugs. Start by replacing the hot connection. (With a decent plug & suitable thickness wire)

Cheers Craig......
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Reply By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:04

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:04
G'day Eric,
Mate, I would suggest you are on the money with the smaller earth wire connected to the frame of the vehicle being at least part of your problem.

I would run a new negative wire back to the - on the battery, and make it the same size as is recommended for the + wire. At least then you will have all the bases covered, and on 12VDC, those little things , can make a HUGE difference. It'd be handy to know the size of the + wire too... just to make sure it is sized correctly.

Let us know how you get on.

Cheers

Brian.
AnswerID: 343125

Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:09

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:09
if I was to guess , if I measured the inner wire core with a vernia , I would say my possitive is 3 mm and the negative 1 to 1.5 mm
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Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 00:33

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 00:33
replace BOTH cables with *minimum* of 10 mm² cable (or thicker) and you will see an improvement in fridge performance too.

Yes as they say, size DOES matter :)

Mainey . . .
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Follow Up By: Member Brian (Gold Coast) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 19:32

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 19:32
I agree with Mainey Eric, 10 mm² cable (or thicker) is the way to go. Too small cable, particularly on 12VDC is just like trying to suck a slurpee through a really small straw..... lot's of effort for lttle or no result. Get the right cable and I reckon you'll see a huge difference in the performance of your fridge.


Cheers

Brian
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Reply By: Mark Taylor - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:14

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:14
Again.. the problem is being caused by a "bad" connection at the point of contact between the plug and socket.

While heavy wiring etc is desirable.. it will not solve the problem.

Honestly.. take it all back to your auto electrician and show him.. if you were in Brisbane I could do this for you in a couple of minutes.

The fridge is fine (as proved by it running from the tranny) and the heat is being generated at the point of contact which simply means a poor connection. As the auto sparky to measure the resisance to ground on the car socket while you're there.

You are not blowing the fuse which means that current loads are normal... it's the plug.

What part of Oz are you in?

Cheers

MArk T
AnswerID: 343128

Follow Up By: Mark Taylor - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:16

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:16
Also... I don't think you have heavy enough wire to be honest with you.. however I seem to recall you saying that it worked OK for some time before hand.


Go see your auto sparky!

Cheers

Mark T
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Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:26

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:26
on holidays in Port Stephens , there was auto elec in salamander bay that was on holidays last week , ill try him fridays , as I have promissed the kids a fishing trip tomorrow , we all know fishing comes before problems lol
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Follow Up By: Mark Taylor - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:29

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 20:29
No worries... enjoy your day and keep me posted!

Cheers

MArk T
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Reply By: autosparky - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 21:19

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 21:19
if there is any concern with the earth (which it may be )run another earth to a common earth point nearer the battery. also avoid any cig lighter type connections . hard wire plugs with 32v 2 pin plugs they are reliable.
AnswerID: 343143

Reply By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 23:20

Wednesday, Jan 07, 2009 at 23:20
"any ideas now guys and gals ???

I know anderson plugs will work , but I keep thinking there is a fault and stronger plugs is not the answer."

Yep, I've got lots of ideas!

Somewhere in the wiring it is too small, your plug is carp.

Most Auto Electricians think anything 6mm in diameter including insulation is good for 45 Amps, bloody scary concept that one!

Grab some decent cable, run it from the battery to the fridge (both positive and negative wires), toss the ciggy plugs and sockets in favour of Anderson Power Poles or 50 Amp Anderson Plugs and your problem will go away.

Geoff

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AnswerID: 343161

Follow Up By: Mark Taylor - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 17:53

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 17:53
"Most Auto Electricians think anything 6mm in diameter including insulation is good for 45 Amps, bloody scary concept that one!"

As an auto electrician I'd like you to name 3 that to support your statement!

Like I said yesterday... take the car and the fridge to an auto electrician and let him/her diagnose the problem properly.

Mark T


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Reply By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 00:26

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 00:26
Looking at the problem 'logically' (which is not to suggest it is correct) you say the problem is a " fridge plug melting issue " so why does only the "male" (not female too) plug melt ?


Yes, I think if the (+) cable was 'wrong size' it would be warm OR hot, that said, I KNOW the neg (-) cable is WRONG SIZE and I think it must be earthed incorrectly too.

You say a "stronger plugs is not the answer" but, if the plug melts and NOT the cable, then you have to get better quality (higher Amp rated) plugs, just my 2 cents worth as sight unseen is difficult to diagnose an electrical problem this way.

Mainey . . .
AnswerID: 343168

Follow Up By: Rock Crawler - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 07:49

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 07:49
you might be on something there , the fuse is destorted and it melts at the top part of the fuse were it touches the positive conector , I will do that and upgrade earth cable .
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Follow Up By: Gronk - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 10:37

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 10:37
The hella type plugs ( and sockets ) from memory are rated to 20A...
Fridge should only be pulling 8A ( but voltage drop may cause this to be a bit higher )
If the plug is melting, then the current is too high for the plug......fix your earth prob and you may fix the plug prob..

Just replacing the plug and socket for a bigger capacity doesn't solve the prob....it just moves it somewhere else..
Sometimes it's best to have the weakest link where it's easy to notice and easy to get to....which in a properly wired system is the fuse !! But in your case seems to be the plug ??

What sort of male plug did you use ? the new type with earth fingers all the way round are a far better type..( Jaycar/Narva )

I have a 60ltr Waeco and because I use it in the 4x4 as well as plugging into the side of the CT, anderson plugs are of no use, but I have never had connection issues with Hella type plugs..
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Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 18:12

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 18:12
Gronk,
You said it: "Just replacing the plug and socket for a bigger capacity doesn't solve the prob....it just moves it somewhere else"

When the problem IS the plug and in this case it must be at least a major part of it because the plug is *melting* so by using a higher capacity plug I'm sure it won't melt, the (+) cable from what I've understood is not getting hot, so I can only assume the plug is too 'thin' or faulty for some other reason and is heating up.

The (-) cable and faulty earth may also be aggravating the problem too ??

Mainey . . .

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Reply By: Member - Jock M (SA) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 10:34

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 10:34
Both Engel & Waeco fitting instructions used to recomended a minimum cable size of 6mm ( 8 would be preferable) conected to the battery with an inline fuse in the positive cable. (they now push their owne plug & switch blocks). It is vital that both cables are conected direct to the battery & the negative not earthed to the body.

Is the plug the correct size. Any poor fit will cause heat.

The best bet would be to take the vehicle to a Waco outlet, preferably Opposite Lock, TJM or ARB they should have test equipment supplied by Waeco.

Regards
Jock

AnswerID: 343196

Reply By: Rock Crawler - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 18:52

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 18:52
Hi all. Firstly , I would like to thank everyone for there imput.

Today , I got down to a auto elec , he fitted another plug and all new connections , replaced the earth cable to 8 mm . He also told me that my + was 8 mm already.

We tested the amp draw of the fridge .. tested at 8 to9 amp draw. We touched the end of the plug after 2 min running and guess what ,, yes hot . And yes changed the fuse to a 15 amp to see if it did anything , but no cigar..

The auto electrician thinks that the plug I am using , should not be handling more than 6 amps , and thats why its geting hot.

we wants to put anderson plugs on tomorrow morning .

whats everyone think ???
AnswerID: 343249

Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 19:28

Thursday, Jan 08, 2009 at 19:28
"When the problem IS the plug and in this case it must be at least a major part of it because the plug is *melting* so by using a higher capacity plug I'm sure it won't melt"

I also personally think 8mm² is on the smaller side if your fridge _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx ~9 Amps, mine _Affordable_Storage_Drawers.aspx 10 Amps and that's considered huge by 'normal' compressor fridge standards, I use 10mm² because anything less gives problems, but he's ok with it so do as he says.

Anderson plugs will eliminate all plug hassles for sure !

Mainey . . .
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FollowupID: 611075

Follow Up By: Gronk - Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 01:32

Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 01:32
Hella type plugs are rated at 20A, so should handle 9A easily..
Are you using hella type plugs ??

By going to anderson plugs ( rated at 50A ) you certainly won't have plug problems
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Follow Up By: Maîneÿ (wa) - Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 07:46

Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 07:46
The Anderson Plug will be easy to fit and remains connected under all conditions, never falling out due to any badly corrugated road condition etc
Image Could Not Be FoundMainey . . .
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FollowupID: 611177

Follow Up By: Gronk - Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 09:51

Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 09:51
I have anderson plugs at the rear of the 4x4 for charging the CT batts and the only trouble I have is that on a couple of occasions they HAVE come undone on corrugations ??

Would much prefer a plug with a more positive locking mechanism ? ( don't know of any though ?? )
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Follow Up By: Road Runner - Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 13:08

Friday, Jan 09, 2009 at 13:08
Gronk,

To overcome your Anderson plug problems on corrugations buy a bag of nylon cable ties from Jaycar and use one or two to positively secure your Anderson Plug. The plug on my camper worked loose and 'vaporised' somewhere on the road between Windorah and Longreach. Lucky it didn't short out the CT batteries!
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FollowupID: 611235

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