Thread: Wiring in a fridge etc.

Well, you know what kind of plugs and sockets I use (and thoroughly recommend),even for rough stuff.

If you want to remove the tub, I would suggest you connect the cable via an Anderson plug, which could be separated to allow removal of said tub.

Hi Vlad, the best plugs I’ve come across are the Anderson PowerPoles.

The smallest version of these are just a bit thicker that a ball point pen but unlike cigarette type power sockets which only handle up to 16 amps and Merit/Hella plugs and sockets which handle 20 amps, the PowerPoles handle 30 amps which means you are highly unlikely to ever overload them when used with a fridge or the likes.

At the point in time, the biggest draw back with using theses plugs is that there is no flush mount versions available here. This means they are only available in an end of cable set up.

But, in the next few weeks I hope to have a variety of flush mount fitting for these plugs.

Vlad

The way I'd be doing it would be making up a power distribution box, using one of the sealed junction boxes you can get from an electrical wholesaler.

Down each side I would have a couple of the plastic "cigarette lighter" style sockets you can get from marine suppliers like "Bias Boating" (they have some easy to mount ones with a flat face and 2 screws which aren't shown in the online catalogue) and probably several other types of outlets like these or with a Circuit breaker or Fuse Holder for each outlet.

I would then run a 6mm core figure 8 double insulated like NARVA sell (code 5826) to both sides of the battery with an appropriate sized auto reset circuit breaker
or at the battery end and an Aderson plug where you dismount your camper body. If you want some items to be on ignition or accessories, then I'd be using the same battery lead but adding a small headlamp relay in the power dist box switched by a dedicated lead from the Acc part of the ignition.

Diana

Originally Posted by numpty

Well, you know what kind of plugs and sockets I use (and thoroughly recommend),even for rough stuff.

If you want to remove the tub, I would suggest you connect the cable via an Anderson plug, which could be separated to allow removal of said tub.

Marriage is living, laughing and suffering together.

To quote the loaf himself. "2 out of 3 ain't bad. "

Thanks Tim - I reckon I can wait a few weeks !
Cheers

Lotza - very... pictorial ! Cheers

Some good ideas there, but you know what, I reckon any plug or socket that is externally mounted will eventually play up, even the Anderson ones. Dust, water, dirt, oil, crud will eventually find it's way to the contacts and create a resistance. If you're not going to remove the tub that often, it might be better to just have a grommet where you feed the wires through to the tub then terminate them in to some big mother screw terminals INSIDE the tub. From there go to a distribution box that has fuses and smaller cables going off to whatever you want to power. I'd be looking for some quite big cables to run through from the battery to the tub, even up to 35mm. Then if you want to ake the tub off you just isolate at the battery end, unscrew the cables in the tub end and push them through to the outside. You'll need to tape the bare cable ends while the tub is off. Leave it disconnected at the battery too.

The good thing about Anderson plugs is that they are industrial and take large currents. The contacts inside are rugged yet simple. Most importantly if you do have poor contact, the solution is usually only to remove and re-insert the plug which mechanically cleans the contact surfaces.

Originally Posted by VladTepes

Thanks Tim - I reckon I can wait a few weeks !

Hi again Vlad, they are coming from the States so they should be here soon and I’ll PM you when they arrive.