Thread: 12v plugs

I find the 'Anderson' plugs are great, the small one is rated at 25A and they are made to fit one way only. Each one is the same but they only go together one way so you buy 5 (or whatever you want) fit one to the car and one to any appliance you want to use.
They flush mount so they lay flat alongside a panel so there is no need for space along side like a cigarette plug that makes the connector stick out and they are a positive click fit, they wont become loose.
Hope this gives you some idea.

Mike

PS, none genuine Anderson plugs are available on Ebay, box of several for the same price as one.

Hi Randylandy, I don't blame you for finding the standard cigarette plug unsatisfactory. Alternatives include the Merrit/Hella plug, looks like a cigarette plug but is much more secure against accidentally becoming unplugged. Then there is the Anderson Plug, very popular and very good. Comes in different sizes and ratings. After that there is the two pin, 32 volt rated plug and socket . Of those choices, the Anderson Plug system is probably the best but requires either soldering or crimping to install properly. All the others can be done with a screwdriver. No doubt there are others I am unaware of.. Jaycar have a range of plugs. There are Anderson copies out there but it pays to go with the name brand if you can. Cheers, 130man.

As nismine01 said! Anderson plugs are the go. Make sure you put a decent circuit breaker in the +'ve wire, as close to the vehicle/leisure battery as you can. Then if it rubs through anywhere, it won't cause meltdown.

Yeah, I'd go with Andersons. I run a fridge of them at the moment and also run my electric boat winch from them. Never had an issue and easy to fit

Originally Posted by nismine01

I find the 'Anderson' plugs are great, the small one is rated at 25A and they are made to fit one way only. Each one is the same but they only go together one way so you buy 5 (or whatever you want) fit one to the car and one to any appliance you want to use.
They flush mount so they lay flat alongside a panel so there is no need for space along side like a cigarette plug that makes the connector stick out and they are a positive click fit, they wont become loose.
Hope this gives you some idea.

Mike

PS, none genuine Anderson plugs are available on Ebay, box of several for the same price as one.

Changed all mine to Anderson plugs. best thing I ever did.
10 plugs on ebay for just over $20

I run a merit plug on my 60L fridge. Has done plenty of offroad trips and never given me any problems

Everybody loves anderson plugs - yep the're OK and fairly foolproof and I have one for my portable HF (50+ amps). They are simply not necessary for the amperage of a fridge if that is the only item being run off it.

If your fridge is an Engel, within the cig lighter plug on the supplied lead there is an Engel screw together connector. If nobody told you you wouldn't know it was in there.

The other half (receptacle) of this combination is available unwired for about $15 or wired & fused suitably for a fridge for about $30. The unwired option has a LED to show that power is available (I'm not sure if the wired product has this LED).

They have flush and surface mount versions and a screw together purpose plug seems good to me.

but .... nuthin wrong with anderson or merit plugs

If youre buying the quality stuff.

I use the Merit plug for small power stuff (<5A) where I may also need to be able to use it in a ciggy socket

I use the 32V DC lighting plugs for up to a 15A draw and then I step to anderson plugs

be wary of some of the cheaper anderson knock off plugs that are out there as they have been known to crack and the contacts loose pressure and make a hot spot melting the housing.