Thread: Cigarette/Accessory Outlet

I'd be careful using a merit plug (I think that is the generic name for the Hella type plug) for that amount of current.

I have an 80L Waeco that came with the merit plug with the red cigarette lighter adapter ring. However my fridge draws 7.5 amps max (sticker on bottom of fridge) and the merit plug gets warm and it gave me problems. So I changed to that Clipsal low voltage plug and socket. The terminals look like a T. No problems since.
I'm guessing the 3 way fridge will draw more than 7.5amps and it will also draw it all the time as they don't cycle.

Thanks Justin & Utemad. I will go and see Battery world tomorrow and see what they have.
Justin, do you know where Drivesafe is located?

Originally Posted by stikman

Thanks Justin & Utemad.

That just makes me laugh. As even though you are talking about two different people. Utemad is Justin as well.

If you over engineer your wiring and plugs at least you know it won't give you trouble.

Hi stikman, if it’s only a one time use and you are just powering it while you are driving up to and back from Fraser, then just use what you have and use it as you planned, get it cold before putting it in the disco and get it on gas as soon as you get up there.

If on the other hand, you intend to use this fridge on a regular basis can I make some suggestions, 6mm auto cable ( 4.5mm2 ) is usually used as most fridges rarely require more than about 5 amps but because your fridge is going to be pulling 10 amps, using the 6mm auto cable would result in a fair voltage drop over the length cable you have to run. I would suggest you run 8 B&S cable ( 7.9mm2 ), positive and negative, from the front and fit a 20 amp fuse at the battery.

Try to get Sutars brand cigarette power sockets, they are marine quality, rated at 16 amps and have standard blade terminals on them so you can use yellow crimp terminals on the 8 B&S cable and plug straight onto the back of the socket.

Cheers

Cheers Drivesafe. I will put the required 10amp fuse in and see how it goes, if it blows a fuse i will stop using it as it should still stay cold until we get up (will put some ice packs in to help). The fridge is just a loaner for this weekend but plan on getting one anyway, but will probably be a conventional compressor fridge and not the condensor type. Will still look at wiring two accessory outlets in the back seat and cargo areas but this will have to wait. Do you have everything required when i am ready to go? Might do it at the same time as the dual battery and headlight upgrade

I strongly advise you not to use a cigarette lighter plug to run that fridge. If you do - watch it closely.
I had one of those 3 ways and when I ran it off the cig lighter socket it melted the plug. The reason is that you never get a very good connection with those sockets ( they were designed for lighting cigarettes not as an accessory plug.)

I used to run mine in the car through a a connection directly to the battery using thick (6mm) wire run through a relay controlled by the ignition
Even then I found that fridge did not cool very well while travelling. This is partly because the those fridges need to be perfectly level to work, and a travelling car is not a constant level surface. It will work well if you take it out of the car and run it on gas when you camp, as long as you get it perfectly level.

If you can still beg or borrow a compressor type fridge it would be better. they work great ( that is why I upgraded.)

If you're going to be using this on an ongoing basis, I also strongly suggest you get rid of the cigarette socket. You would be best off with these, rated at 20A:

http://www.narva.com.au/Switches_37.html


Paul

Originally Posted by Utemad

I'd be careful using a merit plug (I think that is the generic name for the Hella type plug) for that amount of current.

I have an 80L Waeco that came with the merit plug with the red cigarette lighter adapter ring. However my fridge draws 7.5 amps max (sticker on bottom of fridge) and the merit plug gets warm and it gave me problems. So I changed to that Clipsal low voltage plug and socket. The terminals look like a T. No problems since.
I'm guessing the 3 way fridge will draw more than 7.5amps and it will also draw it all the time as they don't cycle.

That's the kind of plugs and sockets I use on all my 12 volt gear and have never had a problem .