Just picked the van up from having its first service, they had to fit a new 12s plastic plug, the grey one on the caravan that attaches to the car. They left the old one in the van and on inspection one of the terminals was burnt out, with the caravan only being a year old I was wondering what could have caused this. Thanks in advance.
12S plastic plug
- Thread starter PaulIrons
- Start date
If only a terminal on the plug on the caravan was burnt out but the equivalent female connector on the car side is still OK, then I would suspect that the wiring lead to the burnt out terminal had a loose connection (perhaps someone had forgotten to tighten the screw when the wiring harness was assembled).
This is very common on the fridge circuit
Have a look at www.towitall.co.uk for pretty coloured wiring diagrams and a way of using spare pins in the 12 S plug and socket to spread the load.
I've done it and it worked
So far
Have a look at www.towitall.co.uk for pretty coloured wiring diagrams and a way of using spare pins in the 12 S plug and socket to spread the load.
I've done it and it worked
So far
This happens when the 2 halves of the pins close together and results in loose fitting pins in the socket. This produces arcing and can ultimately melt both plug and socket
The centre pin, pin 7 is the dedicated earth return for the fridge and also the most prominent and acts as a lead in for the others.As Rob says it can close up and this causes arcing and heating up.
I have had this problem despite opening up the slot in the plug on pin 7 but since utilising the other pins to share the load for over 3 years I have had no further trouble.
The material of the plug needs to be improved in my opinion.
Towitall recommend doubling up the cables from the plug to the fridge as well.This is a logical extension of doubling in the socket but many modern caravans no longer have 7 core grey cable and so there is not a convenient spare.
I have found that doubling up the spare pins in the grey plug (see towitall) and connecting the corresponding spare pins in the grey socket to earth and the fridge live feed (heavy cable from the battery via relay etc)works well.
More powerful fridges and long tows to Spain etc do not help the problem.
I have had this problem despite opening up the slot in the plug on pin 7 but since utilising the other pins to share the load for over 3 years I have had no further trouble.
The material of the plug needs to be improved in my opinion.
Towitall recommend doubling up the cables from the plug to the fridge as well.This is a logical extension of doubling in the socket but many modern caravans no longer have 7 core grey cable and so there is not a convenient spare.
I have found that doubling up the spare pins in the grey plug (see towitall) and connecting the corresponding spare pins in the grey socket to earth and the fridge live feed (heavy cable from the battery via relay etc)works well.
More powerful fridges and long tows to Spain etc do not help the problem.
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