Replacing the plug on an electric coobox

[Chaps]

The 12v plug on our electric coolbox has split so we decided to replace it. We bought a new plug but connecting the wires wasn't easy as there were none of the little screws inside that you get on a domestic plug. We got it working using electrician's tape just to test it and bought a soldering iron to do the job properly. However, now we've soldered it, it doesn't work. Any ideas anyone please? Wondering if we've used too much solder so the electricity can't pass through properly.

Any ideas on where to get a plug that will simply wire up without solder?

Thanks in anticipation.

Claire & Rob

 

[foshy]

Claire/Rob

Please don't take this the wrong way, but if you are unable to solder it please take it to an election that can do it properly for you. It should'nt take more than 10 minutes, so cost should be minimal. If you have a short circuit because you have to much solder in the plug, and depending on where it is fused it could catch fire and cause more damage. David

 

[Chaps]

Thanks David. We've got a plumber/electrician coming to replace our shower in the very near future so we'll ask his advice and/or him to do it for us.

Cheers

 

[JTS]

Claire & Rob.

Better still, sweeten the electrician up with an extra spoonful of sugar in his coffee and get him to teach you hou to use your soldering iron and how to isolate your teminals.

Good luck. JTS.

 

[BigTim]

Hi Claire and Rob

You CAN buy 12 volt car type plugs with screw terminals. Our local caravan dealer sells them. I recently fitted one to our tyre inflator after I had trod on the plug and smashed it. I've used screw terminal plugs on to replace damaged ones on 12v items over the years as I'm not too good with a soldering iron either!!

So if you can't get your plug soldered that's another option.

Regards

Tim

 

[Chaps]

Thnaks all for your very useful advice. Hunting for the screw type plug now - Cheers Tim!

Claire & Rob

 

[Chaps]

Managed to get a screw terminal plug from eBay which was delivered in super-fast time, cost a couple of quid and pleased to report that coolbox was fixed last night.

Cheers to all for your advice.

Now, what can I buy with the

 

[RayS]

Soldering really isn't difficult so long as everything is clean and grease free. Buy you iron and some cored solder wire and practice on some spare wires.You will probably nee some strippers to remove the wire insulation.

Suggest you try Maplins andtell them what you want it for - thee other DIY shops may have solder more suitable for plumbing that wiring.

The other possible reason for not working is "reveerse polarity" i.e. you have connect the wires to the wrong parts of the plug and hence the box is seeing posititve 12 volts where it needs negative or vice versa. Many cold boxes do't mind which way they are connected, but others, including my Campingaz brand do. Others may actually heat up when polarity is reversed, but usually do this by a switch fitted to the box.