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3-pin 12v socket to cigar lighter adapter?


Tasemu

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Quickest route is plug a converter in with a 3 pin plug on the end (which you wire, having removed the cigarette lighter plug - only two wires are connected, -ve and +ve so a rewire is a simple task)

E.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-2-Way-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Power-Socket-Charger-Adapter-Dual-USB-Port-Twin/253861363478?epid=12023559096&hash=item3b1b50ff16:g:syUAAOSwMKFejD54

Is your issue the lack of 3 pin plug?

/G

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11 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

Would it just be a matter of finding a cable in the wall somehow and snipping it and putting in the new socket? Not too clued up about retrofitting sockets into finished boats... I'd have to take the wall out wouldn't i?

No, take out the existing 5 or 15 or whatever socket and see how much space is behind. It should be feasible to drill an adjacent hole to piggyback onto the socket, or take out the existing scket and mount something on a blanking plate to replace it if you don't need 12v. I think the only thing I use raw 12v on my boat for from sockets (other than powering usb adaptors) is to charge a torch and a mini vacuum cleaner.

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15 minutes ago, Psychalist said:

Quickest route is plug a converter in with a 3 pin plug on the end (which you wire, having removed the cigarette lighter plug - only two wires are connected, -ve and +ve so a rewire is a simple task)

E.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-2-Way-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Power-Socket-Charger-Adapter-Dual-USB-Port-Twin/253861363478?epid=12023559096&hash=item3b1b50ff16:g:syUAAOSwMKFejD54

Is your issue the lack of 3 pin plug?

/G

Cheers! my current issue is having appliances that require a cigarette lighter socket. But only having access to 3-pin 12v sockets. :)

11 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

No, take out the existing 5 or 15 or whatever socket and see how much space is behind. It should be feasible to drill an adjacent hole to piggyback onto the socket, or take out the existing scket and mount something on a blanking plate to replace it if you don't need 12v. I think the only thing I use raw 12v on my boat for from sockets (other than powering usb adaptors) is to charge a torch and a mini vacuum cleaner.

Alright cool, i'll have a look at how to piggyback off a socket, that sounds like a good longer term solution. :)

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48 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

Cheers! my current issue is having appliances that require a cigarette lighter socket. But only having access to 3-pin 12v sockets.

The device in the link has two of them and is similar to the Lidl version. The difference is whether you adapt the wall socket, or this sort of device, that you then plug in the existing unmodified socket.

/G

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1 hour ago, Psychalist said:

Quickest route is plug a converter in with a 3 pin plug on the end (which you wire, having removed the cigarette lighter plug - only two wires are connected, -ve and +ve so a rewire is a simple task)

E.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-2-Way-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Power-Socket-Charger-Adapter-Dual-USB-Port-Twin/253861363478?epid=12023559096&hash=item3b1b50ff16:g:syUAAOSwMKFejD54

Is your issue the lack of 3 pin plug?

/G

Maybe not quiet so simple because when three pin mains sockets are used for 12V supplies they are often/usually wired in a non standard way to ensure a mains appliance can not be powered if plugged into a 12V 3 pin "mains2 socket of any description. Often the earth pin is actually wired positive.

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26 minutes ago, Psychalist said:

The device in the link has two of them and is similar to the Lidl version. The difference is whether you adapt the wall socket, or this sort of device, that you then plug in the existing unmodified socket.

/G

This looks to plug into a cigarette lighter socket though, which I don't have installed on the boat and am trying to do. :)

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4 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

This looks to plug into a cigarette lighter socket though, which I don't have installed on the boat and am trying to do.

I think the suggestion was to cut off the existing cigar lighter plug and change it to a three pin plug to fit the socket.

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4 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

This looks to plug into a cigarette lighter socket though, which I don't have installed on the boat and am trying to do. :)

That probably has electronics in the box rather than plug because it has two 12V outputs so it shoudl be safe to cut the plug off and fit a 3 pin plug as long as you check which plug pin is pos and which is neg.

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1 hour ago, Psychalist said:

Quickest route is plug a converter in with a 3 pin plug on the end (which you wire, having removed the cigarette lighter plug - only two wires are connected, -ve and +ve so a rewire is a simple task)

E.g. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12v-2-Way-Car-Cigarette-Lighter-Power-Socket-Charger-Adapter-Dual-USB-Port-Twin/253861363478?epid=12023559096&hash=item3b1b50ff16:g:syUAAOSwMKFejD54

Is your issue the lack of 3 pin plug?

/G

That looks a handy bit of kit. Personally, I would keep whatever 12v wall sockets that the OP has on the boat and make up a lead/plug using that adaptor.  There is little point in spending money adapting things onboard when the OP might go down a different route sometime in the future. 

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2 hours ago, Tasemu said:

 

Something like this: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/164198494749

 

A bit bigger than a 1G patress but a little hole engineering would make a replacement for the current sockets. Lots of others of similar type available.

Edited by Onewheeler
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2 hours ago, Onewheeler said:

No, take out the existing 5 or 15 or whatever socket and see how much space is behind. It should be feasible to drill an adjacent hole to piggyback onto the socket, or take out the existing scket and mount something on a blanking plate to replace it if you don't need 12v. I think the only thing I use raw 12v on my boat for from sockets (other than powering usb adaptors) is to charge a torch and a mini vacuum cleaner.

 

2 minutes ago, Onewheeler said:

No, take out the existing 5 or 15 or whatever socket and see how much space is behind. It should be feasible to drill an adjacent hole to piggyback onto the socket, or take out the existing scket and mount something on a blanking plate to replace it if you don't need 12v. I think the only thing I use raw 12v on my boat for (other than powering usb adaptors) is to charge a torch and a mini vacuum cleaner.

 

There appears to be a 2-hour echo.

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Worth checking which 3 pin plug you need.  I thought I needed 5 Amp when in reality it was 2 Amp.

 

 https://cpc.farnell.com/pro-elec/222/mains-plug-round-pin-white-2a/dp/PL13941

 

I then used a standard cigar style extension lead, cut the plug off and fitted the above.  

 

(Bear in mind these plugs are unfused)

Edited by GRLMK38
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On 25/07/2020 at 19:10, Tasemu said:

How would i go about checking the amp rating for my sockets?

The issue isn't so much the rating of the sockets but the wiring that supplies them. There is probably a fuse or cut-out at the distribution panel or whatever is between it and the battery. That might show the rating. The other way would be to pop out the existing socket and check the size of the cable. See previous posts about cable type/size etc or posters on here will no doubt advise.

 

It is worth mentioning the reason for the sockets you have rather than the 12v cigarette lighter type is they are usually fitted because of their superior current carrying capacity. The connections through the pins are much better. Cigarette lighter plugs can't really carry much current and because the tip is a dome and only a small surface area is in contact with the supply. At higher currents, the tip gets hot and can melt the surrounding plastic. This is a good reason to keep the existing sockets and do your wiring external to them - you will be able to monitor any localised heating from whatever load you connect.

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It all seems a very complicated way of going about things.

All of my electronics charges from USB. Be that A, mini, micro or USB C

All the sockets on Loddon were 2amp 3pin, so in order to simplify things I replaced all the sockets with 1module domestic switches connected to a 2amp USB socket mounted next to it which is shown below. All that is needed is a lead for each type of unit to be charged which most come with anyway.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402311599675

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-nexus-metal-10ax-1-gang-2-way-light-switch-antique-brass/79804

 

Cheaper switches are available but they had to match the mains sockets.

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-logic-plus-10ax-1-gang-2-way-light-switch-white/11822

Edited by Loddon
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2 hours ago, Loddon said:

It all seems a very complicated way of going about things.

All of my electronics charges from USB. Be that A, mini, micro or USB C

All the sockets on Loddon were 2amp 3pin, so in order to simplify things I replaced all the sockets with 1module domestic switches connected to a 2amp USB socket mounted next to it which is shown below. All that is needed is a lead for each type of unit to be charged which most come with anyway.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402311599675

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/british-general-nexus-metal-10ax-1-gang-2-way-light-switch-antique-brass/79804

 

Cheaper switches are available but they had to match the mains sockets.

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/mk-logic-plus-10ax-1-gang-2-way-light-switch-white/11822

`Thanks! Are these usb sockets better in any way than a cigarette lighter socket with a dual usb insert? Just for flexibility

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5 minutes ago, Tasemu said:

`Thanks! Are these usb sockets better in any way than a cigarette lighter socket with a dual usb insert? 

Yes, they’re hard-wired and so not subject to the flaky connections you can experience with cigar lighter sockets. Plus it’s one less connection in the chain. 

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9 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Yes, they’re hard-wired and so not subject to the flaky connections you can experience with cigar lighter sockets. Plus it’s one less connection in the chain. 

Wot he said.

The switch is also important as they do draw a small current when not in use and if you have six of them as I do it adds up, plus many of the cheaper ones  radiate RF which can  disrupt TV and WiFi signals so if thats a problem they can be turned off.

 

ETA surface mount sockets are available if there is not enough room behind the panel.

Edited by Loddon
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  • 3 weeks later...

Apologies for a slight digression but this looked like the most relevant thread.  

 

Can round pin 3-pin sockets be fitted in the 12V system of new boat or are there any regs that specify otherwise for new builds?  I haven't managed to find any information about it and people seem to use a mad old mixture of socket types for 12V.  I'm fitting out a sailaway and dislike and distrust the cigarette lighter sockets; ideally I'd use the round pin AC sockets as they fit nicely over a standard backbox.

 

And if round pin sockets can be used is it best practice to wire the earth to the negative/0V?

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9 minutes ago, 11MoustachioedDs said:

Apologies for a slight digression but this looked like the most relevant thread.  

 

Can round pin 3-pin sockets be fitted in the 12V system of new boat or are there any regs that specify otherwise for new builds?  I haven't managed to find any information about it and people seem to use a mad old mixture of socket types for 12V.  I'm fitting out a sailaway and dislike and distrust the cigarette lighter sockets; ideally I'd use the round pin AC sockets as they fit nicely over a standard backbox.

 

And if round pin sockets can be used is it best practice to wire the earth to the negative/0V?

 

Are you working in compliance with the Recreational Craft Directive? and for the wiring to the :-

ISO 10133 Specification Small craft — Electrical systems — Extra-low-voltage D.C. installations, and 

ISO 13297 Specification Small craft — Electrical systems — Alternating Current installations

 

The answers are in the RCD paperwork.

 

 

 

11 Receptacles/sockets

11.1 Receptacles/sockets and matching plugs used on d.c. systems shall not be interchangeable with those used on a.c. systems on the craft.

11.2 Receptacles/sockets installed in locations subject to rain, spray or splashing shall have a minimum protection of IP 55, in accordance with IEC 60529 when not in use, e.g. protected by a cover with an effective weatherproof seal.

11.3 Receptacles/sockets installed in areas subject to flooding or momentary submersion shall have a minimum protection of IP 67, in accordance with IEC 60529, including when in use with connecting plugs.

Edited by Alan de Enfield
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