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Round pin sockets for 12V


aracer

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2 hours ago, WotEver said:

’ve seen plenty of overheated 13A plugs and sockets feeding washing machines and kettles over the years

We had a 16 amp commercial dish washer, it wired into a 13 amp plug (just) and worked (just) without blowing a single fuse in  8 years of use. It was still working OK when we sold it.

 

I guess that it didn't actually take 16a (despite the plate saying it did), or the fuse have a 'bit of leeway'.

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4 hours ago, aracer said:

 

Yeah - I don't think I'm going there. Though to be fair it wouldn't be a major issue that way round as they just wouldn't get any power - it would be an issue if I connected one of my plugs to a normal system (not that 2A plugs are that common I'm assuming - I think the standard is 5A).

 

But if you wire the boat plugs so the +ve wire is connected to the live and neutral pins, then it WILL be an issue if you plug one of your boat appliances into a domestic 2A socket!

I have heard of boaters wiring the 12V connections across the earth and neutral pins of 2A/5A plugs and sockets leaving the live pin unconnected for this reason.

Edited by David Mack
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5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Problem with that is when an unsuspecting new owner wires up his new appliance 'correctly' and wonders "Why ………………….."

There is no correct way to wire a system designed for 240v  for use  on 12v!

 

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2 hours ago, David Mack said:

But if you wire the boat plugs so the +ve wire is connected to the live and neutral pins, then it WILL be an issue if you plug one of your boat appliances into a domestic 2A socket!

That's pretty much what I was saying - not that I think I've ever come across sockets like this apart from on my boat.

 

I'm aware of the use of the earth rather than the live connector to avoid any issues with connecting to mains wired round pin sockets, but personally I feel quite happy with the conventional live/neutral wiring which is how mine are wired.

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4 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

The price of 5A sockets is quite low (if you buy on e-Bay or at Toolstation - maybe not in Midland Chandlers!), so swapping over to a larger size doesnt need to cost the earth.

Not quite so cheap for brass ones to replace what I have with like for like, though I've just checked again and they're hardly expensive so I think that's what I'll do - as much as anything else to enable use of thicker wires (though to be fair, the ones I have will take much thicker wires than fitted). I was thinking about replacing some of the 240V sockets as well (and maybe adding some more of those and the 12V ones) so could change them all to standard white, but I quite like the look of the brass on wood and also have loads of brass light switches.

 

I'll probably do a complete rewire at some point - the use of solid mains conductors was raised as an issue on my survey and whilst that doesn't really concern me all that much (my understanding is that the issue with solid conductors is more with flexing than vibration) I might as well change and reroute them whilst I have panels off and I'd certainly like to add some sockets.

Edited by aracer
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1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

One would 'normally' expect it to be wired as :

 

Live = 12v Positive

Neutral = 12v Negative

Earth = not used.

You might,  I wouldn't use one at all, removed them from all the boats I've ever had.

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1 minute ago, aracer said:

What do you use instead (if I'm replacing all my 12V sockets anyway)?

I quite like the idea of the Speakon connectors someone mentioned earlier. I’ve used them for years for their intended purpose but never thought of them for a boat’s 12V. Their biggest disadvantage I guess is that the plugs are ugly as they’re designed to be hidden behind a speaker. 

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All my 12v sockets and plugs are the 2a round pin. I run lots of things from them. Digital radio, 2 car radio cassettes, TV, Laptop transformer charger, plug in lamps and things and a 200 w Switchmode inverter. 20 years like it, no problems, nothin gets hot.

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42 minutes ago, aracer said:

What do you use instead (if I'm replacing all my 12V sockets anyway)?

I have no need for 12v sockets prefering to use USB sockets for charging phones / tablets etc. I havent had a laptop until very recently and its not been on the boat yet.

Speakon is the way forward for 12v.

 

Edited by Loddon
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24 minutes ago, Loddon said:

Speakon is the way forward for 12v.

 

Looking at the photos, one reason Speakon is not particularly suitable for boat 12v that I can see is the plugs have the cable emerging from the end rather than the underneath (like a 13a plug top for example), so the weight of the cable tends to pull/bend the plug in the socket downwards towards the floor. Same fault exists with cigar lighter sockets.

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1 minute ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Looking at the photos, one reason Speakon is not particularly suitable for boat 12v that I can see is the plugs have the cable emerging from the end rather than the underneath (like a 13a plug top for example), so the weight of the cable tends to pull/bend the plug in the socket downwards towards the floor. Same fault exists with cigar lighter sockets.

Mmmmm, a 90 degree plug perhaps would work. 

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13 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

Looking at the photos, one reason Speakon is not particularly suitable for boat 12v that I can see is the plugs have the cable emerging from the end rather than the underneath (like a 13a plug top for example), so the weight of the cable tends to pull/bend the plug in the socket downwards towards the floor. Same fault exists with cigar lighter sockets.

However, unlike a cigar lighter socket that action doesn’t impact the electrical connection. 

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