Need for ANDERSON PLUG?

NEWBIES_34 · Member

Need for ANDERSON PLUG?

Yuglamron · Guru

You don't NEED one. But later down the track having it will make life easier, if you need power from your tug to your van.

Desert Dweller · Guru

It'll provide a power supply to your caravans refrigerator while you're driving along the highway. Stops your ice-creams melting & beer getting warm.

iana · Guru

How long is a piece of string? If your van has a three way fridge, you will have a couple of hi amperage cables going to the van. The 12volt only fridge doesn't draw the power. If you want to charge the vans batteries from the tug, then you will need a DC-DC charger at the vans house batteries, but in saying that, Jayco have re-vamped the electrics in their vans, a very nice job too, and it maybe, the DC-DC charger is built in. But even so you will need heavy cables here to avoid the voltage drop if charging house batteries from the tug.
The 12 pin Narva plug is what the vans can be supplied with, my beef is that these plugs are poorly designed, there are however other multi-pin trailer plugs coming onto the market that may do a better job.
Using an Anderson plug to supply the high current situations is a good idea, and a heavy duty, 7 pin for the rest of the services.
One advantage of using the Anderson plug, is having a power supply available at the back of the tug for such things as a compressor.

CC Bear · Senior Member

I have a new Wildtrack and put one plug inside the tub and one near the 12 pin trailer plug. Should have put a second one near the trailer plug as some vans require you to use one (red) for the vans ESC. New Age does as we were looking to get one.

So if you are running them or are getting a auto elec to do it then do all three is my suggestion from a Ranger owner. Cheers

should have welcomed you to the forum and ash where are you based, always helps when people are asking questions to know if there local. Easier to direct you to where you may get good service or parts.

-- Edited by CC Bear on Tuesday 11th of July 2017 01:59:11 PM

-- Edited by CC Bear on Tuesday 11th of July 2017 02:04:25 PM

rgren2 · Guru

CC Bear wrote:
I have a new Wildtrack and put one plug inside the tub and one near the 12 pin trailer plug. Should have put a second one near the trailer plug as some vans require you to use one for the vans antisway or something similar.

So if you are running them or are getting a auto elec to do it then do all three is my suggestion from a Ranger owner. Cheers

The anti-sway one is red and smaller than the standard grey one. It also must be connected to the primary/start battery.

CC Bear · Senior Member

The ones I have seen have been the standard 50 amp red anderson plugs same as the grey.

Barboots · Senior Member

A 50A Anderson is the same size irrespective of colour... there is just a minor keying difference between them which prevents mating the different colours. Grey is very common, so red has become a standard for trailer ESC supply where disconnection may be required, such as off road or particularly undulating conditions. If you only have on-road plans, it is possible to use the less standardised 35A connections of the 12 pin plug/socket for ESC power. Andersons are available in larger sizes than the popular 50A item. The next larger is 175A, then 350A. These are continuous ratings, so overkill for most rigs. Personally, if I didn't have the van yet I'd just have the cabling run through, or wait until I knew what's required. Set-ups are becoming quite varied, and as such, so are the requirements. Cheers, Steve

Old Col · Veteran Member

Barboots wrote:
. The next larger is 175A, then 350A. These are continuous ratings, so overkill for most rigs.

there is a 120 A Anderson not that much larger than a 50A

the mounting bolts have the same spacing just a bit larger bolt

CC Bear · Senior Member

Back to the OP he is not asking for a lecture on anderson plugs just does he need them.

SouthernComfort · Guru

CC Bear wrote:
Back to the OP he is not asking for a lecture on anderson plugs just does he need them.

True.

My suggestion to Wayne would be wait until you have chosen your van. There are a number of variables in electrical set-up's, and any gear the van may come equipped with (e.g. ESC). No point having a grey Anderson wired up now, then discovering later that you also need a red one which could have been fitted at the same time. If you're buying a new van the manufacturer will supply a wiring diagram for the necessary plugs and connectors on your car - just hand it to your auto electrician. Otherwise the plugs on the van itself should indicate what you'll need on the car.

Barboots · Senior Member

Yeah and the OP didn't ask what kind of van you might be getting either... however further information generally allows the questioning party to make their own informed decision.

macka17 · Guru

As said.
Install one inside tray or boot.
to cover soldering iron. Compressor. lights. panels, kettle, etc.

and an external one won't go astray either.

We always looking for a power supply if out camping\fishing' etc.
I run 1 x 7pin van socket plus 2 x 50a Andersons on towbar.

You never know.
and it's always better to have, than need.
Is my motto.

Don't be mean.
I bought a 10 pack of 50a from net yrs ago. for around 2 or 3 bucks each.
they work fine. They NOT expensive.
and take constant 40+a load for a long time (tested)

Techman54 · Member

A couple of the responses are spot on. It will depend on your van and the options fitted.

12 volt fridge as opposed 3 Way fridge

esc or no esc

in my case I have a 12 volt fridge and esc

i have fitted a redarc BMS 1230 S2 which is connected to the 12 pin plug for charging from the car.

I have fitted a RED Anderson plug for the esc. The van also came with a grey Anderson plug which was useless as it was connected straight to the battery which means the car will not fully charge the battery due to the alternator config. This plug is never connected.

As indicated by others I would wait until you know the configuration of the van and do your homework in this area.

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hi NEWBIES,
An Anderson plug/socket (nominally rated to 50A) is safer than using one of the newer 12 pin units. When I bought my van (2nd-hand) & no ESC, it utilised 4 HD pins of the 12 pin setup to charge the battery which then ran the 3-way fridge.
I changed that to an Anderson with HD cables in the car running the fridge via a Fridge-Switch & let the solar panel charge the battery.

I have heard of the HD pins of the multi-pin plug/socket melting due to the high currents (8+A) involved.

Warren

Ron-D · Guru

My wiring was all done through the twelve pin plug and worked like a charm for a while ,but eventually the pin that supplied current to the fridge melted, when I looked at the size of the fridge cable that had to be shaved downto fitt the 12 pin plug the problem was obvious,the high current fridge plug needed an Anderson plug...

markf · Senior Member

iana wrote:
<deltia>. If you want to charge the vans batteries from the tug, then you will need a DC-DC charger at the vans house batteries <deltia>

You will not NEED a DC-DC charger. Indeed some may argue that they are a useless waste of money. All you need is some sort of isolator. Have a look at http://www.traxide.com.au/isolators/sc80---90-amps-standard.html . The SC80 is very well priced and is very effective.

Of course some modern cars have "interesting" charging regimes so you may need to speak to drivesafe at Traxide to discuss you cars alternator characteristics.

-- Edited by markf on Thursday 13th of July 2017 12:12:34 PM

Warren-Pat_01 · Guru

Hi Markf, just a comment about saying that a DC-DC charger/isolator /what ever you want to call them as being unnecessary - they do have some advantages.
1. It is a method of overcoming voltage loss in the cables due to resistance if mounted in the van.
2. If it is mounted in the tug & near the 2nd battery, they do compensate the charge rate depending on the temperature - ensuring longer battery life & reducing risk of battery explosions. Most batteries are in their perfect world at 25 degrees C, not 70+.
3. They provide a regulated solar input to the battery.

It is for points 2 &3 that I have a CETEC unit in the car.

Warren