240 volt inlet

Kevin 1955 · Veteran Member

240 volt inlet

hako · Guru

Sounds like a bad connector on the cable - they eventually lose their grip on on the pins in the inlet socket and start sparking which welds them together. A new inlet socket and new cable will be the fix, both available from any caravan parts outlet/BCF etc. In theory you should get an electrician to replace the inlet socket but.....

Good Luck.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Replace.. Qualified person . Result of high resistant connection . Check every so often ? Spray with WD40 . Keeps spiders and any salts away .

patrol03 · Senior Member

I would think that the cable you are using is completely inadequate for your vehicle, and that you have been drawing too much load for the cable to handle. The normal 15amp caravan cable is comprised of normal 1.5mm sq cable (10amp) with heavier insulation on the red you outer covering ,together with the fitting of 15amp plug either end. This complies with the regulations BUT when you run several high current draw appliances together the cable has difficulty in handling the load and heats up. In your case sufficient heat was generated to fuse the contact between the plugs together. Firstly I would suggest you purchase a 15amp lead comprising of 2.5mm sq cable and be more careful of the appliances you are running concurrently.Heaters,jugs,toasters,stoves, HWS and other appliances you have in the van including the aircon are usually marked with the maximum current draw.You are not the only one this has happened to as there are plenty of over hot leads at any one time in most caravan parks but most users are ignorant of the fact.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

An inside fuse or breaker should limit load on that circuit. Breakers are better as less chance of some unqualified person doubling fuses wire etc .

macka17 · Guru

Any TRUE 15a Cable is HEAVY.

Compared to the std 10a.10\15a cabling.

I use that light stuff for short runs, grinders etc in garage through 15a socket.

ALL Van cable runs and welders used, are on either of the 2 x heavy,
long cables I have.

Kevin 1955 · Veteran Member

Thanks everyone, the cable is of the lighter type, I should have guessed as I have a heavy one which is shorter in length and is only lightly discoulered at the socket end. I will buy a new cable and inlet socket.

patrol03 · Senior Member

Buy a cable of 2.5mmsq and be aware of the appliances that you have on at any one time.

Jaahn · Guru

Hi smile

My two cents worth. The current "heavy duty cables" sold in the stores including the big green shed, are minimal quality and often misrepresented.

The heavy duty often just refers to the outside covering thickness not to the thickness of the wire inside. Also the quality of the connection of the wire to the connection in the plugs is often not well done. So the pins over heat because of the poorly crimped connection and this welds the pins together at current within the nominal rating. I have seen plenty of plugs and sockets that show signs of distress. Easy to see with the transparent covers. Look at yours now cry This is not good enough either "is only lightly discoloured at the socket"

I make my own cables out of quality plugs and sockets and real heavy duty 2.5mm sq cables. hmm

Jaahn

-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 18th of September 2017 09:11:13 AM

-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 18th of September 2017 09:24:48 AM

PeterD · Guru

The cable in vans and 15 A leads will not produce sufficient heat to weld the power cord socket to the inlet.

There are three possibilities - a bad connection between the wire in the lead and the socket pin, there were many of those instances reported amongst club members at the last NACC state council meeting and most of them were moulded sockets - the socket pin loosing its tension and causing heating due to resistance in the connection - loose connection at the back of the inlet again causing resistance and heating.

I would, like the others, suggest you take it to an electrical contractor. He will diagnose the actual one of those possibilities and rectify the situation with new connectors.

macka17 · Guru

Hi to Lawrence and Hanson. (OR equivalent according to State.)

But 2 lengths 1 long. 1 short. of real heavy duty cable.

Buy the 4 x H\Duty CLEAR 15a plugs. Use their holes as dia for cable wire.

Then Myself.
I align cable ends to suit (Opposing each end.) and connect

I also have a sparky's crossed current plug tester thingy
(from a sparky mate)
It tells you. Crossed, shorted, or correct when you plug in
with it'swarning LED's.

Everybody should have one. tests both wall sockets and Cable pin alignments.
Crossovers

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

To check polarity .We use test lamps and earth stake in elect supply field . Fixed 1000's of service mains to houses where they have connector box at p of a ( point of attachment) All faults are bad connections .On the coast is worse where salt tends to corrode and short easier . Caravan connections are not that different . Btw check polarity at GPO also .

hako · Guru

I wouldn't check polarity on 240 Vac - better to use an AC neutral and supply tester or an AC voltage tester.

Good Luck.

mr glassies · Guru

And remember when buying parts there's a difference between plugs and sockets unles I'm the only one that didn't know

Dibs

Dougwe · Chief one feather

I already have the 1+1/16" socket thanks Dibs. Even a spare Anode in readiness.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Qualified use test lamps and earth stake . To check polarity all through circuit . Those fundangle tools don't work before power points !! Lol Men neutral etc can throw things out ..

wal1 · Veteran Member

So who do I listen to, a linesman (their the ones that play with big volts) or the so called experts. So many opinions and so little facts.
Go Aus-Kiwi

hako · Guru

My point was that on Alternating Current you would not use the term polarity - you would check the polarity of a battery but on a AC powerpoint/outlet you would check for the active and neutral. Different terminology and yes, probably nitpicking on my behalf.

Regards

PeterD · Guru

And you certainly should not be playing around with the AC side of the an with that lack of knowledge as well.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Exactly . I could comment on a few things . Earth / neutral for a start ., Then there's rotation on 415 supply . Nothing to do with vans supply though !! Btw ANY high resistant connection WILL creat heat no matter the size of cable !

oldtrack123 · Guru

wal1 wrote:

So who do I listen to, a linesman (their the ones that play with big volts) or the so called experts. So many opinions and so little facts.
Go Aus-Kiwi

I would suggest the best source is a QUALIFIED Licensed ELECTRICIAN biggrin much more experience & qualifications

As a Qualified Electrician, in this case, I have no doubt that the problem has been poor contact between the plug & socket

Usually due to either:

Loose contact between pins & socket

Dirty oxidized contact faces

Both the Socket & extension lead WILL need replacing

The Socket SHALL be replaced by a licensed ELECTRICIAN who should also check that the wiring into the socket has not suffered heat damage

The old Extension lead should not be used ,as it will cause damage to any socket it is used in

General advice:

Any sign of heat ,other than just warm in any electrical connections [no matter what the voltage] a warning that something may be wrong

.Ignoring that can lead to fires

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Friday 29th of September 2017 12:18:09 PM

oldtrack123 · Guru

hako wrote:
My point was that on Alternating Current you would not use the term polarity - you would check the polarity of a battery but on a AC powerpoint/outlet you would check for the active and neutral. Different terminology and yes, probably nitpicking on my behalf.

Regards

Hi Hako

Technically you are correct ,but even many electricians refer to testing for correct polarity as "polarity testing"Including in the Standards biggrin

oldtrack123 · Guru

Jaahn wrote:
Hi
My two cents worth. The current "heavy duty cables" sold in the stores including the big green shed, are minimal quality and often misrepresented.
The heavy duty often just refers to the outside covering thickness not to the thickness of the wire inside. Also the quality of the connection of the wire to the connection in the plugs is often not well done. So the pins over heat because of the poorly crimped connection and this welds the pins together at current within the nominal rating. I have seen plenty of plugs and sockets that show signs of distress. Easy to see with the transparent covers. Look at yours now This is not good enough either "is only lightly discoloured at the socket"

[a]I make my own cables out of quality plugs and sockets and real heavy duty 2.5mm sq cables.
Jaahn

-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 18th of September 2017 09:11:13 AM

-- Edited by Jaahn on Monday 18th of September 2017 09:24:48 AM

[a] Best show us your license for doing electrical work, unless you are a naughty boy

Yes, there is a problem with the term "heavy duty"

Store bought it generally means heavy mechanical duty better outer insulation to withstand mechanical damage

But in the Standards ,heavy duty does mean larger copper cables for the same current rating reducing voltage drop when used with devices that have high inrush current [Amps ]@ start up, as shown in As/ 3199

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

As the FIRST person to connect to houses, factories . The term polarity is defenatly used !! Seen electricians that should KNOW better put an active wire in neutral link ! It doesn't work !! Tends to send garden taps flying skywards too . Takes a lot to blow a sub fuse !!

oldtrack123 · Guru

Of course "polarity" only applies to Earthed neutral systems
Floating systems only have L1 & L2

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

At the metrer ? How about potential bonding on steel structures ? Private steel poles are bonded to neutral !! Polarity is pretty important if you want to stay alive . With heart beat .!! I don't mean live electrically !! They don't have direct earth houses any more !! What word is used then ??

macka17 · Guru

ME.
I buy the materials from Sparky supplies. Fitting the cable, wire dia to plug holes at max dia.
Just fits with maybe a trim.

then, after fitting plugs I check with this "Power Point and Earth Leakage Tester". QP-2000.
Digitech. up to 100mA.

Checks Polarity. Current flow and trip load?. Is that right.

Everybody should have one. Makes sure you ain't gonna cook yourself.
When you plug it in or turn it on. Full idiots instructions on rear.

Puuurfect for electrical do-do's like me.

I can wire up a yacht. Ring main a cabin. As long as no current involved.
That's just mechanical routing with tag ends.

These just check your (could be iffy) work b4 barbying yourself. Maybe.

Anything live. SPARKY. Or YOU are a no brainer. Literally.

PS.
This for do-do's not sparky's.
Could be a good safety device for old farts. (me) and Mobile,

We ALL tempted to "fix" things we don't know.
Just maybe.

jjellfern · Member

Careful all you DIY folks.
Quite a bit of dribble here.
Maybe only one or two appear to be qualified to respond to this problem.
Others only think they are.
All work must be performed by a qualified electrician and there are two reasons for this.
One is insurance reasons and the other is, your a long time dead.
Think about it.

oldtrack123 · Guru

Aus-Kiwi wrote:
At the metrer ? How about potential bonding on steel structures ? Private steel poles are bonded to neutral !! Polarity is pretty important if you want to stay alive . With heart beat .!! I don't mean live electrically !! They don't have direct earth houses any more !! What word is used then ??

YES, that is why it is called MULTIPLE EARTHED NEUTRAL SYSTEM!!

Only systems that have one LINE bonded to "earth or "frame" can be have that line referred to as a NEUTRAL,Or EN system,[ no longer an isolated source'

Then if you add an earth stake it is one step further

Only when that bonding"earthing 'is carried out @Multiple points [meters, poles source, structures,etc, is it called M.E.N..[

Direct Earthing for MAINs supply disappeared a looong time ago in Aus

Isolated supplies because they must be isolated from EARTH to be classed as ISOLATED supplies, have just L1 & L2 [ NO NEUTRAL ] ,plus a frame connection to the socket earth pin

That should not be to hard for anyone with some electrical training to understand

The general statement with such is:An earth stake,connection to ground is neither required or recommended when used as a portable supply ,Ie plug & socket connected

The FRAME of the generator should only be connected to the earthing of the LOAD via the earth pin on the generator

From a old fully licensed ELECTRICIAN [electrical fitter & mechanic ] & Contractor, not a limited license holder or linesman biggrin

-- Edited by oldtrack123 on Wednesday 6th of December 2017 01:59:59 PM

oldtrack123 · Guru

jjellfern wrote:
Careful all you DIY folks.
Quite a bit of dribble here.
Maybe only one or two appear to be qualified to respond to this problem.
Others only think they are.
All work must be performed by a qualified electrician and there are two reasons for this.
One is insurance reasons and the other is, your a long time dead.
Think about it.

A BIG DITTO biggrin

It frightens me that unqualified people continue to give electrical advice regarding LOW VOLTAGE WIRING & systems

One day ,such advice could up with serious consequences

Under Australian Regulations unlicensed /non qualified people are very very limited as to what they can legally do!!.

If it involves much more than a plug in connection, it is likely to be licensed work

All is clearly covered in each state's "Electrical Regulations"

Heavy penalties can /are applied for breeechs