Electrical Connections to van

divesight · Member

Electrical Connections to van

Whenarewethere · Guru

There are plenty of fake Anderson plugs out there. Jaycar have real ones & covers etc.

divesight · Member

As stated plugs are OEM Anderson... Looking for alternate connectors

rgren2 · Guru

Get your electrical connectors from here, all good quality and very well priced.

www.tools.com/

Ivan 01 · Guru

Hi Mark N

You might consider fitting the Andersen in a housing.
This may offer some protection or if you are off road most of the time a metal shield might be needed.
Anyway have a look at something like this. It may do the job.
You may also find a housing that fits two plugs in the one housing.
You might also use different colour plugs for easy identification but you may already have this.

One of these;

https://www.stedi.com.au/anderson-socket-flush-mount.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4_656Lzq-AIVj38rCh2W9A1iEAQYAyABEgKZG_D_BwE

-- Edited by Ivan 01 on Saturday 9th of July 2022 09:52:45 AM

Clarky 1 · Senior Member

Hi,

You can get doubles in both vertical and horizontal configurations.

A google look with find most options.

https://www.outbackequipment.com.au/mean-mother-dual-50-amp-connector-panel?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_eTKjsTq-AIVUCsrCh0sjQeuEAQYAiABEgLW-vD_BwE

divesight · Member

Thanks for the ideas... Plugs are different colors ie red /grey and secure to metal plate.... Must be the vibration stress causing problem....Looking for metal /tougher connectors

-- Edited by divesight on Saturday 9th of July 2022 10:22:55 AM

Bobdown · Guru

divesight wrote:
Thanks for the ideas... Plugs are different colors ie red /grey and secure to metal plate.... Must be the vibration stress causing problem....Looking for metal /tougher connectors

-- Edited by divesight on Saturday 9th of July 2022 10:22:55 AM

Wouldn't metal ones be 'live', never seen such Anderson plugs.

Cheers Bob

dabbler · Guru

You mention OEM, did you mean genuine Anderson ? I wonder how old they are. Anderson housings are easily replaced once you learn the technique. I'd just buy a bunch of genuine directly from Andersonconnect and keep a few spares in your kit (buy spare lugs as well.). The website is well worth a look to see the range of products available and cheap enough unless you only buy one or two things and account for shipping.

KJB · Guru

divesight wrote:
As stated plugs are OEM Anderson... Looking for alternate connectors

I think some Pics. of your problem would be a big help if you need some advice....... KB

Whenarewethere · Guru

dabbler wrote:
You mention OEM, did you mean genuine Anderson ? I wonder how old they are. Anderson housings are easily replaced once you learn the technique. I'd just buy a bunch of genuine directly from Andersonconnect and keep a few spares in your kit (buy spare lugs as well.). The website is well worth a look to see the range of products available and cheap enough unless you only buy one or two things and account for shipping.

I have a few "genuine" as stated 'Drop Forged' Chinese spanners which have snapped. Also have Stahlwille spanners which have never broken & don't state on the side "Drop Forged"!

I have dropped, run over Anderson plugs, all perfectly ok. Put them in a cover if they are in a vulnerable position.

You could try RSonline or Element14 for alternative parts.

The 175 amp Anderson plug is really solid & they are a lot easier to plug & unplug than the 50 amp plug. I use it regularly for compressors & far too often to jump start other cars. Also multipurpose the 175 extension lead for portable solar panel.

I also keep a few spare plugs. Never had to use them.

Mamil · Senior Member

Not metal, but I've found the Trailer Vision range of housings for Anderson plugs give them a lot of protection, and they come in different colours so you can keep your colour coding. Otherwise I think you'll have to go up to industrial power connectors if you want a four pin metal connector.

Trailer vision red plug.jpg

Trailer vision red socket.jpg

divesight · Member

Thanks for all the replies....Found solid industrial two and four pin plugs on LeoForward web site and will contact them next week for more details......

-- Edited by divesight on Sunday 10th of July 2022 09:37:40 AM

-- Edited by divesight on Sunday 10th of July 2022 09:42:23 AM

Ivan 01 · Guru

divesight wrote:
Thanks for all the replies....Find attached picture of what might work and be a lot stronger

I am not sure without seeing manufactures specifications but I would be checking that the 4 pin is rated at 50 amps as is the Andersen plug.

If you have worked out that it will be suitable for the amperage of your circuit then the other downside ( in my opinion) is dust ingress which may cause poor connections with pin type plugs in off road situations.

With a previous van I had the fridge wire from the tow vehicle wired through #2 terminal in the 7 pin plug and the amp draw began to melt the plug.

My fix was to run the wire through an Andersen fitting.

divesight · Member

4 plug rated at 100 amps or 2 pin plug rates at 175amps . Ill have a good talk to the techo Cheers

Whenarewethere · Guru

This is a cover for the 175amp Anderson plug.

(The jumper lead clamps are Utilux 200amp 2mm solid copper with 53mm² welding cable)

Ivan 01 · Guru

divesight wrote:
4 plug rated at 100 amps or 2 pin plug rates at 175amps . Ill have a good talk to the techo Cheers

I did search the 4 pin page for info but could not see where they stated the rating.

Sounds like you have found want you want.

I should have put the link up before.

https://leoforward.com/products/curt-58060-trailer-side-4-pin-round-wiring-harness-plug?variant=35429366268059

Whenarewethere · Guru

Technical data on these round 4 pin connectors seems to be rather lacking.

Found one which said up to 12 gauge wire. That is only 3.3mm² so you would need to splice a thicker cable & heatshrink for longer runs.

Not forgetting the resistance is the total length of + & -

Clarky 1 · Senior Member

Anderson plugs seem to have a much better connection than pin connectors,

Nothing worse when hitching semi trailers and those 7 pin or 5 pin connectors arent making a good connection.

The bad bit is that it usually becomes faulty after you have got going and are out on the road with nowhere to pull up to fix the thing.

WD 40 your torch and some wet and dry paper are your friend even if it is the middle of the night. cry

Whenarewethere · Guru

Anderson plug contacts are always under a decent spring loaded pressure when connected & self cleaning when you connect the plug.

Whenarewethere · Guru

20 amps according to this data sheet. I think that looks appropriate for the pin size.

Obviously one would want to use 12awg, but it would be the same situation as an Anderson plug. If you use a smaller gauge wire than the maximum gauge wire you have to de-rate the amps.

The reason is the contacts gets warm & the heavier the wire the more it can dissipate heat.

1-6 pole connectors_050007.jpg

Ivan 01 · Guru

Mmmm!

I did have a little doubt about the amps those pin type plugs can handle. I think if someone put 50 + amps through them they might never be able to be separated, and that is if you could connect the wire size to carry 50 amps.

Whenarewethere · Guru

I use 50amp Anderson plugs for my compressors, the plug, hot plugged is 50amps, cold plugged (open circuit) 120amps.

I was using 6awg wire for the 90amp current. It was getting a little bit warm, this was the cable & not the plug, so I upgraded the wire to 4awg 22mm² no more heat issues.

Most plug contacts have very little surface area. Especially the split pin type, so a lot of heat is generated, & a further issue if the heat can't be dissipated.

Whenarewethere · Guru

50amp Anderson plug modification to fit 4awg wire for longer runs due to resistance.

https://thegreynomads.activeboard.com/t65662065/50amp-anderson-plug-expand-for-4-awg-cable/

Whenarewethere · Guru

Another supplier, 20 amps.

Trailer connectors_063605.jpg

divesight · Member

Thanks for all the advice.....Have Purchased Phillips SAE 13082 AUX power male/ female ..Rated at 100/200 amps according to their web site....Solid metal housings and used on truck/truck trailers to power accessories .Hopejully will be bomb proof...Cheers

Whenarewethere · Guru

I was getting a bit concerned that you would have to machine a connector out of a solid block of unobtainium.

Ivan 01 · Guru

Here is a link to the two pin unit

Trailer Plug & Socket Phillips 200 AMP Aux Power 2 Pin

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/264547854274

I couldnt find a 4 pin unit on eBay but they would be somewhere on the WWW.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Is it a electrical or mechanical issue ? Maybe you need better support ( saddles ) each side of connector . If its breaking plug ? If it was burning contacts ? Then its electrical issue ?