Hi. I've been a bit concerned about the Electric Brakes on my Millard Weekender, so I opened up the 7 pin connector thinking that there maybe a loose wire & I found that there were two wires that weren't fitted into the lugs properly; Pink & White wires. The White Wire. particularly was loose but both were a thicker gauge than the others. These wires were simply trimmed to fit. There's no way that these wires can be inserted with their full thickness.
I'm buying a Colorado and I'm wondering if I shouldn't change to a different plug system that will suit the wires concerned?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
aussie_paul said
12:28 PM Jul 17, 2016
If I remember correctly the thicker white and pink wires are for the fridge while travelling. I would put them through an Anderson plug to reduce voltage drop.
Aussie Paul.
Explorer said
01:58 PM Jul 17, 2016
The white wire is earth return & possibly the most important to have a good connection. The pink is an auxillary wire, normally used in a twelve pin plug. I always use the 12 pin & find that I don't worry about anderson type plugs don't have any problems.
Mike
macka17 said
05:49 PM Jul 17, 2016
The ONLY plugs I'll use on any trailer. is the FLAT 7 pin plus Andersons to suit fridge etc.
Don't use 12 pin cause fridge wire thickness req'ments
are a little too thick to fit comfortably
Small NSW plug I wouldn't use on anything.
S/A Large round. Wire came loose in that several times over the yrs. If on top row they drop down and Short out the lights, OR once. the brakes. cooked my pads on van.
Flat plug they can't connect with each other. I also carry a coupla adaptors fit all to all.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 17th of July 2016 05:51:47 PM
Theres your wiring diagram for your 7 pin.
The pink wire is from a 12 pin set up.
If this doesnt make sense then id get a sparkie over!!
erad said
07:52 PM Jul 17, 2016
Whilst having a thick wire trimmed down before going into a plug or socket is not ideal, it is better than having a smaller wire running the full length. Yes - you will get some voltage drop and you don't have much to play with, but since the voltage drop is a function of both wire size and the length of the wire, if you only have a short section of smaller wire you should not get a significant voltage drop just at the plug or socket.
iana said
08:36 PM Jul 17, 2016
At the moment my caravan has a 12 pin flat plug and socket. It is cheapish in construction, nasty and poorly designed, but also expensive. I use the small 7 pin round plugs and sockets at work, i have trouble with them shorting out against the metal cover, if a terminal screw works loose, and the pins become loose and make a poor contact. Mainly due to persons not pulling the plug straight out but at a angle. The 7 pin flat have given us minimal trouble, but personally the plug/socket that's hard to beat is the 7 pin large round, rated at 30A at 12v. Its also relatively cheap so you can carry a spare.
OwenK said
10:00 PM Jul 17, 2016
Hi Harry, I agree with "aussie paul" Anderson plug for fridge is a must. In another life I drove semi trailers for over 40 years all over Australia. Every company I worked for used the large 7 pin round plugs with minimal problems. The transport industry would be by far the biggest users of such, that should speak for itself. (Hope this is of some help).
Cheers Owen.
-- Edited by OwenK on Sunday 17th of July 2016 10:20:16 PM
harrydiculous said
09:33 AM Jul 18, 2016
Thank you all very much. It sounds like the 7 pin round large might be the best of a bad lot. Yuk! Yuk!. I've got to pick the truck up tomorrow and had asked them to fit the 7 pin flat to suit the 'van which I set up with an Anderson Plug for the battery. I think I'll leave it at that, trim and try & solder the white earth without melting the plastic. Then take it to an Auto Electrician to set up properly. I'm competant enough with engineering to know not to fiddle with stuff that others have had years of training & experience with, particularly where safety is involved. I'll have a valuble passenger with me and there's other valuble people sharing the road.
l
mjt57 said
12:58 PM Jul 18, 2016
With regards to 7p v 12p v Anderson Plugs, according to the Google Machine the 12 pin pins (8-12) can take 40a. My fridge, a Dometic absorption fridge/freezer has an 18a load. Surely that should be sufficient?
Explorer said
01:12 PM Jul 18, 2016
mjt57 wrote:
With regards to 7p v 12p v Anderson Plugs, according to the Google Machine the 12 pin pins (8-12) can take 40a. My fridge, a Dometic absorption fridge/freezer has an 18a load. Surely that should be sufficient?
Have been using the 12 pin plugs for years without a problem,though have doubled up & use two earth returns (one was spare). To my way of thinking the anderson plug is an over kill & adding to the complexities.
Would be very surprised if that 18amp load was constant would imagine 7-11 amp. IMO.
Mike.
kezngaz said
01:28 PM Jul 18, 2016
Explorer wrote:
mjt57 wrote:
With regards to 7p v 12p v Anderson Plugs, according to the Google Machine the 12 pin pins (8-12) can take 40a. My fridge, a Dometic absorption fridge/freezer has an 18a load. Surely that should be sufficient?
Have been using the 12 pin plugs for years without a problem,though have doubled up & use two earth returns (one was spare). To my way of thinking the anderson plug is an over kill & adding to the complexities.
Would be very surprised if that 18amp load was constant would imagine 7-11 amp. IMO.
Mike.
Thats all good and well as long as you use the correct cable to carry the load over the required distance.
Theres plenty of threads on here that discuss cable thickness and installation issues.
Theres many ways to do it effectivley just all comes down to your own comfort zone at the end of the day.
KEZNGAZ
Ron-D said
03:56 PM Jul 18, 2016
I had to replace my 12 pin plug just recently, and it was a nightmare, trying to fit the heavy duty wires into the correct (larger diameter holes) on the plug, Iam considering the Anderson plug simply because there's more cable clearance and it's a much better job in my view...
mjt57 said
12:55 PM Jul 19, 2016
Explorer wrote:
Would be very surprised if that 18amp load was constant would imagine 7-11 amp. IMO.
Just going by what the manual says.
PeterD said
05:50 PM Jul 19, 2016
Explorer wrote:Would be very surprised if that 18amp load was constant would imagine 7-11 amp. IMO.
If we are talking about absorption fridges then this is constant for most of them. At any rate the plug contacts have to be rated for the maximum current drawn.
Hi. I've been a bit concerned about the Electric Brakes on my Millard Weekender, so I opened up the 7 pin connector thinking that there maybe a loose wire & I found that there were two wires that weren't fitted into the lugs properly; Pink & White wires. The White Wire. particularly was loose but both were a thicker gauge than the others. These wires were simply trimmed to fit. There's no way that these wires can be inserted with their full thickness.
I'm buying a Colorado and I'm wondering if I shouldn't change to a different plug system that will suit the wires concerned?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
If I remember correctly the thicker white and pink wires are for the fridge while travelling. I would put them through an Anderson plug to reduce voltage drop.
Aussie Paul.
The white wire is earth return & possibly the most important to have a good connection. The pink is an auxillary wire, normally used in a twelve pin plug. I always use the 12 pin & find that I don't worry about anderson type plugs don't have any problems.
Mike
The ONLY plugs I'll use on any trailer.
is the FLAT 7 pin plus Andersons to suit fridge etc.
Don't use 12 pin cause fridge wire thickness req'ments
are a little too thick to fit comfortably
Small NSW plug I wouldn't use on anything.
S/A Large round.
Wire came loose in that several times over the yrs.
If on top row they drop down and
Short out the lights, OR once.
the brakes. cooked my pads on van.
Flat plug they can't connect with each other.
I also carry a coupla adaptors fit all to all.
-- Edited by macka17 on Sunday 17th of July 2016 05:51:47 PM
Theres your wiring diagram for your 7 pin.
The pink wire is from a 12 pin set up.
If this doesnt make sense then id get a sparkie over!!
Hi Harry, I agree with "aussie paul" Anderson plug for fridge is a must. In another life I drove semi trailers for over 40 years all over Australia. Every company I worked for used the large 7 pin round plugs with minimal problems. The transport industry would be by far the biggest users of such, that should speak for itself. (Hope this is of some help).
Cheers Owen.
-- Edited by OwenK on Sunday 17th of July 2016 10:20:16 PM
l
Have been using the 12 pin plugs for years without a problem,though have doubled up & use two earth returns (one was spare). To my way of thinking the anderson plug is an over kill & adding to the complexities.
Would be very surprised if that 18amp load was constant would imagine 7-11 amp. IMO.
Mike.
I had to replace my 12 pin plug just recently, and it was a nightmare, trying to fit the heavy duty wires into the correct (larger diameter holes) on the plug, Iam considering the Anderson plug simply because there's more cable clearance and it's a much better job in my view...
Just going by what the manual says.
If we are talking about absorption fridges then this is constant for most of them. At any rate the plug contacts have to be rated for the maximum current drawn.