check out the new remote control Jockey Wheel SmartBar Canegrowers rearview170 Cobb Grill Skid Row Recovery Gear Caravan Industry Association of Australia
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Post Info TOPIC: Something NOT to do.


Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 16
Date:
Something NOT to do.


In one of my other threads someone commented that the job appeared to be quite professional.

Below is a photo of a fairly innocuous looking set-up but when I pulled the panel off the try and figure out why he twisted the Active and Neutral pins of the shore power input I found cut 240v cables with bare ends just tucked into the bodu framwork. I also found this little beauty that just blew my mind.

From the cut DC side it branched off on 10 leads to power 12v items throughout the van, It had an1 1/4 inch square tube plastic encap over the terminal area trimmed to make it as flush as possible then siliconed and wrapped in a whole role of electrical tape. No fuses. Not even a circuit breaker on the 240 v supply cable.

TeeKay

IMG_3872_sml.jpg IMG_3952_sml.jpg   IMG_3954_sml.jpg IMG_3955_sml.jpg



Attachments
__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 7314
Date:

It would be safer to strip out everything & start again, you don't know what other suicidal wiring there is!



__________________

Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

50L custom fuel rack 6x20W 100/20mppt 4x26Ah gel 28L super insulated fridge TPMS 3 ARB compressors heatsink fan cooled 4L tank aftercooler Air/water OCD cleaning 4 stage car acoustic insulation.



Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 16
Date:

Whenarewethere wrote:

It would be safer to strip out everything & start again, you don't know what other suicidal wiring there is!


Everything is coming out. Complete layout change, extra insulation and of course all new wiring and switchboards. Luckily he didn't mess about with the solar panel system, 4 x 120 watt panels, so I don't have to worry about that. Although I will be upgrading from a PWM to an MPPT controller..

I will also be replacing his home made electrically operating vent lid/fan combo. Thinking of a a Maxxfan 7000KI40 for that. Bit expensive but the advantage of having full ventilation whilst it is raining heavy, lol rain heavy here in Australia at the moment, makes it worth it. As well as his 100 kg plus Murphy complete steel frame Murphy bed and massive winch he installed to raise and lower it.

TeeKay



__________________


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 330
Date:

That look like it should go into the hall of fame. It's a beauty. Rip it ALL out and do it again.

__________________


Guru

Status: Offline
Posts: 637
Date:

I've seen that sort of thing a lot.

Backyarders do it because the heavy old style plug-pack keeps falling out of the wall socket, so they just solder some wires directly to the plug-pack.

 

The much safer solution is to use some small dabs of silicone sealant around the edges of the plug-pack to glue it onto the face of the wall socket. Will never fall out but easy enough to remove if required.

I've done this to permanently attach my ELCB (aka RCD) to my 10A extension cord.



__________________


Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 16
Date:

Hylife wrote:

I've seen that sort of thing a lot.

Backyarders do it because the heavy old style plug-pack keeps falling out of the wall socket, so they just solder some wires directly to the plug-pack.

 

The much safer solution is to use some small dabs of silicone sealant around the edges of the plug-pack to glue it onto the face of the wall socket. Will never fall out but easy enough to remove if required.

I've done this to permanently attach my ELCB (aka RCD) to my 10A extension cord.


 

What you've done with your ELCB sounds perfectly fine with me.

In this case the person was looking to save money on a proper 240vac/12vdc transformer and distribution board set up and instead did this with the 240 cable piggy backed out of the rear of the power point then the 12v output from the hacked TV power supply went to a terminal block so that when shore power is available the 12v needs such as the TV, Audio system, remote control LED lighting and extra 12v outlets with attached USB outlets.

Also there was no power transfer switch so these items obviously just didn't work unless he had shore power. Which is weird considering the amount of solar it has. (Either that or I will find something hidden somewhere between the back of the van and either of the battery set ups. I'm still to remove the seats for a proper look at what he has done under there, I've only had a brief look so far as it it also my everyday drive and I need the seats in at the moment.)

TeeKay



__________________
Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.

Tweet this page Post to Digg Post to Del.icio.us
Purchase Grey Nomad bumper stickers Read our daily column, the Nomad News The Grey Nomad's Guidebook