When we went away last weekend, I used a 12N / 12S to 13pin adapter for our caravan, so the fridge would be working while traveling.
(We don't have a battery to charge if you remember my other thread?)
On our Knaus, you have the choice of either plugging in the rear lights with a 12N plug only, or use a 13pin for everything...
On arrival to the site, I noticed the 12S socket was a bit hot. So going home I used only the 12N plug just for the rear lights....
This morning I've been out, stripped and checked both the adapter and the wiring in the rear of the socket on the car and found no loose wires, except for the white wire in the rear of the socket looked heat damaged and tainted in colour (the culprit), yet it was tight and had good connections.
Any other ideas what would cause the heat if there are no wiring problems etc?
Was thinking maybe the amount of current draw etc??
The heat damage seen on the wire may have come from loose pin/socket connections between the relavent 12 pin plug & socket. If the wiring is specifically for caravan use, the wires which draw more current should be thicker conductors.
Dave.
------------- Never argue with an idiot, they will drag you down to their level and beat you on experience.
Mark Twain.
The white is the earth. The pin that usually is the one to overheat is the center pin which is the fridge earth and should be black.Have these two earths been wired correct way round.
Anther thing to check is if the pins were tight when connected.When I had these types of sockets and plugs I regularly used to get a small screwdriver and open up the pins in the cuts to keep them tight.
I would not of thought pin 3 would of got hot as it does not carry much load.Probably just a loose connection on that pin.Open up pin with a thin screwdriver in the two cuts so it pushes in tighter.It is normally the center pin gets hot if any as it is carrying a higher load for the fridge.
I have in the past put this down to people wiggling the plug to release it rather than simply giving it a straight pull. Wiggling it loosens the pins inbuilt "springyness" so making a poorer contact and leading to overheating.
We had to separate the earth connection on our old Terrano when we swapped vans as the 12s socket completely burnt out.Both earths for the fridge and the charging circuit were connected together on the car, I had been told that this could be the problem and put one earth to another point on the car and not had a problem since. We have changed cars but not had a problem with it.
The white pin3 is the earth for the road lights *only*.
This , and the earth from pins 11 and 13 must not be connected in any way on the van side, but should each pass separately through their respective pins to an earth point in the car.
The wire gauge for pins 11 and 13 is heavier that that for pin3, so if pin3 wire is overheating it suggests that it is acting as an earth for one of the other two i.e. wired incorrectly, assuming the connections are otherwise sound
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Topic: Hot Wire In 12S Socket??
