12 volt 25 amp socket/plug

[Cspirit]

I've bought a new 12 volt dinghy inflator. It's rated at 25 amp, and the highest plug/socket 12 volt combo I can find is around 4.5 amp. Can I still use one of these, or do I need to seek out something with a higher capacity? If so, any ideas as to where I can find one? Thanks,

Bob

 

[lw395]

You can get away with over-current in sockets for a short time, as they take a while to heat up (in fact many parts have continuous and pulse or surge ratings), however this doesn't go well with the marine environment where there is likelly to be a bit more corrosion hence resistance and heating. Also is the 25A a continuous draw or the fuse/surge rating?
Possible options might be a good quality 4mm test lead plug and socket or the Andersen (sp?) 'power pole' modular connectors, which come in various sizes from RS (www.rswww.com). Make sure there is a fuse close to the battery or bus bar and the wiring is up to the job as this kind of current has the potential to start fires! You will also need to keep the wires short to avoid loss of volts. Maybe you could wire it in semi-permanently in a cockpit locker?
Even if you don't buy from RS it's a good source of data, but the range is so vast it can be hard to find things!

 

[Malish]

seems like a very high rating to me - I have one rated at 8 amps which will just about work with a cigar lighter socket. How thick is the cable from the inflator? it will need to be reasonably beefy to cope with this load (if it is a true reflection of actual demand)

 

[anniebray]

If your inflator is similar to mine it will also be equipped with insulated crocodile clips. I use one of those starter battery packs (£15 from Macros a few years back but commonly available at Halfords etc) & find that quite convenient. The inflator is also very useful for deflating !

 

[RestlessL]

The Bulgin Standard Buchaneer IP68 plug/socket is rated at 10A, 250V a.c./d.c. (See here ). They are available in most chandlers.

You will find that the d.c. rating is often lower than the a.c. one because any spark caused by disconnecting when live is more persistent for d.c. However, if you always switch off before disconnecting, you will avoid this.

John

 

[JimC]

My LVM Hyspeed dinghy inflator draws 17 amps. Like you I couldn't find a suitable 2 pin plug so I used a pair of 4mm pugs and sockets from Maplin. I mounted these in one of Maplin's small plastic boxes together with a fuse-holder and 25 amp fuse. The box is inside the forehatch so it's protected from the weather. I open the forehatch just enough to pass the wire through and inflate the dinghy on the foredeck.

 

[RestlessL]

Here is a 20A connector which may suit

 

[jusw]

I also have a dinghy pump with 25 amps current draw - I was going to fit a socket but realised I'd have problems with the current rating - instead I rigged up a long lead with crocodile clips (in effect a lightweight set of jump leads) at one end and a board with terminals at the other - the crocodile clips from the pump connect to the terminals on the board - then clip the whole lot straight on to the battery.

Careful you don't short anything and make sure you get the polarity correct!

The rig whilst a bit Heath Robinson works fine for me. I take the pump with the dinghy so I can inflate from my car and leave the extension lead on the boat.

 

[TamarMike]

I got a suitable plug and socket (for my LVM inflation pump) from a local agricultural machinery/tractor spares dealer, happened to be a 4 pin but had the right rating.

 

[Cspirit]

Thanks everyone - really helpful, as usual. Bob

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I have been thinking about this and deleted a post when I found my sockets were only 10A rated so brought nothing new to the party in the way of help.

I am rather concerned about your pump drawing 25A, that is quite a serious draw and I would be interested to know

which inflater you are using?
how often the cable catches fire during use?

But most importantly where you were told or found out it draws 25A, do you have any means to actually test this in practice, I would really like to know if the figure is true, if it is I will be shocked.

Just out of interest, does the 25A come from an advised fuse rating?

 

[Cspirit]

Well, the pump's on the boat - I'll check it again tomorrow - but the box states that it's 25 amp. It's made by Rule.

 

[cliff]

[ QUOTE ]
Lightweight, compact yet with a rugged construction, the new Rule Inflator/Deflator is simple to use and is powered from a standard 12 volt boat or car battery, drawing a maximum of 28 Amps and producing an airflow of 550 lpm.

[/ QUOTE ] /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
---------------------

Artificial Intelligence is no match for Natural Stupidity

 

[ShipsWoofy]

Fair enough.

My pump goes for volume rather than pressure, I do have top up the sponsons with the foot-pump at the end, but this is no great hardship. The dinghy with the power pump takes around 2 minutes to fill and I run it off a car type socket.

I can't find one online at all, but it is the type that looks like a small yellow fender.

 

[Vanilla]

I've got the same inflator and went through the same search as you to get a suitable plug. Now working well with a Marinco socket/outlet and 30amp fuse. Why they make the inflators with such short wiring length is a mystery and irritation, so had to extend the wires that so it can plug it into the cockpit socket and run the inflator onto the foredeck or pontoon.