The most confused Electrical Socket for Motorhomes/Caravans?

wildebus

wildebus

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I am going to vote this as the most confusing product someone could buy for their Motorhome, Camper or Caravan :rolleyes:

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Clipsal Socket. I think this dates from the 1990's or probably earlier and found in British Motorhomes into the 2000's.

clipsal by David, on Flickr
The ideal socket for 12V DC. No, for 240V AC. No, for 120V AC. What the hell is it for??

It is for AC Only

clipsal 1 by David, on Flickr

But the Plug is rated for upto 125V only. So not much use in UK & Europe.

clipsal 2 by David, on Flickr

The label on the front is a bit schizophrenic. Labelled L & N, which are AC terms only, but also labeled 12V, which will be for DC surely?

clipsal 3 by David, on Flickr
and 4A maximum? that is a very low current capability for a 12V DC socket, especially considering the cable terminals and the prongs are pretty substantial and I would think could handle a lot more than 50W of power.



Now it is of course a 12V outlet, but with the "AC" labeling & 125V/250V markings, plus the use of L and N instead of +VE & -VE, I could easily imagine someone wiring this up to an AC circuit thinking it is a special Motorhome or Caravan Mains Socket style.
Then someone plugs in their 12V TV or whatever ..... OPPS!
 
Well I have one very similar to that I fitted it at the same time I fitted the 2 Cigar plug type sockets to my van, the Cigar lighter ones we use for phone chargers etc and the other one you describe has a definate plug that is very secure when in use and we used that when we had a 12 volt TV with A BUILT IN DVD PLAYER as it was a very definate connection to the power source the other 2 are not so good as the slightest knock and the power is lost, now one would fit sockets with USB FACILITIES on them but I have not got round to that, my socket is definate 12 volt and has no earth pin

IMG_20230430_170730.jpgIMG_20230430_170723.jpg
 
Trigger said:
Well I have one very similar to that I fitted it at the same time I fitted the 2 Cigar plug type sockets to my van, the Cigar lighter ones we use for phone chargers etc and the other one you describe has a definate plug that is very secure when in use and we used that when we had a 12 volt TV with A BUILT IN DVD PLAYER as it was a very definate connection to the power source the other 2 are not so good as the slightest knock and the power is lost, now one would fit sockets with USB FACILITIES on them but I have not got round to that, my socket is definate 12 volt and has no earth pin
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It really is superior in the security of the plug :) I think the industry moving generally to the "cigarette lighter" style connector was a bad idea :( Those are so variable both on the sockets and the plugs, it is a lottery if you end up with a good combo!
If those Clipsal sockets were available on a CBE Mount, I would be inclined to swap my 12V "Cigarette" Sockets for them.
 
wildebus said:
but it also has L & N and "AC Only" written on it, doesn't it?

So who says 12V takes precedence?



And THAT is the point I am making :D
Click to expand...
12v displayed prominently on the front ...

Anything else is moulded in inside where almost no one is going to bother looking
L and N mean little to a lot of folks especially with an odd looking 2 pin plug

I'm still thinking ...not much hope
 
mistericeman said:
12v displayed prominently on the front ...

Anything else is moulded in inside where almost no one is going to bother looking
L and N mean little to a lot of folks especially with an odd looking 2 pin plug

I'm still thinking ...not much hope
Click to expand...

Sorry ... you are missing the point....
on the BACK it says "AC Only" and L & N. imagine someone who is new to the process (and there are loads of folk like that who have little experience) INSTALLING this socket and because it say "AC Only" etc, he thinks it is a Main Socket and wires up to the AC circuitry

Then ... you get someone else using the van and sees "12V" on the front and wires up a 12V device to the plug and plugs it in.... BOOM!


No, YOU wouldn't do it. No, I wouldn't do it. But the point is WHY is a device being made that has such poor labelling and could for the inexperienced person be potentially dangerous as it leads them with the wrong info.
 
wildebus said:
Sorry ... you are missing the point....
on the BACK it says "AC Only" and L & N. imagine someone who is new to the process (and there are loads of folk like that who have little experience) INSTALLING this socket and because it say "AC Only" etc, he thinks it is a Main Socket and wires up to the AC circuitry

Then ... you get someone else using the van and sees "12V" on the front and wires up a 12V device to the plug and plugs it in.... BOOM!


No, YOU wouldn't do it. No, I wouldn't do it. But the point is WHY is a device being made that has such poor labelling and could for the inexperienced person be potentially dangerous as it leads them with the wrong info.
Click to expand...
I've not seen one of those type of plugs/sockets fitted for years ....

Diminishing pool of likleyhood of issues ...
And frankly reading the average conversion post on facebook/forums etc
Its the least thing I'll be worrying about .
 
I've had that sort of socket in quite a few different units over the years. I agree they were much better than the cigar lighter socket type you get nowadays. Never a loose connection.
I remember the other 2 pin ones as well, like this:
s-l500.png
 
St3v3 said:
Isn't DC just really low frequency Ac? 🤔

🤣
Click to expand...
Noooo, ac pull push in 50 kh cycles, dc constant like a battery, power pos to neg, electron flow neg to pos, something folk cannot get there head round, taught this when doing my amiture radio school.
 
trevskoda said:
Noooo, ac pull push in 50 kh cycles, dc constant like a battery, power pos to neg, electron flow neg to pos, something folk cannot get there head round, taught this when doing my amiture radio school.
Click to expand...

What would 0.0000000000000001 Hz look like? 😏
 
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