Club 80-90 Forums

I've got a 4 way 12v splitter mounted on my dash and the wired plug into the dash cigarette socket has melted. Probably due to wobbling loose while offroad and high current through it.

I'm considering hardwiring all the items in, but an alternative would be a wobble-proof socket and plug. Does such a thing exist?

Hmm I guess it needs some kind of clip to hold it in place, like the top of a groschl bottle... Not aware of a product but I suspect it could be easily created.

MattBW wrote:Hmm I guess it needs some kind of clip to hold it in place, like the top of a groschl bottle... Not aware of a product but I suspect it could be easily created.

Yeah, that type of thing would do it.

Just had a look around looks like the marine have locking 12v sockets, you twist the plug and it locks behind some.

Try searching for a "twist lock 12 socket" and it brings up some results on google.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_kw=Wate ... Twist+lock" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why not dump the plug and just splice it straight into the cigarette lighter circuit?

syncropatrick wrote:I've got a 4 way 12v splitter mounted on my dash and the wired plug into the dash cigarette socket has melted. Probably due to wobbling loose while offroad and high current through it.

More likely the current than the wobble. Wobble'd be more likely to fracture the crappy soldering inside or spark away where the four plugs go in. Take it apart, solder some decent thickness wire in instead, and take it straight to a better feed.

Ciggy sockets are normally fused up to 10A each - so a four way could theoretically be expected to deal with 40A.

Could you use Anderson connectors?

Ah lateral thinking - I like it. I'll take a feed from leisure battery to splitter direct and dump dash socket entirely. Anyone got a bright ideas of what to put in the hole left?

Anderson connectors - got those for 240v-12v battery bank charger and solar panel to battery bank. Good for behind the scenes or exterior high amp stuff but a bit agricultural for dashboard. Haven't worked out how to mount them yet. At the mo they flop around inline.

syncropatrick wrote:Anyone got a bright ideas of what to put in the hole left?

I'd keep a proper cigarette lighter there - might still come in handy (e.g, a smoking friend who's lighter's run out of gas) and built for a heavy load. I'd use the 4 way for low current loads like sat nav, phone charger etc.

Failing that, just shove a black pvc blind dome grommet in it

Blue Seas makes locking 12 plug and receptacles. I have this one mounted to the left of my passengers seat for use of my fridge.


If you use their flush mount it will look like the receptacle to the left in this picture.

A nice two pin Cannon Mil plug and socket will not wobble at all, I have them in the van for high current work.

later / modern cig lighter sockets are different design to those of our original t25 years

here is more contact area , still can move tho with shock , just a thought!

Added a couple more 12 volt plugs this weekend. I used to have a cig socket and cable TV combo outlet in this area behind the drivers seat. I replace it with these two plugs, top one is another Blue Seas outlet and the bottom is an SAE 2 pin plug. The bottom one is wired to my charge controller and will be used for a portable solar panel. If you have dedicated 12 volt equipment and need another type of plug these seem to have a very snug fit to the cable being used. These are fairly inexpensive and also have a cover, I picked up two for $5 each.

get the proper DIN accessory plugs and sockets.. eg... http://www.vehicle-wiring-products.eu/V ... 12vacc.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Hella ones are cheap and good quality.. surface and flush mount sockets.... rated for 16A and positive locating..
most aftermarket accessories have the lighter plug with the red plastic collar on.. twist and remove the red collar and its the correct DIN accessory type...