Anderson Plugs Caravan Towing Sunshine Coast Auto Electrician
Harmac Auto Electrics
If you have a caravan or camper trailer, we assume you will want the food in your fridge to stay cold while you are on the road. if yes, then you need a battery that charges while driving, which is where Anderson plugs come in.
An Anderson plug is a name that an auto electrician often gives to caravan and trailer charge circuits, which is when cables are connected between the batteries in the car and caravan. It is the Anderson plug that acts as the connector.
Rather than being one of a kind. Anderson plugs come in a variety of sizes, amp ratings, and even colours.
You can use an Anderson plug to charge the caravan battery or keep your fridge cold as you tour the Sunshine Coast and Australia.
It wasn’t so very long ago that gas was used to keep the fridge cold, which is not exactly the safest option out there. Gas appliances should never be used while driving, so be sure to get an Anderson plug if you are still using the antiquated method.
People who don’t have a caravan may wonder why such a thing is necessary, but they would quickly find out if they went camping and found that all the food in the fridge had spoiled on the journey. You can get by on short trips, but when you are heading hours up north, you want that fridge to keep things cool.
If your fridge can operate on 12V, the simple fix would be to hook up a 12V connection between the van and the tow vehicle. While this may seem like a straightforward solution, the sad fact of the matter is that it may not be enough to keep a 3-way fridge running cold, and it’s all because of voltage drop. This usually happens when you are using undersized wiring for the connection, regardless of the type of fridge you have in your caravan. A 3-way absorption fridge can handle less than 12V better than a compressor fridge, but it will still have problems staying cold if the voltage drops a good way below the 12V. The only way around this issue is to pump in as much power as possible.
The 50 amp plug with #6 contacts is the most popular of Anderson plug sizes.
You can also use 12-pin plugs for the connection between car and caravan batteries, although one major issue that you might experience when using 12-pin plugs is that the pins aren’t able to handle the current flow, which can result in the pins melting. This is another situation where an Anderson plug can solve the problem and make sure that the food, and maybe the beer, in the fridge stays cold while you drive. With the Anderson plug in place, you always get enough of a charge through to the caravan’s battery system. Anderson Plugs are suitable to use on most Dual Battery System Set-ups.
Anderson plugs are made to handle power rated at 50 amps, and sometimes higher, and as mentioned earlier, are available in different amp ratings and colours.
Available add-ons include: dust caps, handles and extension leads.
For all your auto electrical problems, please call Mark on 0409 343 050.