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Old 04-30-2022, 04:21 PM   #1
LHaven
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12V connectors?

Our rig has headboard shelves extending into the front cap cavity, with a USB charger on DW's side. I'm looking to add a 12V outlet (cigarette plug with USB) on my side, mainly to be able to run my CPAP on 12V when we boondock. And as long as I'm in there doing this job, I'd also like to run a 12V pre-wire up to the bedroom roof vent in preparation for a future powered fan.

I know that the usual recommendation is to use those top-hat-shaped permanent crimp sleeves, but I don't want this wiring to tether the shelves to the wall against removal for future work.

I have attached a photo of 12 V plug connectors that I found that I think would really work well in this application. They plug and unplug extremely stiffly, and there are never any exposed conductors. So I'm not expecting them to disconnect from the stress of travel.

I thought I'd pass them by here in case anybody had any ugly war stories about why one should never use temporary 12V connectors in indoor RV applications.
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Old 05-02-2022, 08:17 AM   #2
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I used these on my low voltage outdoor lighting and they worked well. You just need to make sure that when you plug the male into the female that you hit the slot in the dark blue female end.
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Old 05-02-2022, 10:18 AM   #3
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It is a bit more work to strip and crimp but I recommend these 3-way connectors. I've had those flat kind that cut into the insulation fail on me. You don't want to risk intermittent failure with your CPAP. These connectors will give you full amperage with a solid connection.


(15) 3 Way Wire Butt Connector Red Blue Yellow Vinyl 12-10 16-14 22-18 Gauge AWG https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MWDD52X...ing=UTF8&psc=1
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Old 05-02-2022, 10:26 AM   #4
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No, the object here is to have the connectors be disconnectable. If I crimp them, then the bookcase headboard is tethered to the wall forever.

After performing some preliminary work, and realizing that I would have to add three of these connections (CPAP outlet, roof fan, one more to untether the existing USB), and worrying about putting so many "knife-edge connectors" into the feed lines over a short distance, I ordered some 5-way WAGO connectors instead, which I think will serve me better.
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Old 05-02-2022, 01:03 PM   #5
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Dyna Corp (dynaonline.com) uses the blade type connector to tap into a hot wire for electronic ignition conversions such as the Dyna S. These blade things ALWAYS fail. I ALWAYS strip, wrap, solder all connections. If the connection must be broken in the future, I heat the solder and unwrap. More work but zero failures.
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Old 05-02-2022, 01:44 PM   #6
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I was thinking WAGO as well...as long as you've got enough excess wire to work with. You might also zip tie the wires together below the WAGO to minimize stress on the connections.

Do you know if you've got the additional amperage capacity in those lines to carry what you will connect to them? I know that most of my 12v fuses are 15amp.
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Old 05-02-2022, 07:00 PM   #7
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It's a 15A circuit labeled Accessory. All I've found on it so far is the radio, antenna power, and DW's phone charger outlet. I know it doesn't run any lights, slides, or any of the large appliances, all of which have their own fuses.

My CPAP runs 4.5 max (probably much less if I don't run the humidifier heater), and the proposed MaxxAir fan claims to pull 5. DWs existing factory USB charger pulls 1A/jack, my new one pulls 2A/jack, and we have a phone each; the antenna uses less than 0.1A; and we almost never turn on the radio. I think we have headroom. And if we blow a fuse, I have more fuses and I'll do device triage.
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Old 05-03-2022, 03:45 AM   #8
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Worst connecters you can use. They only cause problems down the road. You need something with a good connection. You can use butt connectors and put two wire in one end or solder them.
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Old 05-04-2022, 01:19 PM   #9
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you can always do a proper crimp conector then a good disconect from that. then you don't have to use thoes crapy knife blase conectors and you still will have a disconect.

you could use something like https://www.amazon.ca/Sea-Dog-Polari...44392136&psc=1

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Old 05-04-2022, 02:10 PM   #10
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My assortment of WAGOs arrived yesterday, so I'm going to install them this afternoon.

I like the idea of the Sea Dog connectors, I use those a lot on my battery maintainer cables. The only problem I have with them is that they're not foolproof -- half are black male and half are red male, and you have to be careful that you didn't mix them up... and also, that anybody else's equipment you're connecting to didn't choose the opposite but consistent convention.
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Old 05-04-2022, 02:20 PM   #11
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Have considered using sae wire connectors. They won't vibrate loose and you can get "Y" connectors and other configurations. https://www.amazon.com/s?k=sae+conne..._ts-doa-p_5_13
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Old 05-12-2022, 11:15 AM   #12
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Used the WAGOs, and everything is superb so far.

Using a fuse breakout pigtail and a clamp meter, I determined that when I turn everything on that I can find on that circuit -- the antenna booster, radio, phone charger, LED strips I added over the shelves behind the TV, and the CPAP with the heater module running -- I pull an 8A peak max transient with about 7A sustained. Plenty of headroom for a 5A Maxxair fan to be added later. (And, of course, I'll never be using all these at the same time anyway, certainly not the radio when I'm trying to sleep.)

The only weird behavior is that the CPAP causes the LED strips to pulse (though not always), despite the two massive suppressors on the CPAP's 12V pigtail. The LED strips are problematic anyway, as I have earlier determined that they throw much audio hash into the radio output. Someday I may replace the dimmer with the exact same model Keystone used on our slide lighting... or it could just be because the strips and radio are on the same fuse, whereas the slide isn't.
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Old 05-12-2022, 11:27 AM   #13
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Hm. Looks (from the chart I just found) like I may have missed "range fan" and "CO Alarm." I'm not really worried about them, though it does bring up a question... I thought the CO Alarm ran off a dedicated circuit so as not to get turned off by the factory battery disconnect switch?
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Old 05-12-2022, 11:30 AM   #14
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Is CO alarm also LP alarm?
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Old 05-12-2022, 11:45 AM   #15
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I've never actually gotten down on the floor to read it. But I know there's only one unit.

My last rig (a 1998) came with an LP alarm. When it died, all the replacements I found did both LP and CO, so I assumed code had been updated and the singles were obsolete. I made the same assumption about this one... and like I say, there's only one in the rig.
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Old 05-15-2022, 09:02 AM   #16
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Cut and Solder Wire Connections. Use Heat-Shrink Tubing to Insulate Connections. Those Insta-Tap Connector's are worthless. Use Spade Connectors where needed.
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Old 05-15-2022, 09:06 AM   #17
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Ever look in your air conditioner or furnace at home? Almost all connectors are spade and higher voltage than 12 and MUCH higher amperage than he will have. In almost 30 years of HVAC service I could count on one had the number of time a spade connector was the problem and those are in vibration areas. Do Like them, no, but they are not near as bad as some are making them sound.
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Old 05-15-2022, 09:34 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by larryflew View Post
Ever look in your air conditioner or furnace at home? Almost all connectors are spade and higher voltage than 12 and MUCH higher amperage than he will have. In almost 30 years of HVAC service I could count on one had the number of time a spade connector was the problem and those are in vibration areas. Do Like them, no, but they are not near as bad as some are making them sound.
I agree BUT here's the difference. Home air handler/furnace a/c unit has mostly connectors made up in a factory by experience people with quality tools and connectors. Not so in the RV industry and certianly not so in the case of Harry the homeowner repairs. You just cannot go too the dollar store and get a wire crimping set with terminals included and expect a good result.
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Old 05-16-2022, 10:09 AM   #19
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I intened to tap off the TV powerbooster12v leadwith spade terminals that have a side spade tap. Look here:
https://www.amazon.com/DZS-Elec-Conn...88&sr=1-9&th=1
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Old 05-24-2022, 05:54 AM   #20
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I would use heat shrink tuning and solder call me old fashioned but if I want something done right I do it myself and I do it right

25 yrs in automotive bike trailer collision / customization we always called the connectors you speak of as scotchlock also threw every single one in the trash they will fail they will cause a short

A short in your aluminum/Styrofoam/plywood/fiberglass camper makes one helluva fire
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