Charging socket maintenance.

[ChrisB]

Has anyone else found the whole mechanism of the insertion of the charge plug is starting to feel a bit stiff and scratchy (best way I can describe it)

Well mines been getting pretty clanky over the past couple of months and the hot weather seems to have made it worse and on a couple of times it almost jammed up

So I've been trying to think of the right product to lubricate the whole mech, didnt think oil like WD40 would be good as it would just attract dirt and possibley may cause more issues later on.

Well over the weekend I think I've got it, Spray Silicon, gave all the socket mech a good puff of silicon and left it for the carrier to dry off.

Then inserted the plug a few times and released it, also puffed a small amount on the hinge area of the plug, again inserted and removed it a couple of time.

Now the plug and socket glide in and out like silk, its like the whole mech is brand new and theres no real sign of any sticky residue to attrack dirt.

So looks to me like spray silicon is the way to go, unless anyone else has tried something different ?

ChrisB

[gwing]

Nice idea Chris.

My socket is fine but you have got me thinking, I have a sliding door in our conservatory that has become essentially unusable due to friction and wear in its plastic bits - some silicon spray might be usefull there as well.

One more to add to the job list

[Flying John]

I think its about time we came up with a collective solution for charging the Blingos using a different connection method. Eventually we are going to be faced with thelarge cost of a replacement charge lead (about 300 quid last I heard) and who hasnt been in the situation where you wished you had taken the charge lead with you, but its at home in the garage !.

Now - the actual mains connection just inside the top of the contoller unit is easy to get to and you could make a second connection and bring it out through a bush to a connector.

However - here is the snag, if you just put a 13 amp plug on the end and say, neatly coil up a short length of lead under the bonnet, the pins of the 13 amp plug will be LIVE 240V when you charge using the reguar socket.

If you put an enclosed socket on the end of these short connector lead instead then how do you plug it into the mains without a similar risky live pinned plug on the end of a lead with a plug at both ends.

Perhaps someone more intune with their Electical suppliers catalogue knows of a connecter that has got fully enclosed safe ins on both plug and socket - any takers ?

John

[JonSpence]

If you put an enclosed socket on the end of these short connector lead instead then how do you plug it into the mains without a similar risky live pinned plug on the end of a lead with a plug at both ends.
John

Easy.

Fit a terminal box with two contactors in it. Take the feed from one socket to one end of a pair of N-O conatacts and the coil. The other end of the N-O should go to the charging circuit. Now repeat with the other socket and contactor.

This provides a SIMPLE means of isolating the two sockets, provided that you don't attempt to power them both at the same time. More complicated methods are possible if you need to protect against people attempting to use two leads at once.

[gwing]

As it happens I have been think about this a bit as well.

What I would like to do I think is to dangle a 13A socket off that connector. To connect it to the mains for charging via this would need a short plug to plug connector with both live, but this double connector could be inside a nice bright red box I think. The pins on 16A plugs are a bit less exposed than 13A ones as well so maybe those are better?

The main purpose I would want this for would not be for charging but as a way of attaching a timer driven internal 240v heater for winter mornings i.e. plug in for charging and after charging has finished the vehicle gets nice and toasty. Well that was the idea anyway .....

[Flying John]

[quote]Easy.
Fit a terminal box with two contactors in it. Take the feed from one socket to one end of a pair of N-O conatacts and the coil. The other end of the N-O should go to the charging circuit. Now repeat with the other socket and contactor.

[/quote]

Too complicated.

[ChrisB]

Must admit the contactor idea while it works and would be safe would start to make a simple job rather expensive and long winded

I'm pretty sure with a bit of work we'll be able to source some AVCONs for less than £300

ChrisB

[JonSpence]

Must admit the contactor idea while it works and would be safe would start to make a simple job rather expensive and long winded
ChrisB

Well I disagree upon the long winded. As for expense, well cost was not mentioned as a issue, however I did do some quick calculations and it would be about £60-80 if you did it the way I described. You could cut the cost by using a single changeover contactor, but there would be a short instant of the existing plug became live when charging via the dangling 13A plug.

Far more expensive than maintenance and silicon lubricants or even replacing the charging plug and socket. However the post that I replied to seemed to prefer two charging points to replacing plugs and sockets.

[Flying John]

I think it needs the KISS approach. Somewhere I am sure there is a plug and socket type that has fully enclosed pins so that neither end may be touched.

I was rather hoping someone would have popped up and said - oh yes you need connector series type xyz - perhaps like 16amp type caravan connector but with fully shrouded contacts. This would then simply be wired in parallel with the exisating mains wiring in the top of the controller box and left - say clipped up, under the bonnet for conecting to a compatible lead with a 13amp plug on the end that could be carried in the drawer under the drivers seat.

The idea was for it to be a less often used method than charging at home, to help out if you found yourself in need of a quick charge boost if you ran low.

John

[JonSpence]

I think it needs the KISS approach. Somewhere I am sure there is a plug and socket type that has fully enclosed pins so that neither end may be touched.
....
The idea was for it to be a less often used method than charging at home, to help out if you found yourself in need of a quick charge boost if you ran low.

John

Well in true KISS approach, you do is what's often done with imersian heaters or CH boilers*. Take the charging circuit to a standard 13A plug. The normal charging point now runs to a standard 13A skt into which you insert the plug you just fitted.

At home use as normal. Caught short borrow a standard 13A extension lead and transfer your 13A plug to that (13A extension leads are rare BTW most are 6A).
NOTE that I am assuming that the charging circuit can not supply power.

*It's usually done that way as the cheapest way of complying with the regs.