Installing a 3 pin plug socket in your van

[BabyDontYurtMe]

Hi guys,

I tried googling for something to allow me to easily fit a 3 pin plug socket to my 06 mk6 tdci transit, but have had no luck.
I dont want to use the cigarette lighter as I have 2 dash cams plugged into that, so does anyone have a product on Ebay or something they know of to use? I just want something that goes straight into the wiring somewhere and does magic and gives me a plug socket. Itll only be used to charge things like phones and laptops while the van is running.

Thanks in advance!

[mealic]

Why not just use a standard AC trailing lead and cut the plug off.

[mealic]

.......................of course you will have to connect the plugless end to an inverter or just keep the plug top on and plug it in.

[BabyDontYurtMe]

Why not just use a standard AC trailing lead and cut the plug off.

Do I just connect the pos and neg to the battery terminals in that case?

I should have mentioned I have extremely basic electronics knowledge, and am fearful of automotive electronics as they seem to work on magic dust.
So if I just connect the two wires to battery terminals, i wont have any problems elsewhere? I have an inverter lying around I think

[Kedishen]

Van is 12volt, home is somewhere near to 240v.. Dont mix them or the cables.

To convert, you must invert 12v to 240v, so find your inverter and connect that to your battery. Dont go using it to power a microwave or a vacuum cleaner or hairdryers or even a kettle. Its for small things. Laptop sized things and hair clippers and small lcd tv's.

The basic idea with these things is to have the 12v cables reasonably short.. Then plug an extension lead into the inverter for easy placement.

[BabyDontYurtMe]

Van is 12volt, home is somewhere near to 240v.. Dont mix them or the cables.

To convert, you must invert 12v to 240v, so find your inverter and connect that to your battery. Dont go using it to power a microwave or a vacuum cleaner or hairdryers or even a kettle. Its for small things. Laptop sized things and hair clippers and small lcd tv's.

The basic idea with these things is to have the 12v cables reasonably short.. Then plug an extension lead into the inverter for easy placement.

Cheers for the reply! I have found my inverter and its a 12v to 240v which is perfect. However I dont have any cables with it, so I am just going to hop to Maplin and find the largest diameter crocodile clips I can find. Theyll work, right?

Im going to be a pain... why should I keep the 12v cables short?
Is it something to do with increased resistance or something?

Yeah I know not to use it on anything with a high power rating, I would be surprised if I was pulling more than 100W from it at any one time.

Thanks again for the info guys, electronics was never a subject I got on with!

[BabyDontYurtMe]

OK I don't mean to alarm any of you but I have sussed out why everyone is so interested in finding the 12v socket thingy in the load area of their vans now.
It all makes sense.

I know, I know, its not like me to be using my noggin, but rest assured I did check with the doctor and he said its perfectly normal to use it once in a while.

[Kedishen]

higher voltage travels along a cable with less resistance. Same reason why they massively increase the voltage in overhead cables between transformers.. just on a more local scale

[robbie.cee]

Could get a wee 150w Inverter for 30quid and chop plug off and wire via fusebox ? Be a better more permanent way?

[bazw]

you should never mix and match electrical sockets or plugs meant for different Voltages, 1 day you will plug the wrong thing in a socket just because they match and BOOM