Converter ON/OFF switch

[H. John Kohl]

Living in the boondocks I use the inverter for 120vac power. When the inverter is on I need to turn off the converter because it wastes LOTS of power. This prevents using the circuit breaker and weakening it.


I had to pull the 120vac breaker panel and the 12vdc fuse panel.
I noticed a hot spot on the 12vdc panel and tightened the wire. YES IT WAS LOOSE. Notice the rolled area by the big black wire on the left. After 7 years things do loosen up.

So that loose connection cause the wire to get warm/hot enough to melt the plastic. The black wire is part of the 12vdc positive feed to the fuses.

[scott-pati]

Good thing you was adding that switch and found the loose wires! The switch is a great idea too.

[DQDick]

Another nice mod and a great catch.

[Art-n-Marge]

Nice mod and safety catch. Refresh my memory H. John, but that black wire should NOT be tinned (put solder on the end to help hold it together better). Braided wire under compression will spread out and therefore need to be retightened like you've shown. Also, don't forget to twist the end as tight as you can to prevent the spreading (and loosening).

Note if you don't have an inverter and/or need to use existing 12v lighting, don't turn off this switch. I also have to imagine that battery charging might be concern if not being recharged in other means. I'm only bringing this up since this is not for the electronically challenged. I recall H. John is an electrician and thereby very comfortable with electric work and mods.

[scott-pati]

quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

Nice mod and safety catch. Refresh my memory H. John, but that black wire should NOT be tinned (put solder on the end to help hold it together better). Braided wire under compression will spread out and therefore need to be retightened like you've shown. Also, don't forget to twist the end as tight as you can to prevent the spreading (and loosening).

Note if you don't have an inverter and/or need to use existing 12v lighting, don't turn off this switch. I also have to imagine that battery charging might be concern if not being recharged in other means. I'm only bringing this up since this is not for the electronically challenged. I recall H. John is an electrician and thereby very comfortable with electric work and mods.

Did I miss something? Where did H. John say he tinned the wire?

Scott

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

Nice mod and safety catch. Refresh my memory H. John, but that black wire should NOT be tinned (put solder on the end to help hold it together better). Braided wire under compression will spread out and therefore need to be retightened like you've shown. Also, don't forget to twist the end as tight as you can to prevent the spreading (and loosening).

Note if you don't have an inverter and/or need to use existing 12v lighting, don't turn off this switch. I also have to imagine that battery charging might be concern if not being recharged in other means. I'm only bringing this up since this is not for the electronically challenged. I recall H. John is an electrician and thereby very comfortable with electric work and mods.

Art you are correct with high current flow you DO NOT want to TIN the end. I basically just put a half turn on the terminal. screw. You use stranded wire to eliminate the "SKIN EFFECT" especially in AC current but even some on DC hich current.

This switch would not be installed if I was not using the inverter. I use solar to recharge my batteries or worse case the generator. When using the generator I either turn on the inverter of better yet use the 12vdc charging capability of the honda 2000 generator.

[Art-n-Marge]

scott-pati, I saw in his first picture that the wire was NOT tinned. I knew he'd know when tinning was allowed. Now that I look close it might not even be stranded wire. Nevertheless, it's just to confirm working with electicity correctly. I can do minor corrections or installations, like correct what's already there, but I have to leave complicated things to guys like H. John.

[MDL]

Could you/should you use some type of terminal thread compound, like loctite, to keep the terminal from loosening? If not, how often should you check the wire terminals?

[scott-pati]

quote:Originally posted by Art-n-Marge

scott-pati, I saw in his first picture that the wire was NOT tinned. I knew he'd know when tinning was allowed. Now that I look close it might not even be stranded wire. Nevertheless, it's just to confirm working with electicity correctly. I can do minor corrections or installations, like correct what's already there, but I have to leave complicated things to guys like H. John.

Art, just wasn't sure what I missed, but you and John are correct about not tinning. It's hard sometimes to get what is really being said through posting or texting. Still it's all great info, none the less!

Scott

[H. John Kohl]

quote:Originally posted by MDL

Could you/should you use some type of terminal thread compound, like loctite, to keep the terminal from loosening? If not, how often should you check the wire terminals?

MDL,
I do not thnk Loctite is required. I have had this pannel out probably 10 times in my sevn years of ownership. My comment was to indicate a need to check them if you are accessing them for any reason. This was the first time I torqued them and it was just a quarter turn. I am not sure the electrical impact that it might have with the wiring either.

The biggest loose wire aleart to me is in the fire place.

Then the most iritable is in the electrical connections (outlets and switches) in these trailers because they use the quick connect (slice in "my words") connection.

Good queston.

[jackel1959]

John,
Sent you a PM regarding your switch mod.

Jack