Extension cord for 12v DC

[ayjay]

Not sure if this fits electrical or vehicle maintenance, so in the search for a wider audience I'll stick it in here.

Got a hoist fitted in the front of the van now to lift the wife in and out. It plugs in to a socket which is tricky to get at: the fitter did say that he wasn't able to mount the unit any other way. I can get the plug in and out (needs doing each time it's used) but it's harder than is ideal.

I'm thinking that a short extension lead could be left in and would give me much easier access.

Is there a specific name for this type of plug?

Is it something I could buy the bits for make up myself?

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Yes, that's a bit of me, naked, in pic 4. Calm down, it's only a bit of a leg.

[Job and Knock]

It looks like an IEC plug. Extensions are available from CPC Farnell, amongst others

[Rorschach]

It's an IEC connector. Easy to find as bare plugs for you to make your own little extension. I use one for powering my lathe powerfeed even though it's rather overkill.

I dont see any reason you couldn't leave the extension plugged in all the time, the contacts are enclosed in the male part.

[kellys_eye]

Some older PC systems used to use such an extension to take AC from a socket on the back of the PC case to the monitor.

Here's one I found first go on eBay although there are cheaper ones on there too.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/IEC-2M-10-Am ... 0281.m3567

Sometimes cheaper (and certainly easier) to get one 'made up'. If you have a local PC repair shop anywhere nearby, drop in and ask for one - they'll probably have a bucket load.

[ayjay]

Thanks all, just got to find an old kettle lead now to check that it fits, I must have one somewhere.

[ayjay]

Thanks all, just got to find an old kettle lead now to check that it fits, I must have one somewhere.

No kettle leads found, I must have chucked out the two old and slightly leaky kettles put aside for an emergency and only kept the old and slightly leaky one with a sit-on base. (I'll probably trip over one tomorrow).

I did find a PC lead which fits just fine, so an extension is on it's way from eBay.

[arco_iris]

Too late now of course but Plus 1 for CPC Farnell, Plus 77 for old fashioned computer shops and, probably, car boot sales. One of your neighbours probably had one in his shed/loft. Fleabay should have been cheap enough to avoid running around.

Yes leave the extension plugged in, the female end will be safe when disconnected.

Technically, for anybody else looking, it is an IEC C13 (male) to C14 (female) lead rated for 70°C. Kettle leads (C15/C16) are officially very slightly different for higher temperatures.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IEC_60320

[ayjay]

Fleabay should have been cheap enough to avoid running around.

£1.49 & free postage - eBay does save a lot of running around, although I must have wasted an hour looking for my old kettle leads!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-5m-Power-E ... 1438.l2649

[Grumps]

I did find a PC lead which fits just fine, so an extension is on it's way from eBay.

Best wishes. I'd just say that I'd be wary of the Amps. Not of the connector, moreso the cable.

Do you know what size fuse the 'fitter' fitted (sounds like a tongue twister ) as that will determine the size of cable needed for the extension lead.

[arco_iris]

I did find a PC lead which fits just fine, so an extension is on it's way from eBay.

Best wishes. I'd just say that I'd be wary of the Amps. Not of the connector, moreso the cable.

Do you know what size fuse the 'fitter' fitted (sounds like a tongue twister ) as that will determine the size of cable needed for the extension lead.

Whilst proprietry IEC leads are available with 0.50mm2, 0.75mm2 & 1.00mm2 cable for different loads, at Ayjay's 12 volts this is unlikely to be an issue.

[Someone-Else]

at Ayjay's 12 volts this is unlikely to be an issue.

Sorry to not agree. Its not the voltage that is the problem, its the current, so it can be an issue, cable too thin could easily melt if too much current is drawn.

Take an Arc welder as an example. Typical output voltage is around 48. But the current can be anything around 120A +

[Rorschach]

Typical output voltage is around 48. But the current can be anything around 120A +

More like 24v at that kind of amperage (assuming 13amp plug).

[Someone-Else]

More like 24v at that kind of amperage (assuming 13amp plug).

I googled it, (I thought the voltage was lower) seems that most are 48v (open circuit voltage) and yes on a 13A plug, it was the current that varies, if its has a 20A supply not the voltage (one that went up to 150A said you only get 120A on a 13A plug, but around 150A on a 20A supply)

[ayjay]

It hasn't blown up yet.

The plug fitted by the manufacturers is 10amp, as is the one I bought, the extension cable I bought is slightly thicker in appearance if anything, just by a mm or so.

I'll not be losing any sleep over it.

[Grumps]

Sorry to not agree. Its not the voltage that is the problem, its the current, so it can be an issue, cable too thin could easily melt if too much current is drawn.

That is the point I was making. Amps is a function of Watts/Volts.

For any given 'load' a lower Voltage will result in a higher Amperage.