Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 18:02:50 -0500
Reply-To: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Canadian Westfalia Shore Power Cord Warning
In-Reply-To: <CAB2RwfhDydjJ7d_zBjwtcnJcueuimNUeY7qGNu5SOUuowBcb1A@mail.gmail.com>
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I find it a bit hard to believe that style of plug was used for an outside connector. You want molded weather resistant cord sets. It also looks like some excessive current may have been involved but a bad connection can also cause excessive heating. You need to test the following:
Do you still have the circuit breaker inside the camper? It should be 15 amp since the interior wiring is 14 gauge.
Is the polarity correct? The breaker needs to be on the hot, (black) wire.
Was the polarity correct at the campsite? Get yourself one of plug in testers to test polarity and ground.
Is the body of the van properly bonded to the ground connection?
Dennis
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Neil N
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2015 5:51 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Canadian Westfalia Shore Power Cord Warning
Hi all.
Images of a failed shore power connector (110VAC hook up on vehicle) on a Canadian Vanagon Westfalia. Found this while in camp:
https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/WestfaliaShorePowerCord
I know this has been discussed, and may only apply to Canadian Westies, but regardless, thought I'd suggest it's worth checking your shore power connector. The US model 110VAC hook up is different.
Ironically, and thankfully, I actually thought to myself:
"... Oh ya. Disconnect plug from outlet first".
Not sure if I'd have gotten a shock were I to do it the other way around.
What likely caused the failure:
- corrosion at blades of connector (I was using a new extension cord)
- heat due to corrosion caused the (vinyl?) boot on vehicle side connector to get quite warm which in turn allowed it to easily deform
- soft deformed boot allowed clamp holding outside layer of wiring to boot to easily come loose.
I hate "blaming" the previous owner all the time but it's possible their work came into play here. The white neutral wire pulled out quite easily from the connector even though I was pulling mostly on the (vinyl?) boot itself. The 2 other securing points (hot, ground) in the Westy connector looked a little "loose" i.e. the screws may not have been tightened enough. No matter what, the clamp mentioned should have held everything together.
I recall replacing that part on my older '81 Westy with a connector similar to this (image):
http://tinyurl.com/lfo6cl9 It has worked fine for some years now but as we say, YMMV.
;)
I had to file off a tiny the shoulders of the connector housing so it would fit back into the plastic utility hook up bit.
Neil.
--
Neil n
Blog: Vanagons, Westfalia, general <http://tubaneil.blogspot.ca>
1988 Westy Images <https://picasaweb.google.com/musomuso/New1988Westy>
1981 Westfalia "Jaco" Images, technical <http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/>
Vanagon-Bus VAG Gas Engine Swap Group <http://tinyurl.com/khalbay>
