Quote:
Originally Posted by Stumble
We have an EEL, its fine, better than a ring, but not even close to as nice as the SmartPlug. Its just a better ring but doesn't fix the fundamental problem with the standard plug, poor conductor contact area.
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It looks like the EEL is at least somewhat weatherproof. That's something. The classical Hubbel/Marinco connector doesn't even slow down the rain getting in, even if you diligently screw down the carpy plastic ring. Bah!
But yes -- those contacts are fundamentally flawed -- very small area, and they rely on the female contacts springing closed. But they are not spring steel! After you've screwed and unscrewed them a number of times, they stop springing closed, and start arcing. To my mind, this is a simply unacceptably bad design, and I won't ever have another one on my
boat.
Smart
Plug looks really nice, but I'm thinking that a
Victron 32 amp connector might also be just fine, in case I can't find the Smart Plug here. The European round pin blue connectors, which come in 16 and 32 amp versions, are very good -- fat copper pins and lots of contact area, and with the sockets designed to keep
water out even without a seal. Almost never see one of those with burned contacts.