Charging socket maintenance.

[Flying John]

Indeed yes this is ther answer. But as I said in first post the problem is the pins of the 13amp plug become LIVE when you are charging from the conventional socket under the flap on the O/S wing.

This is why a style of connector is required that shields the pins on both plug and socket. Bit like the Avcon does already.

John

[JonSpence]

Indeed yes this is ther answer. But as I said in first post the problem is the pins of the 13amp plug become LIVE when you are charging from the conventional socket under the flap on the O/S wing.
John

NO IT DOES NOT!

Standard skt goes to standard 13A skt, which would become live when you plug your charging lead in to the car skt. The 13A plug from the charging circuit goes into that.

ie currently

Charger ──── car skt.

Suggested

Charger ──── 13A plug , 13A skt────car skt.

NOT
<pre>
Charger──┬────car skt
┴────13A plug.
</pre>
Which would be dangerous, but was NEVER what I suggested. Nor is it like what you would find in ANY house wiring CH or water heater.

[Flying John]

But you cannot isolate the Charger in the way that you have drawn it, on the Berlingo.

When you plug in the standard Avcon connector into the side of the vehicle the wires that you would connect in parallel with the main input cables on the charger, in order to give you the connection to mains in case of emergency (when you do not have the Avcon lead with you), would be live.

So where you say your "Charger ──── 13A plug" - the plug pins would be live when Avcon is coonected to mains.

This is the nub of the problem. One needs a plug arrangement that has insulated pins on the new plug connected to the charger and the mating socket because in some combinations the ends of either of the plug or socket could be live.

John

[Flying John]

This is a fag packet diagram but I hope it conveys the dilemma. The two connectors shown in the circle have to be fully insulated - just like the avcon connector is.
www.johnluck.flyer.co.uk/blingocharger.jpg

Sorry its a rubbish scan.

[JonSpence]

But you cannot isolate the Charger in the way that you have drawn it, on the Berlingo.

When you plug in the standard Avcon connector into the side of the vehicle the wires that you would connect in parallel with the main input cables on the charger,

I did not connect anything in parallel!

My entire concept was based upon the assumption that wires run between the Avcon connector and the charger. My drawing attempted to clearly show the idea that you CUT those wires and insert both a 13A plug and a 13A socket to reconnect them.

When you unplug the 13A plug there would be NO connection between it and the Avcon connector. You would have to have it plugged in to use the Avcon connector and would plug it into a extension lead as the alternative, in which case there would be NO connection to the Avcon connector. The 13A skt would be live if you connected the Avcon connector, but they don't have exposed pins.

There is no intention of having the connectors wired in parallel in this KISS scheme.

Now if the Avcon connector is mounted on the charger PCB then this might be difficult. However, while I have not got a Berlingo, I find it difficult to imagine that to be the case.

I know of NO connector that has BOTH plug and skt shielded. Nor can I imaging either a easy construction of one or a need for one, given that there are alternatives.

Like I say, I don't have a Berlingo, so I'll leave you to decide where to go from here.

[Flying John]

OK I see the problem now. You cannot simply get access to the wires from the car side of the Avcon to the charger as they are on a moulded lead with purpose made feed through rubber bushes and very short tails.

I agree that if you were able to get to both sides then this would be a solution. I thought that you were familiar with the Citroen Berlingo EV and that is why I think there is a misunderstanding.

My premis was that we keep the existing just as it is and use a connector similar to this DC single pole DC high voltage high current conector that has a protective sleeve that is pushed back as the male plug is inserted into the female socket. It is thus protected at all times from inquisive fingers.

Problem is - as I asked in the original question- is there such a plug/socket that has these protected pins apart for the Avcon which does it well, but is expensive.

www.johnluck.flyer.co.uk/dcsleevedconnector.jpg