240V in-vehicle supply - is it good? & HOW TO GET YOUR PLUG TO SIT FLAT

[Ocean Wanderer]

+++ I HAVE REALISED, WHILST ON TOUR THIS LAST WEEK AND A HALF, THAT YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE 240V SOCKET MODULE FAR MORE EASILY THAN I PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED SIMPLY BY SPINNING THE DRIVER'S SEAT THE FULL 180 deg, SLIDING IT TO THE APPROPRIATE EXTREME, AND TILTING THE BACKREST - SEE PHOTO BELOW. I HOPE THIS HELPS ANYONE WHO STILL HAS THE INCLINATION TO 'FIX' THE ORIGINAL DESIGN ISSUE. THANKS.

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Followed your instructions this evening - worked perfectly thanks. Hardest bit was getting the bloody spring for the cover back in the right place. Flange (love that word) removed, and plugs fit nuch better. Many thanks JR.

Big thanks for your advice on modifying the 240v socket. Not sure that I could have done it without your detailed instructions because I just couldn't work out what held the socket in place until I read your post showing how to release the retaining clips. A couple of things that I found made it easier: 1. Rotated the seat to gain more access as per your suggestion. 2.Moved the inverter out of the way by undoing the 2 retaining Torx screws. 3. Once I had removed the plug surround, to save dismantling the spring loaded flap I simply used masking tape to hold it back while I trimmed back the raised edge. 4. To avoid damage to the surround I masked off around the raised edge before I started trimming with a sharp blade. The whole job took less than half an hour - thanks to your input. Now I don't have to prop my MacBook charger up with a kitchen sponge to keep it from falling out of the plug socket - plus the spring loaded flap is now in a much more sensible orientation!!

 

[Peter84]

@Ocean Wanderer if you have a Macbook with USB-C just get an appropriate 12 volt USB-C charger, some of them can go up to 120 watts and you can also use them to (fast) charge other devices like your phone. No need to use the inverter.

 

[Wannabecamperman]

@Ocean Wanderer if you have a Macbook with USB-C just get an appropriate 12 volt USB-C charger, some of them can go up to 120 watts and you can also use them to (fast) charge other devices like your phone. No need to use the inverter.

Or USB-A to USB-C cable as I use. Though this is lower power than the 12v to USB-C, it works to charge it.

Either solution is MUCH more efficient than using the inverter for AC.

 

[Peter84]

@Wannabecamperman I believe USB-A can deliver 12 watts max so that would take a very long time to charge a laptop. That's why I would recommend to get a decent 12v USB-C charger.

And indeed, it's quite inefficient with the inverter (from DC to AC back to DC).

 

[Wannabecamperman]

@Wannabecamperman I believe USB-A can deliver 12 watts max so that would take a very long time to charge a laptop. That's why I would recommend to get a decent 12v USB-C charger.

And indeed, it's quite inefficient with the inverter (from DC to AC back to DC).

USB-A is 18w max on my Bluetti AC 200 Max setup. But yes, a cigarette lighter to USB-C can reach 60w+ easily.

 

[Johnny Rocket]

Big thanks for your advice on modifying the 240v socket. Not sure that I could have done it without your detailed instructions because I just couldn't work out what held the socket in place until I read your post showing how to release the retaining clips. A couple of things that I found made it easier: 1. Rotated the seat to gain more access as per your suggestion. 2.Moved the inverter out of the way by undoing the 2 retaining Torx screws. 3. Once I had removed the plug surround, to save dismantling the spring loaded flap I simply used masking tape to hold it back while I trimmed back the raised edge. 4. To avoid damage to the surround I masked off around the raised edge before I started trimming with a sharp blade. The whole job took less than half an hour - thanks to your input. Now I don't have to prop my MacBook charger up with a kitchen sponge to keep it from falling out of the plug socket - plus the spring loaded flap is now in a much more sensible orientation!!

My pleasure, and I'm glad that a few people now have been confident enough to make the same improvement after the frustration (and irritation, even) that I had.

Yes, I took a while to establish how the clips worked, and so was very pleased to get into it finally without breaking anything.

And not twigging the seat-swivelling tip from the outset was a bit of a schoolboy error, discovered only after I'd done it the hard way.

As for conversion efficiency via the inverter, I honestly don't give a stuff about that - of far greater value is to be able to charge a high-current appliance straight off the mains plug and at up to 300W (and therefore quickly) now and again . . . a convenience that's well worth it !

 

[CC44853]

I've recently completed adding a portable power station wired into the rear (internal) EHU panel and connected to the alternator. It means we can run 1800w devices from the kitchen socket and not worry about solar/charging etc. Let me know if anyone would benefit from a guide like this for the solution (I learned a bunch!)

 

[Aspire4969]

I've recently completed adding a portable power station wired into the rear (internal) EHU panel and connected to the alternator. It means we can run 1800w devices from the kitchen socket and not worry about solar/charging etc. Let me know if anyone would benefit from a guide like this for the solution (I learned a bunch!)

I signed up purely to reply to this post! Very interested in how / what you’ve learnt! I been wondering about doing this myself.

 

[Crasher]

My pleasure, and I'm glad that a few people now have been confident enough to make the same improvement after the frustration (and irritation, even) that I had.

Yes, I took a while to establish how the clips worked, and so was very pleased to get into it finally without breaking anything.

And not twigging the seat-swivelling tip from the outset was a bit of a schoolboy error, discovered only after I'd done it the hard way.

As for conversion efficiency via the inverter, I honestly don't give a stuff about that - of far greater value is to be able to charge a high-current appliance straight off the mains plug and at up to 300W (and therefore quickly) now and again . . . a convenience that's well worth it !

Should be great to see how you underwent the install.I Have recently purchased a bluetti and working out options.

 

[Benham]

I sorted my socket today. Thank you @Johnny Rocket for the guide. I also unbolted the inverter to make the job a bit easier.

 

[Johnny Rocket]

I sorted my socket today. Thank you @Johnny Rocket for the guide. I also unbolted the inverter to make the job a bit easier.

Excellent, thanks for the thanks, and glad my experiment has proved useful to one or two people - it’s well worth doing it isn’t it !?

 

[CC44853]

I've recently completed adding a portable power station wired into the rear (internal) EHU panel and connected to the alternator. It means we can run 1800w devices from the kitchen socket and not worry about solar/charging etc. Let me know if anyone would benefit from a guide like this for the solution (I learned a bunch!)

My post about this here: https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/my-integrated-240v-off-grid-solution.57262/

 

[arklife]

Evening all. I am going to buy or make up one of the very neat extension cables Stu@rt shows in post #48 but wanted to check something first. I think I know the answer but that can sometimes be dangerous….! Am I correct in assuming that the 3 pin outlet from the inverter (300W on the T6.1) is not earthed? I can’t see how it would be earthed (as a 230V system in a house would be) but both UK 3 pin plugs and Schuko plugs have an earth connection and van electrics aren’t my strong point.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Mehdime]

My T6.1 Ocean is booked in for a replacement socket as plugging anything in to the socket falls out, maybe I need to take a closer look and possibly turn the socket "upside down"
To see if that helps.
A how to remove would be great.

Were you able to get VW to fit a replacement socket that’s fit for purpose in the end? I have the same issue in my MY22 Ocean - plugs plugged into the UK-style inverter socket are very loose / fall off.

I see the DIY solutions proposed in this thread but I would prefer VW to fix the issue under warranty instead if they actually have a solution.

 

[Johnny Rocket]

Were you able to get VW to fit a replacement socket that’s fit for purpose in the end? I have the same issue in my MY22 Ocean - plugs plugged into the UK-style inverter socket are very loose / fall off.

I see the DIY solutions proposed in this thread but I would prefer VW to fix the issue under warranty instead if they actually have a solution.

Good evening.

I'm very happy to be proved wrong, but I wouldn't hold your breath on this one - they will tell you ' . . . sorry, this is how it's designed' . . ' and then, hopefully more tactfully, that you can like it or lump it !

Some UK plug footprints will fit inside the rectangular perimeter upstand, but I found that the engagement length and grip on the earth pin were so marginal anyway, that with the plug also upside down and the mass of the cable trying to tip it, the tendency for it to fall out was always pretty high.

I had a particular old-generation Apple MacBook plug whose footprint overlapped the upstand, hence the suite of tandem mod's I effected . . .

Good luck.

 

[Johnny Rocket]

Evening all. I am going to buy or make up one of the very neat extension cables Stu@rt shows in post #48 but wanted to check something first. I think I know the answer but that can sometimes be dangerous….! Am I correct in assuming that the 3 pin outlet from the inverter (300W on the T6.1) is not earthed? I can’t see how it would be earthed (as a 230V system in a house would be) but both UK 3 pin plugs and Schuko plugs have an earth connection and van electrics aren’t my strong point.

Thanks in advance.

When I did my mod's I didn't specifically check whether the earth pin was carried through into the harness, but you can easily remove the yellow plug from the back of the bulkhead socket in the cavity under the driver's seat, and then trace the pin-outs to see if there is an earth wire running into the vehicle loom - see thread no' s 53 & 54 in my how-to guide to see how to get access to the plug - and DON'T remove the driver's seat (!), you'll be able to get at just by finding the right combination of fore-aft and swivel (see thread no. 72), and you'll get at it easily . . . the only 'snag' is releasing the red lock on the yellow plug.

THE HARNESS CONNECTOR IS RELEASED BY PULLING UP THE RED SLIDER, AND SPRINGING IN THE YELLOW LEVER BENEATH, SO THAT THE CONNECTOR CAN THEN BE PULLED OUT:

+++ I HAVE REALISED, WHILST ON TOUR THIS LAST WEEK AND A HALF, THAT YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE 240V SOCKET MODULE FAR MORE EASILY THAN I PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED SIMPLY BY SPINNING THE DRIVER'S SEAT THE FULL 180 deg, SLIDING IT TO THE APPROPRIATE EXTREME, AND TILTING THE BACKREST - SEE PHOTO BELOW. I HOPE THIS HELPS ANYONE WHO STILL HAS THE INCLINATION TO 'FIX' THE ORIGINAL DESIGN ISSUE. THANKS.

 

[WelshGas]

Evening all. I am going to buy or make up one of the very neat extension cables Stu@rt shows in post #48 but wanted to check something first. I think I know the answer but that can sometimes be dangerous….! Am I correct in assuming that the 3 pin outlet from the inverter (300W on the T6.1) is not earthed? I can’t see how it would be earthed (as a 230V system in a house would be) but both UK 3 pin plugs and Schuko plugs have an earth connection and van electrics aren’t my strong point.

Thanks in advance.

No, it's not earthed as in a household mains circuit.
Also, many of the electrical items that can be used in this 300w inverter are also not earthed and have plastic earth pins only.

 

[arklife]

When I did my mod's I didn't specifically check whether the earth pin was carried through into the harness, but you can easily remove the yellow plug from the back of the bulkhead socket in the cavity under the driver's seat, and then trace the pin-outs to see if there is an earth wire running into the vehicle loom - see thread no' s 53 & 54 in my how-to guide to see how to get access to the plug - and DON'T remove the driver's seat (!), you'll be able to get at just by finding the right combination of fore-aft and swivel (see thread no. 72), and you'll get at it easily . . . the only 'snag' is releasing the red lock on the yellow plug.

THE HARNESS CONNECTOR IS RELEASED BY PULLING UP THE RED SLIDER, AND SPRINGING IN THE YELLOW LEVER BENEATH, SO THAT THE CONNECTOR CAN THEN BE PULLED OUT:

+++ I HAVE REALISED, WHILST ON TOUR THIS LAST WEEK AND A HALF, THAT YOU CAN GET ACCESS TO THE BACK SIDE OF THE 240V SOCKET MODULE FAR MORE EASILY THAN I PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED SIMPLY BY SPINNING THE DRIVER'S SEAT THE FULL 180 deg, SLIDING IT TO THE APPROPRIATE EXTREME, AND TILTING THE BACKREST - SEE PHOTO BELOW. I HOPE THIS HELPS ANYONE WHO STILL HAS THE INCLINATION TO 'FIX' THE ORIGINAL DESIGN ISSUE. THANKS.

Hi Johnny. Thank you for this information – very helpful.

My query about the earth pin in the socket is based on the following reasoning:

• There is a hole in the socket for the earth pin on a UK 3 pin plug, but this may be just to accommodate the pin and may not actually have a connection to earth within.
• Schuko type plugs do not have an earth pin as such – the earth connection is made either via sprung pins/leaves on the side of a Schuko socket or a male pin on the socket (French type sockets). The socket installed on the Cali, which accepts both UK and Schuko plugs, has neither the sprung pins/leaves nor the male pin on the socket.
• If a Schuko type plug is used in the inverter socket, it will not be earthed because it is not possible to make a physical connection between the socket and the earth contacts on the plug.
• If there is an earth connection within the socket, where would this connect to? There is no earth rod or suppliers earth connection in a van as you would have in a 230V system in a house. I have to qualify this by saying that 12V systems and van electrics are a mystery to me – I don’t understand them!

I know from older posts in other threads that the socket on the inverter on the T6 and previous versions does not have an earth connection but I cannot see a definitive answer as to whether this is also the case on the T6.1. I also understand from other threads that the type of items that can be powered from the inverter socket (< 300W) are likely to be Class II/Double Insulated so a physical earth connection is not strictly required (and indeed the earth pin on the plugs of these items is often plastic, i.e.: no physical earth connection).

I suspect that I am massively overthinking this and it is a non-issue – lots of people in this thread are using Schuko plugs with no issues – but, especially with little people present in my van, I always like to err on the side of safety: if the socket has an earth connection, I should be using it.

 

[arklife]

No, it's not earthed as in a household mains circuit.
Also, many of the electrical items that can be used in this 300w inverter are also not earthed and have plastic earth pins only.

Hi WelshGas. Thank you for confirming – very helpful. I will go with the Schuko plug/UK 3 pin socket extension cable arrangement that Stu@rt suggests in post #48.